animal companions and armor

[holomachamp]

With MOTW animal companions can learn the armor trick, which lets them wear armor. does this mean that they are automatically proficient with it?( can an ape with armor trick wear full plate and not suffer any penalties even though it is not proficient with heavy armor?)

thanks for any help

 

[Crothian]

I'd do it with in reason. Heavy armor would be out as it would be very restrictive to the animal. But something more like padded or even a simple breast plate would be okay. As animals don't general gain feats it'd be hard to require them to need the armor feat.

 

[Ace32]

I think the armor trick merely is a way of training the animal to get the armor on in the first place. I mean, you can argue 'well, I won't bother to train it, I'll just cram the armor on it".. but anybody who's ever tried to dress up their dog or other pet will know.. animal's don't like foreign objects on their bodies. They will pick and bite at the object until it comes off, simple as that. So, the armor trick merely gets them to wear it, it doesn't train them with how to use it efficiently.

 

[Tsyr]

I think the armor trick merely is a way of training the animal to get the armor on in the first place. I mean, you can argue 'well, I won't bother to train it, I'll just cram the armor on it".. but anybody who's ever tried to dress up their dog or other pet will know.. animal's don't like foreign objects on their bodies. They will pick and bite at the object until it comes off, simple as that. So, the armor trick merely gets them to wear it, it doesn't train them with how to use it efficiently.

Personaly, I'd disagree... Animal companions are not quite the same thing as a pet. I think if you tried to "dress up" an animal companion, except for maybe forasking you due to embaresment, they would let you. Thus, I would rule it as granting proficiency.

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

A Paladin's mount dosn't require feats to use barding, but it also gains HD as the Paladin rises in level, which would give it a feat at every 4th HD, as described in the monster Manual. I would either just penalize them the armors standard check penalty, or start giving companions and familliars extra "effective" HD, or allowing them to be advanced as in the MM, and the make the player spend the feat. Besides, all these creatures, eccept maybe just a well traind war dog, have wills of their own. What cat, even an awakened one, is going to wear chain mail?

 

[holomachamp]

what about an ape

i my friends game their is a drow ranger/tamer of beasts, she has a legendary ape trained to wear armor. would an ape, even a companion willingly accept full-plate?

 

[Wolf72]

Paladins' standard steed is a warhorse ...

the ape? use speak with animals and find out

 

[BMF]

Hmmm,

As mentioned already, a paladin's warhorse, or any warhorse for that matter, doesn't need a feat to wear plate barding.

Furthermore, I don't think the PHB says anything about animals needing a feat to wear armor. It just says that you can fashion armor to fit them. And, as mentioned above, they can be trained to wear it.

So, although my gut reaction is to say, "they need the feat, after all, humans are smart enough to put armor on, but they still need to spend a feat to know how to wear it effectively." it seems that the rules are against me. I can see the reasoning in it too.

For one thing, are animals even smart enough to realize that there is a right way and a wrong way to wear plate mail? I doubt it. They just wear it. I suppose that means they should get the nonproficient penalties. And, in time thy might become comfortable with it (becoming proficient??).

So, now I'm argueing with myself about it.....

I don't know...

No matter how I look at it, the book suggests that they don't need a feat, but I really think they should, or suffer penalties.