Anyone have a character with animals who ISN'T a Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer, or Wizard?

[Green Knight]

Not the clearest topic title, I know. So let me clarify.

Is anyone here playing a character who uses animal companions (Other than a horse, of course) who isn't playing a Ranger or a Druid (As they get their animal friends through a spell) or a Sorcerer and a Wizard (As they get theirs as familiars)? I ask because I'm thinking of playing a Paladin who'll get ranks in Handle Animal in order to train animals for hunting and combat. I'm thinking of getting a hawk and 2 dogs, right now. Never done anything like that, before, so naturally I'd like to hear about the experiences of others who have.

So is there anyone here who uses animal companions without coming by them through supernatural means? I'm interested in hearing how things worked out for you.

 

[Deedlit]

Note:You forgot clerics with the animal domain, and a Paladin's warhorse.

 

[Kai Lord]

Yes, once. This is what happened:

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24877

 

[Green Knight]

Well, my point is clear. Someone who's running around with animal companions (Minus horses and pack animals) who gets them through the Animal Handling skill, not through some kind of supernatural ability.

 

[kenjib]

I had a bard with animal handling and a pet ferret. The ferret was trained to steal small objects that I pointed out and bring them to me. He could also plant items. Unfortunately the campaign fizzled out very prematurely so I didn't get to see how it worked out.

I was never in a situation to need it, but he also would have come in very handy in the ol' stuck-in-a-jail-cell-with-sleeping-guard-with-key-ring-hanging-from-belt-just-out-of-reach scenario.

 

[Green Knight]

Yes, once. This is what happened:

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24877

*wipes a tear from his eye*

That was beautiful!

 

[Kalendraf]

In one of the campaigns I DM, the party's rogue had a couple of trained war dogs. They had been taught to try to stay on the opposite side of the enemy that the rogue was fighting, thus helping him to gain flanking. One of those dogs has been killed in combat, but the other has been amazing resilient .

 

[durath]

yep

Played a Paladin once who had 2 wardogs. They were amazingly useful at low levels. Saved his hide a couple times actually.

 

[Jeph]

Played a 20th level commoner with 10,000 head of cattle.

LOL just kidding!

 

[reapersaurus]

My wife is playing a Belly-Dancing War-Fan Dancer, and has a pet snake called N'ate.
When making the Core Class, it didn't exactly fit that it would be a familiar, so we just made it a trained snake for performances and poison-milking.