candidus_cogitens
Explorer
Does it still know that this "animal" is its master, or would the companion perceive the druid as a stranger or even a potential rival?
Is a druid in wild shape recognized by an animal companion?
- Thread starter candidus_cogitens
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candidus_cogitens
Explorer
I was kinda wondering about scent. I'm just not sure, though. Wouldn't your scent change, along with the rest of your body?
Dingleberry
First Post
I think any druid worth his salt would use speak with animals to explain to his wildshape ability to his animal companions (as well as the party's horses, mules, etc.). "If you see an animal point at you, then at itself, then nod its head three times, it's me."
Pielorinho
Iron Fist of Pelor
candidus_cogitens said:
Three answers:
Balance-wise: given that animal friendship and wildshape are two of the druid's biggest cookies, I think it would be a bad idea to set them at odds with one another. If at all possible, you should find an in-game reason to let them work together.
Rules-wise: The spell creates a supernatural bond between the druid and the animal. Given that the bond is created by magic, something as simple as a different appearance wouldn't affect the bond.
Flavor-wise: The companion can recognize the wildshaped druid through subtle behaviors that a humanoid might not pick up on: gait, odors of equipment, head movement, etc. Furthermore, the animal companion will likely become familiar with the druid's wildshape abilities under non-stressful conditions (e.g., back at camp), and will quickly associate them with the druid as just another weird thing that the companion's master can do. She can create fire from her hands, she can wear different clothes, she can speak my language sometimes, she can change shape.
Daniel
Dursk Starkfire
First Post
I don't see how this would be any different than training their companion such tasks as "attack", "defend", or "sit".
If we put it into perspective, Int 2 isn't a blob, but has some sentient capacity. For instance, a rat has INT2, but they are actually highly trainable and have a fairly good memory. Probably one of the reasons they are so often used as the guinea pigs of psychology experiments. They even have a rat olympics: (http://www.nebrwesleyan.edu/depts/psyc/fair.htm) where the rats are trained to such tasks as weight lifting and tight-rope walking. I've even seen them trained to a higher degree that they can predict outcomes of a series of flashing lights. Anything is possible in training an animal given enough time, repetition, and food.
Conversely, just because someone looks like the druid doesn't mean it IS the druid. Case in point, if a doppleganger were to "appear" as the druid, the familiar would recognize that it wasn't its master. On that same token, if the master did not appear in their normal form, the companion would most readily recognize them via other means. (voice, scent, mannerisms)
You'd be surprised what creatures can be trained to recognize over time, even at INT2.
dursk
If we put it into perspective, Int 2 isn't a blob, but has some sentient capacity. For instance, a rat has INT2, but they are actually highly trainable and have a fairly good memory. Probably one of the reasons they are so often used as the guinea pigs of psychology experiments. They even have a rat olympics: (http://www.nebrwesleyan.edu/depts/psyc/fair.htm) where the rats are trained to such tasks as weight lifting and tight-rope walking. I've even seen them trained to a higher degree that they can predict outcomes of a series of flashing lights. Anything is possible in training an animal given enough time, repetition, and food.
Conversely, just because someone looks like the druid doesn't mean it IS the druid. Case in point, if a doppleganger were to "appear" as the druid, the familiar would recognize that it wasn't its master. On that same token, if the master did not appear in their normal form, the companion would most readily recognize them via other means. (voice, scent, mannerisms)
You'd be surprised what creatures can be trained to recognize over time, even at INT2.
dursk
Dingleberry
First Post
LokiDR said:
According to the spell description, with a single casting of speak with animals a friendly animal "may do some favor or service for you." Sounds to me like you can communicate with them pretty effectively, even with only animal intelligence.
And besides, Pielorinho gave three arguments much more convincing than mine, and the simplicity of Stalker0's response is exactly what I would rule as a DM.
