Now they buy pigs

[Lord Pendragon]

Player 1 - "And we believe that by trying to avoid some traps and complete our mission without getting killed that we might piss off the 'God of Sheep'?"

Rel - "Yes."

*Players all look at each other and say in unison...* - "We'll chance it."

Actually, I think I didn't quite make myself clear. I wouldn't introduce a God of Sheep. Rather I'm suggesting that sacrificing them on a regular basis would draw the ire of the God of the Harvest, or the God of Nature, or the Goddess of the Forest. Or all three. And it doesn't have to stop there. These adventurers are causing unwilling creatures pain, regularly, for their own benefit. It's not something any good diety is going to sanction.

This doesn't mean that all of Heaven is going to be up in arms over the cause of the poor sheep. But I can definitely see a particularly zealous demi-god or solar deciding that the PCs need to be stopped. As someone else said, the ends never justify the means, and torturing living creatures is never acceptable. Unless they used Speak with Animals and got the sheeps' permission to use them as living mine detectors, they're doing something wrong. (And what sheep is going to give permission to be herded to its death?)

In all honesty, I think what I'd probably do first is tell my players, "listen guys, I think your tactic is cheesy and I don't like it. I'd like you guys to cut out the animal 'splodin' and get back to classic heroic adventuring."

If that didn't work...the celestials. I've always wanted to see how PCs would fare against astral devas, trumpet archons, etc. etc.

 

[Numion]

Except that celestials, particularly Lawful Good ones, tend not to subscribe to the ends justifying the means. Sheep, as a herd animal, are almost certainly represented by Lawful sorts.

Um .. a god would take personal interest in the mistreatment of a few sheep, and send celestials to assist them? How does any cool stuff get done in that world? Is the god of adventurers sending angels to assist the PCs much?

 

[Chimera]

*Players all look at each other and say in unison...* - "We'll chance it."

And a mysterious voice bleats;

"Baa-aa-aa-d idea"

They could get flocked over pretty badly.

Of course, they're just trying to fleece the GM and I wooled not let them get away with it.

 

[Gez]

Pigs have an excellent sense of smell. They're as often used as dogs to find truffles, and with a bit of training, could probably be used instead of dogs at airports and other places where you need trained beasts with a good sense of smell.

Except that dogs are easier to train and command more respect than pigs, of course.

 

[Orius]

I remember a Knights of the Dinner Table strip about this...

Me too. They used sheep for trap sweeping, chickens to test the depth of pits, and they got a pig, fitted it with a saddlebag packed with oil flasks, and magically hurled it at a group of monsters.

 

[Orius]

Are there stats for a dire pig anywhere?

Yes.

DIRE BOAR
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 7d8+21 (52 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (–1 size, +6 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+17
Attack: Gore +12 melee (1d8+12)
Full Attack: Gore +12 melee (1d8+12)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Ferocity
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +8
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +8
Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will
Environment: Temperate forests
Organization: Solitary or herd (5–8)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 8–16 HD (Large); 17–21 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

Dire boars are omnivorous and spend most of their time rooting around, much as ordinary pigs do. They viciously attack anything that approaches them, however.
Dire boars grow up to 12 feet long and weigh as much as 2,000 pounds.

Combat
A dire boar charges its opponent, trying to rip the target open with its tusks.
Ferocity (Ex): A dire boar is such a tenacious combatant that it continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.

 

[Starglim]

Actually, I think I didn't quite make myself clear. I wouldn't introduce a God of Sheep. Rather I'm suggesting that sacrificing them on a regular basis would draw the ire of the God of the Harvest, or the God of Nature, or the Goddess of the Forest. Or all three. And it doesn't have to stop there. These adventurers are causing unwilling creatures pain, regularly, for their own benefit. It's not something any good diety is going to sanction.

This doesn't mean that all of Heaven is going to be up in arms over the cause of the poor sheep. But I can definitely see a particularly zealous demi-god or solar deciding that the PCs need to be stopped. As someone else said, the ends never justify the means, and torturing living creatures is never acceptable. Unless they used Speak with Animals and got the sheeps' permission to use them as living mine detectors, they're doing something wrong. (And what sheep is going to give permission to be herded to its death?)

Err. Not to get political, but does your world have a meat, leather or dairy industry?

I don't think any of the three deities that you mention would protect domestic sheep. The God of the Harvest wouldn't object, except possibly to the wastage of food, and they are neither forest creatures nor wild animals.

 

[Philthulhu]

Guys, seriously, too much thought from those pig-farming folk.
Forget the technicalities of herding the butt-ugly animals through the dungeons.

Two words will solve all the problems about herding pigs through dungeons;
POLYMORPH OTHER


That should leave any DM with many nasty thoughts for pig vengeance.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Err. Not to get political, but does your world have a meat, leather or dairy industry?

I don't think any of the three deities that you mention would protect domestic sheep. The God of the Harvest wouldn't object, except possibly to the wastage of food, and they are neither forest creatures nor wild animals.

You seem to be missing the point. There's a huge difference between a butcher slaughtering a sheep for mutton, and an adventuring party regularly zapping them with Chain Lightning, Cloudkill, Fireball, spike traps, crushing stone traps, etc. etc. Just because the slaughter of animals may be permissable in a society doesn't mean running them through minefields is. And that's exactly what the PCs are doing. Running the pigs through a minefield in order to find/clear a safe path.

 

[Romnipotent]

Two words will solve all the problems about herding pigs through dungeons;
POLYMORPH OTHER

Or for you 3.5E gamers, Baleful polymorph; or Polymorph Any Object (Man - Pig... permanent? ). Another method is dominating a couple pigs at the front and creating an illusion at the rear so you have a stampeding group of trotters.