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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 9541410" data-attributes="member: 1210">If you run it in combat and run it a bit unpredictably, I think this will be a non-issue. Until the pcs are a few levels higher, maybe it doesn't always attack the target they want. Maybe it's prone to flee if it gets wounded or bloodied or sees fire. A griffon is also a pretty soft target; its AC is low, and presumably it can't fly in heavy barding (and maybe not in medium barding either). The pcs may find combat becoming more interesting when they have to try to defend and protect their new griffon, rather than trying to have it be their brutal skirmishing machine.If you want to avoid the whole issue, you can let the players know that a griffon has to be tamed and trained from the time it hatches. This one is too old for that. However...If you want to allow them to have it, having it be difficult to maintain is one "cost" you can impose. Maybe it takes 10 gp per day... or maybe it only eats live prey. Maybe it takes a bite out of nearby horses from time to time, as griffons are notoriously fond of horse flesh. Heck, maybe it takes a bite out of nearby npcs (or even pcs!) when they ruffle its feathers, even if the pcs don't want or expect it to- and it can be hard to know what ruffles its feathers. Maybe it's loud noises, maybe it's the color red, maybe it's some kind of smell that the pcs can't even detect. Some places probably won't allow a griffon in their town due to these difficulties; in some larger communities there may be exotic animal laws that regulate where, how, and for how long you can have one. There might be deposits required to stable one, or you might have to find a separate building to put one in, as no stabler wants to risk the griffon eating the horses in their care. Sometimes the griffon might have to stay out of town; if a pc or hireling doesn't stay with it, someone might come upon it and try to steal it (successfully or not). The pcs might end up on the hook for any harm it does. Anyway, just a few thoughts- I've had a couple of pcs in one group with hippogriffs for a while, and they've had a variety of these issues depending on where they are and who they have to deal with.</blockquote>

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