(Savage Species) So animals get feats and skills now...

[Elchaim]

Hi all! Just wanted to make sure that I'm reading this correctly... animals now gain feats and skills based on table 2-1 (pg. 11). Interesting... A player of mine has just awakened Shadow, his legendary wolf animal companion... any suggestions on his feats (16 HD = 6 feats) and skill ranks?
Also, how do people feel about this new change? Just call me curious...

 

[Zerovoid]

I think its definatly a good thing if Savage Species, (and by extension, 3.5e) give the monster racial classes feats and skills just like normal classes. The other way is inconsistent and confusing. Having creaters get 3 * intelligence score skill points, and then never gain them as they advance makes no sense. The same with awarding feats in a different manner than usual. If a monster needs more than the normal 1/3 feats per level, its easier just to say that these are racial bonus feats.

 

[Sejs]

Couple off the top of my head: Run, and the Improved Scent / Uncanny Scent feats from Savage Species.

 

[Tonguez]

Giving animals skill points is the best thing so far. I always found it rediculous that I couldn't teach my pet dog new tricks - now I can.

As for feats for a wolf - Alertness, Improved Trip, Cleave, Dodge, Mobility, Imporved unarmed attack (bite), Blindfight, combat reflexes. improved intiative ... well you get the idea I think.....

 

[Dave Blewer]

I remeber in an old campaign the Riding dog was awakened by some ritualistic spell of some kind... However the DM ruled that it was too unbalanced to allow theis dog, which was now more intelligent than it's rider, to start gaining any character levels So he was basically stuck as a hyper intelligent dog who was unable to learn anything...

Just one of many things that were so wrong about that game...

So yeah, I think this change is excellent!

 

[DonAdam]

The only bad thing is that the book itself totally ignores the paragraph about all monsters getting skills and feats.

You would think someone would actually read these books before sending them out to print.

 

[Dave Blewer]

The only bad thing is that the book itself totally ignores the paragraph about all monsters getting skills and feats.

They do?

Can you give some examples?

 

[Psion]

There is a statement that made me think that only applied to the monster classes, not the standard method. Don't have the book here to verify.