Taming & Training an enemy mount

[johnsemlak]

My PCs managed to capture an Axebeak (statted in the Arms and Equipment Guide) that had been a mount of warrier who attacked them.

The PCs tried to capture and tame one to use.

I was looking at the rules on Handle Animal and it wasn't very clear.

What would be the DC for taming an animal that had been trained by another character, and had been ordered to attack the PCs by that character (before said NPC died).

How would retried checks work?

If a PC wanted to train such an animal to obey him, what would that involve?

 

[FireLance]

Strictly by the rules, the PCs don't have to spend additional time training the Axebeak. If the Axebeak knows the Down trick, a PC only has to succeed at a DC 10 Handle Animal check (handling an animal, a move action) to get it to break off attacks. The same goes for any trick that the Axebeak already knows. If the Axebeak does not know the Down trick, the PC needs to succeed at a DC 25 Handle Animal check (pushing an animal, a full-round action). The PC can retry handling or pushing an animal as many times as he wants.

Of course, by the rules, even a complete stranger can order an animal to attack its owner with a DC 10 Handle Animal check. This is a "feature" of the Handle Animal rules as written.

If you like, as a house rule, you can impose an unfamiliarity penalty (-5 might be about right) for characters trying to handle or push animals who are not familiar with them. Familiarity can be achieved with a week's training and a DC 15 Handle Animal check. Characters who give an animal contradictory orders (e.g. to attack the other character) have to make opposed Handle Animal checks.

 

[johnsemlak]

Of course, by the rules, even a complete stranger can order an animal to attack its owner with a DC 10 Handle Animal check. This is a "feature" of the Handle Animal rules as written.

Interesting. THis is an area of the rules that really out to be better thought out.

Logically speaking, maybe the situation above should be an opposed Handle Animal check, with the person who doen't own the animal receiving the 'unfamiliarity' penalty you mentioned. Even then, as a DM I probably wouldn't allow that.