Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shayuri" data-source="post: 523636" data-attributes="member: 4936">I haven't actually tried these feats, so take what I say with a grain of salt. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />IMO the utility of these feats really depends on the type of game you're in. For example, the D&D game I'm playing right now has a lot of overland trekking in it. While we don't generally have "encounters" with animals, we could, if we wanted, seek animals out for the purposes of controlling them. In many cases we could even do this immediately before a fight we're preparing for. In this situation, or in an adventure that involves a lot of encounters with animals (or, to a lesser extent, plants) these feats can be great. Just as clerical turning is a (tee hee) godsend when encountering undead of any stripe.However, be wary! In my experience, campaigns like that are rare. You know your game, of course, but before you take any of these feats ask yourself honestly...How often are we pitted against animals?How often are we in places where animals that are powerful enough to be of use to us live?In most games I know of, the answers to both of those questions is "very rarely."Unlike undead, which are very popular with GM's due to the role they play in traditional fantasy, as well as the many many horrible things they can do to PC's, I've found that most GM's tend to dismiss animal encounters. They lack skills, feats, special powers...and are typically pretty weak. Oh, you may get the occasional dire creatures coming at you, but that's the exception, not the rule.You may kick yourself for passing Animal Defiance/Control when you have to bring down the evil druid marshalling a huge force of dire bears to lay siege to a city...but once that one scenario is gone you may well be kicking yourself even MORE for having taken such a specialized feat.Not to say you shouldn't take it, mind. Just to be sure that it will be worth it in your game before you do.</blockquote>

Verification