"Wearing" an animal companion

[Deset Gled]

Today I had a player who was creating a druid (level 6) come up with the idea of taking some tiny vipers for her animal companions, and having them wrapped around her forearms and ankles (the ankles are unnecessary, but will probably remain for flavor). Then, when she reaches out, the vipers can bite her opponents to cause damage and deliver their poison.

Has anybody tried this before? Does anybody know any rules that have been written regarding the use of creatures in this fasion? My current ruling is that wearing the vipers would take up the bracer and boot slots, and that she could use a touch attack to have the vipers make a bite attack on the enemy (making a succesful attack require two rolls: one from the character, one from the viper to bite).

 

[CCamfield]

I've never seen or tried it, but the vipers aren't magical, so I don't think they should interfere with bracers or boots. The player is certainly being inventive...

Two successive touch attacks sounds right. An alternative action might even be to toss one a short distance at an opponent.

Possible problems:
- She has to be very careful who she shakes hands with
- In some circumstances an angry, confused viper might bite her
- People probably won't like learning someone is carrying poisonous snakes around all the time. Imagine someone offering to shake hands to seal a deal; she has to refuse. They might not be willing to seal the deal without it... and might think she's some sort of assassin if they learn of the snakes.
- The vipers might be at risk of being hurt by being on her person. I guess for consistency's sake it'd be like items worn (for saves) but you could also say that on a critical hit to her a viper gets hit, or any hit has a small chance of hitting a viper. They've only got 1 hp, so any such hit would presumably kill them.

 

[Tar-Edhel]

My current ruling is that wearing the vipers would take up the bracer and boot slots, and that she could use a touch attack to have the vipers make a bite attack on the enemy (making a succesful attack require two rolls: one from the character, one from the viper to bite).

I'd skip the touch attack part from the character. As I see it, you'll penalize him for not choosing a dire animal, as most druid would. If he had a dire bear as animal companion, no touch attacks would be required from the character for the bear to hit, wouldn't it?

I would consider an AoO from the opponent (on the viper or character, opponent's choice).

 

[Dingleberry]

Re: Re: "Wearing" an animal companion

I'd skip the touch attack part from the character. As I see it, you'll penalize him for not choosing a dire animal, as most druid would. If he had a dire bear as animal companion, no touch attacks would be required from the character for the bear to hit, wouldn't it?

I don't think that's penalizing the druid, as normally the viper would have to enter the target's square, often provoking an AoO. I'd view it like this: if the druid is successful with the touch attack, the viper doesn't provoke an AoO. Effectively, the viper borrows the druid's reach.

I second CCamfield's position that they shouldn't take up a magic item slot.

 

[Tar-Edhel]

Re: Re: Re: "Wearing" an animal companion

I don't think that's penalizing the druid, as normally the viper would have to enter the target's square, often provoking an AoO. I'd view it like this: if the druid is successful with the touch attack, the viper doesn't provoke an AoO. Effectively, the viper borrows the druid's reach.

I second CCamfield's position that they shouldn't take up a magic item slot.

I simply don't see why the druid would have to 'touch' the opponent the viper is attacking. The characer is simply bringing the viper into attacking range.

The machnics to rule such situations are covered bu the AoO rules. Touch attacks are a completely different thing.

IMO, YMMV and those sort of things...

I do agree that the vipers shouldn't take magic items slots.

 

[Dr.Dan]

uncomfortable, living, viper bracelets

Is is just me or is everyone overlooking something . . . that being a bracelet (or anklet) might be a little uncomfortable for the viper in question? It might be ok if said viper would only wrap the wrist (or ankle) for a few minutes at a time when commanded to by the druid, but I would think that it would seek a more comfortable position to lounge in the majority of the time.

The Doctor

 

[Camarath]

I agree with Dr.Dan a viper might be trained to stay there of a short period of time but would not be willing to remain there continually. You might be able to rig up some sort of support or housing device that would allow the viper to remain for a longer period of time but as a standard trick I think coiling on someone's wrist would have a limited duration. Other tricks would be necessary to pull this off, such as not attacking the druid wile in this stressful situation, not attacking other people the druid comes close to, and attacking foes on command. Tar-Edhel for the viper to come with in range of the opponent the druids arm must enter the opponent's space this IMO would provoke an AoO thus I think a touch attack is a resonable mechanism for allowing the viper to attack wile not provoking an AoO and remaining attached to the druids arm. This is of course a house rule since AFAIK there is no provision for this in the rules.

 

[Shayuri]

It's also worth pointing out that snakes aren't terribly smart as animals go, and that Animal Companions have no telepathic link, like familiars do. Trying to get the snake to cooperate with a complicated scheme like that might be possible, but I think it would be very hard...probably taking up more than one "trick" slot, and requiring appropriate Handling rolls to get it to do its thing on demand.

And yeah...it's likely that the snake would eventually want to go and do snakey things...meaning that unless it's actually subject to a Charm or Dominate, the snake bracelet is a temporary fixture.

It's still a cool idea though.

I think it could work...just needs some work put into it.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I'd say that the druid would need to make a touch attack as suggested. Because most of its body length is taken up wrapping around the druid's arm (and thus staying in place) it won't be able to extend much past the druid's palm. He'll need to make a touch attack to bring the snake close enough to a vulnerable spot to strike. Then the snake has to actually strike.

I'd require that this kind of trick would take up all of a viper's "trick slots" and could only be taught while the druid was under the effects of a Speak with Animals spell. Moreover, the druid would also have to be under the effects of Speak with Animals to use the maneuver in combat.

Druid: "Get ready, Fangs! The next creature you see that's not me, let 'em have it!*"

Fangs: "Yeessssss.....*"

* translated from Snake

Of course, the Speak with Animals provisions could be circumvented by Awaken.

 

[Deset Gled]

Thanks for the suggestions, all. I believe the following is how I will deal with the situation:

A touch attack by the druid will be required for the viper to attack. Many have stated the various reasons.

Training the viper in this way will take up all the animal's tricks. I will allow it to work without any kind of special communication (like Speak with Animals), but will have the vipers (while worn) attack any time the character touches another creature, not discerning between the druids friends or enemies. Also, I will limit the length of time the druid can wear the snakes.

Any damage to the hands and arms of the druid (not a common occurance, but it does happen) will kill the vipers (1 hp, after all).

I am still a bit in the air about whether or not the snake should take up an item slot. First, the snakes are slightly magical in nature (Animal Friendship is a Charm effect). Also, I think it would be hard enough to train the snakes to stay still on her wrists and attack on command. To have something like bracers on over her wrists would make things that much harder to make the viper behave properly.

Currently, I am allowing the druid to have items in her hands (with exceptions on large items like shields) while she uses the snakes in this manner. I believe that for balance reasons, I should either make her be empty handed or empty wristed. Any thoughts on which is better, or if either requirement is needed?