"Possess" Animal Companions

[Daimondheart]

I've RPed with animals companions on a couple of servers, but there's one thing I always found annoying. The fact we can't possess them much like a sorcerer or wizard can possess their familiar. Now I realize this was done to support the P&P ability for a sorcerer or wizard to possess their familiar, but the in game mechanics of the ability would be very nice for role play.

Much as I love being able to emote Cora's wolf's actions with the language bar, it can be very limiting as I can't really control "where" he is. I often find myself making correction posts for other players so they know Cal is supposed to be next to Cora at all times and not standing right in front of them and staring their character down. It would also just be nice to be able to make him do stuff during role play like having him walk over to sniff someone's offered hand. And I won't deny it would be nice for other uses like say using our animals companions as scouts. What's the use of having panthers and wolves that are good at sneaking but can only follow us around?

So to summarize, it would be great if we could "mechanically" possess our animals companions for the sake of having better control over their actions. Is this possible?

Edit: And another reason I think this would be great is because of the language bar's character limit. I don't suppose that could be increased somehow?

[Farmboy2003]

animal companions aren't trained pets, theyre just as likely to go scout for you as my mate dave is going to get the beers when its his turn.

you can speak through your companion with the language bar. Choose common. You can also use the verbal commands to get them near you at least...

[Daimondheart]

Yes... I know. I plainly mentioned the language bar in my post. And I didn't say anything about having them trained. You're assuming a lot.

[thaelis]

I'd imagine most animal companions are smarter than your average animal? Or is that not how it works?

Anyway, I don't see how it could hurt to make them be controllable. Like Diamondheart says, some animals have Stealth skills (I'm guessing at the expense of HP and AC?) it would be nice if they could at least use them!

[Daimondheart]

To my knowledge, an animal companion is just an animal that at some point in your character's history was befriended by your character. They can be special but not necessarily.

[Valhalla]

If we want to use novels as an example (we probably shouldn't), the panther in the Drizzt books was pretty clearly not 'just' an animal.

Edit: Looking at the Pathfinder SRD, it seems to suggest that the ranger/Druid animal companions are not necessarily magically bonded, save for the fact that the hit-dice and skills and feats of the companion advance as you do, making them reach much greater heights than would normally be possible for an animal of that type.

That implies that they're special in some way, but to what extent isn't really clear.

[Doubtful]

You really, really shouldn't use the novels as an example. Especially if they feature Drizzt.

Animal Companions are a normal animal of their type. Unlike familiers they don't get any increased intelligence, mental bond or other method of communicating with their master.

You do get to teach them tricks though, so fetch, play dead, down, come by, away to me, where's the ball? hup and kill are all fun commands that you and your badger can try at home.

And, yes. Given the right size difference you can teach them riding tricks! If the game mechanics were there I would have a dwarven (or elven, or even hafling) bear cavalry ready to inflict on people.

As to the topic on hand, I've opened it up for discussion on the staff forums, it seems a fairly fun request so we'll see what comes of it and what priority something like this would have.

[Daimondheart]

Yay! And, seriously, could you guys look into putting in riding mechanics? Albeit it's definitely glitchy, but I've seen it done on other servers and everything has to start somewhere!

[Valhalla]

You really, really shouldn't use the novels as an example. Especially if they feature Drizzt.

And, yes. Given the right size difference you can teach them riding tricks! If the game mechanics were there I would have a dwarven (or elven, or even hafling) bear cavalry ready to inflict on people.

But.. but... (no you're totally right. The only person worse than R.A. Salvatore is Ed Greenwood).


As to the second part of this, Halfling paladins riding wardogs is the single best thing that has ever happened in PnP, and the fact that Pathfinder supports this so heartily makes me deeply pleased.

[Daimondheart]

But.. but... (no you're totally right. The only person worse than R.A. Salvatore is Ed Greenwood).

I actually loved the Icewind Dale Trilogy and his trilogy that explained the origins of Drizz't was okay, but I lost interest when he re-wrote the ending of Icewind Dale in Paths of Darkness and started killing off great characters just so he could start a romance for Drizz't. It got to the point I was caring more about what happened to Wulfgar while Drizz't story became so stale and boring.

[KingArthur]

Although from a roleplay standpoint- (Ignoring the 'intelligence' discussion) it would be good to get this to work. Having the ability to position and move your companion would be a nice feature for RP.

My fear is it is hard coded a specific way. Without someone reprogramming it completely which takes time, it wont happen!

[Daimondheart]

I was wondering that myself, but it occurred to me what they could do is make "animal companion" familiars. Just change the class so that Rangers, Druids, and Nature Clerics get Summon Familiar instead, but only they are allowed to take the "animal companion" familiars. Granted, I don't think anyone would care if a druid choose a rabbit for their companion instead of a wolf, but you'd have to keep an eye on those wizards and sorcerers. You'd also have to take measures to make sure the animal companion familiars couldn't cast spells like regular familiars.

[Farmboy2003]

Yes... I know. I plainly mentioned the language bar in my post. And I didn't say anything about having them trained. You're assuming a lot.

Well.. I really didnt mean to. I just learned of the 'common' choice in the language option bar recently - Maybe you didnt *shrug*. There's another thread about the language/chat bar somewhere. This is a text based adventure both on and off game - we have to assume stuff from time to time.

While all this stuff would be nice, what I truly meant to imply in my reply was that I for one feel that I can manage my beast, and the stuff that really got to me was easily overcome by the knowledge of the language bars usefullness in this regard. I'd rather have more animals to choose from f'instance.

Also, I've never really delved into PnP since 3.0 - So the pnp ideas here have evolved since!

[Shadechild]

Rolls a Druid, proceeds to buff her raptor companion. Has her PC safely follow from a distance as she makes the Raptor run around and kill everything.

It's a great idea! >=D