batsofchaos
2008-02-27, 02:02 AM
A question on the Gaming board about pets got me thinking. The general consensus was using Handle Animal, but that didn't really sit right with me. Handle Animal can be used untrained, but only to get a trained animal to do a trick like attack or heel; it can't be used untrained to train an animal, and even then a pet doesn't necessarily have to have any training to be a devoted pet. I could get a dog from a pet store and given enough time that dog would be quite devoted to me, but I wouldn't know where to even start in training a dog to attack on command or rear a wild dog from birth to a domesticated animal. I whipped up something quick and dirty here. Does this seem like some reasonable rules for "training" a pet?
The player must spend a number weeks with an animal equal to 2 x int of the animal (so either two or four). these weeks should be non-stressful, but don't need to be devoted spending time at it like say, researching a spell needs practically undivided attention. After the time passes, the player makes a charisma check + number of ranks in handle animal if any (a ranger may substitute nuber of ranger levels as if making a wild empathy check) DC 10 for a domesticated animal, or DC 20 for a wild animal. This DC is modified if during this time the animal is put into a stressful position (such as being abused by the player, or being close to a combat situation), the DC check increases by 2 per event. If successful, the animal permanently has a helpful attitude towards the player. If failed by less than 10, the player must spend an additional number of weeks equal to the animal's intelligence score before making another check, with a cumulative +1 bonus after each reattempt. If the player fails a check by 10 or more, the animal will become hostile and cannot become a pet to that player.
When attempting to use Handle Animal on a pet, the player gets a +2 circumstance bonus on all checks.
One thought I have is that maybe this should only be available to animals with an intelligence of two. I have a pet snake, and although I handle it fairly regularly and have not done anything to antagonize it, I'd hardly call in "helpful." It's fairly indifferent to my, or anyone else's, presence. Should an animal with an intelligence of 1 be made permanently indifferent?
Is this balanced, or do the changes break something I didn't notice?
The player must spend a number weeks with an animal equal to 2 x int of the animal (so either two or four). these weeks should be non-stressful, but don't need to be devoted spending time at it like say, researching a spell needs practically undivided attention. After the time passes, the player makes a charisma check + number of ranks in handle animal if any (a ranger may substitute nuber of ranger levels as if making a wild empathy check) DC 10 for a domesticated animal, or DC 20 for a wild animal. This DC is modified if during this time the animal is put into a stressful position (such as being abused by the player, or being close to a combat situation), the DC check increases by 2 per event. If successful, the animal permanently has a helpful attitude towards the player. If failed by less than 10, the player must spend an additional number of weeks equal to the animal's intelligence score before making another check, with a cumulative +1 bonus after each reattempt. If the player fails a check by 10 or more, the animal will become hostile and cannot become a pet to that player.
When attempting to use Handle Animal on a pet, the player gets a +2 circumstance bonus on all checks.
One thought I have is that maybe this should only be available to animals with an intelligence of two. I have a pet snake, and although I handle it fairly regularly and have not done anything to antagonize it, I'd hardly call in "helpful." It's fairly indifferent to my, or anyone else's, presence. Should an animal with an intelligence of 1 be made permanently indifferent?
Is this balanced, or do the changes break something I didn't notice?