Belkar and Mr. Scruffy

[DBJack]

In strip 682, Belkar commands Mr. Scruffy to jump up and then jump down. Now, every cat I know of would never demean itself to jump around on command. Could this finally be real proof that Belkar has taken Mr. Scruffy to be his animal companion?

[Gullara]

Sounds reasonable to me. Although I am not familiar with the rules for animal companions.

There needs to be a Mr. Scruffy smiley

[Zevox]

'Fraid not. Giving an animal commands like that can be done via the Handle Animal skill, whether or not the animal is your animal companion. That's actually how Animal Companions are handled, the Ranger just has an easier time of it with them (bonus to the skill when using it on your animal companion plus the ability to give orders faster).

Zevox

[rewinn]

In strip 682, Belkar commands Mr. Scruffy to jump up and then jump down. Now, every cat I know of would never demean itself to jump around on command. Could this finally be real proof that Belkar has taken Mr. Scruffy to be his animal companion?

If nothing else, having a felix domesticus follow any order other than "do what you want" is proof (if any were needed) that OOTS is a fantasy comic.

[veti]

If nothing else, having a felix domesticus follow any order other than "do what you want" is proof (if any were needed) that OOTS is a fantasy comic.

Not quite as conclusive as all that, I'd say. After all, the commands basically amount to "Play with the dangly toy". I could usually persuade my cat to do that.

Though for the record, I've long assumed Mr S and Belkar are an item...

[Gavinfoxx]

Well, you know, people have definitely trained domesticated cats to follow commands! You act like it's impossible or something!

[The Dark Fiddler]

Though for the record, I've long assumed Mr S and Belkar are an item...

Are you familiar with the crack pairings thread?

[Tiktakkat]

Actually, given the inherently Evil nature of felines, what if Belkar did not have animal handling, and instead of being an animal companion, Mr. Scruffy was actually his cohort? Then instead of following orders he was just joining his partner in crime in another trick, no skill roll required.
Mr. Scruffy is probably awakened, and fully understands everything being said around him. That is how he does so many complex things with relatively simple commands.
I did that to my players once. Had their faithful war dog who died saving them raised from the dead by the overly emotional NPC. The dog stayed with them, gaining levels, and occasionally interjecting an odd snarky comment or strategically raised leg. They started wondering if they were being followed by a ghost, and that the dog was getting twitchy from the underdark. Finally in a big encounter the dog spoke to them openly, and taunted them for not realizing he was intelligent sooner, as well as chiding them for abusing the other NPC. (They gave him two keen, body-feeding scimitars, and sent him up to the front. He cycled through more hit points per combat than the entire party combined and doubled.)

Anyway, I suspect Mr. Scruffy is an awakened cohort, and not a mere animal companion.

[Ancalagon]

Well, you know, people have definitely trained domesticated cats to follow commands! You act like it's impossible or something!

Do you have a cat?

Warning: No matter if you answer "yes" or "no", I'll make you lose. ;)

[Sewblon]

Actually, given the inherently Evil nature of felines, what if Belkar did not have animal handling, and instead of being an animal companion, Mr. Scruffy was actually his cohort? Then instead of following orders he was just joining his partner in crime in another trick, no skill roll required.
Mr. Scruffy is probably awakened, and fully understands everything being said around him. That is how he does so many complex things with relatively simple commands.
I did that to my players once. Had their faithful war dog who died saving them raised from the dead by the overly emotional NPC. The dog stayed with them, gaining levels, and occasionally interjecting an odd snarky comment or strategically raised leg. They started wondering if they were being followed by a ghost, and that the dog was getting twitchy from the underdark. Finally in a big encounter the dog spoke to them openly, and taunted them for not realizing he was intelligent sooner, as well as chiding them for abusing the other NPC. (They gave him two keen, body-feeding scimitars, and sent him up to the front. He cycled through more hit points per combat than the entire party combined and doubled.)

Anyway, I suspect Mr. Scruffy is an awakened cohort, and not a mere animal companion.

I am leaning towards this theory.

[RecklessFable]

Actually, given the inherently Evil nature of felines, *snip*

Wrong a few times over.

A) The premise in real life (The hatred idiots have against cats is a very personal pet peeve of mine)
B) The premise in game terms (Animals are N, though it is interesting to note that Werecats are CG).
C) And Cohorts may not be opposed in alignment to the PC which is not that same thing as matching the PC.

[rewinn]

The premise in real life (The hatred idiots have against cats is a very personal pet peeve of mine)

In real life, I love cats.

But they definitely tended to be self-centered, amoral and unsocial, which in human terms make them (tending) CE. They may be very affectionate to individuals but rarely enjoy large groups (African lion/lioness groups being unlike domestic cats).

But to be fair, humans are descended from very social animals, which is one reason we find role-playing games so much fun. From a cat's POV, we may be Lawful-Obnoxious.

[Tiktakkat]

In real life, I love cats.

But they definitely tended to be self-centered, amoral and unsocial, which in human terms make them (tending) CE. They may be very affectionate to individuals but rarely enjoy large groups (African lion/lioness groups being unlike domestic cats).

But to be fair, humans are descended from very social animals, which is one reason we find role-playing games so much fun. From a cat's POV, we may be Lawful-Obnoxious.

What he said.

I am currently being occupied by my third cat, and indeed cannot really imagine not having one around at this time.
That does not mean I cannot make fun of them. My first cat once got ahold of a fly and tormented it for about half an hour. When it was dead she looked over at me and gave a very plaintive meow, demanding I provide her with a new toy to play with.
That we are talking about a cartoon feline with a crazed cartoon halfling just adds to the feline taunting permissability quotient.

[Linkavitch]

If nothing else, having a felix domesticus follow any order other than "do what you want" is proof (if any were needed) that OOTS is a fantasy comic.

Completely and totally true, in every regard whatsoever, except, "Cat, eat your food!"

[Raging Gene Ray]

Anyway, I suspect Mr. Scruffy is an awakened cohort, and not a mere animal companion.

Belkar would have to spend a feat on Leadership. And Belkar doesn't waste feats on non-combat garbage.

Mr. Scruffy is either an Animal Companion, or just a friendly NPC...or the familiar of some heretofore unseen Wizard/Sorcerer.

[Cruiser1]

Belkar would have to spend a feat on Leadership. And Belkar doesn't waste feats on non-combat garbage.

Belkar takes craft feats, specificially Craft Disturbing Mental Image. Of course, such a feat could be used in combat to distract one's opponent with disturbing images.

[Optimystik]

If nothing else, having a felix domesticus follow any order other than "do what you want" is proof (if any were needed) that OOTS is a fantasy comic.

Oh, really?

[Tiktakkat]

Belkar would have to spend a feat on Leadership. And Belkar doesn't waste feats on non-combat garbage.

You forget how effective Mr. Scruffy was during the resistance raids in Azure City.
Mr. Scruffy does more damage in Combat that Elan did before he got his prestige class.

[Alex Warlorn]

Belkar's oblivious to everything that doesn't involve sating his carnal lust or his blood lust with a few occasion slips of his sadism.

He could have easily taken on Mr. Scruffy as his animal companion and not known it.

And unless he managed to convince the DM ("The DM doesn't exist!") that women are animals too and he could use Handle Animal make them more easily his, he'd have never spent one rank on it. Yet Mr. Scruffy followed his orders easily.

[Lvl45DM!]

Hey Elan did some damage pre Dashing Swordsman
He helped kill the BBQ hydra after all, one hit from his rapier took out one head after its had been fireballed

But in most non d and d fiction at least ranger like characters never just say "i make this monkey my animal companion!" it happens naturally, like Mr Scruffy and Belkar have, they have bonded,

[AxeD]

Anyway, I suspect Mr. Scruffy is an awakened cohort, and not a mere animal companion.

I don't know about Belkar spending a feat on Leadership, but Mr. Scruffy isn't a 'mere animal' anyways.

[Katana_Geldar]

I kinda like Mr Scruffy as Belkar's animal companion, if this is what the Scruffinator is. He's kinda like Belkar in the way cats have a self-centredness, love the good things in life and will strike out sometimes for no apparent reason.

Yet, unlike Belkar, Mr Scruffy doesn't have to convince people to pander to him as a lot of people will do that as he is so cute.

[Dragon Master]

Completely and totally true, in every regard whatsoever, except, "Cat, eat your food!"

Actually, my cat would refuse to do so simply because i told it to do so. While it will definitely eat its food, if i try to pick him up and stick him in front of food, he will just give me a stupid look.

[JaxGaret]

But they definitely tended to be self-centered, amoral and unsocial, which in human terms make them (tending) CE.

Um, no. That would tend towards TN or CN.

Neither "self-centered", "amoral", or "unsocial" points towards an Evil alignment.

[Gullara]

In real life, I love cats.

But they definitely tended to be self-centered, amoral and unsocial, which in human terms make them (tending) CE. They may be very affectionate to individuals but rarely enjoy large groups (African lion/lioness groups being unlike domestic cats).

But to be fair, humans are descended from very social animals, which is one reason we find role-playing games so much fun. From a cat's POV, we may be Lawful-Obnoxious.

I strongly disagree, one of my cats is the friendliest animal you'll ever see he comes right up to anyone and will sit and be pet for hours, it really just depends on each individual cat's personality.

[SadisticFishing]

I strongly disagree, one of my cats is the friendliest animal you'll ever see he comes right up to anyone and will sit and be pet for hours, it really just depends on each individual cat's personality.

Ever seen him find a big bug?

[Cleverdan22]

The premise in real life (The hatred idiots have against cats is a very personal pet peeve of mine)

Pretty much anyone who calls a cat evil is or has been an owner of a cat. I have three. They do not obey commands. They are quite evil. My dog is freaking terrified of them. Cats are awesome. That doesn't make them less evil.

[Optimystik]

Ever seen him find a big bug?

My neighbor's used to catch them and bring them to me. I would be trapped in an unholy mixture of adoration and horror at his 'offerings.'

[Gullara]

Ever seen him find a big bug?

that doesn't make him evil, ever seen a dog get a gopher?