animal companions and unnatural environments [Archive] - Wizards Community

animal companions and unnatural environments [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ben the blue
08-06-04, 10:33 AM Hi am dming a group containing a druid with a wolf companion and in our next adventure the party have been given potions of water breathing so that they can go to a sunken temple to obtain an artefact for a wizard and a problem arises with the fact that animal companions will not always follow their owner and i was wondering what to do.

The solutions that i can think of are to make him pass a handle animal check to try to coax it into the water but would the animal companion know that it wouldn't come to any harm?

Or make do with it staying on the surface.

If anyone has any ideas on how to overcome this then please help.
Revelation
08-06-04, 11:26 AM I'd give them a very HIGH DC handle animal check, it can't know it won't drown unless you can somehow communicate on a level very much above animal intelligence, particularly that moment whn you let water into your lungs.

I remember one party where the barbarian couldn't be convinced that water breathing would work so held his breath as he passed under water, beleiving he would find air at the end. He eventually passed out and didn't drown, came round brething water. That was a funny session.
Mike the DM
08-06-04, 11:32 AM If the PC makes a handle animal check, let the wolf swim to the temple with him.

Keeping the wolf from chasing a catfish should require an additional skill check.
Pongolyn
08-06-04, 08:13 PM It's a DC 10 Handle Animal check to make an animal perform a trick that it knows, such as "Come" or "Heel," both of which will allow the animal to go to places it wouldn't normally go, like underwater. If the druid was wise enough to pick one of those two tricks for the wolf to learn, then it should be easy.

If the animal doesn't know those tricks, it's a DC 25 to push the animal to do them anyway.

See "Handle Animal" skill in the SRD for more details.

Some DMs like to give a circumstance bonus on these checks if speak with animals is used in conjunction with the check.
Lxarth
08-07-04, 12:41 PM It's a DC 10 Handle Animal check to make an animal perform a trick that it knows, such as "Come" or "Heel," both of which will allow the animal to go to places it wouldn't normally go, like underwater. If the druid was wise enough to pick one of those two tricks for the wolf to learn, then it should be easy.

I dont think your sollution would coax a wolf to submerge itself in water, in the belief that it will breath that water...c'mon
Cymraegmorgan
08-07-04, 05:21 PM A Druid's animal companion "accompanies the druid on her adventures as appropriate for its kind."(PHBp35)
Underwater is not appropriate for wolf kind. Suggest the Druid release the wolf and perform the ceremony for a new aquatic companion, if the party has a spare 24 hours.

Except for the time factor, the PHB and the"powers of Nature" have made it easy for a druid to regularly trade off animal companions to suit the environment. The animal companion/druid relationship is not a life bond, but rather a confederation of convenience. Same goes for the Ranger, in my opinion.
Khaibit_Ema_Neteru
08-07-04, 05:34 PM The animal companion/druid relationship is not a life bond

Y'know. Unless the druid, the animal, or the player WANTS it to be a life-bond.

Honestly, I would feel like slime dismissing a trusted companion just because I wanted some aquatic backup for ONE adventure.

I would say that if you were using speak with animals you could probably tell the wolf that it would be able to breathe, and then lead it down.

Or, if the wolf acknowledges you as its alpha (which it more than likely does, if it's your animal companion), then it wouldn't have any huge objections to you wrestling it under the water until it finally had to breathe, and letting it discover for itself. At least, it wouldn't have any objections afterwards. It might object pretty violently at the time.
Cymraegmorgan
08-07-04, 05:51 PM I think, Khaibit, you miss the very important point of "adventures as appropriate for its kind."(PHB, p35)
Even if you used Speak with Animals to convey to the wolf it would be safe from drowning, the wolf would be useless. Potions of Water Breathing do not impart the knowledge of diving, manuevering underwater, or how to attack. The wolf would be worse than useless, it would be a liability.
And when the aquatic adventure is over, the druid can dismiss the dolphin(or whatever), and try to recall as his companion the same wolf. The DM can make the ceremony 36 hours with a DC of 20, plus charisma modifier. Failure means no companion, and the druid must perform another to get a new companion.

A druid is not an "alpha" to a wolf. Alpha implies dominance, not what I would think a druid feels towards nature. Point of fact, it seems that is what druids fight against.
BladeBoy
08-07-04, 08:38 PM Or, tell him to go hunt near the shore till you het back? You don't NEED an animal companion, i mean, geez.
Cymraegmorgan
08-07-04, 08:47 PM When in serious doubt, do as BladeBoy suggests, with a Handle Animal check, DC 5 if you are gone for less than a week, DC 15 if more than a week.
Deldramir
08-08-04, 11:08 AM Yeah BladeBoy and Cymraegmorgan have got a good idea going. Either just get the wolf to hunt and wait or (as I had to do a couple of times with my druid's animal companion, also a wolf) try and find a friendly group of people, druids or rangers, who ever really, to look after the animal for the duration of the quest.

Maybe just offer some payment for the care, it shouldn't be to much. Making sure the place was safe would be the most important thing.
Morka
08-08-04, 03:43 PM Like BladeBoy said, let him on the shore for this time. Once you're underwater and need some help you can always summon a dolphin, a shark, or a crocodile.

And the wolf will be useless underwater. He will be able to bite, but his ability to Trip opponents will not be available...
SevenSerpents
08-08-04, 03:52 PM try and find a friendly group of people, druids or rangers, who ever really, to look after the animal for the duration of the quest.

excuse me? we're talking of a wolf, don't we?
i wolf won't need a friggin baby sitter! it's not a puppy!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ben the blue 08-06-04, 10:33 AM	Hi am dming a group containing a druid with a wolf companion and in our next adventure the party have been given potions of water breathing so that they can go to a sunken temple to obtain an artefact for a wizard and a problem arises with the fact that animal companions will not always follow their owner and i was wondering what to do. The solutions that i can think of are to make him pass a handle animal check to try to coax it into the water but would the animal companion know that it wouldn't come to any harm? Or make do with it staying on the surface. If anyone has any ideas on how to overcome this then please help.
Revelation 08-06-04, 11:26 AM	I'd give them a very HIGH DC handle animal check, it can't know it won't drown unless you can somehow communicate on a level very much above animal intelligence, particularly that moment whn you let water into your lungs. I remember one party where the barbarian couldn't be convinced that water breathing would work so held his breath as he passed under water, beleiving he would find air at the end. He eventually passed out and didn't drown, came round brething water. That was a funny session.
Mike the DM 08-06-04, 11:32 AM	If the PC makes a handle animal check, let the wolf swim to the temple with him. Keeping the wolf from chasing a catfish should require an additional skill check.
Pongolyn 08-06-04, 08:13 PM	It's a DC 10 Handle Animal check to make an animal perform a trick that it knows, such as "Come" or "Heel," both of which will allow the animal to go to places it wouldn't normally go, like underwater. If the druid was wise enough to pick one of those two tricks for the wolf to learn, then it should be easy. If the animal doesn't know those tricks, it's a DC 25 to push the animal to do them anyway. See "Handle Animal" skill in the SRD for more details. Some DMs like to give a circumstance bonus on these checks if speak with animals is used in conjunction with the check.
Lxarth 08-07-04, 12:41 PM	It's a DC 10 Handle Animal check to make an animal perform a trick that it knows, such as "Come" or "Heel," both of which will allow the animal to go to places it wouldn't normally go, like underwater. If the druid was wise enough to pick one of those two tricks for the wolf to learn, then it should be easy. I dont think your sollution would coax a wolf to submerge itself in water, in the belief that it will breath that water...c'mon
Cymraegmorgan 08-07-04, 05:21 PM	A Druid's animal companion "accompanies the druid on her adventures as appropriate for its kind."(PHBp35) Underwater is not appropriate for wolf kind. Suggest the Druid release the wolf and perform the ceremony for a new aquatic companion, if the party has a spare 24 hours. Except for the time factor, the PHB and the"powers of Nature" have made it easy for a druid to regularly trade off animal companions to suit the environment. The animal companion/druid relationship is not a life bond, but rather a confederation of convenience. Same goes for the Ranger, in my opinion.
Khaibit_Ema_Neteru 08-07-04, 05:34 PM	The animal companion/druid relationship is not a life bond Y'know. Unless the druid, the animal, or the player WANTS it to be a life-bond. Honestly, I would feel like slime dismissing a trusted companion just because I wanted some aquatic backup for ONE adventure. I would say that if you were using speak with animals you could probably tell the wolf that it would be able to breathe, and then lead it down. Or, if the wolf acknowledges you as its alpha (which it more than likely does, if it's your animal companion), then it wouldn't have any huge objections to you wrestling it under the water until it finally had to breathe, and letting it discover for itself. At least, it wouldn't have any objections afterwards. It might object pretty violently at the time.
Cymraegmorgan 08-07-04, 05:51 PM	I think, Khaibit, you miss the very important point of "adventures as appropriate for its kind."(PHB, p35) Even if you used Speak with Animals to convey to the wolf it would be safe from drowning, the wolf would be useless. Potions of Water Breathing do not impart the knowledge of diving, manuevering underwater, or how to attack. The wolf would be worse than useless, it would be a liability. And when the aquatic adventure is over, the druid can dismiss the dolphin(or whatever), and try to recall as his companion the same wolf. The DM can make the ceremony 36 hours with a DC of 20, plus charisma modifier. Failure means no companion, and the druid must perform another to get a new companion. A druid is not an "alpha" to a wolf. Alpha implies dominance, not what I would think a druid feels towards nature. Point of fact, it seems that is what druids fight against.
BladeBoy 08-07-04, 08:38 PM	Or, tell him to go hunt near the shore till you het back? You don't NEED an animal companion, i mean, geez.
Cymraegmorgan 08-07-04, 08:47 PM	When in serious doubt, do as BladeBoy suggests, with a Handle Animal check, DC 5 if you are gone for less than a week, DC 15 if more than a week.
Deldramir 08-08-04, 11:08 AM	Yeah BladeBoy and Cymraegmorgan have got a good idea going. Either just get the wolf to hunt and wait or (as I had to do a couple of times with my druid's animal companion, also a wolf) try and find a friendly group of people, druids or rangers, who ever really, to look after the animal for the duration of the quest. Maybe just offer some payment for the care, it shouldn't be to much. Making sure the place was safe would be the most important thing.
Morka 08-08-04, 03:43 PM	Like BladeBoy said, let him on the shore for this time. Once you're underwater and need some help you can always summon a dolphin, a shark, or a crocodile. And the wolf will be useless underwater. He will be able to bite, but his ability to Trip opponents will not be available...
SevenSerpents 08-08-04, 03:52 PM	try and find a friendly group of people, druids or rangers, who ever really, to look after the animal for the duration of the quest. excuse me? we're talking of a wolf, don't we? i wolf won't need a friggin baby sitter! it's not a puppy!