Animal Handling specialization

[Cheomesh]

Does anyone think that Animal Handing (Farm Animals) is a valid specialization? Or would a yeoman / peasant character need to take Animal Handling (Sheep/Goat kind of creatures) in addition to Animal Handling (Bovines)? Or pick one and just ride off the default?

Also, does one need Animal Handling to get their sheep dog / herd dog to help them?

Seems one could lose quite a few points in just this one skill.

M.

[nik1979]

I think its valid, but only on tasks related to the farm. That would include mid-wifery for these animals, simple breeding techniques, and some diagnosis of common ailments (regional and seasonal ailments).

[Pursuivant]

I'd allow it, but only for domestic animals in a farm or farm-like setting and only for routine tasks.

For example, a farmer with Animal Handling (Farm Animals) will know how to drive cattle from the barn to the pasture, call them back in again, milk them, feed and water them and change their bedding.

But, Animal Handling (Cattle) would be needed to calm an enraged fighting bull, train an ox as a beast of burden, or to act as wrangler on a cattle drive.

Similar Animal Handling specialties might apply for lab animals (mice, rats, monkeys, fruit flies, etc.) or for pets (good for people like vets, vet techs and employees at animal shelters and pet stores).

[Aneirin]

I think the plus 4 bonus for routine tasks is important here.

As a job task, a farmer would probably have 11 or 12 or maybe 13 in animal handling.

Probably realistic to do it as animal handling farm animals and impose familarity penalites for things not used to (such as frightened sheep during a dog attack as it doesn't happen every day)

Could do animal handling, horse as 11 to 12, and just rely on the routine bonus to enable you to do the other creatures (instead of +4 for routine, the lack of familiarity would be +4-2 to come up to a net +2)

However, personally, I would ingore all of them and just use the farming skill, which would cover all the tasksa farmer would do but he wouldn't be able to train the cow to come to him or have his chickens learn to balance on one another.

For a farmer:-

Farming skill - (for milking, breeding, herding, sheering and so forth)
Animal handling dog - (as dogs are well trained and this would be needed, and have more adventuring utility)
If an equestrian bent farmer, animal handling horse

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Aneirin

I think the plus 4 bonus for routine tasks is important here.

True.

Originally Posted by Aneirin

However, personally, I would ingore all of them and just use the farming skill, which would cover all the tasksa farmer would do but he wouldn't be able to train the cow to come to him or have his chickens learn to balance on one another.

That's a possibility, although I've always thought that skill focused more on growing stuff on an industrial scale. Raising livestock is a bit different from growing crops. Perhaps a specialization or a technique would cover simple tasks like routine care and handling of traditional farm livestock without including the ability to train them or deal with them when they're angry or scared.

Originally Posted by Aneirin

If an equestrian bent farmer, animal handling horse

In a pre-modern culture, any farmer is going to have some familiarity with beasts of burden; either oxen, equines or both. Managing a plow-horse or similar is going to be an integral part of Farming skill, which should probably allow defaults to Animal Handling or Teamster for certain purposes.

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

In a pre-modern culture, any farmer is going to have some familiarity with beasts of burden; either oxen, equines or both. Managing a plow-horse or similar is going to be an integral part of Farming skill, which should probably allow defaults to Animal Handling or Teamster for certain purposes.

No, I think that farmers just have a number of skills. Afterall, they're usually people who've dedicated their lives to their career, and are very likely to have started learning on their father's knee.

Give pre-modern farmers

Animal Handling (Bovine or Equine as a work animal) 2, IQ
and 2 more Animal Handling (one of Bovine, Equine, Porcine, Sheep and Goats, or Poltry) 1, IQ -1 Each.
And One of:
Farming 4, IQ+1 Or Farming 2, IQ, and One more Animal Handling 2, IQ.
and Dabbler (Teamster, Veterinarian, Weather Sense) 1
and Dabbler (Carpentry, Smith) 1

For a total of 10 points. 10 points isn't very much to spend considering the amount of time spend with on the job training. But consider that most tasks will have a positive difficulty modifier, and that most difficult tasks will enlist help from the rest of the village.

Modern farmers have
Driving (Heavy Wheeled) and Dabble in Mechanic, otherwise use the same skills at different TLs.


The problem with Animal Handling (Farm Animals) is that it underestimates the specific problems farmers face with their animals every day. True, they don't need to train their cows how to jump through flaming hoops. But they do need to calm them when the herd gets spooked by a coyote, deal with angry bulls during mating season, find and coral animals that wander off or escape, train young animals to pull a plow.

Most animals don't necessarily want to be lead into a narrow stall, they don't want to stand still while being milked, they might not immediately want to be bred to the your neighbors prize bull--never mind that you paid have of your months cost of living for the privilege.

I vote that farmers have full-scale Animal Handling for several types of animal, because they deal with the animals and their unpredictable behaviors every day.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by aesir23

No, I think that farmers just have a number of skills. Afterall, they're usually people who've dedicated their lives to their career, and are very likely to have started learning on their father's knee.

I agree completely. Jobs which require only one skill are the exception, not the rule. Soldiers require other skills than just Soldier, after all. And let's not even begin enumerating the number of skills lawyers need, especially with the harsh RAW where every field of legal study (Property Law, Torts, etc.) is a seperate skill which defaults to other specialities at only -4 or worse.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

In a pre-modern culture, any farmer is going to have some familiarity with beasts of burden; either oxen, equines or both. Managing a plow-horse or similar is going to be an integral part of Farming skill, which should probably allow defaults to Animal Handling or Teamster for certain purposes.

And an integral part of the Astronomy/TL 8 skill is the use of Radio Telescopes they still need to know Electronic Operation/TL 8 (Scientific).

While Farmer! would include Animal Handling like Science! includes Electronic Operation but the non bang version does not elmiate the need for complementary skills.

[dcarson]

In many cases not only a bonus for it being a routine action for you but another one for it being a routine thing for the animal. Trying the saddle the plow horse is liable to end badly however since neither of you know what to do.

[Flyndaran]

Gurps farming includes all plant cultivation, when every species and sometimes breed requires its own unique body of knowledge and techniques.