02-26-2024, 12:48 PM | #1 |
Join Date: May 2020
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Animal Handler
Anyone feel the need or have ideas on filling out the Animal Handler talent?
The main gist of this skill is the ability to train animals imho. However, the book gives some good parameters on befriending wild animals that may be encountered. 1 MH away from others, act friendly, roll 3/IQ. If successful you get a reaction roll from the critter. If "friendly" (a 5 or a 6 reaction) the animal will follow and or possibly defend you until you leave the area or become your pet. I contemplated adding a few factors to this situation such as reaction roll modifiers. +1 animal is given sustenance (treat, water, or is this just part of being "friendly") +1 medical aid (assuming the animal is hurt and you have a Vet talent or healing potion etc.) +1 Freeing them from a trap/cage/defile/tree +1 defending them or rescuing them from an enemy or predator. +1 Returning or protecting their offspring. Of course once returned the mother/father would likely not follow you and abandone the cubs, but maybe you have time to live in the jungle with them? +1 .....??? Of course all of these situations could be modifiers for the 3/IQ instead? |
02-27-2024, 06:56 AM | #3 | |
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: Indiana
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Re: Animal Handler
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It's an interesting talent to check out. Since it isn't a fighting talent, it gets passed up most of the time. In a game in which I'm a player, the GM created a family that were a mixture of Animal Handlers and Wizards. It has added an interesting hook for one of my PCs to pursue. This particular PC is an Expert Horseman and Driver but wants to develop in the Animal Handler direction so that he can train all kinds of interesting animals. The area of Cidri where this family resides could allow for that to occur. You could stack some of those reactions in a particular situation with the max reaction being +3. I was thinking of experimenting with some NPCs along this line that are the like the mountain man (Naturalist/Woodsman) with a bear friend or pack of wolves that like him. Perhaps, even more animals that are at his command. Perhaps, A reptile man in the swamps that has swamp creatures on his side. |
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02-27-2024, 07:36 AM | #4 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pacheco, California
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Re: Animal Handler
I've written up an encounter using Animal Handler to vex wizards who routinely use illusions to fight beasts here:
https://www.hcobb.com/tft/Job_Role/Pride_Advisor.html
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-HJC |
02-27-2024, 06:19 PM | #5 | |
Join Date: May 2020
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Re: Animal Handler
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The +3 stack grants an almost sure thing of gaining a pet but of course they have to be found in such dire circumstance (trapped, hurt, hungry) so it is still hopefully uncommon? Until the power gamer handler digs holes everywhere to trap and starve wildlife and insist the GM give them a menagerie of pets...... |
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02-27-2024, 06:38 PM | #6 | |
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: New England
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Re: Animal Handler
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02-28-2024, 01:36 PM | #8 |
Join Date: Dec 2017
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Re: Animal Handler
Note there is a terrific Hexagram article on trained animal companions and magical familiars. I forget the issue number, but I'm sure if you are interested you can figure it out quickly!
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02-28-2024, 09:05 PM | #9 | |
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: Indiana
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Re: Animal Handler
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