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View Full Version : Taming the Tarrasque: Pumping Handle Animal



absolmorph
2010-02-18, 12:06 AM
Note: The DC to tame the Tarrasque (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/tarrasque.htm) is 88 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#handleAnimal). I take no responsibility for any injury that may occur while you attempt to tame this one-of-a-kind beast.

I'd like to compile a list of all the things that allow you to optimize Handle Animal.
Feats, items, races, whatever.

Feats:

Animal Affinity: +2 bonus to Handle Animal and Ride
Dinosaur Wrangler: +4 bonus when using Handle Animal on dinosaurs, must be a halfling from Talenta Plains (Races of Eberron)
Epic Skill Focus: Epic only, gives +10 to a skill.
Flexible Mind: +1 bonus to two skills, requires Chaotic alignment (Dragon Magazine 326)
Item Familiar: +1 bonus for every 3 ranks put in the familiar, up to the character's total ranks.
Karmic Tie: +2 bonus to Cha-based checks. (May be incorrect)
Nymph's Kiss: +2 bonus to Charisma checks. (BoED)
Skill Focus: +3 bonus, requires ranks


Items:

Animal Trainer's Kit: +2 circumstance bonus.
Admiral's Bicorn: +7 to all charisma based skills.
Circlet of Persuasion: +3 to Charisma checks.
Cloak of Charisma: +2/4/6 enhancement bonus to Charisma (+1/2/3 to Handle Animal)
Custom Magic Item: up to a +30 competence bonus. Requires more DM approval than most.
Luckstone: +1 luck bonus
Pale Green Ioun Stone: +1 competence bonus
Pink and Green Ioun Stone: +2 enhancement bonus to Cha (+1 to Handle Animal)
Skill Shard: +10 competence, single use (XPH)


Class Features:

Animal Companion: You get a +4 to Handle Animal checks made on your animal companion.
Animal Lord: +4 to Handle Animal checks made with a single type.
Motivate Charisma: Marshal aura that grants the marshal's Cha bonus to Cha checks. This can give you your Cha bonus a second time. (Miniatures Handbook)
Riding Bracers: Soulmeld that give a +4 insight bonus to Handle Animal and Ride, with an additional +2 per essentia point.
Skill Artistry: +4 competence bonus, Exemplar (CAdv)
Skill Master: Can always take 10, even when threatened or stressed. Exemplar (CAdv)


Other:

Affiliation: +2 bonus.
Age Category Bonus to Charisma: Up to a +3 to Charisma for being Venerable
Assist Allies: Get a +2 or +5 circumstance bonus from an ally with 5-14 or 15+ ranks in the skill, respectively.
Inherent Bonus to Charisma: Using Wish or a Tome of Leadership and Understanding for up to a +5 to Charisma
Magic-Blooded: Template, +0 LA, -2 Wis, +2 Cha
Moment of prescience: CL as insight bonus to any 1 check, max +25.
Skill Enhancement: +10 circumstance (ECS)
Uncivilized trait: +1 to Handle Animal checks (UA)
Wieldskill: +10 competence (PGtF)


Anything you know of that gives a bonus (along with it's source) is appreciated!

Lin Bayaseda
2010-02-18, 12:25 AM
"Uncivilized" trait gives +1.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterTraits.htm#uncivilized

bobspldbckwrds
2010-02-18, 12:43 AM
skill shards don't hurt

DementedFellow
2010-02-18, 12:44 AM
luckstone for a +1 luck bonus to the skill check

jokey665
2010-02-18, 01:05 AM
Take a level of marshal and get motivate charisma so you can add cha to your cha-based skills an extra time.

absolmorph
2010-02-18, 01:06 AM
Take a level of marshal and get motivate charisma so you can add cha to your cha-based skills an extra time.
I have a link in my sig that uses that, and yet I forgot to add it in.
D'oh.

DementedFellow
2010-02-18, 01:12 AM
Exemplar in Complete Adventurer
Skill Artistry +4 competence bonus if you have 13 ranks in a certain skill
Skill Mastery can take 10 even if stressed or distracted, like say if a tarrasque is coming at you

sonofzeal
2010-02-18, 01:14 AM
Magic Blooded - after Motivate Charisma that's an extra +2 basically for free.


Don't forget affiliation bonuses, either. It's an easy one to forget about.

Beorn080
2010-02-18, 01:19 AM
Pale green Ioun Stone. Granted its competence, so there is probably something better that it doesn't stack with.

A luck blade might be better then the Luck stone, with its reroll ability and three wishes.

sonofzeal
2010-02-18, 01:26 AM
Skill Shard (XPH): +10 competence (single use)

Wieldskill (PGtF): +10 competence (lasts a while)

Skill Enhancement (ECS): +10 circumstance


Note that Circumstance bonuses always stack.

Starscream
2010-02-18, 01:31 AM
A one level dip into the Animal Lord PrC gives a +4 when dealing with animals from whatever group you choose.

absolmorph
2010-02-18, 01:33 AM
Magic Blooded - after Motivate Charisma that's an extra +2 basically for free.


Don't forget affiliation bonuses, either. It's an easy one to forget about.
I'd like to know what exactly Magic Blooded's bonus is. Bonus to Charisma?

And how do the affiliation bonuses work?

Dexam
2010-02-18, 01:40 AM
Nymph's Kiss - feat from Book of Exalted Deeds that gives a +2 bonus (untyped, IIRC) to Charisma checks, amongst other things.


Note that Circumstance bonuses always stack.

That's assuming that they are different Circumstances.

Xenogears
2010-02-18, 01:50 AM
Karmic Tie is an ancestor feat from OA. Gives a +2 (IIRC) bonus to Cha based checks. Also you can tell where the person you have a Karmic Tie with (who also has this feat) is. Only available at lvl 1.

sonofzeal
2010-02-18, 01:57 AM
I'd like to know what exactly Magic Blooded's bonus is. Bonus to Charisma?

And how do the affiliation bonuses work?

Magic Blooded - LA+0 template, gives -2 Wis +2 cha, DR306 p64.

Affiliation - join an organization, do enough stuff to raise your standing with them, and gain some bonuses.

awa
2010-02-18, 02:21 AM
trasque has an int of 3 it's to smart you need diplomacy

JaronK
2010-02-18, 02:37 AM
Factotum: add your class level to any skill check.

Admiral's Bicorn: +7 to all charisma based skills.

JaronK

sonofzeal
2010-02-18, 02:41 AM
trasque has an int of 3 it's to smart you need diplomacy
Please read up on the skill in question. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#handleAnimal) Note that part of the definition of "Magical Beast" is that they usually have higher Int scores than animals, so Int 3 in no way invalidates the more specific rule in the ELH.

Kumori
2010-02-18, 02:41 AM
Either the Craft Wonderous Item feat or the Forge Ring feat could be used to create an item that grants up to a +30 competence bonus. Epic item creation feats can make it go higher.

lord_khaine
2010-02-18, 03:18 AM
Please read up on the skill in question. Note that part of the definition of "Magical Beast" is that they usually have higher Int scores than animals, so Int 3 in no way invalidates the more specific rule in the ELH.

But as far as i can see said skill doesnt stop the Tarask from biting your head off, so you will need diplomacy to make it friendly first.

Frosty
2010-02-18, 03:20 AM
And how exactly do you have a karmic tie with a Terrasque?

sonofzeal
2010-02-18, 03:22 AM
But as far as i can see said skill doesnt stop the Tarask from biting your head off, so you will need diplomacy to make it friendly first.
Given that he's basing it on my Bubs build, I'm assuming he's looking at the "Rear" section, which would result in a domesticated version, and that usually involves a lack of head-biting-off. Technically, Mr T can't be reared since he's unique, but the idea is amusing anyway.

absolmorph
2010-02-18, 03:39 AM
But as far as i can see said skill doesnt stop the Tarask from biting your head off, so you will need diplomacy to make it friendly first.
That's why there's a disclaimer.

And, yeah, Bubs is what brought Handle Animal shenanigans to my eye. If my signature didn't give that away :smallwink:

ericgrau
2010-02-18, 03:53 AM
IMO the dangers of rearing a wild animal are included in the check DC. Presumably the training would include how to safely approach the wild creature and so on. Just don't fail your roll by too much...

Moment of prescience, caster level as insight bonus to any 1 check, max +25.

I think there's also some kind of divine guidance spell out there that grants a luck bonus.

Oh, and some method of taking a 10 would be nice. Rogue 10 could do it with skill mastery but hopefully there's an easier way especially if you want to use high level spells.

Optimator
2010-02-18, 04:20 AM
I was under the impression that using handle animal on the big T was impossible because his Int is a 3, not a 1 or 2. Isn't the rule for magical beasts with an animal intelligence?

Kumori
2010-02-18, 04:27 AM
I was under the impression that using handle animal on the big T was impossible because his Int is a 3, not a 1 or 2. Isn't the rule for magical beasts with an animal intelligence?

There's an epic usage of the skill for magical beasts where training them puts the DC at 40+HD. See the d20SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#handleAnimal) for details.

More ways to up your handle animal:
Age category bonus to charisma
Epic Skill Focus (feat)
Wish for an inherent bonus

Also, pending approval from your GM, you could try permanencying a charm monster spell.

lord_khaine
2010-02-18, 04:34 AM
There's an epic usage of the skill for magical beasts where training them puts the DC at 40+HD. See the d20SRD for details.

But this still gives the Tarask at least a year to try and chew your head off, even if you reduce this to 1 minute by increasing the difficulty by a 100, then its still hard to survive.

Kumori
2010-02-18, 04:53 AM
But this still gives the Tarask at least a year to try and chew your head off, even if you reduce this to 1 minute by increasing the difficulty by a 100, then its still hard to survive.

I'd imagine that that's what friends are for.... The Tarrasque can chew their heads' off while they distract it for a year for you.:smallbiggrin:

lord_khaine
2010-02-18, 05:14 AM
I'd imagine that that's what friends are for.... The Tarrasque can chew their heads' off while they distract it for a year for you.

In that case im impressed by the quality (and quantity) of your friends, how many ranks do you have in diplomacy?

Kumori
2010-02-18, 05:25 AM
In that case im impressed by the quality (and quantity) of your friends, how many ranks do you have in diplomacy?

I'm using bluff...

Jack_Simth
2010-02-18, 08:07 AM
Note: The DC to tame the Tarrasque (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/tarrasque.htm) is 88 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#handleAnimal). I take no responsibility for any injury that may occur while you attempt to tame this one-of-a-kind beast.
If you want to spend 2 months on it, sure, training Mr. T with a trick takes a DC of 88. If you're not certain of that timeframe, though, it's DC 188 to teach him a trick in a minute.

I'd start with "down", I think....

Indon
2010-02-18, 08:21 AM
I'm sure some Incarnum class, probably Incarnate because they're the skillmonkies but possibly also Totemist, have a soulmeld for this skill.

Soulmelds tend to grant +2-4 to a skill, +2 per additional essentia invested, with max essentia invested being based on character level.

Not entirely sure there's a soulmeld for Handle Animal, but I'd be surpised if there wasn't.

absolmorph
2010-02-19, 01:10 AM
I'm sure some Incarnum class, probably Incarnate because they're the skillmonkies but possibly also Totemist, have a soulmeld for this skill.

Soulmelds tend to grant +2-4 to a skill, +2 per additional essentia invested, with max essentia invested being based on character level.

Not entirely sure there's a soulmeld for Handle Animal, but I'd be surpised if there wasn't.
If someone can find it (I wouldn't be surprised), I'll put it up.
It's pretty cool how much stuff there is for this. Handle Animal cheese is fun.

The Glyphstone
2010-02-19, 01:17 AM
Just curious, but why did you bother to list the +4 bonus you get from having something be your animal companion? If you're a druid with the TARRASQUE as your AC....:smallconfused:


EDIT: Riding Bracers are the soulmeld. +4 Insight to Ride and Handle Animal, +2 additional per Essentia point.

EDIT 2: How does that list not have Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm#itemFamiliarGeneral) yet?

Kumori
2010-02-19, 01:21 AM
More ways to up your handle animal:
Age category bonus to charisma
Epic Skill Focus (feat)
Wish for an inherent bonus

These still haven't been added to your list.

PhoenixRivers
2010-02-19, 01:27 AM
Outside of Core, there's an item familiar.

absolmorph
2010-02-19, 02:09 AM
Just curious, but why did you bother to list the +4 bonus you get from having something be your animal companion? If you're a druid with the TARRASQUE as your AC....:smallconfused:


EDIT: Riding Bracers are the soulmeld. +4 Insight to Ride and Handle Animal, +2 additional per Essentia point.

EDIT 2: How does that list not have Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm#itemFamiliarGeneral) yet?
This is a collection of EVERYTHING that boost Handle Animal. It's to be used if you want to make a minionmancer without using Leadership, assuming you have time to train your animal minions.