Druid companions, attacks and tactics

[Ezberron]

Hello all. :smallsmile:

So, if I have an allosaurus as a animal companion as a level 3 druid, I can have it use all of it's attacks? (bite, 2 claws) as part of a full attack, right?

Until it gets pounce, it won't be able to use all the attacks as part of a charge but can an animal companion use basic tactics like 5' steps and attacks of opportunity?

Do they need to have animal handling tricks to do these things or does the base animal do that by itself?

Thanks!

[gondrizzle]

Druid companions don't need animal handling "tricks" like a mount would. They're special.

[Invader]

It could take attacks of opportunity but unless you spend a standard action communicating with it, it's not smart enough to take 5 ft steps on its own. At least that's how we always interpreted it.

[FleshrakerAbuse]

I believe the animal companion's basic ability to attack and the attack trick means it attacks to its best ability; that would mean taking advantage of flanks, listening to order (free action) and whatnot.

[Invader]

I believe the animal companions basic ability to attack and the attack trick means it attacks to its best ability; that would mean taking advantage of flat all listening to order (free action) and whatnot.

Simple commands yes. An animal can understand "attack" not move 3 feet to the other side and attack so we're in a more advantageous position". Keep in mind too you can't automatically talk to your animal conpanion.

[ArcturusV]

Eh. I'd think animals naturally understand things like flanking and other positioning. I mean wolves will go and naturally flank powerful prey in order to bring it down as a pack. Cattle will know to basically go shoulder to shoulder and circle the wagons in order to prevent themselves from being effectively flanked.

And that's on stuff with 1 or 2 Intelligence.

So I don't think that using tactics is necessarily outside the realm of possibilities with a druid's animal companion.

[TuggyNE]

Until it gets pounce, it won't be able to use all the attacks as part of a charge but can an animal companion use basic tactics like 5' steps and attacks of opportunity?

Do they need to have animal handling tricks to do these things or does the base animal do that by itself?

Base animals probably take advantage of AoOs, and might make 5' steps, depending mostly on their Wis and instincts.


It could take attacks of opportunity but unless you spend a standard action communicating with it, it's not smart enough to take 5 ft steps on its own. At least that's how we always interpreted it.

I think you mean communicating with it as a free action. Druids (and Rangers) can use Handle Animal with their companions as a free action, or push as a move action.

There is no use of Handle Animal that requires a standard action.


Eh. I'd think animals naturally understand things like flanking and other positioning. I mean wolves will go and naturally flank powerful prey in order to bring it down as a pack. Cattle will know to basically go shoulder to shoulder and circle the wagons in order to prevent themselves from being effectively flanked.

And that's on stuff with 1 or 2 Intelligence.

So I don't think that using tactics is necessarily outside the realm of possibilities with a druid's animal companion.

I'd link it mostly to Wis and habitual/instinctive tactics, myself; teaching a cheetah to use flanking is going to be a bit stickier than teaching a wolf to do it. Still, if you really want to go nuts, just spend a bonus trick on that. Shouldn't be too hard.

[Invader]

Base animals probably take advantage of AoOs, and might make 5' steps, depending mostly on their Wis and instincts.



I think you mean communicating with it as a free action. Druids (and Rangers) can use Handle Animal with their companions as a free action, or push as a move action.

There is no use of Handle Animal that requires a standard action.



I'd link it mostly to Wis and habitual/instinctive tactics, myself; teaching a cheetah to use flanking is going to be a bit stickier than teaching a wolf to do it. Still, if you really want to go nuts, just spend a bonus trick on that. Shouldn't be too hard.

Actually I was thinking of a move action. It takes a move action to have an animal do a trick.

[nedz]

So, if I have an allosaurus as a animal companion as a level 3 druid, I can have it use all of it's attacks? (bite, 2 claws) as part of a full attack, right?
Yes


Until it gets pounce, it won't be able to use all the attacks as part of a charge but can an animal companion use basic tactics like 5' steps and attacks of opportunity?
5' steps are just an adjustment to fit a grid, entirely abstract.
AoO are instinctive, but the animal needs to know to attack that target.

Do they need to have animal handling tricks to do these things or does the base animal do that by itself?

You need it to know the attack trick or you have to 'push' it. But this is just targeting. The rules are silent on what tactics the AC can use, probably because there are too many variables.

[TuggyNE]

Actually I was thinking of a move action. It takes a move action to have an animal do a trick.

Except, as noted, for Druids' and Rangers' animal companions, which only need a free action, and which are the animals under discussion.

[Invader]

I know we're talking about druid animals.

A druid can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The druid gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/druid.htm