Using Beast Sense on normal animals

[endur]

I'm going to play a 5th level Barbarian in a in-person game starting next week.

I'm most likely going with Totem Barbarian.

So the question is, how does Beast Sense actually work?

I can see and listen through the senses of a willing animal while I concentrate.

The spell doesn't say I control the animal, though. So are my senses stuck with going where-ever the animal decides to wander?

What if I touch a cat, and the cat curls up and goes to sleep?

If I touch a bird and want to use it for scouting, do I have to use the Speak with Animals skill ritual to ask the bird if he would fly over the forest near the castle?

[XmonkTad]

Yup. The animal goes off and does whatever. It is not your mind puppet. I once tried to build a ranger that used speak with animals, animal friendship, and beast sense to spy on people in a social heavy game. It didn't work out, animals don't see humanoids the way we see each other so it's hard to describe to a bat what the king looks like and even harder to explain to it why it want to sit there and watch him for an hour.

[Coidzor]

Yep, I'm pretty sure you're obligated to use them in tandem to get any use out of Beast Sense. Well, unless you or a party member dipped or are the right kind of Warlock that has telepathy.

I'm still trying to figure out a potential creative/clever/useful use of the rituals that wouldn't just be more easily and competently achieved by the party Rogue, Wizard, or Cleric.

Maybe if I'd taken animal handling instead of or in addition to Nature as part of my proficient skills I'd be able to use it to supplement the skill in making and training an animal friend the hard way? :smallconfused: