[3.5] Wild Empathy Idea

[AnimeTheCat]

So, awhile ago I was talking about making a ranger that did wild empathy and handle animal stuff. I had an idea to use the Savage Bard variant class with the variant that replaces the Bard's Bardic Knowledge and Inspire Courage, Competence, Greatness, and Heroics class abilities with the Druid's Animal Companion, Nature Sense, Resist Nature's Lure, and Wild Empathy class features.

This seems optimal since I'll be nearly purly charisma based for Wild Empathy and I'll have Calm Animals and other usefull spells thanks to Savage Bard, but I don't have Handle Animal on my class skills list. How can I get that on my list of Class Skills? Feats, Alternate Class Features, etc... Any ideas other than "Talk to your DM" are welcome. I'm the DM and I don't have a problem doing something, but I want to do it within the confines of the rules if at all possible. That's the standard I have for my players, that's the same standard I have for the NPCs.

[DeTess]

If you're a human, you could take 1 level of human paragon and take handle animal as your adaptive skill. I'll take a look around to see if there are other ways to do it.

Edit: also, there is apparently a feat (Flexible mind) in Dragon magazine (326, page 80) that allows you to designate 2 skills you have ranks in as class skills. It does require you to be of a chaotic alignment.

[AnimeTheCat]

If you're a human, you could take 1 level of human paragon and take handle animal as your adaptive skill. I'll take a look around to see if there are other ways to do it.

Edit: also, there is apparently a feat (Flexible mind) in Dragon magazine (326, page 80) that allows you to designate 2 skills you have ranks in as class skills. It does require you to be of a chaotic alignment.

Flexible mind may not be too bad. I'll need to look it up when I've got full internet access. An option I found while looking through DMG II was the apprentice feat. It would fit the bill just fine, and it does say that you can create new apprenticeships. Something like "Apprentice: Stablemaster" could grant Handle Animal and Ride as class skills and a +2 bonus to the skills? Is that too much bonus for the feat? I saw some of the other examples granting +2 bonuses to skills, but I can't recall if they were ever the same skills.

[DeTess]

From what I've seen, the +2 bonus from apprentice is usually to another skill, but not always (woodsman, gives both a +2 bonus to survival and the survival skill). I don't think it would be OP the way you suggested it, but this is in the 'ask your DM' category.

[Korahir]

If Dragon is allowed there is a feat in Dragon 342 p 50 called Initiate of Ehlonna which gives Survival and Handle Animal for a divine spellcaster. Divine bard is in Unearthed Arcana.

[daremetoidareyo]

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?491181-Alternative-ways-to-get-new-Class-skills

It appears that you are out of luck without going outside of primary non-dragon magazine sources or dipping human paragon.

Skill knowledge - UA (for use with UA Variant skill system)
aereni focus - elf only (half elfs can get it too)

You can also ask if you can use the reverse of skilled city dweller ACF to trade gather information for handle animal

[AnimeTheCat]

From what I've seen, the +2 bonus from apprentice is usually to another skill, but not always (woodsman, gives both a +2 bonus to survival and the survival skill). I don't think it would be OP the way you suggested it, but this is in the 'ask your DM' category.

Well, since I am the DM I'll likely allow it. It does follow the Rules in DMG II, just exhausting my pre-made resources before I create anything.


If Dragon is allowed there is a feat in Dragon 342 p 50 called Initiate of Ehlonna which gives Survival and Handle Animal for a divine spellcaster. Divine bard is in Unearthed Arcana.

Hmm... Can you combine Divine Bard AND Savage Bard?


http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?491181-Alternative-ways-to-get-new-Class-skills

It appears that you are out of luck without going outside of primary non-dragon magazine sources or dipping human paragon.

Skill knowledge - UA (for use with UA Variant skill system)
aereni focus - elf only (half elfs can get it too)

You can also ask if you can use the reverse of skilled city dweller ACF to trade gather information for handle animal

It would appear that creating another apprentice feat is what I'm going to do. That's not too big of a deal and it thematically fits the area. It's for an NPC so I'm not *Really* worried about it. Said NPC is a master monster tamer and is definitely NOT a Pokemon Master *wink wink*.