Handle Animal (Cha) Trained Only

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**Check:** The time required to get an effect and the TN depend on what the character is trying to do.

 “Push” an animal
 Teach an animal a trick
 Train an animal for a purpose

**Handle an Animal:** This means to command an animal to perform a task or trick that it knows. If the animal is wounded or has taken any ability score damage, the TN increases by +5. If the check is successful, the animal performs the task or trick on its next action.

“**Push” an Animal:** To push an animal means to get it to perform a task or trick that it doesn’t know, but is physically capable of performing. If the check is successful, the animal performs the task or trick on its next action.

**Teach an Animal a Trick:** The character can teach an animal a specific trick, such as “attack” or “stay,” with one week of work and a successful Handle Animal check. An animal with an Intelligence of 1 can learn a maximum of three tricks, while an animal with an Intelligence of 2 can learn a maximum of six tricks. The character can teach an animal to obey only that character. Any other person attempting to make the animal perform a trick takes a –10 penalty on his or her Handle Animal check. Teaching an animal to obey only the character counts as a trick (in terms of how many tricks the animal can learn). It does not require a check; however, it increases the TN of all tricks the character teaches the animal by +5. If the animal already knows any tricks, the character cannot teach it to obey only that character. Possible tricks include, but are not limited to, the following:

**Attack (TN 20):** The animal attacks apparent enemies. The character may point to a particular enemy to direct the animal to attack that enemy. Normally, an animal only attacks humans and other animals. Teaching an animal to attack all creatures (including unnatural creatures such as undead and aberrations if they exist in your campaign) counts as two tricks.

**Come (TN 15):** The animal comes to the character, even if the animal normally would not do so (such as following the character onto a boat).

**Defend (TN 20):** The animal defends the character (or is ready to defend the character if no threat is present). Alternatively, the character can command the animal to defend a specific other character.

**Down (TN 15):** The animal breaks off from combat or otherwise backs down.

**Fetch (TN 15):** The animal goes and gets something. The character must point out a specific object, or else the animal fetches some random object.

**Guard (TN 20):** The animal stays in place and prevents others from approaching.

**Heel (TN 15):** The animal follows the character closely, even to places where it normally wouldn’t go.

**Perform (TN 15):** The animal does a variety of simple tricks such as sitting up, rolling over, and so on.

**Seek (TN 15):** The animal moves into an area and searches for something of interest. It stops and indicates the first thing of interest it finds. What constitutes an item of interest to an animal can vary. Animals almost always find other creatures or characters of interest. To understand that it’s looking for a specific object, the animal must make an Intelligence check (TN 10).

**Stay (TN 15):** The animal stays in place waiting for the character to return. It does not challenge other creatures that come by, though it still defends itself if it needs to.

**Track (TN 20):** The animal tracks the scent presented to it.

**Work (TN 15):** The animal pulls or pushes a medium or heavy load.

**Train an Animal:** Rather than teaching an animal individual tricks, the character can train an animal for a general purpose. Essentially, an animal’s purpose represents a preselected set of known tricks that fit into a common scheme. An animal can be trained for one general purpose only, though if the animal is capable of learning additional tricks (above and beyond those included in its general purpose) it may do so. Training an animal for a purpose requires fewer checks than teaching individual tricks.

**Combat Riding (TN 20, 6 weeks):** An animal trained to bear a rider into combat knows Attack, Come, Defend, Down, Guard, and Heel. An animal trained in riding may be “upgraded” to an animal trained in combat riding by spending three weeks and making a Handle Animal check (TN 20). If the animal was trained in other tricks (in addition to those provided by training the animal for riding), those tricks are completely replaced by the combat riding tricks.

**Fighting (TN 20, 3 weeks):** An animal trained for combat knows the following tricks: Attack, Down, and Stay.

**Guarding (TN 20, 4 weeks):** An animal trained to guard knows the following tricks: Attack, Defend, Down, and Guard.

**Laboring (TN 15, 2 weeks):** An animal trained for heavy labor knows Come and Work.

**Hunting (TN 20, 6 weeks):** An animal trained for hunting knows Attack, Down, Fetch, Heel, Seek, and Track.

**Performing (TN 15, 4 weeks):** An animal trained for performing knows Come, Fetch, Heel, Perform, and Stay.

**Riding (TN 15; 3 weeks):** An animal trained to bear a rider knows Come, Heel, and Stay.

**Assist Attack (TN 20):** The animal aids your attack or that of another creature as a standard action. You must designate both the recipient of the aid and a speciﬁc opponent when commanding the animal to perform the task. The animal uses the aid another combat action (see page 154 of the Player’s Handbook), attempting to grant a bonus on the recipient’s next attack roll against the designated opponent. It also ﬂanks the designated opponent, if it can do so without provoking attacks of opportunity. An animal must know the attack trick before it can learn this trick.

**Assist Defend (TN 20):** The animal aids your defense or that of another creature as a standard action. You must designate both the recipient of the aid and a speciﬁc opponent when commanding the animal to perform the task. The animal uses the aid another combat action, attempting to grant a bonus on the recipient’s DC against the designated opponent’s next attack. An animal must know the defend trick before it can learn this trick.

**Assist Track (TN 20):** The animal aids your attempt to track. The animal must be present as you attempt a Survival check to track another creature; if the animal succeeds on a TN 10 Survival check, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on your Survival check made to track. An animal must have the scent ability and know the track trick before it can learn this trick.

**Hold (TN 20):** The animal initiates a grapple attack and attempts to hold a designated enemy in its arms, claws, or teeth. An animal with the improved grab ability uses that ability in the attempt; otherwise, the attack provokes attacks of opportunity. An animal must know the attack trick before it can learn this trick.

**Home (TN 20):** The animal returns to the location where it was trained to perform this trick, traveling overland as required.

**Hunt (TN 15):** The animal attempts to hunt and forage for food for you using its Survival skill. See Survival Skill on how to hunt and forage for food. While any animal automatically knows how to hunt and forage for its own needs, this trick causes it to return with food rather than simply eating its ﬁll of what it ﬁnds.

**Stalk (TN 20):** The animal follows a designated target, doing its best to remain undetected, until the target is wounded or resting, and then attacks. An animal must know the attack trick before it can learn this trick.

**Steal (TN 20):** The animal grabs an object in the possession of a target creature, wrests it away, and brings it to you. If multiple objects are available, the animal attempts to steal a random one. An animal must know the fetch trick before it can learn this trick.

**Subdue (TN 20):** The animal attacks a designated target creature to deal nonlethal damage, taking a –4 penalty on its attack roll. The animal stops its attack when the target creature lapses into unconsciousness. An animal must know the attack trick before it can learn this trick.

**Warn (TN 20):** The animal reacts to new creatures coming near, even without any command being given, regardless of whether the animal sees the newcomer, or hears it, or detects the creature with scent. The exact warning sound given (hiss, growl, squawk, bark) varies depending on animal type and the training; this sound is chosen at the time of training and cannot be changed. If the newcomer does not stop after this warning, the animal attacks. As part of the training, the animal can be trained to ignore speciﬁc creatures (such as the trainer’s allies). An animal must know the guard trick before it can learn this trick. Train an Animal for a

**Advanced Fighting (TN 20):** An animal trained for advanced ﬁghting knows the tricks assist attack, attack, down, hold, stay, and subdue. Training an animal for advanced ﬁghting takes ﬁve weeks. You can also “upgrade” an animal trained for ﬁghting to one trained for advanced ﬁghting by spending two weeks and making a successful TN 20 Handle Animal check. The new general purpose and tricks completely replace the animal’s previous purpose and any tricks it once knew.

**Defensive Guarding (TN 20):** An animal trained for defensive guarding knows the tricks defend, down, guard, hold, subdue, and warn. Training an animal for defensive guarding takes six weeks. You can also “upgrade” an animal trained for guarding to one trained for defensive guarding by spending three weeks and making a successful TN 20 Handle Animal check. The new general purpose and tricks completely replace the animal’s previous purpose and any tricks it once knew.

**Thievery (TN 20):** An animal trained for thievery knows the tricks fetch, heel, home, seek, steal, and work. Training an animal for thievery takes six weeks.

**Try Again?:** Yes.

**Special:** A character can take 10 or take 20 when handling animals. An untrained character uses Charisma checks to handle and push animals, but he or she can’t teach or train animals. A character with the Animal Affinity feat and at least 1 rank in this skill gets a +2 bonus on all Handle Animal checks.

**Time:** See above. Teaching or training an animal takes a number of days. The character does not have to spend the entire time training the animal; 3 hours per day is enough. (Spending more than 3 hours per day does not reduce the number of days required.) The character cannot spread the days out; if the character does not complete the training during a period of consecutive days, the effort is wasted.