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5 months ago ::
Jan 16, 2013 - 5:59AM
#1
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Date Joined:
Dec 20, 2007
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Are all Animal Companions automatically proficient with any kind of Barding?
Somehow this doubt didn't arise so long as the druid was putting leather barding on his wolf, but recently he aquired a Dire Ape, and he put a Splint Mail on him... so I was reminded that PCs need to have the right Feat to use armor.
Is this not the case for animals?
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5 months ago ::
Jan 16, 2013 - 6:32AM
#2
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Date Joined:
May 26, 2001
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Animals are not normally proficient with armour, so the dire ape wouldn't be proficient with splint mail.
It could gain armour proficiency by spending feats it gains from its extra animal companion HD, but it'll take three feats to become proficient with a heavy armour like splint mail, since Armour Proficiency (heavy) requires both Armour Proficiency (medium) and Armour Proficiency (light).
The kraken stirs. And ten billion sushi dinners cry out for vengeance. - Good Omens
Co-Author of the Dreamfane, Euralden Eye, Gajuisan Crawler, Gruesome Lurker, Fulminating Crab, Ironglass Rose, Sheengrass Swarm, Spryjack, Usunag, and Warp Drifter, and author of the Magmal Horror from Force of Nature.
= My most popular campaign item; for all your adventuring convenience.
Show
Zauber's Mutable Rod: This rod has a number of useful functions that make it easier to live in the wilderness. It is made of polished wood, with five studlike buttons on one end. Each button produces a different effect when pressed. Unless otherwise noted, the rod’s functions have no limit on the number of times they can be employed.
• When button 1 is pressed, one end of the rod produces a small flame, equivalent to a candle.
• When button 2 is pressed, the rod unfolds into a two-person tent, complete with bedrolls and warm blankets.
• When button 3 is pressed, the rod becomes a one-handed hammer, suitable for pounding pitons into a wall.
• When button 4 is pressed, the rod becomes a sturdy iron spade.
• When button 5 is pressed, the rod becomes a wooden bucket able to hold 2 gallons of liquid. Once per day, it can be commanded to fill with fresh water.
If the rod is seriously damaged or broken in any of its alternate forms (button 2, 3, 4, or 5), it reverts to its basic rod form and cannot be activated for 24 hours.
Moderate conjuration; CL 9th; Craft Rod, minor creation; Price 375 gp; Weight 2 lb.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 16, 2013 - 7:09AM
#3
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Date Joined:
Dec 20, 2007
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does it mean that the Warhorse is also not proficient with any kind of barding?
maybe I worded my original question wrongly, but the Dire Ape is wearing Splint Mail Barding.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 16, 2013 - 7:31AM
#4
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Date Joined:
May 26, 2001
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It's hard to say exactly for warhorses; their entry doesn't specifically state it, but the general description for the Animal types notes that animals are "Proficient with no armor unless trained for war." That suggests that animals like the warhorse are proficient, though it's not stated for any particular kind of armour. The only way that would really help the dire ape is if the DM allows something with the Handle Animal tricks to count as being trained for war.
There may be some additional rule about it in the non-core books, though nothing comes to mind right at this moment.
Considering it, though, you don't really see real-life examples of horses that are as heavily armoured as some of their riders (like being covered in plate mail from head to foot).
The kraken stirs. And ten billion sushi dinners cry out for vengeance. - Good Omens
Co-Author of the Dreamfane, Euralden Eye, Gajuisan Crawler, Gruesome Lurker, Fulminating Crab, Ironglass Rose, Sheengrass Swarm, Spryjack, Usunag, and Warp Drifter, and author of the Magmal Horror from Force of Nature.
= My most popular campaign item; for all your adventuring convenience.
Show
Zauber's Mutable Rod: This rod has a number of useful functions that make it easier to live in the wilderness. It is made of polished wood, with five studlike buttons on one end. Each button produces a different effect when pressed. Unless otherwise noted, the rod’s functions have no limit on the number of times they can be employed.
• When button 1 is pressed, one end of the rod produces a small flame, equivalent to a candle.
• When button 2 is pressed, the rod unfolds into a two-person tent, complete with bedrolls and warm blankets.
• When button 3 is pressed, the rod becomes a one-handed hammer, suitable for pounding pitons into a wall.
• When button 4 is pressed, the rod becomes a sturdy iron spade.
• When button 5 is pressed, the rod becomes a wooden bucket able to hold 2 gallons of liquid. Once per day, it can be commanded to fill with fresh water.
If the rod is seriously damaged or broken in any of its alternate forms (button 2, 3, 4, or 5), it reverts to its basic rod form and cannot be activated for 24 hours.
Moderate conjuration; CL 9th; Craft Rod, minor creation; Price 375 gp; Weight 2 lb.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 16, 2013 - 7:33AM
#5
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The entry for Warhorse in MM doesn't say anything about being proficient with armor (Barding is Armor as stated on the equipment description on pg 131 of PHB). A Warhorse is trained to fight while carrying a rider, that's the only difference (training-wise) between them and a normal horse. Even though it's trained for war it doesn't specify an armor proficiency, nor does the Animal type description state a default maximum armor type that a War-trained animal can wear with no penalty. This tells me that even if an animal is trained for war, the description should specify which armors they can wear. The Warhorse description states the difference between them and normal horses (does not include armor).
(Medium and Heavy) Barding slows it's wearer down as normal for armor and, if the creature is not proficient with that armor then they suffer the penalties listed in the Armor Check penalty section on pg 122 of the PHB. Those being Armor's Armor Check Penalty applied to Attack rolls and Str and Dex based ability and skill checks.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 16, 2013 - 8:14AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Apr 25, 2011
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Are all Animal Companions automatically proficient with any kind of Barding?
Somehow this doubt didn't arise so long as the druid was putting leather barding on his wolf, but recently he aquired a Dire Ape, and he put a Splint Mail on him... so I was reminded that PCs need to have the right Feat to use armor.
Is this not the case for animals?
The animal not are proficient but the only extra penalty of have an armor is the ACP to extra checks like attacks, as normal the animals not are used to attack so this don't impact the game, if you are using an animal companion to attack you need train him with the feat to use light armors, but if you are using the update of the MM 2 then you can train him as a war animal companion that let him Light,Medium and Heavy Armor Proficient (like the warhorse described in MM 2).
To training the animal companion as warbeast you need train him with handle animal only for 2 months.
Pepe pecas pica papas con un pico con un pico pepe pecas pica papas si pepe pecas pica papas con un pico donde esta el pico con que pepe pecas pica papas.
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5 months ago ::
Jan 16, 2013 - 8:19AM
#7
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I would persume that training an animal for war would include all appropriate training, including barding.
Riding animals can wear appropriate barding to their duties, ie a light horse can wear a saddle, as can a riding dog. A Warhorse would be proficeint in the bardings used for warhorses (ie armor)
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5 months ago ::
Jan 16, 2013 - 9:03AM
#8
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I've got mixed feelings on the topic.
I know I've seen it somewhere that a creature trained for war can wear barding (armor) but I don't believe it mentioned any specifics. I guess I would treat that as Light Armor proficiency but only for creatures with Animal intelligence. This would mean that wearing heavier barding will take additional resources to aquire.
My other feeling on the topic relates to what the penalty would be for NOT having proficiency. I mean the ACP already applies to many of the skills a mount would normally use so extending that to all skills isn't sucha big deal. That just leaves non-proficiency having the ACP apply to attack rolls which begs the question of "how much attacking does the creature do?" In the case of a warhorse I really don't see it's attacks as being significant although they can be taken and will occasionally hit; a barded dire lion on the other hand probably doesn't want the ACP on attacks.
Regarding the Animal Companions gained through a class feature I would be inclined to allow that companion the same armor ability that its "master" has. Because that normally means Druid that means I'd let the companion wear non-metalic light and medium armor and if the Druid gets heavy armor proficiency I'd let its companion benfit from that as well. I believe I'd allow the same for a Paladin's mount if asked as well.
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