Tricks

Tricks are things that animals can do, like attack, follow, track, or protect. If you have an animal, it can only be commanded to do tricks it has been taught. Teaching tricks requires time and an animal handling check of various difficulty. Animals can know a limited number of tricks, based on their intelligence.

A list of basic tricks and animal professions is found under the Handle Animal skill[1].

Advanced Tricks

Require a two-week training period followed by a DC Check as listed.

Avoid

• DC: 15
• The animal stays away from a specified creature. The animals owner must indicate the creature to be avoided. Until the order is countermanded, the animal will not approach the target, and will not allow the target to come near.

Circle

• DC 15
• The animal keeps a specified person or creature in a confined area by circling it. If the creature attempts to leave the circle, the animal attacks until the creature returns inside the circle. Requires first being taught the guard trick.

Courage

• DC 20
• The animal learns to trust the owner in the face of danger. Whenever the animal is within 20 feet of its owner, it gains a +2 on saves versus fear. Requires a trainer with the Wild Empathy feat or ability.

Find

• DC 25
• The animal finds a specific person it knows. This is totally different from the track ability. An animal can only remember one additional person for every point of intelligence it has. Requires the scent ability, the seek trick, and the track trick.

Loyalty

• DC 25
• The animal is especially loyal. Whenever the animal is within 20 feet of its owner, it gains a +2 morale bonus on will saves to resist enchantment spells and effects. This bonus stacks with the devotion ability of a druid's animal companion.

New Skill, Easy

• DC 25
• The animal gains a new class skill, but does not gain any new skill points. It may, however, spend future skill points gained from hit dice. Allows the acquisition of any one of the following skills as a class skill: Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Spot, or Swim. Trainer must have at least one rank in the skill taught, and the creature must have at least a 2 intelligence.

New Skill, Difficult

• DC 30
• The animal gains a new class skill that is very unusual for it to master, but does not gain any new skill points. It may, however, spend future skill points gained from hit dice. Allows the acquisition of any one of the following skills as a class skill: Intimidate, Search, Survival, or Tumble. Trainer must have at least one rank in the skill taught, and the creature must have at least a 2 intelligence.

Recover

• DC 20
• The animal pulls an indicated unconscious, paralyzed, or otherwise unmoving or incapacatiated creature to an area the animal feels is safe. Requires first being taught the seek trick.

Throw

• DC 25
• The animal can throw an item using its hand, mouth, claw, etc. The appendage throwing must also be a natural weapon. All items have a range increment of 5 feet, excepting primates which have a base range of 10 feet. Animals can throw at a specific creature or square with a -4 penalty. This does not confer any weapon or item proficiencies, however.