As a Barbarian I have Beast Sense and Speak with Animals so I have been starting to play this character like a Beast Master. Right now have a really good connection with my Horse but wanting to get some more for utility purposes.
Rogue/ranger here, I am on a high from my first ever pet but...I wonder...one doggy isn't enough. If I want a 4pack of blink dog, winter wolf, worg, and a Chihuahua would that be asking too much of the dm?
You can always talk it over with the DM. If they find it acceptable you're in luck. Or you might want to consider taking a few levels in Druid and just summon Woodland creatures. Which will cost Concentration and thus a decision whether to use Hunter's Mark or not. The DM might be really nice make that into a trade off and create a Feat that functions in such a way. for you to use and allow multiple companions. But only if there isn't already a druid in your party. You don't want to step on their toes. Which can be resolved by just talking with the druid player as well to see if they're ok with it.
I only ever wanted to bring one along per quest but we're playing an evil campaign I'm which another group this particular dm is playing with will raid our base, two menacing monstrosities seems the type of thing villains would have in a pair. Plus I love the way the dm roleplays intelligent monsters. We don't have a druid the closest we have is a warlock with conjure familiar.
That's one way of doing it. Another way is how Matt Mercer does in Critical Role for Caleb and his familiar Frumpkin. He has Liam (who plays Caleb) roll using the animal stats for whatever kind of animal Frumpkin is at the time. I think the choice is up to you. I mention Matt and Critical Role so you can see how another DM does it.
That's one way of doing it. Another way is how Matt Mercer does in Critical Role for Caleb and his familiar Frumpkin. He has Liam (who plays Caleb) roll using the animal stats for whatever kind of animal Frumpkin is at the time. I think the choice is up to you. I mention Matt and Critical Role so you can see how another DM does it.
I think the thing about that is that Mercer is just playing a Familiar as described by the Find Familiar spell, which has very strict restrictions on what the pet can/can't do. It's harder to define how it should be treated when characters gain an animal companion through other means.
You have some modicum of control... but it's not a wild animal. Familiars are designed to follow directions given by it's master, and are relatively accurate at following reasonable commands given to it.
It's not game breaking so don't wrestle control away from the player. You are a narrator so narrate what the players want within reason. Remember familiars can't attack (for the most part) so just let the players have their flavor.
On the other hand, it's perfectly fine to roll stealth checks etc for the familiar if they push it too close to dangerous situations.
Their are many animals that would work like maybe a wolf, or other animals that are similar to what we have. Just as long you don't give them a displacer beast you should be fine. There is always making baby versions of much larger monsters. My friend who dm's made a winter wolf pup as a pet option. Or you can make your own new creatures that would make good pets. You can make it to where they have to level up the creatures to get them to be good pets, so they don't start off with a lot of abilities. They would have to train and level them up the critters during a rest and not during battle. They level up through training.
First time DM here coming up and running a duet campaign for a dear friend who is going thru some life issues at the moment. She has a cat in real life that she's really attached to, kind of like her emotional support animal, and I thought as a way to bring her more into the game would be to have her find a cat of her own.
She is playing a Drow fighter and i'm starting her off at level 1. To kind of introduce her to the game and get her used to ability/skill checks, finding items and combat I'm taking her thru a little dungeon crawl with an NPC. I'm thinking this cat could be a fey base as we have talked about her want to use magic down the road, I'm thinking she could take levels in warlock with some kind of fey pact thru the cat down the road.
Just wanted to get some opinions/suggestions as I'm a first time DM and may be biting off more than I can chew, but I think she will take good care of the cat and it could be useful in the duet campaign I'm running.
First time DM here coming up and running a duet campaign for a dear friend who is going thru some life issues at the moment. She has a cat in real life that she's really attached to, kind of like her emotional support animal, and I thought as a way to bring her more into the game would be to have her find a cat of her own.
She is playing a Drow fighter and i'm starting her off at level 1. To kind of introduce her to the game and get her used to ability/skill checks, finding items and combat I'm taking her thru a little dungeon crawl with an NPC. I'm thinking this cat could be a fey base as we have talked about her want to use magic down the road, I'm thinking she could take levels in warlock with some kind of fey pact thru the cat down the road.
Just wanted to get some opinions/suggestions as I'm a first time DM and may be biting off more than I can chew, but I think she will take good care of the cat and it could be useful in the duet campaign I'm running.
Sounds fun! You should give her a baby Displacer Beast... you can use it's powers as a good excuse for why it doesn't get harmed in combat, and making it something visibly unique like that would be a fun detail.
Hi first time dm how many pets should my players get
It's really up to you and what your players want, but I think the easiest way to handle it would be a single pet for the whole party, instead of a single pet for every player
Agree that pets are entirely up to the DM. If the players want the pet to do things in combat, I would suggest turing them into a Sidekick and counting them in the encounter balance estimates.
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“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
I think that some things that could be fun to add , while not op are: monkey, bird of prey, raven, cat, dog ( riding), dog ( hunting), fairy dragon, rat, even, if you wanted to start a side quest you could have a manual of golem creation for a minor golem. I’m sure there’s more but that’s what I could think of off the top of my head :)
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“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbithole, and that means comfort.”
It's funny how this very old thread just seems to pop up every year, judging by the timestamps. But for new DMs wondering about pets, here's my advice.
People want pets for many different reasons. First try to find out why your player specifically is excited about one. Some players, especially children, often want pets just simply because they want to imagine a cute creature to care for. Other players want them for some kind of in game benefit. Others just feel it fits their character theme.
I usually offer my players one of two options when they ask for a pet.
A) Pet Plot Armor - if they just want a cute friend to adore, or a thematic companion to talk about, I offer them plot armor. They can have any reasonably sized (usually tiny or small) pet they want. They can describe it any way they want and have as much control over it as they want. As long as it never provides an in-game mechanical benefit, it is 100% safe from danger. I won't ever target it with monsters, and it will always somehow safely avoid traps or spells. They can not use it to attack, or distract the guards, or pick a pocket. But they can rest easy knowing it won't be hurt. Many players would be devastated if they lost their pet, and don't care about gaining an advantage from it. This is the best option for them.
B) Find a Rule. If the player wants to pet to participate in fights, scout for the party, or steal the keys to the jail, then I look for ways to help them find rules for it. Maybe a familiar is best. Maybe a beastmaster suits them better. Maybe there is a stat block they can use, but the DM controls. It shouldn't step on any in-game ability of another class, when using rules that already exist are an option. These pets are exposed to the same dangers as normal creatures. If the risk scares a player, a familiar is probably best, since they come back from injury very easily with no greater harm done.
There is a lot of room to bend these guidelines too. If in the course of the game, they try to befriend a wild creature, don't try to stop them. Let them use spells and skills and rolls to determine success. It can take a long time, and failure is an option, but they should get to try. Those creatures stay under DM control unless the characters have an ability that could give them control.
If you are playing with a group of children (or adults that aren't too worried about balance) don't stifle their creativity. Let their pet flying squirrel keep its plot armor, and still help them escape sticky situations sometimes. If they come up with creative ways their small friends can help, let them try without punishing them.
All that being said, pets can be a real headache for a DM if they can do too much. They are like adding extra characters to the party. You have to consider them when planning every encounter and fight. So give yourself a break too, and don't be afraid to say no to strong pets, or a dozen of them running around all the time. If you are new to DMing, or have enough on your plate already, the Plot Armor Pets are your best option. Let your players talk about their little friends when their characters are camping for the night, and then let them forget about them when they enter a dungeon. It will be easier for everyone.
As a Barbarian I have Beast Sense and Speak with Animals so I have been starting to play this character like a Beast Master. Right now have a really good connection with my Horse but wanting to get some more for utility purposes.
Rogue/ranger here, I am on a high from my first ever pet but...I wonder...one doggy isn't enough. If I want a 4pack of blink dog, winter wolf, worg, and a Chihuahua would that be asking too much of the dm?
You can always talk it over with the DM. If they find it acceptable you're in luck. Or you might want to consider taking a few levels in Druid and just summon Woodland creatures. Which will cost Concentration and thus a decision whether to use Hunter's Mark or not. The DM might be really nice make that into a trade off and create a Feat that functions in such a way. for you to use and allow multiple companions. But only if there isn't already a druid in your party. You don't want to step on their toes. Which can be resolved by just talking with the druid player as well to see if they're ok with it.
I only ever wanted to bring one along per quest but we're playing an evil campaign I'm which another group this particular dm is playing with will raid our base, two menacing monstrosities seems the type of thing villains would have in a pair. Plus I love the way the dm roleplays intelligent monsters. We don't have a druid the closest we have is a warlock with conjure familiar.
That's one way of doing it. Another way is how Matt Mercer does in Critical Role for Caleb and his familiar Frumpkin. He has Liam (who plays Caleb) roll using the animal stats for whatever kind of animal Frumpkin is at the time. I think the choice is up to you. I mention Matt and Critical Role so you can see how another DM does it.
I think the thing about that is that Mercer is just playing a Familiar as described by the Find Familiar spell, which has very strict restrictions on what the pet can/can't do. It's harder to define how it should be treated when characters gain an animal companion through other means.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
You have some modicum of control... but it's not a wild animal. Familiars are designed to follow directions given by it's master, and are relatively accurate at following reasonable commands given to it.
It's not game breaking so don't wrestle control away from the player. You are a narrator so narrate what the players want within reason. Remember familiars can't attack (for the most part) so just let the players have their flavor.
On the other hand, it's perfectly fine to roll stealth checks etc for the familiar if they push it too close to dangerous situations.
Their are many animals that would work like maybe a wolf, or other animals that are similar to what we have. Just as long you don't give them a displacer beast you should be fine. There is always making baby versions of much larger monsters. My friend who dm's made a winter wolf pup as a pet option. Or you can make your own new creatures that would make good pets. You can make it to where they have to level up the creatures to get them to be good pets, so they don't start off with a lot of abilities. They would have to train and level them up the critters during a rest and not during battle. They level up through training.
First time DM here coming up and running a duet campaign for a dear friend who is going thru some life issues at the moment. She has a cat in real life that she's really attached to, kind of like her emotional support animal, and I thought as a way to bring her more into the game would be to have her find a cat of her own.
She is playing a Drow fighter and i'm starting her off at level 1. To kind of introduce her to the game and get her used to ability/skill checks, finding items and combat I'm taking her thru a little dungeon crawl with an NPC. I'm thinking this cat could be a fey base as we have talked about her want to use magic down the road, I'm thinking she could take levels in warlock with some kind of fey pact thru the cat down the road.
Just wanted to get some opinions/suggestions as I'm a first time DM and may be biting off more than I can chew, but I think she will take good care of the cat and it could be useful in the duet campaign I'm running.
Perkas Brightmoon | Rhanloi's Romp Through the Sword Coast
Ciradyl | Lost In Time
Sounds fun! You should give her a baby Displacer Beast... you can use it's powers as a good excuse for why it doesn't get harmed in combat, and making it something visibly unique like that would be a fun detail.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Thanks so much! I'll look into that!
Perkas Brightmoon | Rhanloi's Romp Through the Sword Coast
Ciradyl | Lost In Time
Hi first time dm how many pets should my players get
It's really up to you and what your players want, but I think the easiest way to handle it would be a single pet for the whole party, instead of a single pet for every player
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Agree that pets are entirely up to the DM. If the players want the pet to do things in combat, I would suggest turing them into a Sidekick and counting them in the encounter balance estimates.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
I think that some things that could be fun to add , while not op are: monkey, bird of prey, raven, cat, dog ( riding), dog ( hunting), fairy dragon, rat, even, if you wanted to start a side quest you could have a manual of golem creation for a minor golem. I’m sure there’s more but that’s what I could think of off the top of my head :)
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbithole, and that means comfort.”
It's funny how this very old thread just seems to pop up every year, judging by the timestamps. But for new DMs wondering about pets, here's my advice.
People want pets for many different reasons. First try to find out why your player specifically is excited about one. Some players, especially children, often want pets just simply because they want to imagine a cute creature to care for. Other players want them for some kind of in game benefit. Others just feel it fits their character theme.
I usually offer my players one of two options when they ask for a pet.
A) Pet Plot Armor - if they just want a cute friend to adore, or a thematic companion to talk about, I offer them plot armor. They can have any reasonably sized (usually tiny or small) pet they want. They can describe it any way they want and have as much control over it as they want. As long as it never provides an in-game mechanical benefit, it is 100% safe from danger. I won't ever target it with monsters, and it will always somehow safely avoid traps or spells. They can not use it to attack, or distract the guards, or pick a pocket. But they can rest easy knowing it won't be hurt. Many players would be devastated if they lost their pet, and don't care about gaining an advantage from it. This is the best option for them.
B) Find a Rule. If the player wants to pet to participate in fights, scout for the party, or steal the keys to the jail, then I look for ways to help them find rules for it. Maybe a familiar is best. Maybe a beastmaster suits them better. Maybe there is a stat block they can use, but the DM controls. It shouldn't step on any in-game ability of another class, when using rules that already exist are an option. These pets are exposed to the same dangers as normal creatures. If the risk scares a player, a familiar is probably best, since they come back from injury very easily with no greater harm done.
There is a lot of room to bend these guidelines too. If in the course of the game, they try to befriend a wild creature, don't try to stop them. Let them use spells and skills and rolls to determine success. It can take a long time, and failure is an option, but they should get to try. Those creatures stay under DM control unless the characters have an ability that could give them control.
If you are playing with a group of children (or adults that aren't too worried about balance) don't stifle their creativity. Let their pet flying squirrel keep its plot armor, and still help them escape sticky situations sometimes. If they come up with creative ways their small friends can help, let them try without punishing them.
All that being said, pets can be a real headache for a DM if they can do too much. They are like adding extra characters to the party. You have to consider them when planning every encounter and fight. So give yourself a break too, and don't be afraid to say no to strong pets, or a dozen of them running around all the time. If you are new to DMing, or have enough on your plate already, the Plot Armor Pets are your best option. Let your players talk about their little friends when their characters are camping for the night, and then let them forget about them when they enter a dungeon. It will be easier for everyone.
Thanks very helpful
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