Animal Training
The following list describes skills that animals can be trained in.
Domesticated
The animal is trained to be passive among species it might normally be afraid of or aggressive to, and generally to follow its owner or other familiar actors.
Domesticated animals are easier to train as they will not contest their training, so most animals to be trained are domesticated first. However, in some cases it may be desireable to have an animal trained without being first domesticated, such as a War Mount.
The difficulty of this skill is equal to 6 - [Animal's SOC].
Labor Animal
The animal is trained to work as a pack animal or to pull vehicles or tools (such as a cart or plow), and to take commands from an actor. An animal trained in this skill may pull a vehicle with a total laden weight up to two times its Max Carry weight without incurring a PRW penalty. Animals trained in this skill also are able to work in teams without distraction.
The commanding actor uses SOC and spends 1AD to issue each command to the animal. These commands can generally be considered to be obeyed without resorting to tests, unless the command is to attempt an action which is especially difficult or dangerous. When necessary, the animal's allocated dice for this skill are added to the commanding actor's dice pool for any tests involving the actor's control of the animal's actions.
If attempting to command the animal to a difficult task (for the animal), the actor must succeed at the following test, which the animal may contest with its own Smarts:
SOC + Animal's Trained Skill → [Task Difficulty]SIf attempting to command the animal to a task which the mount perceives as dangerous, the rider must succeed at the following test, which the animal will contest with its own Smarts and Toughness:
SOC + Animal's Trained Skill → Animal's SMR + TUFRider's Mount
The animal is trained to accept a rider and obey commands given by their rider. This skill does not include combat maneuvers.
The riding actor uses the Riding » * skill specialized in this animal type, and spends 1AD to issue each command to the mount. These commands can generally be considered to be obeyed without resorting to tests, unless the Riding » * skill is unallocated or the command is to attempt an action which is especially difficult or dangerous. When necessary, the animal's allocated dice for this skill are added to the rider's skill dice for any tests involving the rider's control of the animal's actions.
If attempting to command the animal to a difficult task (for the mount), the rider must succeed at the following test, which the animal may contest with its own Smarts:
Rider's Skill + Animal's Trained Skill → [Task Difficulty]SIf attempting to command the animal to a task which the mount perceives as dangerous such as moving towards a threat or holding fast in the face of a threat, the rider must succeed at the following test, which the animal will contest with its own Smarts and Toughness:
Rider's Skill + Animal's Trained Skill → Animal's SMR + TUFTracker
Animals capable of tracking by scent can be trained to do so on command. The animal needs direct access to an object or other source for the scent they are to follow. The GM will determine the difficulty of the tracking test and its continuation based on environmental conditions and the age of the scent trail. The initial success target represents the difficulty of finding the trail, with the continuation difficulty representing the challenge of tracking the trail.
War Mount
The animal is trained to operate under combat conditions, including offensive and defensive maneuvers. War Mount trained animals are also able to pull a two-wheeled cart such as a Chariot up to two times their Max Carry weight without incurring a PRW penalty. Animals trained in this skill are also able to work in teams and in close-quarters to frightening or dangerous conditions without distraction.
The riding actor uses the Riding » * skill as with the Rider's Mount training. Difficult and dangerous tasks are not contested by mounts trained in this skill.
Skill dice are used for any attacks and added to any Dodge actions the mount is directed to perform.