Improvement Rolls for Animals and Fetches?

[dbhoward]

Here's a question that has come up in our MRQ campaign and I honestly don't know how I'm going to rule yet.

As adventurers progress, they earn improvement rolls; fine and dandy. Same for hirelings and henchmen. But what about animal companions such as war dogs and horses that are as much a part of the party as human hirelings? Would you, as GM, give them IRs as well? If so, would you compute them the same as for any NPC?

And what about bound spirits and fetches? They have skills, so why not (my players ask) IRs?

(And before you ask, NO I am not giving them Hero Points!) :wink:

 

[ThatGuy]

Here's a question that has come up in our MRQ campaign and I honestly don't know how I'm going to rule yet.

And what about bound spirits and fetches? They have skills, so why not (my players ask) IRs?

CORE p.139. "A Fetch starts with 200 skill points to be assigned to it's skills. Fetches can grow in experience just as the shaman does. If desired, a shaman can transfer any or all of his skill improvement rolls to his fetch instead"

So does the fetch get an independent IR roll as well? I'm not sure, but I think not. I'm playing that the shaman can only use his own IRs to bebefit the fetch. I view the fetch as an extension of the shaman.

And what about his other spirits? Again, not sure, but I think not. Not in my game...

Animals?...I don't see why not....maybe limit them somehow...1 or 2 IRs only. Now, I'm loathe to hear a player in my game ask me this...

Good questions!

 

[Mongoose Pete]

The intention was that all sentient living creatures (including spirits) and sapient beings* have the ability to learn from experience and practice. After all, this is what happens in real life, with higher order animals at least.

As to how many IRs they get, it should be fine to stick with the core rules. Most creatures if they lack CHA should default to 1. Thus you can recreate a wily old wolf, or an experienced pit fighting bear.

Animal Trainers should be able to apply the Teaching skill to their beasts too, a horse breaker being able to teach a warhorse how to bite and kick in combat for example.

As always however, YRQMV. If you feel a fetch will grow out of proportion to a shaman, then feel free to cap the number of IR it gets, since its the shaman who does most of the adventuring.

*This is to allow things like vampires or intelligent jolanti to improve.

 

[dbhoward]

Thanks for the quick replies.

This is sort of how I was leaning... no advancement for spirits except fetches, no advancement for animals unless they are trained; and then maybe only 1 IR. After all, the idea is that animals and spirits are more or less "complete," unlike humans.

I had not thought about the Teaching skill as animal training, though, nor had I considered the way the shaman was able to transfer IRs to the fetch as if they were the same being, almost. Given that the lack of IRs for these creatures becomes less of an issue and more of a question of how the player wants to develop all of their resources... very good points!

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

I thought a fetch was technically a part of the shaman—sort of a psychic organ awakened by his/her struggle with the Bad Man (combat which in reality is merely objectified inner conflict).

Being a separate bit of themselves, that's why IRs can be transferred.

 

[duncan_disorderly]

I thought a fetch was technically a part of the shaman—sort of a psychic organ awakened by his/her struggle with the Bad Man (combat which in reality is merely objectified inner conflict).

Being a separate bit of themselves, that's why IRs can be transferred.

Yes
I'd say that a Shaman can assign IR's to himself or his Fetch, but gets no additional IR's for the fetch.
Bound spirits are bound - so don't get IR's (if you want a better spirit then you have to go out and bind one)
Independant Sprirt Allies, Animal companions etc can get IR's at the GM's discretion, though (probably) not at the same rate as PC's. - It is possible to Teach/Train these types of being, which would grant them an IR.