Hawk Companion

[scribjellydonut]

Drakill brings up a pretty valid point - how is it different to tracking?

Well hopefully the bird, once posessed, can go through transitions for long distance scouting... but his idea is a pretty good one.  
 
The difference could be if you release the bird it takes a bit longer but [comes back] with much more accurate positions, as anyone who has used tracking can tell it doesn't always get the type of creature or even pick up the creature at all, let alone the distance to it.  Also from an RP standpoint you can't tell your group "2 geurilla hunters and 3 orc warriors ahead" you should just be saying "footprints of a few orcs"  With the hawk this would be different, so Drakill's suggestion does have merit

[Jayde Moon]

"Kaaaw kaw kaka kaaw!"

"What's that, boy?  Timmy fell down the well?  Four heavily armed orcs and a shaman are fishing him out for dinner?"

Dude, you're not Marc Singer and animal companions aren't familiars.  Most you can get is "Something's got Hawky here spooked."

How the hell is the hawk going to return better information to you than tracking?

[Oskar Maxon]

I think it has been made clear so far that rangers/druids animal companions can not -actually- talk, with their "master" or anyone else?

[Porkolt]

"Kaaaw kaw kaka kaaw!"
 
"What's that, boy? Timmy fell down the well? Four heavily armed orcs and a shaman are fishing him out for dinner?"
 
Dude, you're not Marc Singer and animal companions aren't familiars. Most you can get is "Something's got Hawky here spooked."
 
How the hell is the hawk going to return better information to you than tracking?

Even if animal companions were familiars you still wouldn't be able to talk to them because familiars can't talk either.

[Underbard]

Nevermind.

[Drakill Tannan]

[squawk squawk] letting the ranger know where the danger is or what not...

I thought rangers and druids could speak to animals normally? Or do barbarians have hawk companions as well?

Besides even if they couldn't, as you learn to undestand what your pets want you to know after a time.. and considering the animal companion is a closer bond i'd say you could understand it.

But it doesn't matter, rangers and druids can talk to animals

[DeputyCool]

Rangers and Druids can not talk to animals.

At least not on EFU.

[Jayde Moon]

You thought wrong!

Not even in PnP do Rangers and Druids just get the ability to talk to animals.

There is a spell that allows it, afaik.

[Drakill Tannan]

Then it's just the NWN campaign? lol forgive me, my entire knowledge from D&D comes from NWN. But even if not "speak" as if they where humans, they can understand feelings and emotions? Even without talking i would say the druids and rangers should be able understand animals, especifically their animal companion, not as words like "hey there are orcs behind the trees!" but as "sencing there is a threat over the trees, something similar to a human but more savage.." and the druid could figure out the rest. That's what i think anyway.

[TheImpossibleDream]

They can communicate with their animal the same way you can communicate with a dog in real life I'd say!

[ScottyB]

My dog is retarded and unintelligible. RL 3 INT. :(

[Oskar Maxon]

Like master like dog?
[COLOR="Red"]User has been banned for comment. Have a nice day.[/COLOR]

;)

[N/A]

I once met a dog who was afraid of his own barking. I lold.

[The Crimson Magician]

Dogs can smell fear, threatening feelings, and some other sorts of things.

We can too, though it's really in the subconcious. This may or may not be related to the OP. Apologies.

[scribjellydonut]

Rangers and Druids can not talk to animals.
 
At least not on EFU.

In the book "Forgotten Realms: Sojourn" the owl Hooter relays information to his master Montolio Debrouchee.  He may not have the vocal cords to 'talk' but he definitely conveys detailed information, probably through some sort of telepathic images.
 
You may have "DM" beside your name but they have the Forgotten Realms logo and the copyright too, so I find them a more authoritative source. :p
 
I know EFU is non-canon, and if the ruling has been made sometime prior to my having joined the server that rangers/druids cannot 'talk' to their animal companions then this should be changed, as it adds a great route to RP for the ranger to have such a bond with his companion.