DM Q&A: Skill: Animal Empathy

[Kain]

I have noticed that animal empathy does not affect magical beasts on this server. I cannot tame things like malar panthers, rust monsters, gray renders and any other animla classified as magical. Why does this server not allow that?

[Munroe]

I have heard of magical beasts being tamed before...

Are you sure you're not just failing the Animal Empathy check? The DC is higher for magical beasts and is also higher the more hitdice a creature has. Magical beasts generally have more hitdice then the animals in the module.

[DM Grizwald]

From what i've seen, magical beasts cant be tamed. I know its not possible with malar beasts or rust monsters. Also, the ghost beasts can be animal empathied but they just turn on you right away

[Kain]

No you see, I am not even allowed to attempt an empathy, I have like 20 animal empahty, there isnt much I cant get with a noncombat roll. When I select the creatures in question, the animal empathy icon is faded out.

On another server, you could tame magcial beasts, but in this one it seems you cant. Though the only magical beasts Ive encounterd are malar panthers, rust monsters, and blooded worgs. But I believe those should count as magical and get the 19+hit dice DC.

Perhaps this aspect of tamin was disabled so as to avoid a begrudged druid leadin a rust monster into town and havin it eat his enemies +3 full plate mail and longsword. (yeah talk about problems)

[Munroe]

Worgs are magical beasts last I checked. You can't tame them?

[DM Richard (Retired)]

Animals and Dire animals are DC 20 + creatures hit dice.

Beasts and Magical Beasts are DC 24 + creatures hit dice.

I believe Rust Monsters are abberations and therefore can't be controlled.

I'm not sure what classification Malar Panthers or Blooded Worgs where created under.

[Aodhan the Unusual]

I was able to dominate an owl beast, which is considered a magical creature, so... Basically the only thing I can tell you is it may be a game mechanic thing and the creatures didn't check the monster manual (or listed only one of the various types a creature can be) and that's why some things that are supposed to be magical are just listed as outsiders (which I think Malar Panthers are anyway seeing as they WERE sent by Malar), but yeah...

[Kain]

Alright then, its just the animals I tested.. Thanks.