CTS Mechanics

| Animal Companion Training | Fauna Lore | Submit Research on a New Companion |

This page describes the OOC or non-FOIG related material for the Animal Companion Training System.

Introduction

CTS stands for Companion Training System. It is an alternative to the BioWare implementation of Animal Companions for Druids and Rangers in the confines of Neverwinter Nights. It significantly expands on the ability of rangers and druids to make allies of animals, beasts and magical beasts. The system goes beyond animal empathy, and spell domination.

CTS is a voluntary system. A PC with druid/renger levels may opt in to take advantage of the system, or alternatively retain their standard NWN companion. To begin using the CTS system, one needs to open the Emote_Radial (anvil icon on the left side radial menu). Look under the 'Special Functions' menu and 'Companion'. There you will be presented with your choices in how to proceed with CTS (read these options carefully and thoroughly, as some selections cannot be undone without loss of CTS training.) Hint: Open this menu when your PC is in the vicinity of an animal it wishes to befriend.

Obtaining an Animal Companion using the CTS

Companions in the CTS can be considered a melding of Fylgia (animal "spirit" or "soul") and the animal that the druid or ranger has bonded. The concept of a Fylgia is used to explain the selection of a base animal type (e.g., the animals allowed under the NWN Animal Companion Feat) that a druid or ranger PC select upon leveling up. Note: the type of Fylgia and selection of animal companion can influence ability to train and command an animal companion.

Bonding with a companion is a combination of IC actions and OOC engine mechanics. Because the OOC mechanical steps to bond with a companion are not entirely intuitive, they are shown here. Naturally, new druid and ranger PCs are free to ignore the instructions below and seek out IC assistance in game.

• 1. First, the PC must befriend the animal. To do this, use the Crafting Radial Menu, then from the dialog, select "Special Functions" > "Companion" > "Befriend animal". Note that if you are already bonded to another animal, you will need to release it first using this same dialog tree.
• 2. Once the animal has been befriended, use the built-in Animal Companion feat, as if you wished to summon your animal companion.
  • Note: In this step, if your intended animal companion has a graphical effect applied to them, this step may not work and you will instead receive a message reading "There is something strange about this creature". For example, Kirre's can cast Improved Invisibility, which applies the concealment graphic effect to them. If you attempt to perform step 2 while the Kirre is still under the concealment effect, it will not work. Instead, simply allow the Kirre to follow you until the spell wears off, then perform step 2.
  • Note: If the animal has not yet been added to the CTS system, this step will not work, but you should receive a message containing a number for that animal. This number should be used when submitting a new animal for review in the CTS system (see "unbondable" animals below).
• 3. Finally, you will need to give your new companion a name. To do this, use the Talk box to speak to your companion and say "Your name is animal's name". You will need to do this a second time to confirm. Please note that you do NOT need to use the same name as your standard animal companion; you can use any name, although it should be a single word for the rest of the CTS system to function properly.

"Unbondable" Animals and Animals with Unclear Fylgia

Not all animals found in game may be immediately bonded to become a CTS companion. In addition, some animals may be bonded but lack a definitive fylgia, making them very difficult to train. There is an in-game mechanism for PCs to perform research on animals that are incompatible with CTS or have an unclear fylgia. Research discovery by a PC usually leads to receiving in-game credit. To perform research, the PC may observe and collect information on a particular animal and submit it for review on the Avlis Wiki.

Training

Through CTS, one may train their animal companion to learn tricks or follow commands. It takes practice on the part of the companion to master a particular command or trick. A PC must find out in game how to learn and master new tricks; however the mechanics of commanding an animal is typically performed by the PC speaking to the companion via the chat window or through an item in game. If the companion is properly trained it will perform the specified task.

Analogous to crafting experience points, a PC gains experience points (xp) in companion training for teaching new tricks/commands, and in other circumstances. The number of commands that a companion may learn increases with companion training xp, but is also a function of: druid/shifter's level, a ranger's level - 5, and half of an Avenger's levels (if has druid or the proper number of Ranger levels). One may monitor a companion's training progression by looking at the training report via the Companion menu item under Special Functions in the Emote Radial. There are four categories of commands: Basic, Stealth, Combat and Special.

Notes and Hints:

• A druid or ranger may find it beneficial to party up and train their companions with other druids/rangers who have opted into CTS.
• Be wary of training around NPCs in game due to faction issues and hostility bugs.

Animal Empathy Skill and CTS

The animal empathy skill influences several mechanics in the CTS (e.g., training progression, shared empathy duration).

Shared Empathy Ability

Extensive training leads to a strengthened bond between master and companion. A companion senses its master's emotional state more effectively and vice-versa. A master and companion begin to share senses and perspective between one another, enhancing both mental and physical characteristics. This ability can also be shared amongst other partied rangers/druids and their associated companions, provided they have opted into the CTS and their companions are with them.

This ability is automatically given, once the companion has mastered 3 tricks in a particular category of Basic, Stealth, or Combat. Once mastery is achieved in a particular category, the ability will be presented in the companion training report. It is invoked in a similar manner as giving regular companion commands. When used, the ability gives temporary stat and/or skill bonuses. Duration is dependent on both the training level and trainer's animal empathy skill. The bonuses are synergistic when partied with other druids/rangers who have companions. The bonuses are less at low training levels.

Affects:

• Unpartied: The trainer and the summoned companion
• Partied: The trainer and companion and any partied druid/ranger who has a summoned companion in the party, and the druid/ranger's summoned companion. Trainers must be in close proximity to one another. Will not affect non-druid and non-ranger PCs in party.

(note: ACTL = Animal Companion Training Levels)

Basic: “vigilant” (requires mastery of 3 Basic tricks)

• ACTL 1-3:
  • Unpartied: +1 AC, +d4+2 to discipline, spot, listen, search,
  • Partied: +2 AC, 2d4+2 to discipline, spot, listen, search
• ACTL ≥4:
  • Unpartied +2 AC, +2d4+2 discipline, spot, listen, search
  • Partied: +3 AC, +2d8+2 to discipline, spot, listen, search,

Combat: “bellicose” (requires mastery of 3 combat tricks)

• ACTL 1-3:
  • Unpartied: +1 STR, AB, damage
  • Partied: +2 to STR, AB, damage
• ACTL ≥4:
  • Unpartied +2 to STR, AB, damage
  • Partied: +3 to STR, +2d2+1 AB, damage

Stealth: “furtive” (requires mastery of 3 stealth tricks)

• ACTL 1-3:
  • Unpartied: +1 DEX, +d4+2 to hide, move silently
  • Partied: +2 DEX, +2d4+2 to hide, move silently
• ACTL ≥4:
  • Unpartied +2 DEX, +2d4+2 to hide, sove silently
  • Partied: +3 DEX, +2d8+2 to hide, move silently

Duration (temporary)

• ATCL 1-3:
  • Unpartied: animal empathy skill/5 + 1 rounds
  • Partied: animal empathy skill/15 turns +1
• ACTL ≥4:
  • Unpartied: animal empathy skill/15 + 1 turns
  • Partied: animal empathy skill/5 + 1turns

Uses Per Day

• ACTL up to a maximum of 4

Latest Version

The latest release of CTS is version 1.1.0.1 (check the Companion menu function to view the live version on a particular server). This version includes additional animals and addresses minor bug fixes.

Previous Versions

• version 1.1.0.0 This version adds the shared empathy ability, adds several new commands/tricks in 3 of the 4 categories, makes minor improvements to some of the existing commands, and provides other core changes to the CTS system.
• version 1.0.1.9: major update of tricks to the CTS