Although Priscilla here is actually a house-cat with an inordinate fondness for the taste of her own butthole, I refer to her as “my Queen” since I still prefer her company to that of the genuine article.
Tamers have a close partnership with an animal of some kind (or other creature of similar cognition), making this archetype useful for anyone that wants a hunting companion or mount. If you want a more mystical connection with animals, consider the Beastmaster archetype instead.
| Tamer | You have a pet. | |
|---|---|---|
| caret-right | Jockey | Movement commands are free. |
| caret-right | New Tricks | More commands and cooperation. |
| caret-right | Rampage | Attack as one. |
| caret-right | Saddleborn | Excellent mounted coordination. |
| caret-right | Trainer | More powerful pets. |
| Utility | plus-circleA Good Boy: You have a pet that you've trained to act as your partner. Your pet follows you on adventures and helps you as best it can. plus-circlePet Stats: Your pet can be any creature whose level is half yours or less (round all fractions down). You determine the allocation of your pet's combat ratings (Melee, Remote, and Whelm). As you level up, your pet will also slowly gain new levels from a combination of your ongoing training and its natural growth. Every time your pet levels up, you can pick any new ability for it without needing a keystone so long as the referee agrees it's appropriate. It might also be possible to increase a pet's size category as it gains levels, to represent it growing to maturity. Some sample pets suitable for starting 5th-level tamers are outlined below- you can pick one from the list or come up with your own with the referee's approval. minus-circleSimple: All pets must be creatures with the Simple weakness. This usually means animals, but the referee might allow you to have another sort of simple-minded creature for a pet (such as a slime, zombie, robot, spirit, plant monster or whatever). Pets can also have other weaknesses in addition to Simple, but must at least be Simple. minus-circlePikachu, Use Thunderbolt: You control your pet's actions, but in order to make them do things other than follow you around you first have to give them a command. You may issue a command to your pet as an action, and then your pet will attempt to accomplish the command to the best of their ability. If a command requires multiple rounds to accomplish, you don't need to re-issue the command; your pet can see it through on their own so long as you previously told them what you expect. All pets know two commands: Move and Sic. Move: Specify any point you can see or otherwise sense. Your pet moves to that point by whatever route seems best to them. You can also specify a target creature with the Move command; your pet will follow them until told otherwise. Sic: Specify a single creature. Your pet attacks them to the best of their ability, moving in closer, maneuvering for a better position, or otherwise switching tactics as needed. Your pet will continue to attack the chosen target until they have been defeated or you call them off as another action. minus-circleMasterless: If you are defeated or incapacitated, your pet will guard your body (fighting if necessary) until you wake up. If you get killed, your pet will either wander off heartbroken or follow your party members back to safety without providing any help (your choice). minus-circleMissing: If your pet dies (or the referee rules that they leave your service for whatever other reason) you can get a new one by spending 3 Dosh anywhere you can meet a good candidate. |
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| Sidebar: Level 2 Starter Pets | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pet Type | archetypes | Size |
| Bird | Flyer: Aerials, Lacerator Weaknesses: Simple, Handless, Frail | 2 |
| Big Cat (cub) | Lacerator: Pounce, Shadow Weaknesses: Simple, Handless | 4 |
| Canine | Lacerator, Ranger: Scent Weaknesses: Simple, Handless | 5 |
| Light Horse | Sprinter, Trampler, Ranger Weaknesses: Simple, Handless | 6 |
| Monkey | Thrower, Acrobat, Thief Weaknesses: Simple | 3 |
| Rat Swarm | Ranger, Swarm: Horde Weaknesses: Simple, Handless | 2, but also 5 |
| Viper | Escapist, Poisoner, Lacerator Weaknesses: Simple, Handless | 3 |
| Utility | plus-circleAway To Me, Pig: You can give your pet commands to move as a free action, effectively gaining full autonomous control of where they go and when. | |
|---|---|---|
| Utility | plus-circleProxy: Your pet will obey commands given by your allies, not just yourself. minus-circleNot The Mama: If you are present in a scene, your pet will continue to obey you and only you. Your pet must have observed you interacting positively with an ally in the past to consider them a worthy proxy for you. If your pet personally dislikes any of your allies for any reason, they won't obey them. |
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| Utility | plus-circleFetch: Your pet is trained to understand the “Fetch” command, which you can give them as an action like other commands. Specify any single object or creature, and your pet will do their best to go get it and bring it back to you. The fetch's target can be either specific (“those bananas on that table over there”) or general (“get help”) in which case your pet will bring you their best guess at what you want. plus-circleSnatch: If the thing you want fetched is in the possession of somebody else, your pet will do their best to steal it and run. If the thing you want fetched is a creature that is unwilling to come, your pet will do their best to drag them back by force. plus-circleReversible: You can also give your pet something and tell them to deliver it to somewhere or someone that you specify. |
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| Utility | plus-circleGuard: Your pet is trained to protect. While you sleep or are distracted, your pet stays alert and will get your attention if it senses anything is awry. If your pet believes you to be in danger without your knowledge, they will do whatever's needed to get you out of danger (including fighting off attackers or dragging your unconscious body to safety). plus-circleSentinel: You can also set your pet to guard a location or a creature that you specify, such as the campsite or a prisoner. They'll do their best to keep everything like you left it in your absence. |
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| Utility | plus-circleCute Stunt: You can command your pet to perform cute tricks like rolling over, doing a dance, making noise or similar actions. | |
| Offense | plus-circleCry Havoc: When you have a trigger die result of 10+ on any weapon attack, your pet may make a bonus attack action of its own for free against any target you specify, even if you haven't previously ordered them to attack that target. minus-circleContext and Timing: If your pet has no suitable targets in range then this opportunity is wasted. |
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| Protection | plus-circleBound Together: If you are riding on your pet you act as a creature of your pet's size instead of your own for purposes of resisting any effect that would change your position against your will (and therefore dismount you). plus-circleVice Versa: Your pets also gain this benefit when they are riding on you if they're small enough for you to carry. |
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| Protection | plus-circleGuard Animal: If you and your pet are adjacent to each other, you can choose to redirect any attack you would take to them or any attack they would take to you. minus-circleValid Targeting Required: You can only redirect attacks taken in this way if the new recipient of the attack is also within range of the attacker. minus-circleMultitargeting Bypass: Attacks that would naturally hit both you and your pet are unaffected by this ability and cannot be redirected. |
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| Movement | plus-circleQuick Mount: If you are adjacent to your pet you can mount them as a free action. plus-circleQuick Dismount: You may also dismount your pet as a free action at any point. plus-circleVice Versa: Your pets can also mount/dismount from you as free actions if they're small enough for you to carry. |
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| Utility | plus-circleSaddlebags: If you are mounted on your pet, you can access and use their resources or items from their inventory as if they were your own. plus-circleVice Versa: Your pets can also access/use your resources and inventory items if they're small enough for you to carry. |
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| Utility | plus-circleIncreased Potential: Your pet's level is 3/4 your own instead of 1/2 (round all fractions down). If you're allergic to math, there's a chart below to make things easy. | |
|---|---|---|
| Trainer Level | Pet Level |
|---|---|
| 5 | 3 |
| 6 | 4 |
| 7 | 5 |
| 8 | 6 |
| 9 | 6 |
| 10 | 7 |
| 11 | 8 |
| 12 | 9 |
| 13 | 9 |
| 14 | 10 |
| 15 | 11 |
| 16 | 12 |
| 17 | 12 |
| 18 | 13 |
| 19 | 14 |
| 20 | 15 |
| etc | etc |