Topic: Beastmaster´s Wolf (HELP)

[titotulky]

Hello i just started a game with a bunch of friends. One of them chosed a beastmaster so i gave him a wolf as a companion (as a pet)

When i check the wolf in "creatures and treasures" it has 110 hit points so we think is a little so strong? is that the wolf he should have as a pet?

im gonna cut his Hit points down to 40 or something, same as the players, level 1 characterres.. what do you think? Thank you.. sry for my bad english

[gandalf970]

Remember hit points don't mean much in Rolemaster so don't cut them down.  Once his wolf gets an injury, if he is any type of beast friend he will never have him fight Gain.

[titotulky]

i really like the thing that you have the Gandalf portrait... inspiring some trust... wise words i guess thanks!!!

[jdale]

Wolves are pretty tough compared to 1st level characters. But what you could do, if you are concerned that the wolf's combat abilities will overshadow the PCs, is say that the wolf is not yet fully grown. Creatures & Monsters (I only have the RMFRP version) gives a wolf's level as 3C which means it could be anywhere from 1 to 5 (or more on exceptional rolls). The wolf has 110E hits which can be read as +/-8 hits per level modified. So you could start him with a 1st level wolf, with 94 hits (or you could modify further) and an OB of +55 (modified by 5/lvl). Then allow the wolf to grow with the PC (at a pace you can decide depending on how much of an issue it proves to be, I might suggest half the pace that the PCs advance in levels). The player probably won't mind having a weaker wolf now if he knows it will eventually be stronger.

[Spectre771]

I admire that you are being fair about the wolf and trying to balance game play.  I've had a few GM's say flat out "I'm doing this to your NPC, it's my world."  I prefer much more a GM who tries to stick within guidelines as jdale proposes.  +/- 8 HP per level so you can lower the HP while still following some RM guidelines rather than arbitrarily saying "It's my world, your wolf is weaker."  I guarantee your players will respect that more.

Within the creature stats, it should show a recommended level for the wolf.  Are you looking at the stats for a level 1 wolf or a level 5 wolf?

Keep in mind what Gandalf970 stated as well.  1) If the Beastmaster is any friend to the wolf, he will want to protect it from harm.  2) The wolf is not a familiar, it's a pet.  It will behave with creature instinct. Too much damage or overpowered by an "Alpha" creature, it will flee or "submit" to some extent.

[titotulky]

thanks for the answers.. I liked the idea that is a young wolf... makes sense than the character is still training him or something like that... ty for the support

[markc]

 In the past I have done all of the above, created a young various of the creature that does not conform to the rules and reduced a creature by the rules. What I would do in the future really depends on the game setting, creature and if DP or Background Options were spent and how many were spent.
 The more fantastic the creature the more of a chance I would stray from the rules and the more the creature could be improved in the future the more I would vary from the rules as most creatures have a finite amount of levels they can have vs humans.


 The other thing is that wild animals rarely are welcome in towns and some do not like to go underground (ie dungeon.) that should be role played just like taking a War Horse fit for a human to ride would probably have trouble going into a castle that was sized for 4' tall creatures. There are limitations and advantages to having such creatures and even though few will admit it sometimes the drawbacks can make the animal NPC.


 Having said that I always thought it might be cool to have a game where the PC's or one of them was a familiar or the target of a beastmaster Dragon or other powerful creature that could bend the spell list to their needs.   
MDC

[jdale]

In our RMSS game, the healer had a wolf. I think the GM actually just used standard stats, but the wolf was controlled by the GM and the player could only try to persuade it to do things, with mixed success. It was more concerned about protecting her than about attacking the enemy.

The wolf and the mentalist did not get along at all. As far as he was concerned, it was a dangerous uncontrolled thing following the party around. And it could tell. Since he was afraid of it, it clearly "knew" that it was the alpha male of the party. Made for some interesting roleplaying moments. (The party fighter might have challenged it, but that just made her the alpha female as far as the wolf was concerned.)

There was also an amusing moment when it was sent to "fetch" my character. Not "find" or "lead us to" but "fetch"....

Taking it into towns was a bit of an issue. The player did not stick around long enough to get to an actual city, but it was an issue getting it onto a ship. Not as much as the issue of getting the fighter's warhorse on deck, though.

At one point we also had a ranger with a bear. The bear basically had to wait in the woods when we went to town.

[Spectre771]

At one point we also had a ranger with a bear. The bear basically had to wait in the woods when we went to town.

Hey, when the bear was in the woods, did it... oh never mind.  Of course it did.

[Spectre771]

Our GMs, including myself would control the NPC's and that included the familiars and pets of the players.  The players could try Beast Mastery, or Empathy, or some similar skill/stat to try to communicate with it or to encourage it into action.  The "reality" of it, is that it's just like talking to your cat, dog, or horse at home.  It tilts it's head, looks at you, maybe licks it's nose... but are you getting through to it?  The GMs would have some good fun with the NPC pets.