Since Skyrim is supposed to have perks, I would like one sort of like the Animal Friend Perk in Fallout 3 but improved.

My idea is that this perk will make all animals friendly to the main character without the need for command creature spells, and that when you meet an animal you can even ask it to follow you like a companion untill you dismiss it or it dies, and it will help you fight enemies. This perk could be called something like the "Animal Whisperer Perk" and basically gives you the ability to command creatures of nature.

What do you guys think of that idea?

I think it has been suggested that the majority of animals will be passive to the player, unless provoked.

And there will more than likely be a command creature spell which would get the animal to follow you.

Sorted

Would probably have to have level restrictions, you don't want it to be to easy. Think about it, if every non-humanoid creature you came into contact with was friendly, the perk would be massively overpowered.

That being said, I have an idea. Maybe if you can find people to TRAIN you to be able to do so (a la Elder Scrolls IV), then it would be perfect and much simpler/easier than having to switch to a "Command Creature" spell. Basically, if you had a high enough level or skill AND you have the perk, then you can get the training.

Or, maybe the level of the appropriate skill would correspond to the level with which you can take control of creatures like that. I'm guessing this would be either Mysticism or Illusion, though Mysticism is what determined your ability to take control of creatures (I think) in Oblivion.

As far as being able to directly control it, like a companion? I wouldn't expect it, if I were you. To me, I imagine acquiring large armies of wild creatures to do my bidding. Now that would be awesome, but unless there's a limit on how many you could have at once (like with followers in Fallout) it would be overpowered.

Again, I reflect back to a kind of "level" system for this perk, in which your skill, training, level or combination of the three would affect how big the group could be. For instance, anyone who's a Novice in the appropriate skill, less than a level 10, only minuscule training and/or only has the first rank of the perk could only command one creature of their choosing.

I'd like to see this in the game, definitely. And I don't see why not, after all, you'll eventually get control of a FREAKIN' DRAGON when you find the right "word of power" or what have you, so why not control a lowly wolf? :intergalactic:

Well I was thinking you could have a limit to the number of animals you can recruit like maybe just 1 or 3. I know having a huge army of wild critters wouldn't be right, but having animal companions can be lots of fun so why not instead of using a temporary command creature spell have a perk that gives you the ability to control all animals?

I guess the idea would take some careful planning, but I'm glad you agree that it would be awesome to have in the game.

Yeah, I pointed that out as well, it would be easier than "pulling out" a spell and then constantly having to reapply said spell over and over again (2nd paragraph, 2nd sentence). I get the idea, trust me, and I hope the devs have something at least similar in store for that particular perk.

The only thing that would be more awesome is if they used our combined ideas :hubbahubba: :foodndrink:

Perks are skill arguments, not special abilities. :poke:

Seing as perks are skill specific I think these kinds of perks will be greatly reduced (i.e. compared to FO3).

@German Dude1126: Mysticism has been confirmed NOT to be in the game and it is Illusion which has the command spells in Oblivion. And command a dragon?.. You mean the shout someone has talked about here on the forums? I sure hope Bethesda won't add some "Command Dragon" spell or anything...

And is it just me or would it be terribly overpowered if you could PASSIVELY command 1-3 creatures? Add a summoned creature to that and you're starting to build your own army... And as far as I know, the TES and the Total War series are still two separate things.

its a great idea

way better than a command spell which I think will be scratched, also it will be great for RPing druid/ranger characters

I didn't really like the Animal Friend perk in Fallout 3. Once I had it, traversing the Capital Wasteland was a walk in the park. Kind of game breaking for the inhospitable desert to suddenly become nice and friendly, for the most part. I did, however, like Dogmeat a lot. That's all I'm really hoping for when it comes to creature companions. Another canine accomplice. :turned:

@Danger Dan True dat :fallout:

I get the idea of an animal companion, much like Dogmeat in FO3 and whatever that dog was called in NV. But seriously, passive command spells? That's just way to overpowered and would take away perhaps the most powerfull spell from Illusion. It'd mess with gameplay in so many ways and what, be nice for RPing druids/rangers? IMO, downright destructive.

it will work on one creature at a time, and if the perk has levels it will make the creature u command more powerful.

So what you want is creatures to be friendly to you, the ability to passively command one at a time and make it become more powerfull if you've "specced" that perk?..
So essentially you want a command beast spell with a really long duration which also boosts attributes?..

Creature command spells were a pain, I largely never used them. A passive spell would be a lot easier to use.

Oh, also "most" of the animals you come across will be neutral or friendly, at least if you don't get to close (from what I've heard). Having such a perk wouldn't drastically reduce the amount of enemies attacking you, you gotta keep in mind that most creatures won't be classified as "animals", per say. If the perk is anything like the FO3 version, it won't affect Daedra, dragons, goblins, giants or other humanoids, reptiles, etc.

If it's anything like this, a better name would be something along the lines of "Non-Humanoid Mammal Friend".

I'm playing, more or less as we speak, oblivion as a mage focusing on Illusion. Command creature spells are just as easy as any other spell to use. However, I'd like to see "Command Beast" and "Command Humanoid" merge into a single spell.

And this isn't about wheter creatures are to attack you or not due to some perk, it's about wheter you can then use these friends you've made as companions. And ofc not all creatures would be affected. If you know a little of how the CS works then you know that there are, in Oblivion, a "Prey" and a "CreatureFaction" faction. If CK in Skyrim will be much the same as Oblivion's CS then there will be these factions, and if there were a perk that made these factions more friendly to the PC, then that would certainly be a nice addition IMO.

:laugh: , :thumbsup:

Perks only affect skills. There are no "ability perks."

Last I heard that's the case. As in Perks are not going to be like Fallout 3 or Modern Warfare, they're going to be more like the bonuses you get in Oblivion when you get a skill to 25, 50, 75 and 100. In fact I think they have specifically been called 'Skill Perks'. Though really I wish they'd use a different word so as not to confuse people.

So that would be a no. No PETA/Pied Piper/Army of Beasts type Perk. For one because I can't think of skill that it could possibly be attached to (unless they're adding like, Taming or Animal Husbandry, and I'm pretty sure they're trying to lessen the number of skills). And two because it is dumb and overpowered. Use command animal or a summon spell if you want a pet.

I don't think so.
I've heard if you have enough skill, you can take a perk that gives you the ability to ignore armor with a mace.

Skill based abilities, not special Iz controlz animals naow abilities.

I hated that you couldn't really get a decent companion in Oblivion. Sure, conjuring creatures up from God-knows-where was nice, and there were a few weak NPCs that would tag along with you (at least until they quickly died), but I long for a Dogmeat-like companion. Even if these creatures could be easily killed, there would at least be a fairly ready supply.

And yes, for goodness sake I do know already about the "command creature" or what have you spells, but they were annoying as hell trying to keep up with. Plus, by the time I had enough Magika or skill level for a certain potency of spell that, say, let me command a lvl 14 humanoid, I was already LEVEL 20 :banghead: . You know what problem arose from that, correct?? That's right! Their level is adjusted right along with mine.

Here's a damn cookie for figuring that out :cookie:

Oh, and if you can't tell, I am genuinely pissed off, not at you guys, but remembering these frustrations from Oblivion is really upping my blood pressure right now.

so you get an animal companion, it not that OP, and no I don't want the animals to help me, just stay out of the way, but diseased ones will still attack of course.

and of course the animal buffing should be balanced in term of health and damage.

maybe even allow us to name the "pet"

That would be a Skill Perk. See, because it is based on an functions via a skill. If you have enough skill in blunt weapons/mace fighting then you can gain the Perk which allows your mace to ignore a target's armor rating when attacking. You do not gain a new skill/ability call "armor breaker" or something of that nature. In other words the 'abilities' you get are all part of the mastery of an existing skill. So the 'ability' to repair enchanted armor via your skill in smithing/repair has a good chance of being in. The ability build a mechanical dragon to ride and fight by your side? Not so likely.