For Your Animal
Your mount needs something more exotic to wear (or your mount is more exotic than the norm); your dog needs training, and you need the equipment to do it; you've always wanted a trained falcon and now you have than chance... Here's a listing of just some of what's available.
| Bit and bridle | 20 gp | 1 lb |
| Saddle, Military | 200 gp | 30 lb |
| Saddle, Pack | 50 gp | 15 lb |
| Saddle, Riding | 100 gp | 25 lb |
| Saddle, Exotic - Military | 600 gp | 40 lb |
| Saddle, Exotic - Pack | 150 gp | 20 lb |
| Saddle, Exotic - Riding | 300 gp | 30 lb |
| Animal Call | 20 gp | - |
| Animal Trainer's Kit | 50 gp | 5 lb. |
| Animal Training Outfit | 10 gp | 20 lb. |
| Leash and Muzzle | Varies | Varies |
From Dragon #349
Archery Saddle: An archery saddle can be crafted for any kind of animal, but it is usually made for a horse. These saddles can only be worn by the kind of animal they are designed to fit. The saddle has a high saddlebow (the arched upper front part of a saddle) and back to brace the rider, allowing her to hold a bow with both hands.
A rider gains a +2 bonus on Ride checks made to guide her mount with her knees. In addition, the penalty for using a ranged weapon while on a moving mount is lessened by 1 when using an archery saddle. Thus, you suffer only a -3 penalty on attack rolls when your mount takes a double move (or a -1 penalty if you also have the Mounted Archery feat) and a -7 penalty on attack rolls when your mount runs (or a -3 penalty if you also have the Mounted Archery feat).
Curative Steaks: Curative steaks are thin slabs of uncooked meat soaked in cure potions. They can easily be fed to animal companions on or off the battlefield, and when consumed (requiring a full-round action), they cure an amount of hit points equal to the type of cure potion the meat was soaked in (1d8+1 hit points for a cure light wounds curative steak, 2d8+3 for a cure moderate wounds steak, and so on). To create a curative steak, a character must soak a steak in the contents of a cure potion for at least 8 hours, whereupon the steak absorbs the magical liquid (destroying the potion) and is ready for consumption. The market price of a curative steak is the same as that of its equivalent potion. A curative steak remains fresh and viable for up to fourteen days after creation. After that time the steak spoils and loses its curative properties.
Druids with herbivorous animal companions make similar items from millet and grasses held together with honey.
Grotesque Barding: Crafted with horns, scales, and other body parts from devils and demons, grotesque barding is horrible to behold. An animal wearing grotesque barding takes a -1 penalty on attack rolls but automatically attempts to demoralize any creature it attacks, gaining a +2 circumstance bonus on the Intimidate check. This demoralizing check is made as a part of the animal's attack and requires no conscious choice by the animal, nor an additional standard action. Grotesque barding costs 50 gp more than ordinary harding of the same type and weighs an additional 10 pounds.
Ram Helmet: Ironclad wooden helms, ram helmet interiors are thickly padded with leather. The helmet covers the animal's face and head and is set with two large ram's horns that protrude forward. An animal trained to know the attack trick may charge a door while wearing the helmet and gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Strength checks made to break open a door. The animal must have 10 feet in which to charge the doorway.
Instead of making a normal attack, an animal wearing a ram helmet and knowing the attack trick can make a gore attack when it charges, as appropriate to its size (1d4 for Small, 1d6 for Medium, 1d8 for Large, and 2d6 for Huge). The animal only makes a gore attack when commanded to charge in this manner (it never willingly makes a gore attack). An animal that already had a gore attack gains no further bonus.
Spiked Barding: Much like ordinary armor, barding of all types can be fitted with spikes. An animal wearing spiked barding and who knows the tricks attack and perform can use the spikes to deal extra piercing damage (1d4 for Small, 1d6 for Medium, 1d8 for Large, and 2d6 for Huge) whenever it grapples or is grappled.
Steel Talons: Steel talons can be fitted to any bird of prey (an eagle, falcon, hawk, owl, or other hunting bird), granting it a +1 circumstance bonus on damage rolls made with its talons. A set of steel talons is always masterwork and must be fitted to each individual bird. A set of steel talons can be enhanced in the same manner as other weapons (a set is treated as a single weapon for the purposes of enhancing it magically). Rarely, steel talons are made from materials other than steel, such as adamantine or cold iron (with the same cost increases as normal for weapons made from the appropriate material).
| Archery Saddle | 120 gp | 30 lb. |
| Curative Steaks | Special | 1/2 lb. |
| Grotesque Barding | +50 gp | +10 lb. |
| Ram Helmet | 80 gp | 20 lb. |
| Spiked Barding | Special | Special |
| Steel Talons | 310 gp | - |
From Dragon #334
Claw Extenders: Claw extenders strap to an animal's forelegs and extend about an inch beyond its natural claws. Strapping on the extenders requires 1 minute. An animal with the attack trick is proficient with claw extenders, while one that doesn't know that trick suffers the -4 penalty for non-proficiency. An animal wearing claw extenders deals +1 point of extra damage when making a claw attack (rake attacks do not deal extra damage, as claw extenders only fit over the front claws). Claw extenders only fit animals of the size they were made for and cannot be strapped on to a larger or smaller animal. They can be made of special materials (such as cold iron or adamantine) or be of masterwork quality (and therefore made into magic weapons) like any other weapon, with the normal additional costs.
Climbing Harness: Many animals cannot climb steep slopes or use a rope. This harness, actually composed of two separate sets of straps attached by a rope, allows your character to pull up an animal using a rope. One end of the climbing harness supports the animal's weight at its hips and chest and requires minute to put on. The other part of the harness distributes the animal's weight evenly across the character's chest and shoulders, allowing her to climb and lift the animal safely. While using the harness, the animal's weight (and any gear the animal is wearing or carrying) counts against the character's maximum weight. Teaching an animal to accept a climbing harness requires the stay trick.
Grooming Kit: This simple kit contains various brushes, combs, and sundry items used to groom an animal. Most often, the kind of animal (feline, canine, bird, and so on) determines exactly what is contained within a grooming kit.
Muzzle, False: At a glance a false muzzle appears exactly like a normal muzzle. A DC 20 Search check reveals the truth, however. When trained, an animal can remove a false muzzle on its own as a move action. The perform trick teaches the animal how to remove the false muzzle on its own. False muzzles always cost the same, regardless of the animal's size for which they were made.
Scent Blocker: Rubbing this mixture of herbs into the fur, feathers, or skin of an animal masks its scent for 24 hours, which soothes skittish domestic animals when near a treated predator. A single application of this mixture is large enough to cover one Medium, four Small, or sixteen Tiny or smaller animals. Applying scent blocker requires 1 minute per animal treated.
Training Treats: These small treats come in a variety of flavors. Trainers use them to assist in the training of an animal. When used consistently as a reward system while teaching an animal a new trick, training treats add a +2 circumstance bonus on your Handle Animal check. Treats regularly come in wax paper-lined boxes, and an entire box must be used over the course of the animal's training in order to gain the bonus.
| Claw Extenders | 20 gp | 1 lb. |
| Climbing Harness | 7 gp | 1 lb. |
| Grooming Kit | 15 gp | 3 lb. |
| Muzzle, False | 20 gp | 1 lb. |
| Scent Blocker | 50 gp | 1/2 lb. |
| Training Treats | 30 gp | 2 lb. |
From Dragon #357
Bells: These metallic spheres fix to the legs with leather straps called bewits. Their unique tone allows a falconer to find his bird should it go missing, get into trouble, or simply fly off. Any falcon equipped with bells has a -8 penalty on all Move Silently checks.
Collar (spiked): A series of sharp 2-inch spikes jut out of this sturdy collar fashioned from black leather. Any creature that successfully grapples or pins a dog wearing one of these collars takes 5 point of piercing damage. A creature can avoid these spikes by taking a -5 penalty on its grapple check.
Dog Whistle: This reedy metal whistle emits a sound that, while inaudible to most humanoids, can be clearly heard by canines. Those who employ this item gain a +2 bonus on Handle Animal checks involving canines. Anyone with a dog whistle can seek to drive away dogs within a 30-foot radius by making a DC 25 Handle Animal check. A successful check requires canines to make a Will save (DC 10 + 1 for each point the Handle Animal check exceeded as) to avoid becoming panicked for 5d4 rounds.
Falcon's Hood: This thin leather mask, designed to slip over the eyes and upper head of a falcon, simulates night, encourages rest, and calms a bird by limiting sensory stimuli. A hooded bird is unable to see and is more docile, generally making it unwilling to move or attack. A DC 15 Handle Animal check is required to fit a bird with a falcon's hood.
Falconer's Glove: A thick leather gauntlet designed to serve as both a resting place and launching platform for falcons. It protects the hand from a raptor's razor-sharp talons. It also imposes a -2 penalty on checks with skills demanding precise and careful manipulation of the fingers, including Climb, Disable Device, Forgery, Open Lock, Sleight of Hand, and Use Rope.
Footfirm Boots: Laces along the top of these hardened leather pads make it easy to secure them around the paws of any Medium or Small dog. The soles are lined with tiny barbs, granting a dog wearing them a +2 bonus on any Climb checks or Strength checks to resist a bull rush.
Lure: These vaguely bird-shaped bags of leather are attached to long cords, and are used to create the illusion of a prey animal. A falconer who whirls a lure over his head gains a +2 bonus on Handle Animal checks when training raptors new tricks.
Perch (saddle): Customized to fit on a saddle, this metal semi-circle fitted with a wooden grip allows a falconer to transport his raptor by horse without the need to wear a glove at all times. A falconer must train a bird to make it familiar with landing and riding on such a perch. This takes one day and requires a successful DC 15 Handle Animal check. It does not, however, count as a trick when determining the maximum number of tricks a falcon can learn.
Perch (shoulder): This elongated pad enables a falconer to carry his raptor on his shoulder, eliminating the need to wear a glove or carry a cumbersome free-standing perch. Cushioned and lined with wood and metal, it protects against the falcon's talons while at the same time giving it a comfortable place to rest when not flying. A falconer must train a bird to make it comfortable landing and riding on such a perch. This takes one day and requires a successful DC 20 Handle Animal check. It does not, however, count as a trick when determining the maximum number of tricks a falcon can learn.
Perch (stand): The heaviest and most cumbersome kind of perch, this T-shaped, 5-foot-high stand rests upon a secure tripod base. All falcons learn to take off and land from these as part of their early training.
Rawhide (10 strips): Laced with spices, dogs find these strips of sun-dried meat particularly tasty. A character who uses rawhide as a reward when teaching a dog to perform a new trick gains a +2 bonus on his Handle Animal checks for the purposes of teaching it. Thereafter, however, he takes a -2 penalty on Handle Animal checks whenever he orders the dog to perform this trick without simultaneously offering rawhide as a reward.
Talon Tube: A small container capable of holding a rolled-up scroll, potion, or other tiny object weighing less than a pound. A talon tube allows an avian to carry an item without impeding its flight or use of natural weapons. It requires a DC 12 Handle Animal check to affix a talon tube to a bird, or either load or retrieve an item from a worn tube.
Training Arm: This heavily padded glove covers the entire hand and arm up the shoulder with layers of leather and cloth. Designed to help trainers fend off biting dogs, it grants wearers an additional +1 AC bonus when using total defense. Wearing this item makes it impossible to use that particular arm for any other purpose, including wielding a weapon or carrying a shield, but it grants a +4 bonus on Handle Animal checks when teaching canines new tricks. In addition, the wearer takes a -6 penalty on checks with skills demanding precise and careful manipulation of the fingers, including Climb, Disable Device, Forgery, Open Lock, Slight of Hand, and Use Rope.
| Bells | 15 gp | 1/4 lb. |
| Collar (spiked) | 15 gp | 4 lb. |
| Dog whistle | 20 gp | 1/10 lb. |
| Falcon's hood | 2 gp | 1/8 lb. |
| Falconer's glove | 10 gp | 3 lb. |
| Footfirm boots | 40 gp | 6 lb. |
| Lure | 15 gp | 4 lb. |
| Perch (saddle) | 40 gp | 8 lb. |
| Perch (shoulder) | 30 gp | 2 lb. |
| Perch (stand) | 20 gp | 15 lb. |
| Rawhide (10 strips) | 5 sp | 1/4 lb. |
| Talon tube | 30 gp | 1/4 lb. |
| Training arm | 5 gp | 15 lb. |