Powers for the ultimate dog whisperer / animal pack leader

[Tamriel Wolfsbaine]

I was thinking about my enjoyment of pet classes in RPGs and realized I never really considered it in the cosmere outside of lifeless and potentially creating midnight essence stuff. I would say lightweavers could almost count as well but I am curious on thoughts of viable powers to create a pet class that is more traditional.  

I would like this to be someone who can tame and command animals that are still living.  

My first instict is to go for the duralumin compounder or use some form of emotional allomancy and combine it with F-duralumin.  

I don't know if connection really works that way though.  Do you guys think someone tapping connection could convince a large predator to work for them and serve them?  

Do you think emotional allomancy could work on an aggressive animal?  

If someone owned a large guard dog or axehound and were to command it to attack you are there powers that could allow you to turn the animal back on its owner instead? 

[Trusk'our he/him]

9 hours ago, Tamriel Wolfsbaine said:

I don't know if connection really works that way though.  Do you guys think someone tapping connection could convince a large predator to work for them and serve them?  

Do you think emotional allomancy could work on an aggressive animal?  

If someone owned a large guard dog or axehound and were to command it to attack you are there powers that could allow you to turn the animal back on its owner instead? 

Possibly. Assuming Connection manipulated friendship is closer to that of a Divine Breath in how it works, it may prove more effective at taming animals than Emotional Allomancy since it wouldn't need as high a level of sapience.

If you're looking for animal befriendment specifically though, Divine Breaths are apparently where it's at, so if you wanted to just go with that you might be better off.

Spoiler

https://wob.coppermind.net/events/250/#e7365

Brandon Sanderson

Notice how he grows in size here when he isn't paying attention. That's his Returned nature beginning to manifest, much like Vivenna's hair reacts to her emotions, because of the moment of great passion from him during the fight.

In this chapter, we also get the first hints that children and animals like Vasher. That's another hint about his nature—though a very, very subtle one, since I haven't talked about how animals and children all like Returned. They can sense the divine Breath within him, and it comforts them.

Spoiler

https://wob.coppermind.net/events/131/#e3950

Commicommand

Does emotional Allomancy work on animals?

Brandon Sanderson

Emotional Allomancy requires a certain level of sapience.

Phantine

So dolphins, oragutans, mistwraiths and parrots might work?

Brandon Sanderson

I was intentionally vague.

A_Shadow

Huh, so that would mean that divine Breath (or just regular Breath?) works in a completely different underlying mechanism than emotional Allomancy in providing that calming effect for animals and children. I had previously thought it was just an overlap in abilities.

Brandon Sanderson

There is an overlap. But it involves playing with Spiritwebs and/or the Cognitive Realm.

 

[Elite01]

Hmm I think divine breath and emotional allomancy are the best bets. 
just trying to think of alternatives if you jumped through the hoops of making a new hemalurgic construct that was more beast like you could control it with emotional allomancy without the sentience problem mentioned above. 

 

Like if you made a mistwraith horse with one spike it wouldn’t be a Kandra but might be more vulnerable to emotional allomancy for example.

[Trusk'our he/him]

On 3/17/2024 at 3:32 PM, Elite01 said:

Like if you made a mistwraith horse with one spike it wouldn’t be a Kandra but might be more vulnerable to emotional allomancy for example.

Actually, one spike would make it immune to control rather than making it more vulnerable, as there are fewer Spiritweb cracks to exploit despite the stronger mind. That's how Bleeder managed to avoid Harmony's control.

[alder24]

2 hours ago, Trusk'our said:

Actually, one spike would make it immune to control rather than making it more vulnerable, as there are fewer Spiritweb cracks to exploit despite the stronger mind. That's how Bleeder managed to avoid Harmony's control.

Small correction, it would make you vulnerable to emotional Allomancy, but one spike in Kandra is not enough for Harmony to seize control. Paalm used Trellium spikes that shielded her from Harmony, but he still was able to sometimes see her. She wasn't fully immune. SoS ch 7:

Quote

No, not in this case. I can directly control a being who has pierced herself with too much Hemalurgy. In this case I would act, for Bleeder has disobeyed her Contract with me and opened herself up for my intervention. Something is wrong, unfortunately.
“What?” Wax asked.
God was silent for a time. I don’t know yet.
Wax felt cold. “Is that possible?” It appears so.
Somehow, Bleeder has figured out how to hide from me. At times I can spot her, but only when she takes direct and obvious action.
Unfortunately, she has removed one of her Blessings—one of the two spikes that kandra must keep inside themselves to retain their cognition. I would forcibly control her if I could, but one spike does not pierce the soul sufficiently for me to get in.

[Trusk'our he/him]

10 minutes ago, alder24 said:

Small correction, it would make you vulnerable to emotional Allomancy, but one spike in Kandra is not enough for Harmony to seize control. Paalm used Trellium spikes that shielded her from Harmony, but he still was able to sometimes see her. She wasn't fully immune. SoS ch 7:

Ah, yes, I misspoke originally, good point.

Having one spike in total leaves you immune to being controlled, but having one more spike in addition to any others you already have will increase your vulnerability to being controlled, as it makes more cracks in the Spiritweb.

[Duxredux he/him]

Well first, you get a beaver. Then you get a pile of Hemalurgic spikes... Next you become a Soother...

Alternately, see if the Invested parasites of First of the Sun can affect a greater ecology than birds.  They Sak seems to be able to form Connections with a target even under the shielding of Kokerlii.

Can't think of much for direct confrontation other than what has already been said. F-Pewter would help with posturing and might even make a grizzly stand down, but not likely to make it turn on its handler.

Edited March 19, 2024 by Duxredux

[Faerie Braids she/her]

I agree that emotional allomancy and divine breath are likely the most effective methods, but, if you don't mind your animal familiars being undead, Bloodsealing is also a fun option.

[Argenti he/him]

I suggest adding Soul Forgery; make a stamp to make them tamed, and even if it doesn't last, reapply it often and you'll slowly shape them.

[Tamriel Wolfsbaine]

2 hours ago, Argenti said:

I suggest adding Soul Forgery; make a stamp to make them tamed, and even if it doesn't last, reapply it often and you'll slowly shape them.

I hadn't thought of this. You would stamp yourself to have the loyalty of the animal?  Can stamps do something like that or can you stamp the animal? 

[Argenti he/him]

4 minutes ago, Tamriel Wolfsbaine said:

I hadn't thought of this. You would stamp yourself to have the loyalty of the animal?  Can stamps do something like that or can you stamp the animal? 

I would just stamp the animal; I imagine it's much harder to affect someone else with a stamp applied to yourself.

[CtrlAltDepressed]

4 hours ago, Argenti said:

make a stamp to make them tamed, and even if it doesn't last, reapply it often and you'll slowly shape them.

I hadn't considered this. I dont know why but it seems much darker than the other options. Still the same result, but the 'slowly shape them' sent shudders down my spine. 

[Argenti he/him]

1 hour ago, CtrlAltDepressed said:

I hadn't considered this. I dont know why but it seems much darker than the other options. Still the same result, but the 'slowly shape them' sent shudders down my spine. 

You can do the same thing with people, they just have more Investiture and a stronger identity, so I'd recommend nonmagical indoctrination too.

[Trusk'our he/him]

1 hour ago, CtrlAltDepressed said:

I hadn't considered this. I dont know why but it seems much darker than the other options. Still the same result, but the 'slowly shape them' sent shudders down my spine. 

I mean, it's better than quickly shaping them with a metal spike rammed in their guts, so there's that.

[Argenti he/him]

3 hours ago, Trusk'our said:

I mean, it's better than quickly shaping them with a metal spike rammed in their guts, so there's that.

I mean, that will make them easier to control. 
Why not both?

Spike out tameness from a dog, and give it to a beast!