I have been a GM for a while now and I still don't fully understand the concept of pets...

I have had multiple requests to have or get pets during character creation and the game, I had to deny these requests because I am not certain how they are supposed to work... Or even what species are eligible to be pets.

Please give me some help on this matter.

I haven't used them often, but they can be used as NPC's of a sort. As the GM I would allow the presence of the pet to factor into negotiations depending on what kind of animal it was. Obviously if you have a Rancor for some reason people will be more intimidated than if you're running around trying to hang on to your Mynock. (seriously, I had a player try that last one)

Also, the PC can use them if they're creative. Pets can spy, hunt, fetch, track, etc. Think of what you could probably train an animal to do in the real world and what it's limitations would be.

If it's just for flavor that will have no impact on the game mechanically (like a loth cat), I tend to just give it to them. However if they want to have an in-game affect, I tend point them to the Seeker career in Force and Destiny.

Put food in one end, get poop out the other

If you like the more narrative nature of the game, I would recommend listening to the Dice for Brains podcast http://diceforbrains.com/ . Make sure to start with Episode 1, season 1. There, the player Susan introduces "Jelly", her character's (Bher) pet. They use the pet mainly narratively and play it like an NPC which is both, player and GM controlled. Jelly causes lots of funny moments over the epsiodes, but has only little mechanical impact. Mostly it adds some Setback or Boost dice to some player or NPC after it barfed on someone. Though I think it actually takes out one NPC in a nasty way, but my guess is that was more or less narratively and not using actual stats.

The latest episode is actually a special episode, where Jelly gets a fan requested semi-solo adventure.

May the Force-Cage which is holding your pet-rancor be with you!

Fred

If you like the more narrative nature of the game, I would recommend listening to the Dice for Brains podcast http://diceforbrains.com/ . Make sure to start with Episode 1, season 1. There, the player Susan introduces "Jelly", her character's (Bher) pet. They use the pet mainly narratively and play it like an NPC which is both, player and GM controlled. Jelly causes lots of funny moments over the epsiodes, but has only little mechanical impact. Mostly it adds some Setback or Boost dice to some player or NPC after it barfed on someone. Though I think it actually takes out one NPC in a nasty way, but my guess is that was more or less narratively and not using actual stats.

The latest episode is actually a special episode, where Jelly gets a fan requested semi-solo adventure.

May the Force-Cage which is holding your pet-rancor be with you!

Fred

This is how I tend to run pets when they show up at my table.

Normal Pets can be used for very funny situations.

Like talking to the mad bad big boss of a syndicate,... and while charming works a despair shows up... well: "While he is smiling agreeing upon your conditions, Taskara your Loth-Cat went off your shoulder unnoticed and... sits now on the bar between all that highly valuable Whiskey and Conac Flasks... and the sudden move of your Handshake seam to scare it... KLIRRR... when the Ruckuss is silenced and Taskara returned to your shoulders as if nothing happend, the mad bad big boss of a syndicate is telling you: I'll charge you for the alcohol..."

When the player wants a battle pet, well he has to use the seeker "Animal-Bond" Rules: not more than half FR rounded down (so a Sil 3 Rancor needs FR 6), the animal gets the initative always right after its owner, it well act freely (GM controlled) - mostly attacking the nearest thread or fleeing, as long as the owner didn't use a maneuver to direct orders to his pet. it can use anything it has in his description.

Pet activity would seem a great use of advantage and threat when they are around !

We got a stray cat in our last session as ship's cat. Named 'Jar Jar (stinks)'

When the player wants a battle pet, well he has to use the seeker "Animal-Bond" Rules: not more than half FR rounded down (so a Sil 3 Rancor needs FR 6), the animal gets the initative always right after its owner, it well act freely (GM controlled) - mostly attacking the nearest thread or fleeing, as long as the owner didn't use a maneuver to direct orders to his pet. it can use anything it has in his description.

In the talent description for Animal Bond it says: "Once per round in structured encounters, the character may spend one maneuver to direct his animal in performing one action and one maneuver. (...) Otherwise, the animal does not contribute to the encounter." So you have to direct the pet, but it will do what you tell it.

Also an interesting bit from Savage Spirits: "Animals bonded to a character can perform the Assist maneuver to grant 2 Boost die to their master's next check instead of the normal bonus." This leaves a lot of flair on what the pet actually does to assist the player. For example, our seeker once took aim through the eyes of his bird (with Mental Bond) to shoot an enemy obscured by shrubbery, and the 2 Boost die were from the bird assisting by flying behind the enemy so he could see him.

If a non-seeker wants to have a battle pet, I would require him to spend at least a maneuver to direct his pet, or even a survival check for especially complicated tasks, and leave it up to the GM what the pet actually does.

When the player wants a battle pet, well he has to use the seeker "Animal-Bond" Rules: not more than half FR rounded down (so a Sil 3 Rancor needs FR 6), the animal gets the initative always right after its owner, it well act freely (GM controlled) - mostly attacking the nearest thread or fleeing, as long as the owner didn't use a maneuver to direct orders to his pet. it can use anything it has in his description.

If a non-seeker wants to have a battle pet, I would require him to spend at least a maneuver to direct his pet, or even a survival check for especially complicated tasks, and leave it up to the GM what the pet actually does.

This is what I do. Either the pet works as a vehicle if mountable, or I take control of the pet in its own initiative slot. If the player wishes their pet to do specific things, then they can use the survival skill as an action to command the pet in the encounter and if successful, they then get to dictate what the pet does on its turn.

There is a great set of rules dealing with Mounts / Pets in F&D: Savage Spirits. Just a couple of pages on how to deal with pets in combat and general advice on how to integrate the animals to the RP of the game.

Hope that helps.

I think the other important note is how does the player asking want it to work? Ask them what they have in mind.

Stay On Target has some great rules for non bonded animal companions too. It has rules for training, even a list of prices for riding animals. There is some solid advice on GMing animal companions too. If your able to I would recommend getting that book. Savage Spirits definitely focuses more on Foce Bonded animals and the rules for that are a little different.

Thanks for all the tips, the player that wanted a pet wanted it to be a squirrel with a poison-tipped tail named "Jelli".