PETs are trained tools used to aid a person in achieving their goals. When a PET is selected by a person, it is selected because it is the finest of breed and meets the specific needs of the person. Based on this, PETs are above the normal or wild version of their class and type of living being. They are able to understand and react to certain words and have a greater than normal intelligence. (In other words, they have a character sheet, specific statistics, skills, and capabilities.)

Statistics - All animals have certain attributes. Listed below is the basic die set for certain animals. Some modification may be necessary depending on the specific animal chosen. If desired, you may roll percentage dice (in view of the REF) and on a 80% to 100% the animal has an extra 8 Attribute points you may place where ever desired. On a roll of 1% to 25% you must remove 2 points from all attribute scores except PB which loses 4. No ability may be below 4 except I.Q., which must be at least 2.

* - Spider Monkey’s are rare (1 or 2 on 1d6) - but gain an additional +3 on IQ. They are often smarter than a 2 or 3-year-old human. - NOTE: A Spider Monkey can learn to manipulate objects (dials, triggers, etc) but most are taught to steal items or work doors and windows. A Spider Monkey will shoot anyone and anything in the right situation. Also, a monkey cannot be trained to control elimination of wastes. They go whenever and wherever they want.

The IQ attribute determines the number of skills and the number of commands that PETS are able to learn per level. Once assigned a command it can not be changed. An animal learns a minimum of 4 major commands at first level (plus those based on intelligence for first level). The IQ can also be used to determine if an animal can determine a way out of a trap or how to help its owner/controller (IQ x 3 is percentage chance).

The ME measures the amount of stress a PET can withstand before disobeying a command or running from a battle (ME x 5 percentage for stressful situations, i.e., getting shot or very loud noises, like explosives)

The MA identifies the intimidation value of the PET (MA x 3 + HP is percentage chance and this only applies the first action in the first melee, i.e., Lions Roar, Weasel’s Hiss, Dogs growl). If the PET completes this action, opponent has a Horror Factor roll of 13 to ignore. If the character fails this roll, the character will not attack the first action of that melee and looses initiative for that melee against the PET and the current opponent.

P.S. is the amount of weight that a PET can carry or pickup (dogs and cats can carry their own items, a weasel can drag something and birds can grab and fly back). Special backpacks can be made for dogs, cats and other most other animals (like a backpack for the monkey). NOTE: Weight of carried items must be added to the weight of any armor worn by the PET.

PP is the measure of the PETs’ ability to move from place to place (PP x 5, i.e., hop from a window to the floor without getting hurt, chance to lift itself into a boat from the water, Jump from a slow car without betting hurt, etc).

PE is the ability of the PET to withstand wounds without turning on its owner (PE x 5%, i.e., Bird gets shot and owner attempts to assist it).

PB is the view of the animal to others (e.g., how well would the PET be recognized - could the victim identify the PET). Percentage chance to identify a PET is PB x 5 (unless the animal is very ugly then its 100 - PB x 3).

Speed is the ability of the PET to move (Speed x 20 is movement per minute (/4 per melee)).

P.P.E is the amount of energy that is released when the creature dies (P.P.E x 2). An animal will not willingly give up its P.P.E and cannot be trained to do so.

HP and S.D.C start-up values are the same as for characters. An animal gains 2d6 H.P. per level for the first 4 levels. It then gains 1d6 per level for levels 5 and 6 (6th level is the maximum level for animals)

Commands are the number of commands that the PET starts the game knowing. All pets start with the commands "Heel", "Come", "Sit", and "Stay" as their first four commands. Additional ones are selected after these four, if the PET has others available. If the PET begins the game with fewer than 4 commands, then they begin with only these four commands.

All animals can have certain skills that are taught by their trainer or owners. Skills are more intense than commands because they rely on the animal’s intelligence and cunning (as well as the ability to understand). Animals are given skills and expected to complete a series of tasks based on one command (or series of repeated commands). They gain one additional skill at each level through 6th (1 at 2nd, 1 at 3rd, etc). No animal can advance beyond 6th level.

Associated Language - The ability to associate certain names of items with an image. TREE would represent any Tree, CAR would represent all vehicles that have 4 wheels. MOTORCYCLE would represent all two wheeled vehicles, HOVOR-CAR would represent those noisy things that blow air out the bottom. CHILD would mean small humans. Starting skill is 15% + Intelligence with 2% per level above first. There must be a specific language (such as Spanish, English, Techo-Can, etc). NOTE: This skill assumes that the character will ask the animal to "do" something, such as "Find" something.

Simple Tricks - The ability to perform a series of simple tricks to include the following. Skill based begins at 50% + IQ and increases at 5% per level above first:

Advanced Tricks - To have this skill, the animal must also have the skill Simple-Tricks. The ability to perform a series of advanced tricks to include the following. Skill base starts at 40% + 2 x IQ and increases at 5% per level above first.

Hunt - The ability to hunt small game and return to the owner or controller of PET. Base skill is 40% + IQ and increases by 5% per level above first. NOTE: Most animals will hunt in a given environment or location. If they are removed from their normal area, then the ability to HUNT is reduced to no greater than 50%.

Attack - Animal will attack whomever the owner or controller points to. If multiple individuals are in the direction where the character is pointing, the animal will attack the closest.

+1 Strike for first Melee

+1 Initiative

+1 PS

Running - Creature gains the ability to run for extended periods (double PP in minutes) and increased speed

+2d4 to Speed

+1 PS

+1 PE

+5 S.D.C

Leap - This skill increases the PETs ability to leap distance and height. This skill is not available to Birds.

+5 Height

+5 Long

+2 Ft per level after first

Sneak (Animal Prowl) - Increases the PETs Prowl skill by 15% and increases by 3% per level after first.

Wounded - Animal will act like it has been wounded and will attempt to LURE other creatures and monsters out if their hiding place. Base Skill is 35% and increases by 5% per level after first. The skill increases by 5% for Simple Tricks, 10% for Advanced Tricks, and 10% for Act Friendly (that s a total of 25% if animal has all three additional skills). NOTE: If a humanoid sees an animal using this, they get a saving throw of 12 not to fall for this trick.

Act Friendly - Animal acts friendly and hungry to get other character(s) to let down their guard. Animal will continue to act friendly for about 30 minutes or until a signal is given by owner or controller to attack or back off (heel). At this point the animal gains free strike for first action, and then gains +1 initiative for first melee. Animal is also +4 to strike for first (free) attack. Based Skill is 40% +IQ and increases by 5% for every level above First.

Take - PET will attempt to go to an item (usually pointed to by a colored laser pointer), take it and then return with the item to the PETs owner or controller. The PETs attention is completely on the item to be taken. Only Monkeys or very small animals generally use this skill. Also, the item must be small or easy for the PET to take (as large as a small firearm or so for most small creatures).

Additional Commands - This skill permits an animal to learn and understand three additional commands. This is the most common skill for PETs and may be taken more than once.

Medic - This skill requires two skill slots. Using this skill, a PET will attempt to find a standard RMK, IRMSS, Compu-Drug or similar unit and bring it to its wounded owner or controller upon command. The PET will react only to a select code word. If the PET has its own backpack the pet can carry an RMK, IRMSS, or Compu-Drug for just such an occurrence. The PET will also attempt to defend the character while he/she is using the unit. If the owner does not respond to a PETs pushes (like trying to wake up its owner), then the PET will administrator a RMK or IRMSS (if possible) itself. WARNING: If the character has been put to sleep or is paralyzed, the PET may mistake the owner as being injured and attempt to provide medical care. If the PET believes that owner or controller is injured, it might not allow others in the party near the owner (50% chance) till he/she wakes up.

Pack - Animal will place its belongings into its own pack and then put on pack (if possible). If additional harnesses are required, then PET will come to owner or controller for assistance.

Sniffer Training: This requires two skill slots. Using this training, the PET can be used to sniff for specific items that have an odor. Such things as certain explosives, specific metals, specific drugs, specific fuels, even specific monsters. Base Skill is 25% +IQ and increases by 8% per level above 1st. Specific item must be selected (such as explosive, or drugs, or certain monster, etc). The skill may be selected more than once but each additional skill is at -5% (First is at full, second is at -5%, third is at -10%, etc).

Swimming - This skill provides the PET with increased swimming skill. This skill may be taken by Birds and does provide a basic skill of 25% in those cases where the animal does not have swimming skill. Most animals have a 50% base skill.

+15 Percentage for Swimming

+4 percentage for every level above First

+1 P.S.

+2d4 S.D.C

Doubles swimming to PE x 4

Signal Training - This skill requires the purchase of a radio collar. Using the radio collar, the owner or controller of the PET can send signals in the form of short and long vibrations. The PET will understand these vibrations as they apply to skills and commands (or combinations of commands) that are known. Base skill is 50% and increases by 5% per level above first.

Find Water - This skill provides the animal with the ability to find water in the most unusual places. Base skill is 45% and increases by 5% per level above first. Birds gain an additional 20% for water that could be seen when flying.

Subdue Training - Requires two skill slots. This skill allows a PET to attack with little or no actual damage (like having the wind knocked out of you and fainting, sort of). With this training, a PET will be able to knockout an opponent, but not kill it. In other words, the PET could attack a WOLF and defeat the wolf by doing no actual damage, just wear it out and beat it until it faints. With Subdue training, a PET could also keep a person at Bay while defending their owner or controller. The Subdue training provides the following abilities when trying to Subdue.

+4 Attack - The opponent doesn’t expect this type of attacks

+4 Dodge - The attacker can concentrate more on defense

+4 Roll with Impact, Punch, Fall - per above

+2 Initiative - Because the animal already has a planned attack

Tracking by smell - This skill is not available to Birds. If this skill is chosen, the PET has a chance to follow any trail in any weather in any terrain. Different modifiers will apply depending on these factors. The actual modifiers will depend on the activities at the time and will be assigned by the referee. Base skill is 40% and increases at 3% per level above first. If the PET already has Track by smell, then the skill is increased by 10%

Suggested Modifiers

< 1 day: +10%

> 1 day but < 3 days: 0%

> 3 days: - 20%

Raining or has rained: -10%

Windy: -2%

Heavy Winds: -5%

Tracked Quarry is trying to hide trail - -5%

PET knows quarry well and is very familiar with scent: +10%

OTHERS DEPENDING ON REFEREE

Bring Someone - This is the Lassie function of a PET. If trained, the PET will leave the owner or controller and go find someone (anyone) that can help. The PET will attempt to lead the "SOMEONE" back to the character. The chance to find someone is based on the location. If the "SOMEONE" will help depends on the situation and the "SOMEONE". There is no Base skill since the PET will continue to look until someone is found (or approximately 24 hours is over).

Go Home - This is also a Lassie function. This skill allows the animal to find his way home (if possible) and lead the character there as well. The animal will consider home to be the location where it was trained to perform this function. Base Skill is 60% and increases by 3% per level above first.

Ride Hovercycle or similar item - This skill is required for any PET that is expected to ride on or in an open vehicle (hovercycle, hovertruck, surfboard, motorcycle, door with the spell flying on it, etc). PETs will not jump, move around, or other wise endanger themselves or their owner or controller if they have this skill. Without this skill, the PET could fall out or jump off under certain conditions. No base skill percentage is applied for this skill. Normally, the IQ of the PET will determine if it would or would not jump off in a given situation. NOTE: Some PETs will not like flying, depending on the individual PET, not the general class (i.e. some dogs like it, some don’t).

ADDITIONAL SKILLS - If the character wishes to teach their PET additional skills, then the skills must be defined (in detail) and presented to the REFEREE. The Referee will discuss the SKILL with the individual and then submit it to the playing group for acceptance. It is almost impossible to TEACH an animal a skill and not have the other individuals in the group notice the training. Skills are not meant to make the PET a player character, but to introduce a thinking tool for the players to use (sort of a cheap, limited use living robot).

Special abilities - All animals have some special ability.

Common verbal commands

(a) Come - Return

(b) Heel - Left Side (non weapon side)

(c) Attack - Specific Character or character identified by laser pointer.

(d) Fetch - Using a laser point to 50 feet to identify item to be fetched

(e) Stay - Stop at current location and set down there

(f) CA CA - Controlled dropping of waste products - Shits on command

WARNING: After long periods of time PET will drop waste products

(g) WA WA - Controlled elimination of liquids - Pisses on command

WARNING: After long periods of time PET will eliminate liquids

(h) Rest - PET relaxes until command to COME

(i) Guard - PET will guard a given area or person until told to HEEL.

(j) Active - Places PET in command ready mode

(k) Play - PET will become a standard household PET until command ACTIVE

(l) Friend - Identifies other people that can command the PET

(m) No Friend - Turns off the Friend command

(n) NOT Friend - Identifies specific people or things that the PET will pay

special attention to - possible enemies of owner or FRIEND

(o) Eat - PET will eat - This command is useful during high stress periods

WARNING: If PET becomes overly hungry, he will eat.

(p) Drink - As with Eat - This command is useful during high stress periods

WARNING - If PET becomes overly thirsty he will drink

(q) Sit - As word

Common non-verbal commands

(a) Lay Down

(b) Jump

(c) Go

(d) Come

(e) Sit

(f) Heel

(g) Stay

(h) Fetch - Using Laser Pointer

For those that want to increase the overall abilities of a PET, there are Bionics and Cybernetics that can be purchased. Since very few individuals want to pay the amount of money to upgrade a simple PET, it is very hard (30% in any given are) to find the bionics or cybernetics available.

When available, they are usually the same price as for human counterparts, with certain limitations:

Animals cannot have implanted weapons (i.e., Laser eyes, etc). They can have Mega Damage capable Claws (vibro-claws) installed (at double the normal cost) and then only on the front legs. If vibro claws are installed, the PET must have the owner or controller available to "TURN THEM ON". This can be performed with a radio command if the PET has that capability. The animal must be able to understand the purpose of an item to use it.

Remember that an animal still has a very limited intelligence and that an animal cannot adapt to certain cybernetics or bionics, such as Telescopic or Microscopic Vision, additional legs/arms, and similar items. Items that improve common senses that may not be apparent to the PET are acceptable (improved sense of smell or hearing for dogs or cats, improved vision for Birds, etc). Even certain types of Night Vision or the addition of full color vision can be used with PETS.

The PET must be able to understand the purpose of an item to use it. Remember that the animal still has a limited intelligence and must be able to understand the function of an item to use it. Of course, any animal can be trained to open a door or turn a switch, but that does not imply an understanding of what happens when the door is opened or the switch is turned.

Replacement Legs, Tail, Paws, Teeth (not mega damage capable, but can be made from M.D. materials), ears, etc. Hearing Improvements and upgrades - This would include the radio receiver (and transmitter if desired), noise filters, etc. It could also include some of the improved hearing modules.

Eye improvements - To include such items as the nightvision, light filters and even television camera (for transmission via the radio built into the hearing improvements above (also not for birds)). All PETS (including Birds) can have Thermo graphics. Only Birds can have Telescopic Vision. Remember that both eyes must be functional for the PET to be completely effective.

Strength upgrades - Minor upgrades in the strength of an animal are possible, but unless the PET is trained from the start with the increased capabilities, they are never fully used. Depending on the PET, an increase of double the strength is possible, but never more. This will increase the overall leaping capability of the PET as well as the damage.

Drug Injection Unit - Built into the neck of the animal, and reloadable, is a simple electrical drug unit capable of injecting up to 6 doses of the a single drug into a PET. Generally this unit is loaded with improved healing or similar drugs. Often the owner or controller will load Skill Improvement drugs like the ones used by Juicers. WARNING: Pets become addicted to drugs twice as easy as humans. Any form of drug can be inserted into the unit. It is self powered and recharges from the heat and movement of the animal.

Improved Intelligence Unit - This unit improves the memory and processing capability of the animal. It is not an Artificial Intelligence, but an improvement in the capabilities of the PET to process information. This is the unit that would allow an animal to effectively use the commands like ACTIVE and PLAY. With this unit, the intelligence of the animal is doubled and his Threat Identification is increased thereby increasing his capability to defend himself and his owner or controller. Cost is generally around 100,000 credits, plus any doctor fees. Provides the following benefits:

+1 Initiative

+2 Dodge

+2 Roll with Impact

+3 Roll with Punch

Doubles possible Commands

+3 Animal Skills

As with any character, there is special equipment available. Below is a list of some equipment that can be had for a PET. NOTE: Some PETs cannot use such items, such as full armor on a bird (the wings would not work).

Travel Bags - These units are made to order depending on the PET. Large PETS (like dogs and cats) can have basically travel bags like a horse would use. Monkeys can use a miniature backpack. Even Weasel’s and smaller PETs can use a "Saddle Bag" of sorts. The bags can be designed to allow the PET to carry approximately 10% of its weight with no restrictions.

Gas Mask and Filter Masks - Yes - even PETs can have these items. They must be trained in their use, but they are made for them. The PET can be instructed how to put them on, but they would have to be put on before they were needed.

Goggles - As with Gas Masks and Filter Masks, PETs can have these also.

Armor - Most types of armor can be made for a PET. The production time changes depending on the location where the armor is being made and the resources available. PETs can have full environmental armor, but not powered armor. The armor can have limited attachments (such as vibro claws, radio receiver and transmitter, bullhorns, even clips or handles and attachments that allow the animal to be picked up easily.) Generally armor costs will be about 2/3 the price of same or similar armor for a normal human. Weapons (other than Vibro-Claws) are not possible in Animal Armor.

Concentrated FoodStuff - This is the concentrated food that will keep the animal alive for extended periods with little or no real food (meat, etc). Each tablet will provide the minimum daily requirements of vitamins for the PET. It will not reduce the overall hunger, but will keep them alive for up to 30 days longer without food. These food tables come in a bottle of 30 tables, one per day. Cost is approximately 100 credits per bottle.

Automatic Dispenser: The unit is generally mounted on the harness of the animal and dispenses one tablet per day (early morning) until the unit is empty. The unit can hold approximately 90 days of tablets. The unit can also be used to dispense other drugs. The cost of one Automatic Dispenser is 500 Credits

Water Bottle - As with characters, the PET can have its own water bottle, which it can open and drink from. It cannot fill it, and if empty may leave it behind, but it can open the bottle if thirsty. Great for extended commands or skills (such as GO HOME) when the character may not be there to help.

Daily Food - Simple dry food that has all the special requirements for the individual PET. Tastes great (for the PET) and 1 pound will provide the basic requirements for 3 days. Most PETs can eat a 3 to 6 days worth of food at one time so each pound is divided into three pouches that PETs require assistance in opening. Cost is 20 credits per 1 pound of food.

Collar - This is your typical collar seen on several types of dogs today. This collar has certain additional features available for it:

Small - About the size of a pack of cigarettes

Type 1 - 3d6 S.D.C to 20 ft

Type 2 - 1d6 M.D. to 12 ft

Type 3 - 2d6 M.D. to 6 ft

NOTE: Great for smaller animals and birds

Medium - About the size of a carton of cigarettes

Type 1 - 6d6 S.D.C to 30 ft

Type 2 - 2d6 M.D. to 20 ft

Type 3 - 3d6 M.D. to 12 ft

NOTE: Great for medium size animals like Bobcats

Large - About the size of two loaves of bread

Type 1 - 8d6 S.D.C to 60 ft

Type 2 - 3d6 M.D. to 30 ft

Type 3 - 4d6 M.D. to 30 ft

NOTE: Great for larger dogs and larger cats

WARNING: Most emplacements and manned positions know about these devices and will normally shoot at any creatures within 50 feet.

NOTE: Makes a great surprise if the PET is invisible.