Cyberpunk RED skill
Animal Handling
Key facts
- Stat
- INT
- Category
- education
- Linked Stat
- INT
- Resolution
- 1d10 plus INT plus skill level against a DV set by the situation. A natural 10 lets you roll again and add, a natural 1 makes you roll again and subtract.
- Typical use
- calming a frightened animal, training a guard dog, or reading an animal's intent before it acts.
Overview
Animal Handling covers the care, training, and reading of animals, from guard dogs and riding stock to the engineered strays that still turn up in the Night City sprawl. It is the skill that keeps a nervous animal calm in a firefight, trains a companion to follow commands, and tells you whether the thing growling at the door is bluffing. Nomads lean on it because livestock and working animals still matter on the road, and it gives any crew a useful edge against animal-based security.
How it works
Category: Education
Tips and playstyle
Best for: Nomads, Lawmen with K-9 partners, and anyone whose cover or job involves animals. Character concepts: K-9 officer, caravan herder, stray-whisperer in the Combat Zone, ranch hand turned fixer. Synergies: Riding handles the mount, Animal Handling handles the temperament, and Wilderness Survival keeps both of you alive off the grid.
Frequently asked questions
Does Animal Handling train cyberware pets?
It covers living animals. Cyberware or drones follow the tech skills that match them, though many tables let a well-trained handler use Animal Handling to read augmented animals.
Is it worth a point at creation?
Only if the character concept involves animals. For most crews it is a flavor skill, but for a Nomad or a Lawman with a partner it earns its keep.
How high should I take it at creation?
Skills cap at 6 during character creation and 10 afterwards. Take it high if it defines your role, and around 2 to 3 if it is a supporting talent.