Thoughts on Noble Animals

The supplement The Noble Wild provides the rules for playing noble animals. What's a noble animal? I'm glad you asked.

In a Noble Wild campaign, players take on the roles of animals: dogs, cats, tigers, snakes, etc. But not just normal animals; these are noble animals - more intelligent, dynamic examples of their species, born of a special bloodline. Noble animals can take the same character classes available to humanoid characters, and can gain skills and feats just like their two-legged counterparts. In addition, noble animals can gain magical abilities, similar to those granted by magic items, through Boons, and even more fantastic powers through performing heroic actions, called Deeds.

Having thoroughly read the book and even convinced my GM to let me play a noble animal (a raccoon, in case you were wondering) in his campaign, I believe that this book addresses a staple of fantasy that is often overlooked. Don't be fooled, these are animals. They think like animals (albeit with more intellect), act like animals, and have the limitations of animals (save that they can speak). My raccoon druid (now 9th level) is a blast to play! As a skinshaper/pack lord, he leads a small group of humanoid followers, and can even assume human shape!

So my question is, would you permit such a PC in your campaign? I enjoy it so much that I am making it an option in Jenneria, my homebrew world.

If it's appropriate for the setting.

Rarely a singular "awakened by a druid/wizard" animal can fit.

Obviously- a Red Wall style world where everyone is animals works as well

My question is, why not? I don't see how it's potentially disruptive to the game. I guess the player could try acting too much like an animal, but they can do that as a bog-standare human too. The GM is still there to curtail any disruptive behavior.

There are some tricky bits in including noble animals in games. Many classes or roles in many games are heavily gear dependent, such as the D&D fighter. How does your noble deer hold a sword, or shoot a bow, or hold a shield? How does a snake speak?

Blue Rose by Green Ronin includes a playable set of noble animals called "rhydan". These are exactly as described; physically the same as mundane animals yet with innate intelligence, limited telepathy, and access to magic in the same way as other characters.

While the ponies of Ponyfinder doesn't fit the bill, it does have commentary on fitting biped gear onto horse-like bodies as an example of how this can be handled:

Blue Rose is what first turned me onto the idea, actually. Finding The Noble Wild was a stroke of luck. Most predatory animals (or most animals, for that matter) have natural attacks, and these will generally be more effective than weapons anyway. My raccoon is one of the exceptions. It actually works out better for him to use a scimitar (even with a -2 penalty imposed by race) than to bite and claw. As for how they speak, I usually just go with "it's magic". Boons take the place of many magical items (though magical items can still be used alongside them).

Depending on mood, group, background, party, style of play and eventual goal of an eventual GM, it can be possibly a great idea (tm).

I for my part see many possibilities, but hindrances, too. As I seldom limit myself in my GMing by a strict-rules-cage like D&D (balancing and similar funny ideas), I'd probably allow it, depending on the other factors above.

Blue Rose did function well because of the fitting background...