Bone dog training

[SPNK]

What stats matter when training a bone dog? So far I've been training athletics by running and toughness and attack by fighting. I've read that strength doesn't actually matter as it's tied to animal stats. Am I missing anything else I should be training? From my understanding the stats will get a multiplier applied to them once she's 40 days old correct?

[bunny de fluff]

They just need to fight. Like, keep fighting. End game bone dog is a one bite one kill beast in the fog lands

[Steelfleece]

A young dog's stats will look like trash, but that is due to their age multiplier, yes. The numbers that are improving are the non-multiplied ones - so even if it seems like a pup has only gained 1 athletics skill trekking across the desert, it may have gained 5 or 10 and you are only seeing the x0.10 or whatever result. As they get closer to adult age, they get closer to their 'true' figures - and eventually can reach a multiplier exceeding 1.

They can gain stealth, athletics, combat skills (I think melee attack and dodge), toughness, and I believe both strength and dexterity. I'd be cautious putting them into any real fight until they're at least close to adult, and always be cautious around NPCs who may loot the fallen - that will kill the dog unless you have a mod that alters this.

I do know that highly trained dogs are terrifying - they have a pretty fast attack and can chain stagger otherwise very tough endgame humanoids, turning them into punching bags for the rest of their party.

[Shidan]

For any animal Melee Attack, Martial Arts, Toughness, Athletics, Strength, and Dexterity are all their important stats.

• Attack will increase their attack rate, accuracy, and attack speed.
  
• Dexterity increases their attack damage and attack speed.
  
• Martial Arts and Strength increase their attack damage.
  
• Toughness boosts their damage resistance, and reduce wound degeneration speed.
  
• Athletics increases movement speed.

The importance of Dexterity and Strength for damage depends on animal type. For Bonedogs Strength is mostly worthless, as they deal very little blunt damage. While Dexterity is massively important, as they deal a ton of cut damage.

Dogs, Goats, Landbats, and Raptors all get virtually no use out of Strength. All other animals get at least some damage benefit. While all animals can benefit from Dexterity, some may benefit from it more than others, but they all get a decent chunk of damage and attack speed from Dexterity.

Originally posted by SPNK:

From my understanding the stats will get a multiplier applied to them once she's 40 days old correct?

All animals are always under the effects of a multiplier from their age. You can see their current multiplier by by hovering over their age in the UI. For vanilla animals this ranges from a x0 multiplier as a newborn pup, effectively removing all their stats. To a x1.1 at elder, giving them a 10% bonus to all stats.

A bonedog will reach 1.0 at 40 days, when they reach adulthood. From there it will take another 4 days to reach 1.1.

[Bomb Bloke]

How do the multipliers factor into training and the Stronger Opponent Logic system? Do you permanently "miss out" on potential gains if you fail to fully train up before hitting adulthood?

[Ghin]

You can't ever miss out on stat gains, ever. It isn't possible.

[Shidan]

Originally posted by Bomb Bloke:

How do the multipliers factor into training and the Stronger Opponent Logic system? Do you permanently "miss out" on potential gains if you fail to fully train up before hitting adulthood?

At elder it'd be like training while wearing gear that increases the stat. It'd make it harder to get bonuses from SOL, but you'd still gain exp.

You'll have better gains while young, since you have an easier time getting those bonuses. But you'll not be permanently locked out if you don't, just takes longer.

[Bomb Bloke]

So it does effect SOL, but doesn't affect caps. Thanks!