Control Animal allows a character to command animals for hours each day, depending on level. Controlling multiple animals at once causes these hours to pass more rapidly. If controlled animals are commanded to undergo significant risk to their own life, or to threaten the life of one of their own kind, they will resist. This resistance takes the form of a Will check against the controlling character’s Charisma (with Diplomacy bonus).
Speak to Animal allows a character to speak to animals as they do people. This conversations use other abilities like Inquire, Convince, and Persuade. The number of statements and inquiries that can be made in a single instance is equal to the user’s Charisma (with Diplomacy bonus). The number of uses per day increases with level.
Control Animal is a major ability and Speak to Animal a minor ability; they go well together. All Druids learn Control Animal and Speak to Animal. It is generally rare as a cross-class ability.
Would you be an animal druid and use controlled animals as scouts and fighters? How else could you use them? Comment below to let us know.