The Menagerie Circuit - 15 Growing Pets for DnD 5E

Every party eventually adopts something

A stray dog outside the dungeon. A chicken won in a card game. A rock one player refuses to throw away.

Eventually every adventuring party adopts something, and no rulebook has ever had the courage to deal with it properly.

This one does.

The Menagerie Circuitis a 64 page DnD 5E companion supplement with fifteen pets that grow with the party, learn to trust their owners, fight beside them, learn tricks and eventually become one of two final forms.

Not what you planned. What you actually raised.

So... What Exactly Is The Menagerie Circuit?

Somewhere between worlds there is a fairground that never quite closes. Its tents smell of sawdust and singed feathers. Its schedule has never been printed correctly in any language.

This is the Menagerie Circuit, the traveling pet show of the multiverse.

The book is written in-world as the Circuit's official handbook, compiled by Grand Adjudicator Wilhelmina Crumb, retired adventurer, judge and owner of a goat that has eaten portions of the manuscript.

You do not need the Circuit to use the book.

The fifteen animals can enter any campaign as found, won, inherited or simply present one morning on somebody's pack.

First You Get A Pet

A character can Bond with one pet at a time. The party can absolutely end up with five. The book quietly assumes this will happen.

They Grow With You

Every companion has three stages. The last one is decided by the record of the campaign.

The three questions

The final fork is based on how the pet was actually raised. The DM answers three questions from the record of real play:

Two or three answers pointing the same way decide the final form. If the answers truly split, the pet chooses. The pet chooses drama.

Meet The Fifteen

Tricks And Training

A pet knows tricks based on its Bond, plus its two signature tricks. Any pet can learn from the universal list, filtered through its body plan and its opinion of the request.

Teaching takes one downtime day, treats and a DC 12 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. On success, the trick is learned. On failure, the trick is also learned and the owner rolls on the training mishap table. The check was about dignity.

• Best in Show: Presentation, poise and story. Sabotage between rival owners is traditional.
• The Gauntlet: An obstacle course where style matters more than speed. Failing beautifully may actually help.
• Trial of Tricks: How many tricks can your pet perform in a row? Please do not answer confidently before asking the pet.
• The Long Stare: Your companion stares directly into the eyes of the goat judge. The goat judge is a goat. The league stopped explaining this years ago.
• Interpretive Grazing: Nobody knows the rules. A winner is always declared.
• Fetch: Something is thrown. Something must come back. Historically, several unrelated events happen between those two facts.

There Is Paperwork

The appendix includes a full Menagerie Circuit registration card for tracking Name, Species allegedly, Owner, Bond, Loyalty Die, Stage, tricks and the three questions that will eventually decide the final form.

Keep the card yourself. The DM already knows what your pet is becoming.

There Is Also Shopping

Leash of Finding. Bag of One Infinite Treat. Translation Whistle. Tiny Hat of Heroism. Saddle of the Wrong Size. Bedroll for Two. Grooming Kit of the Champion. The Emergency Biscuit. Ribbon of the Late Champion.

What Is Actually In The Book?

Backer Tiers

The animal has already chosen you.

🐾 PDF 

For those who want to bring home a pet without technically bringing home a pet. (This distinction will not survive contact with the party.)

• Full 64 page PDF of “The Menagerie Circuit”

🐾🐾 PRINT

For those who want the entire Menagerie Circuit sitting on an actual shelf, where the goose can judge you properly.

• Full 64 page PDF of “The Menagerie Circuit”
• Plus access to order the hardcover at print cost through DriveThruRPG after the campaign. 

Printing and shipping for the physical copy are paid separately through DriveThruRPG. Estimated printing cost around €9 plus shipping, depending on location.

Stretch Goals

€1,000 - Bonus Pet
One brand new companion added for all backers, with its own quirks, instincts, tricks, three growth stages and two final forms.

€2,000 - Two Extra Pets
Two more new companions added for all backers, each with their own abilities, quirks, growth stages and final forms.

€3,000 - Bonus Encounter: The Unregistered Entry
A short new Menagerie Circuit encounter featuring an unexpected animal that was definitely not on the list.

€4,000 - Legendary Companion
A brand new legendary companion that no one on the Circuit has ever managed to turn into a pet before.

About Sumida

Hi. Still the goat guy.
Previously this resulted in people becoming goats, goats becoming villains and eventually goats getting their own dimension.

This time the problem is the animal sitting beside your character. The one everyone insists is not technically part of the party. The one everyone will immediately risk the entire party to save.

Delivery

📄 PDF Delivery. Expected within 2 weeks of the campaign ending. The book is already written and laid out.

📚 Hardcover Delivery. Expected within 1-2 months of the campaign ending, via DriveThruRPG’s Print-on-Demand service. You will receive access to order the hardcover at print cost.

Printing and shipping are paid separately through DriveThruRPG. The expected printing price is around €9 plus shipping, depending on location.

If stretch goals are unlocked, delivery may shift slightly while the bonus material is completed and added.

I will keep everyone updated.

The animals will not be responsible for project management. We tried.

Ready?

Someone will adopt the goat. Someone will defend the rock. Someone will underestimate the goose.

And then the Circuit begins.

WELCOME TO THE MENAGERIE CIRCUIT.
KEEP YOUR PET CLOSE.
COUNT YOUR FINGERS BEFORE LEAVING.