Mounts

Mounts can be incredibly advantageous, especially in combat. They enable a traveller to move faster, and they give combatants a height advantage while making them harder to attack. While every mount has its own statistics as an independent creature, when mounted they are treated as part of the rider.

A mounted combatant automatically gains the following benefits while outdoors (an interior area counts as outdoors for this purpose if it is at least 100' wide and long). Indoors, things are too cramped and crowded to make full use of a mount, and while a rider can physically be astride a steed, he does not get the below benefits.

• The rider gains the Speed score, Jump score, and any other movement mode of the mount.

• The rider gains +4 Melee Defense vs opponents who are not mounted..

• The rider gains a +1d6 height advantage to attacks and +1d6 damage to opponents who are not mounted.

• A mounted rider who is knocked down or pushed back is dismounted, falling prone to the ground and taking 1d6 blunt damage.

Normally, the mount does not get hit and lose Health in combat; nor does it attack. The rider and mount are treated as one entity, unless a dismount exploit is used against the rider. Polearms having the hook trait are designed to dismount horsemen.

An attacker can choose to specifically attack a mount; this costs –2d6 to the attack, and if it is done within reach of the rider (many use long reach weapons, however), subjects the attacker to a free attack.

A rider can ride a mount of their own size or larger.

Mount Statistics

After selecting a mount, roll randomly for its statistics on the Mount Statistics table. Reroll any die showing a 1 or a 6. 

Mount Cost (gc) Size Carry (lbs.) Speed Jump (ft.)

Camel 175 L 1d6+1 × 100 3d6–2 2d6+4/1d6

Dog, riding 100 S 3d6+2 × 10 3d6 3d6/1d6+2

Donkey 30 M 3d6 × 10 2d6 1d6+2/1d6–1

Eagle, giant 12,000 E 1d6+2 × 100 3d6+6 Flight

Elephant 2,500 E 3d6 × 100 2d6 —

Griffon 10,000 L 1d6 × 100 3d6+4 Flight

Horse, heavy warhorse 1,500 L 1d6+2 × 100 3d6 2d6+2/1d6+4

Horse, light warhorse 1,000 L 1d6 × 100 3d6 2d6+4/1d6+4

Horse, riding 150 L 1d6 × 100 3d6+2 3d6/2d6+3

Mule 40 M 2d6 × 20 2d6–1 1d6/1d6+2

Pony 50 M 3d6 × 10 2d6+2 2d6+2/1d6+1

Tiger 4,000 L 1d6+2 × 100 3d6 3d6+5/2d6

Wolf, great 600 L 3d6 × 20 3d6–1 3d6+5/2d6

Quirks

Once the mount’s base statistics have been determined, roll d66 twice on the following list (starting on the next page) to select two quirks.

11) Fleet. The mount is unusually fast. Increase its Speed by +1d6.

12) Hardy. The mount gains +2 SOAK.

13) Sturdy. Increase the mount’s Carry value by 20%.

14) Loyal. The mount will always immediately come to you when it is called or whistled for.

15) Lame. The mount has a bad leg or foot. Reduce its Speed by –1d6.

16) Intelligent. The animal is unusually intelligent and has a LOG attribute of 3 and can understand basic instructions.

21) Aggressive. In combat, once each round, the animal gets a free attack against an adjacent opponent. The attack’s damage is based on size (1d6 for medium or smaller, 2d6 for large, 3d6 for enormous) and uses a 5d6 attack roll.

22) Skittish. Any time the rider is attacked in melee combat, there is a 1-in-6 chance that the mount will panic and flee in a random direction at full speed.

23) Leaper. Increase the mount’s Jump distances by 1d6 feet each (although vertical jumps still cannot exceed horizontal jumps).

24) Guardian. The mount is especially useful as a guard. It has a 6d6 INT check.

25) Proud. The mount will carry its rider, but refuses to carry bags.

26) Jump-shy. The mount will not attempt a jump of any kind.

31) Kicks. The mount will attack anybody it does not know who wanders close while it is not being ridden.

32) Protective. Once per day, the mount takes a hit for its rider. The attack is negated.

33) Loud. The animal barks, neighs, trumps, bays, etc. making it impossible to ambush anybody while the creature is nearby.

34) Large. The mount is large for its species. It grants its rider an additional +1 Defense.

35) Dislikes barding. The mount will not wear barding of any kind.

36) Charger. When charging, the mount grants its rider an additional +1d6 damage.

41) Spirited. The mount is eager to act. The rider gains +1d6 to his Initiative checks.

42) Bestial. The mount is unusually bestial-looking, perhaps with broken tusks, scars, or a missing eye. The rider can spend two actions to make the mount rear up fiercely, making a 5d6 attack vs. Mental Defense of all foes within 30'. Those who are affected gain the Afraid condition.

43) Hunter. The mount has an excellent sense of smell, gaining the tracking skill at a rank of 6 (3d6). The rider can use this skill as though it were his own.

44) Unusual color. The mount is an unusual color for its species, making it somewhat unique.

45) Willing. The mount assists when someone tries to mount it by lowering itself to accommodate the maneuver. In effect, the mount can always be mounted as a free action.

46) Placid. The mount is unusually docile and friendly.

51) Rotund. The mount enjoys its food a bit too much. It is round and fat. It gains +5 Soak but suffers –2 Speed.

52) Devil-touched. Somehow the mount has a little devil in its lineage, given away by its red eyes. It grants Soak 2 (fire) to its rider.

53) Plodder. The mount is especially suited to long distances. Its Speed counts as 4 higher for wilderness travel.

54) Light-footed. Especially light on its feet, the mount does not leave tracks except in snow or similar terrain.

55) Independent. Once per day, for one round, the rider can leave the mount to handle directions and movement decisions and focus on other activities; one move that turn is a free action.

56) Vertigo. The mount is afraid of heights. Any height, bridge, or ledge of over 10' height requires the mount to be coaxed. This takes an action and is a Routine [10] CHA check.

61) Fey-touched. Somehow the mount has a little fey in its lineage. It grants +1 Mental Defense to its rider.

62) Small. The mount is small for its species. It gains +1 Speed, but its Carry capacity is reduced by 10%.

63) Emaciated. No matter how much it eats, this mount always looks painfully thin.

64) Shy. The mount takes a while to become acclimatized to its new owner due to its shy nature. For the first week, it holds back, moving at –2 Speed and not allowing quickmount abilities to work.

65) Greedy. When food is unattended within 30' of the mount, it moves to it and begins to chow down. It takes a Challenging [13] CHA check to persuade it to leave the food alone (a successful check regains control for five minutes).

66) Fearful. The mount is afraid of fire, and will not move within 5' of a fire source unless a Difficult [16] CHA check is made to persuade it.

Barding

Barding can be acquired to protect a mount. Barding is similar to regular armor, and comes in many of the same types.

The prices below indicate the cost of medium-sized barding. Double the price for each creature size above medium, and reduce it by half if the creature is smaller than medium sized.

Barding does not inflict a Defense penalty on the mount wearing it, unlike armor worn by characters. While wearing barding, a mount uses either its natural SOAK or the SOAK of its barding, whichever is higher.

Barding can customized with any of the same enhancements as regular armor, and it follows the same quality rules.

Barding Cost (gc) SOAK

Cloth 30 2

Padded 35 2

Hide 40 3

Leather 50 4

Ringmail 70 5

Scalemail 130 6

Chainmail 250 6

Platemail 2,000 9