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Mount Up! Buying Mounts in Fantasy HERO!


Jkeown

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MOUNT UP!

In Caleon, we ride enormous Titanis-like critters called Wazzan. Known variously as Axebeaks, Phorusrhacos, or Terror Birds, the domesticated Wazzan has long been a companion to the Players of Caleon. Since, as mentioned elsewhen, I can't draw horses.

 

That aside, I handed out Wazzan "character sheets" to my players, swiftly noticing they were all the same. No personality in their mounts. So... from now on, when someone buys a bird, he'd better inspect it. I think Animal Handling is the correct skill for judging a mount, don't you?

 

A really good roll should result in a bonus to your bird, whereas if you do not make one (i.e. fail to inspect the poultry in question) or roll poorly, you get a disadvantaged ratite (toxonomist talk for "flightless bird").

 

Conversely, if you let your players pay points for a mounts special abilities, why not let them pick 10pts of options below, just to make the cirtter special. Balance that with one of the disads and BAM! unique mount.

 

It is also possible, in fact quite likely, that some linages are bred for certain traits. Perhaps Ardley's Red Tail Wazzan are all Friendly, and the Lower Thumpington Blue Frills all have Competitive Runner, but suffer from Won't Pull.

 

Possible Mounts

The Following Animals from HERO Products that make Cool Mounts:

Wyverns (Orcs and Nazgul)

Manticores (for evil Dwarves)

Unicorns (for Virginal Elven Paladins)

Pegasi (Greek Heroes)

Rocs (Rox?) (Entire Adventuring Parties)

Bears (Russian Folk Heroes)

Buffaloes (Old West Badasses)

Camels (Everybody)

Pteranodons (For crossing water)

Sufficiently Large Spiders (for Dark Elves and Goblins)

Hippotomi (for patient folks with large clubs)

Dolphin (for Sea Elves)

Horses (obviously)

Rhinoceri (for Ogres)

Sharks (for Sharthaks)

Orca (for Jason James Ritcher)

 

I'm sure there's more in MMM... but my fingers are now very tired. Time for the ol' Cut and Paste from Hero Designer!

 

(Traits adopted from Gamemaster Law, 1995 ICE.)

 

Positive Mount Traits

Friendly: The mount likes people! All Riding rolls are at +1!

2 Friendly: +1 with Riding, Usable By Rider (+1/4) END Cost: 0

 

Easy to Ride: The mount is so comfortable being ridden, all Riding rolls are attempted at +2!

5 Easy to Ride: +2 with Riding, Usable By Rider (+1/4) (5 Active Points)END Cost: 0

 

Easy to Train: Easy-going and eager to please, your Animal Handling rolls are all at +2!

5 Easy to Train: +2 with Animal Handler, Usable By Trainer (+1/4) (5 Active Points) END Cost: 0

 

Athletic: Nimble and quick, your mount's Dex-based skills are at +2.

12 Athletic: +2 with DEX-Based Skills, Usable By Rider (+1/4) (12 Active Points) END Cost: 0

 

Competitive Runner: This mount loves to run! Whenever he is running with other animals, he can't help but try and pull ahead.

3 Competitive Runner: Running +2" (8" total) (4 Active Points); Only When Other Mounts Are Near (-1/2) END Cost: 1

 

Curious and Clever: Your mount is smarter than normal.

3 Curious and Clever: +3 INT END Cost: 0

 

Long-Winded: Your mount receives extra END from his high-powered lungs.

5 Long Winded: +10 END END Cost: 0

 

Hauler: When used as a beast of burden, your mount displays greater carrying capacity.

3 Hauler: +5 STR (5 Active Points); Only for Lifting STR (-1/2) END

Cost: 1

 

Puller: When pulling a cart or wagon, your mount provides greater power than others of his kind.

3 Puller: +5 STR (5 Active Points); Only for Pulling STR (-1/2) END Cost: 1

 

 

Disadvantages

Sense of Humor: Strangely, your mount displays a sense of humor. He'll splash you at the watering hole, step aside when you jump from the second floor onto him and generally behave like a jerk.

10 Psychological Limitation: Sense of Humor (Common, Moderate)

 

Scratcher: This mount scratches himself constantly, rubbing up against poles, trees and castle walls while you try to ride him, despite the fact that your legs are quite in the way. Ouch.

15 Psychological Limitation: Scratcher (Common, Strong)

 

Saddlewise: This mount knows the saddle, and does not care for it. He'll draw in a great breath and hold it, breathing out after the saddle is "secured." Try to ride him and you find your self dumped in the road, the saddle having slipped down, loosened by his antics.

20 Psychological Limitation: Saddlewise (Very Common, Strong)

 

Impatient: This mount won't stand still for long. If left alone too long, he'll meander away, and try to move when you're loading cargo or adjusting his saddle.

25 Psychological Limitation: Impatient (Very Common, Total)

 

Runner: This mount likes to run. Always. Try Animal Handling to slow him down.

25 Psychological Limitation: Runner (Very Common, Total)

 

Nervous: This critter has 5 less PRE than animals of his type. He'll be generally frightened of every little noise and cannot be ridden into battle.

20 Physical Limitation: Nervous -5 PRE (All the Time, Greatly Impairing)

 

Stubborn: All Animal Handling rolls with this ornery beast are at -4.

25 Psychological Limitation: Stubborn (Very Common, Total)

 

Kicker: Also known as Biter, the mount will kick those behind him, or bite those in front of him.

15 Psychological Limitation: Kicker (Common, Strong)

 

Sensitive Ears: A horse's ears can be very sensitive. He won't take a bridle, or might attack if you try to put one on him.

20 Physical Limitation: Sensitive Ears (All the Time, Greatly Impairing)

 

Won't Carry: The mount will not stand for wieght being placed on his back. While he might take a rider, he doesn't like being a beast of burden.

20 Psychological Limitation: Won't Carry (Very Common, Strong)

 

Won't Pull: Like Won't Carry, above, except the damn animal won't pull carts and wagons.

10 Psychological Limitation: Won't Pull (Uncommon, Strong)

 

Sickly: Your mount is prone to falling ill. I've used a base of Infrequently, but an especially-disease prone mount might have a greater disadvantage frequency.

5 Physical Limitation: Sickly (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)

 

Allergies: You must feed your mount the same expensive food every day. If you do not, he'll grow weak and sickly.

20 Physical Limitation: Allergies (Frequently, Fully Impairing)

 

Sensitive Feet: This mount's feet are very sensitive. If its a horse, he'll have to be reshod every few days, as he works his shoes off, if a wazzan or non-shod mount, he won't take to his feet being touched, stepped on or made to go over rough terrain.

15 Physical Limitation: Sensitive Feet (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)

 

Unfriendly: This mount has a surly disposition. He'll bite, peck, breathe flame on and generally be evil to those around him. Animal Handling calms him a bit, so he's not totally useless.

20 Psychological Limitation: Unfriendly (Very Common, Strong)

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Re: Mount Up! Buying Mounts in Fantasy HERO!

 

You gonna make me write an Equipment and Tack article? I'm just typing up a list of breeds and such... gotta consult with Horse-Lover over there... she's watching Tank Girl (why is anyone's guess) but I'll grill her about tack and stuff...

 

That is to say... excellent idea!

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Re: Mount Up! Buying Mounts in Fantasy HERO!

 

This was really funny and something I never really thought about using before - but now I will. Real life story, my Dad used to work on a big farm here in New Zealand when I was a nipper. he had this horse that just loved killing sheep when she was alone. If there were sheep in the next paddock, she would let them amble up to the fence line to chew on the nice longer grass that grew alongside the fence, then reach over and grab them by the back and try to flick them into her paddock. If she succeeded she would chase them around and stomp them to death, if the act of grabbing and tossing them hadn't killed them in the first place. Could never work out why Dad didn;t shoot her but he said that apart from that trait, she was a damn fine working horse.

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  • 1 year later...

Re: Mount Up! Buying Mounts in Fantasy HERO!

 

Some great stuff in there, I'll be adapting that for my campaign. Here's the materials I put together for mounts in my bestiary:

 

Skills for Mounts

The mechanics of training and riding such a creature is covered in other books, but there is some specialized training that’s available mounts in the Jolrhos Fantasy Hero campaign that is useful to consider here. First off there are simply skills a creature can learn, bought as Professional Skills. When the desired skill is called upon, the creature rolls, and if successful it executes the skill to the best of its ability. This roll will be adjusted by circumstances and the complexity of the task, according to the GM’s judgment.

 

Such skills would be paid for by experience unless they are already trained into the mount when purchased or trained. These skills are bought as points for a follower, which is essentially what the mount is. At 1/5th the cost, the skills can be reasonably inexpensive, but even a few experience can make a mount dearer than simply a beast of burden to a player. There are many different skills and tasks a creature can learn, as examples from literature, movies, television, and real life suggest. Although there are many other possibilities, such skills include:

 

-Attack That Target (kill him while I fight his buddy)

-Block That Target Off (stand in front of person to prevent them passage)

-Bring Me Food (only for creatures capable of such an act)

-Carry Me To Safety (carry wounded or unconscious person to known safe place)

-Come When Called (whistle for Trigger)

-Count Targets and Report (stamp for each orc over that hill)

-Do Not Attack (ignore that guy)

-Follow Path Without Guidance (stay on this trail/road while I read)

-Intimidate (Do a presence attack on that guy)

-Open This (open that gate)

-Protect This Target (keep my daughter safe/don’t let anyone near this)

-Retrieve That Item (get my gun, trigger)

-Stay Still and Quiet (ignore that monster walking by)

-Step Carefully (walk only where I indicate)

-Warn Me of Danger (make a noise or nudge me when your superior senses notice something)

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Re: Mount Up! Buying Mounts in Fantasy HERO!

 

continued:

 

Talents for Mounts

In addition to skills of this kind, there are special Talents a pet can be trained to execute as well. These talents are special training above the norm for creatures to learn, abilities that make the mount more dangerous and capable in combat and elsewhere. Talents tend to be significantly more expensive than Skills, and are a notable increase in the creature’s abilities beyond simple tasks and tricks. GMs should always approve any given talent allowed a mount, and for obvious reasons, some may be useless for a given mount. For example, teaching a horse to dive out of the air onto it’s target will be fruitless, while teaching this to a Griffin can be quite effective.

 

AVOID: This talent allows the mount to attack with less accuracy, but be more difficult to hit. While Avoiding, the mount has +2 DCV, but and is -1 OCV.

Cost: 7 points

 

BASH: The mount that learns this attack can interrupt casters with greater success than a normal blow. The maneuver costs 4 Endurance and requires a DEX roll at -2 to be successful, further it is at -1 OCV. If successful, Bash delivers 4D6 extra normal damage, only to stun the target. This extra damage does not do any damage beyond stunning the victim.

Cost: 5 points

 

CHARGE: With this talent, a mount can move up rapidly to engage the enemy, closing the distance and still attack. This skill increases movement by enough to make a half move up to 5” further than normal, but can only be used to close with the target.

Cost: 10 points

 

DEFENSE: The mount with this talent is able to move in such a way that it’s rider is more protected than ordinarily when mounted. Normally the DCV of a rider is halved because of their inability to dodge significantly. This talent adds 3 to the DCV of a rider if the mount can make a successful DEX roll at -1. This DCV is for the rider only, it has no benefit to the mount.

Cost: 11 points

 

EMBOLDEN: The mount becomes so bold under your mastery that it is fearless. With a successful riding roll at -2 the mount gains 10 Presence (defensive only) and +2 ECV (also defensive only).

Cost: 8 points

 

PROWL: A prowling mount moves quietly, stepping very carefully and avoiding obvious areas that cause noise. To do so requires a DEX roll by the mount at a -2 roll, and cuts movement by 3”. While Prowling, observers must make a Hearing Perception Roll at -3 to hear the pet. This is in addition to any stealth the creature might have and use. This is talent is only available when on foot, it has no effect on flying.

Cost: 4 points

 

REAR: The Rear talent allows the mount to raise up and lunge toward a target, adding their strength to the damage of an attack by their rider or themselves. This requires a Riding Roll by the rider as well as a DEX roll by the mount (both at -2). If both are successful, the mount adds 15 Strength to the attack of the rider at a cost of -1 DCV. This skill only works for ground-based or aquatic mounts.

Cost: 6 points

 

SWOOP: This is a maneuver that allows flying mounts to dive at a target and increase damage that they or the rider deal. This requires a Riding Roll by the rider as well as a DEX roll by the mount (both at -2). If both are successful, the mount adds 15 Strength to the attack of the rider at a cost of -1 DCV. This skill only works for flying mounts.

Cost: 6 points

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Re: Mount Up! Buying Mounts in Fantasy HERO!

 

This was really funny and something I never really thought about using before - but now I will. Real life story' date=' my Dad used to work on a big farm here in New Zealand when I was a nipper. he had this horse that just loved killing sheep when she was alone. If there were sheep in the next paddock, she would let them amble up to the fence line to chew on the nice longer grass that grew alongside the fence, then reach over and grab them by the back and try to flick them into her paddock. If she succeeded she would chase them around and stomp them to death, if the act of grabbing and tossing them hadn't killed them in the first place. Could never work out why Dad didn;t shoot her but he said that apart from that trait, she was a damn fine working horse.[/quote']

 

The horse let the grass grow long there on purpose. That horse is lethal. :help:

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