Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

[bluesguy]

So this PC is already has a good riding skill and a phenomenal archer. She comes from the Cynthian Plains in the Valdorian Age. I am treating the tribes as something as a cross between the Plains Indians and Mongols.

 

What I am trying to figure out is how to simulate the horse riding "trick shooting" that both Plains Indians and Mongols would use.

 

So here are some basics

 

Riding 12-

WF: Bow

Archery Fighting Tricks

 

Now it gets interesting...

 

Should the character get

 

• Acrobatics - which in the skills book states "Skilled equestrians often know how to perform stunts while on horseback (or griffinback, whaleback, or what have you). They can perform handstands and other maneuvers on a fast-moving mount, lean out of the saddle and pick things up off the ground without falling off or damaging the object, and so forth. They use Acrobatics to perform these tricks. If a character can only perform such stunts while on a mount, he takes a -1 Limitation, Only While Riding, on the Skill. "
  
• Breakfall - Maybe less so if Acrobatics is taken...
  
• Animal Handler - Had to train your horse to be wiling to let you pull off this crazy maneuver
  
• Archery Stunts
  
  • Combat + to offset the penalties for firing an arrow from horse back at a full gallop. I would guess the that it would be -2 or (something based on velocity)
    
  • Combat maneuver to shot while hanging from the side of the horse. Maybe a -1/-2 OCV penalty but a +2/+3 DCV bonus.
    

   

What do you think?

 

 

Breakfall or Acrobatics?

[Manic Typist]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Both.

 

You know, for those times when she falls off the horse....

[Maccabe]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Definately ANIMAL HANDLING (for training your horse), PENALTY SKILL LEVELS (Archery Stunts),

RIDING should be greater then 12- if you expect to control your steed while using both hands for your bow.

[Old Man]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

How many skill levels does it take to fire the bow one-handed?

 

Kidding aside, I'd expect a character from a nomadic horse-riding culture to be very skilled at Animal Handler and Riding, and might have some supporting pro skills for tack and harness (if any). The character should probably also have some extra CON for the purposes of not being penalized for spending many hours in the saddle.

 

There are plenty of ancillary skills that would fit such a character as well. Tracking, Navigation, Survival, PS: Falconry, PS: Tanner are a few that spring to mind. Whips, lassos, and bolas would be good secondary weapons to focus on. And this being fantasy, you'll want this character to be able to ride a giant eagle or hippogriff if the opportunity presents itself, so sneak in some appropriate knowledge skills for that.

[LordGhee]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

I had a plains deweller who:

 

Was born on a horse and will die on it- Clinging only on a horse

He speaks horse - telepathy only with horses (it was limited to commands and understanding them, example they whinney when other horse are detected so he would understand how many or if humans where with them.

He rides like the wind - + running, leaping and endurance to the horse he is on (his confidence and guidance gives the horse more)

 

Lord Ghee

[Kraven Kor]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Any of the "Shot on the Run" type Martial Maneuvers would be helpful. Definitely want to read up on how mounted combat works and ensure the player knows the rules for such. Having the horse as a follower might let you "build a better horse" so to speak, as the mount your mounted archer rides will have quite an impact on things.

[garadan]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Hi

 

Would take the following Acroabtics or is this is just with horses, PS trick or Nomad rider and agree what can be done with this with the GM or if GM allows acrobatics only while riding a horse (at least a -1/2 )

 

Yep definitely need breakfall

Yep definitely want OCV for mounted bow combat (we use the rule allowing complimentary skill roll, ie PS Nomad Horseman, example PS Nomad Horseman is on 15- I roll an 11 making the roll by 4 divide this by 2 for +2 OCV vs penalties mounted archery) Nice way to reflect how skills can help in and out of combat. Basically we took the dive for cover rules from 4th ed and used this as a standard in a number of scenarios as above.

 

The riding skill allows you to control a horse in combat, animal handling and maybe PS skill in warhorse training to get your horse to respond to commands when hanging off the side of the horse.

 

Any thing else is just gravy in my view

 

Garadan

[bluesguy]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Thank you all for the feedback.

 

I am starting to think that a 'Nomad Package' would include:

 

• Riding
  
• WF: Bow
  
• Archery Fighting Tricks
  
• Acrobatics - only on horse back
  
• Either
  
  • Animal Handler - Had to train your horse to be wiling to let you pull off this crazy maneuver
    

  OR

   

  • Pay for a 'follower' horse with its own Riding skill and training to represent "Fighting Trick for the horse" because someone else trained the horse for you
    

   

 

• "Martial Art" - Medium bow damage + both hands + requires riding roll + requires Archery Fighting Tricks roll. -2 OCV +3 DCV (hiding behind horse). Side Effect : Missed riding roll : fall from horse; Missed archery fighting roll : lose opportunity to shoot.
  

I think that should represent what I am looking for. The whole 'clinging' idea was too far out for what I want.

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

These guys seem to be clinging:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs2urV-uZDw

[bluesguy]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Very cool video. It still looks more like high skill level with acrobatics & riding rather than clinging. To me clinging would be the ability to stand on the side of the horse (a'la Spider Man) while the horse is galloping along.

 

As I am running a Sword & Sorcery style campaign clinging would seem to 'magical' whereas using skills seems more like the campaign style.

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Sure, but "clinging" is an effect. The SFX is up to you. High levels of acrobatics, riding and physical conditioning are clearly exactly the way that these things are done in the real world. In the real world, if you seriously want a guy to go riding by at full gallop, drop from his horse, untie the princess from the sacrificial stone, remount, and gallop off without breaking stride, if that's even possible, that guy probably can't speak the language of the wolves, climb the cliff-face to the mountain-top sanctum of the demon bodhisatva, and split an arrow with another arrow at fifty paces.

 

Since Mongolian Conan can do all that, clinging might be a way of saving some points and avoiding obnoxious, constant skill rolls.

[Old Man]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Hero's always had this kind of power level gray area between really high skill rolls, talents, and low level powers. How you define this particular ability would probably be determined by the overall power level of the game. Do you want to PC to have to spend nine points on this ability, or two? I'd probably write up a talent for it, frankly.

[LordGhee]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

skill can fail, powers do not

 

Mongolian Conan never falls off horse.

 

 

Glad I did not mention my small lariat multipower or the fact that when "The Traveler" got on a hosre it was more confident: skill levels usable on orthers and could run faster father and longer.

 

 

defined as 'that man was born in the saddle and can realy ride".

 

Lord Ghee

[bluesguy]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Hero's always had this kind of power level gray area between really high skill rolls' date=' talents, and low level powers. How you define this particular ability would probably be determined by the overall power level of the game. Do you want to PC to have to spend nine points on this ability, or two? I'd probably write up a talent for it, frankly.[/quote']

I am interested, how would you write it up as a talent?

[GhostDancer]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

I am starting to think that a 'Nomad Package'

...Maybe call it Plains / Steppe Nomad Package. This write up may have something you may want to borrow.

 

Uryangqai (plural noun) of the Woods (Guardian of the Great Khan's descendants' burial lands)

 

Val Char Cost

13 STR 3

14 DEX 12

13 CON 6

12 BODY 4

13 INT 3

11 EGO 2

15 PRE 5

10 COM 0

 

6 PD 3

6 ED 3

3 SPD 6

6 REC 0

26 END 0

26 STUN 0

 

6" RUN 0

2" SWIM 0

2 1/2" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 47

 

 

Cost Martial Arts Maneuver

3 Defensive Shot: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +2 DCV, Range +0, Strike

4 Choke Hold: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab One Limb; 2d6 NND

3 Martial Grab: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 23 STR for holding on

3 Martial Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, 2 1/2d6 +v/5, Target Falls

4 Jink: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +4 DCV, FMove, Dodge, Mounted Or On Foot

3 Weapon Element: Axes, Maces, Hammers, and Picks, Blades, Lances

Martial Arts Cost: 20

 

Cost Skill

2 Animal Handler 12-

3 Breakfall 12-

2 KS: Archery 11-

2 KS: Wrestling 11-

3 PS: Mending 12-

1 Language: Mandarin (basic conversation)

0 Language: Mongolian (idiomatic)

3 Paramedics 12-

2 Navigation 12-

3 Riding 12-

3 Stealth 12-

2 Survival: Steppes 12-

3 Tactics 12-

3 Teamwork 12-

3 Tracking 12-

2 Weaponsmith (Bows) 12-

0 Everyman Skill- KS: Mongol Culture 8-

2 WP: Classic Mongol Weapons

Skills Cost: 39

 

Cost Equipment

 

0 Brigandine Armor: 4 PD/4 ED, OIF

0 Small Shield: +1 DCV, 5 STR Min, OAF

0 Survival Kit: +1 with Climbing, Mending, Navigation, Paramedic and Survival, OAF

0 Lasso: Entangle 5d6, 5 DEF, Entangle and Character Both Take Damage, 1 Recoverable Charge, 6m Range

0 Small Axe: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6+1, 0 END, OAF, 8 STR Min

0 Scimitar: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6+1, 0 END, OAF, 12 STR Min

0 Lance: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6+1, 0 END, OAF, 12 STR Minimum, No STR Bonus

0 Medium Bow, 1d6+1K, STR Min 9, 16 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 350m Range

0 Heavy Bow, 1 1/2d6K, STR Min 10, 16 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 350m Range

0 Frog Crotch Arrows, 1d6K, 8 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 150m Range [Notes: Designed to cut lanyards, bowstrings, etc.]

0 Willow Leaf Arrows, 1d6K AP, 8 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 350m Range

0 Whistler Arrows: +15 PRE, Signals or Inspires Fear only plus 1d6K, 8 Recoverable Charges, OAF, 2H, 150m Range

0 Flaming Arrows: 1d6K, Sticky, Continuous, 8 Continuing Charges lasting 5 Minutes each, OAF, 2H, 225m Range

Total Character Cost: 106

 

Pts. Disadvantage

10 Distinctive Features: Mongol Warrior: (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

20 Hunted by Shih (Chinese Knights): 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)

15 Reputation: Merciless Raider from the Steppes, 11- (Extreme)

10 Social Limitation: Subject to Orders (Frequently, Minor)

Disadvantage Points: 55

Base Points: 55

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 4

Experience Unspent: 4

[GhostDancer]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Glad I did not mention my small lariat multipower

 

I'd like to see that, by private message, perhaps?

[dmjalund]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Frog Crotch arrows should also have +OCV only vs ropes and such

[Vondy]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Now it gets interesting...

 

Should the character get

• Acrobatics - which in the skills book states "Skilled equestrians often know how to perform stunts while on horseback (or griffinback, whaleback, or what have you). They can perform handstands and other maneuvers on a fast-moving mount, lean out of the saddle and pick things up off the ground without falling off or damaging the object, and so forth. They use Acrobatics to perform these tricks. If a character can only perform such stunts while on a mount, he takes a -1 Limitation, Only While Riding, on the Skill. "
  
• Breakfall - Maybe less so if Acrobatics is taken...
  
• Animal Handler - Had to train your horse to be wiling to let you pull off this crazy maneuver
  
• Archery Stunts
  
  • Combat + to offset the penalties for firing an arrow from horse back at a full gallop. I would guess the that it would be -2 or (something based on velocity)
    
  • Combat maneuver to shot while hanging from the side of the horse. Maybe a -1/-2 OCV penalty but a +2/+3 DCV bonus.
    

What do you think?

 

 

Breakfall or Acrobatics?

 

I think this is a question of style. Personally, I would allow a character use their riding skill to perform equestrian tricks or mitigate the damage from falling off a horse.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

I think I agree with Vondy on this one. Perhaps he could by Skill Levels with Riding with a Limitation "Only to counter penalties due to shooting while riding" (or due to performing stunts while riding or whatever). That way he's not likely to fall off his horse in combat just because he tries to use his weapon, but he doesn't have to have an absurdly high Riding Skill in general.

[LordGhee]

Re: Need help building up skill list/set for horseback riding archer

 

Ghost Dancer I will post it but I need to dig it up sorry I missed your request give me a couple days.

 

Lord Ghee