L. Marcus Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 The trick is in motivation, I suspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted March 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Predator animals might not be good for long distance journeys, since they usually sit quiet much of the time to conserve energy. Horse-sized beetles or lizards might be what I end up going with, and likely herbivores to avoid trainers getting eaten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 There are pursuit predators. Humans happen to be one of the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher R Taylor Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 spiders and beetles have the advantage of being a very stable platform and having lots of space on the back for storage and comfort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted March 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 I keep having this image of wasteland raiders sweeping in using spiders as their mounts, since they can fight as a team with their riders. The raiders would even be able to scale walls pretty quickly without using ladders or ropes. Assassins could also use dog-sized spiders as pets that help them on missions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhd Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 That's still better than the image I get from reading this thread title: Horses in flannel shirts with ear tunnels and chest tattoos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 There are pursuit predators. Humans happen to be one of the best. Humans would certainly be an alternative riding animal... Lucius Alexander The palindromedary wonders how practical it would be to try riding Lucius Alexander Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher R Taylor Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Riding piggyback on Ogres. Your mount also is a good fighter! Kinda stinky though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 There are pursuit predators. Humans happen to be one of the best. Felines might be great as battle mounts, since they're among the best-armed animals on Earth. Not so much for distance riding, though. They're capable of bursts of great speed, but tend to tire rapidly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Felines might be great as battle mounts, since they're among the best-armed animals on Earth. Not so much for distance riding, though. They're capable of bursts of great speed, but tend to tire rapidly. Well they're good enough for He-man and Skeletor then they should be good enough for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Giant Squirrel cavalry for cross-country mobility, and Even More Giant Golden Retriever Cavalry for speed in the charge. What could possibly go wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rails Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 They run into the Giant Cat cavalry and pandemonium ensues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted March 7, 2015 Report Share Posted March 7, 2015 Here's a specific lizard that I think would make an awesome mount if scaled-up: Meet the Thorny Devil. You might need to engage in some...ahem..."grooming" so that a rider can sit atop them, but, once you do, you still have an armed and armored mount that's rather distinct in appearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbywolfe Posted March 7, 2015 Report Share Posted March 7, 2015 I always thought these would make good flying mounts: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher R Taylor Posted March 7, 2015 Report Share Posted March 7, 2015 The problem with Moths and Butterflies is that they have a rather, um, erratic motion in flight that would be awful for the passenger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbywolfe Posted March 7, 2015 Report Share Posted March 7, 2015 As opposed to giant spiked lizard's which are so much more "realistic"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhd Posted March 7, 2015 Report Share Posted March 7, 2015 The problem with Moths and Butterflies is that they have a rather, um, erratic motion in flight that would be awful for the passenger. So you're saying we need a special breed of men (and women) with the skills and audacity to break them in, doing lepidopterodeo? This is the opposite of a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted March 7, 2015 Report Share Posted March 7, 2015 The problem with Moths and Butterflies is that they have a rather, um, erratic motion in flight that would be awful for the passenger. Who mentioned moths and butterflies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhd Posted March 8, 2015 Report Share Posted March 8, 2015 Who mentioned moths and butterflies? bigbywolfe posted a picture of a poodle moth, which as a mount would be a bit like the insectile version of Falcor. (Now you've got the song stuck in your head. You're welcome.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted March 8, 2015 Report Share Posted March 8, 2015 You want a giant flying insect for a mount, go with the dragonfly. Ever see one of those things hovering in the air? It's the stablest aerial platform this side of a helicopter. It's fast, and has plenty of room to attach baggage. And it looks cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted March 8, 2015 Report Share Posted March 8, 2015 Well they're good enough for He-man and Skeletor then they should be good enough for you! I'm not saying they're not. Just that he's named "Battle Cat," not "Marathon Cat." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mzimwi Posted March 8, 2015 Report Share Posted March 8, 2015 Has anyone ever seriously studied if ratites would be useful as mounts, were they a bit bigger? There's more to it than size - a place to sit, a means of guiding the animal, a gait that doesn't crush your pelvis, etc. What makes a mount? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted March 8, 2015 Report Share Posted March 8, 2015 bigbywolfe posted a picture of a poodle moth, which as a mount would be a bit like the insectile version of Falcor. (Now you've got the song stuck in your head. You're welcome.) Ah. I can't see their posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkeown Posted March 8, 2015 Report Share Posted March 8, 2015 We have riding birds, Striders and Stompers in Caleon. I could post their stats if there is interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted March 9, 2015 Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 Has anyone ever seriously studied if ratites would be useful as mounts, were they a bit bigger? There's more to it than size - a place to sit, a means of guiding the animal, a gait that doesn't crush your pelvis, etc. What makes a mount? Good question. Why is it that oxen, for example, and similar bovine creatures, are used as draft animals but seldom ridden? Lucius Alexander I ride a palindromedary, which is probably "alternative" by anyone else's standards.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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