Goblin Wolf-Rider

Whizbang Dustyboots · Sep 22, 2005

Goblin Wolf-Rider

They are the stuff of legend: Goblins, mounted on dire wolves or worgs, sweeping down on their enemy in a black tide of death. More than simple mounted warriors, goblin wolf-riders have both an uncanny affinity with their wolf mounts and great skill, both as a rider and typically as an archer.

Rumor has it that the art of the goblin wolf-riding techniques were first taught to them by barghests, and that even greater secrets are taught to those who pledge their loyalty to the infernal goblin fiends.

Goblin wolf-riders are most commonly warriors, fighters, barbarians and rangers prior to choosing this path.

Hit Die: d10

Requirements
To qualify to become a goblin wolf-rider, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:

Race: Goblin
Skills: Ride 8 ranks
Languages: Worg
Feats: Mounted Combat

Class Skills
The goblin wolf-rider's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis)

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features
All of the following are features of the goblin wolf-rider prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A goblin wolf-rider is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor, but not with shields.

Pack mate (Ex): Goblin wolf-riders are accepted and respected by wolves and wolf-like beings (such as winter wolves and worgs) in a way few others are. A goblin wolf-rider gains a competence bonus equal to his class level on all Charisma-based skills interacting with such creatures, including wild empathy checks.

Bonus Feats: At 2nd level and every level thereafter, a goblin wolf-rider gets a bonus combat-oriented feat. These feats must be chosen from the following list: Animal Affinity, Far Shot, Manyshot, Mounted Archery, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Ride-By Attack, Shot on the Run, Spirited Charge, Trample

Code:

The Goblin Wolf-Rider
Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special
1	+1	+0	+2	+0	Pack mate
2	+2	+0	+3	+0	Bonus feat
3	+3	+1	+3	+1	Bonus feat
4	+4	+1	+4	+1	Bonus feat
5	+5	+1	+4	+1	Bonus feat

smootrk · Sep 22, 2005

I really like the PRC you came up with. Only 3 small critiques.

1. I would make HD d8. The class seems Ranger-esque and also has substantial bonuses on every single level. Just one way I would balance it a little better IMO.

2. Similar to the Ranger-esque statment above, I would increase the skill points to 4+Int mod.

3. I would lower the Ride Ranks required, just to make the class a viable option earlier in a character/NPC career. Mostly from a DM point of view so more of my antagonists would qualify and be a part of the class... right now, only the biggest baddest goblins (chiefs in effect) would qualify unless I upped the average levels of all goblins. I usually use goblins against generally lower-level parties.

Like I said, minor critiques, that IMO don't interfere with the flavor of the class you suggest....

smootrk · Sep 22, 2005

Another option to add, might be a bonded mount, much like a paladin warhorse. Maybe at second level in lieu of the feat, and add a sprinkling of advancements (for the mount) over the next 3 levels.

Whizbang Dustyboots · Sep 22, 2005

smootrk said:
1. I would make HD d8. The class seems Ranger-esque and also has substantial bonuses on every single level. Just one way I would balance it a little better IMO.

2. Similar to the Ranger-esque statment above, I would increase the skill points to 4+Int mod.

Fair enough.

3. I would lower the Ride Ranks required, just to make the class a viable option earlier in a character/NPC career. Mostly from a DM point of view so more of my antagonists would qualify and be a part of the class... right now, only the biggest baddest goblins (chiefs in effect) would qualify unless I upped the average levels of all goblins. I usually use goblins against generally lower-level parties.

Ride is a class skill for the classes most likely to lead to this one, though. If I lower it too much, it'll be a PrC characters can enter at second or third level. That just feels off to me.

Like I said, minor critiques, that IMO don't interfere with the flavor of the class you suggest....

I was posting here to fish for critiques.

Another option to add, might be a bonded mount, much like a paladin warhorse. Maybe at second level in lieu of the feat, and add a sprinkling of advancements (for the mount) over the next 3 levels.

Hmmm, maybe maybe. I'll see what I come up with in the next day or so.

smootrk · Sep 22, 2005

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
Ride is a class skill for the classes most likely to lead to this one, though. If I lower it too much, it'll be a PrC characters can enter at second or third level. That just feels off to me.

Maybe just lower the ride ranks a few (fighters, especially low INT ones, have precious few skill ranks especially dedicated when dedicated solely to one skill, and having a language requirement that may cost them 2 skill points to get), and add a BAB requirement of +4 or more. This would seem to balance nicely, and keeps skill heavy characters like bards from taking the class early as well.

Tonguez · Sep 22, 2005

smootrk said:
Maybe just lower the ride ranks a few (fighters, especially low INT ones, have precious few skill ranks especially dedicated when dedicated solely to one skill, and having a language requirement that may cost them 2 skill points to get), and add a BAB requirement of +4 or more. This would seem to balance nicely, and keeps skill heavy characters like bards from taking the class early as well.

Personally I don't think the Ride ranks is too low (means a gob can access it at level 5+) really I don't see this as a class created for low int fighters, but rather for the elite of goblin-dom, the Gob equivalent of the Paladin even!.

I'd like to see a few more abilities added too based on the goblin-wolf synergy and the fiendish connection suggested in the introduction - um, I'll have to think about what they culd be though...

smootrk · Sep 22, 2005

Another thought on the Mount idea... have any ranger/druid/other class mount/companion levels should stack for mount abilities; even a Paladin/Wolf Rider ought to stack for this, as rare as that might be.

I am also intrigued by the Barghest connection. Lets hear more about what this could entail.

Whizbang Dustyboots · Sep 22, 2005

The plan for the barghest stuff is a second PrC (Hell-Rider) that builds on this one (and is designed for level 10+ goblins) that would make them more suggestable to CHA skills used by a barghest, but would eventually give the goblins and their wolves the fiendish template.

smootrk · Sep 23, 2005

Please post when you have your thoughts together. I am already planning on adding the wolf-rider to my game, as I have a group going through a re-vamped B2 Keep on the Borderlands. Nice to have something new to surprise those who went through this module long ago.

Whizbang Dustyboots · Sep 23, 2005

Goblin Wolf-Rider

They are the stuff of legend: Goblins, mounted on dire wolves or worgs, sweeping down on their enemy in a black tide of death. More than simple mounted warriors, goblin wolf-riders have both an uncanny affinity with their wolf mounts and great skill, both as a rider and typically as an archer.

Rumor has it the art of the goblin wolf-riding techniques were first taught to them by barghests, and even greater secrets are taught to those who pledge their loyalty to the goblin fiends.

Goblin wolf-riders are most commonly warriors, fighters, barbarians and rangers prior to choosing this path.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements
To qualify to become a goblin wolf-rider, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:

Race: Goblin
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Ride 4 ranks
Languages: Worg
Feats: Mounted Combat

Class Skills
The goblin wolf-rider's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis)

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features
All of the following are features of the goblin wolf-rider prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A goblin wolf-rider is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor, but not with shields.

Special Mount (Sp): A goblin wolf-rider's class level stacks with any blackguard or paladin levels the character may have for determining the characteristics of a blackguard or paladin mount, if the mount is a wolf or wolf-like being.

Pack mate (Ex): Goblin wolf-riders are accepted and respected by wolves and wolf-like beings (such as winter wolves and worgs) in a way few others are. A goblin wolf-rider gains a competence bonus equal to his class level on all Charisma-based skills interacting with such creatures, including wild empathy checks.

Bonus Feats: At 2nd and 4th level, a goblin wolf-rider gets a bonus combat-oriented feat. These feats must be chosen from the following list: Animal Affinity, Far Shot, Manyshot, Mounted Archery, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Ride-By Attack, Shot on the Run.

Mounted defense (Ex): A goblin wolf-rider may choose to take a blow for his mount or choose to have his mount do the same. When an enemy threatens in melee and makes a successful attack against the mount or the goblin wolf-rider, the wolf-rider may choose which of the two takes the damage (and other effects, if any) of the blow as though they had been hit instead. The relationship between a goblin wolf-rider and his mount is one of equals, not master and servant, however, and a mount will not take a second blow for the goblin wolf-rider until the goblin wolf-rider has taken a blow for the mount, or until as many days have passed as the damage the mount took for his goblin wolf-rider.

Vengeful rage (Ex): When a goblin wolf-rider or his mount is killed, the other immediately flies into a deadly rage identical to a barbarian's rage. This rage does not count against any other uses of rage granted to the goblin wolf-rider or his mount by other means.

Code:

The Goblin Wolf-Rider
Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special
1	+1	+0	+2	+0	Special mount, Pack mate
2	+2	+0	+3	+0	Bonus feat
3	+3	+1	+3	+1	Mounted defense
4	+4	+1	+4	+1	Bonus feat
5	+5	+1	+4	+1	Vengeful rage