Why is the Mule considered a Game Breaker?

[Vyvyan Basterd]

Wizards decided to sever the negative connection between D&D and drugs. They may allow the class as a web-only feature like the Assassin.

 

[CleverNickName]

Obviously mules are incredibly powerful, even in 3.5E. By the time you apply the Half-Donkey template to a standard riding horse, the ability bonuses get all out of kelter and the racial hit dice become seriously unbalancing. And if you were to use a war horse as the base creature? Hoo boy.

But it's no big deal. Any *good* DM will simply rewrite the rules for racial hit dice, ability scores, and template application, and create a custom breed of horse to use as the base creature. Easy as pie.

In comparison, 4e boasts several versions of the mule: the kickgroin donkeyhorse, the cart-rammer donkeyhorse, the gnomechewer donkeyhorse, and the universally disliked bootpiddle plopstep donkeyhorse. I think they're just too powerful for an average group! These things can fight, run, set off traps, act as a mount, act as cover, be used as an alarm, and double as iron rations. Broken.

JEEEEZZZZ, how much XP does a brother need to spread around before he can give XP to PirateCat again?! Can somebody cover me here? The bootpiddle plopstep donkey is pure poetry.

 

[Fifth Element]

It stepped on the toes of both the Donkey and the Horse. (Ignoring the fact that neither of these actually have toes!) They needed to silo the powers of the Donkey and the Horse so out it went!

 

[Mark]

When I played Old D&D with Gygax a few years back he didn't encourage purchasing a mule; instead, he recommended we buy a dungeon cart, basically an adventurer-pushed wheelbarrow to carry treasure. Even after a gelatinous cube ate my mule, my accursed companions put my unconscious elf in the cart and used me to batter open doors. I'm still bitter. My mule barely lasted half an hour.

IIRC, it was retroactively named after the one EN Worlder you forgot to invite to play.

(. . .) bootpiddle plopstep (. . .)

ProudFEET![/Hobbit]

 

[Aberzanzorax]

It's not just 4e. There is no mule to be found in the Pathfinder bestiary EITHER!


I suspect it was removed because it overpowers fighters. Imagine a wizard with a mule...think of the CARRYING CAPACITY! That's like having a 25 strength at level 1!!!!

BROKENNNNNN!!!!!1!!!1

 

[Jhaelen]

It was done to annoy you.

 

[firesnakearies]

This thread is seriously delivering. I laughed at several of these posts, but sadly couldn't give out XP to everyone.

I need to go stat out the "bootpiddle plopstep donkeyhorse" RIGHT NOW...

 

[CleverNickName]

I need to go stat out the "bootpiddle plopstep donkeyhorse" RIGHT NOW...

Yes. Yes you do.


And because it had to be done:
[SBLOCK="The Donkeyhorse Template"]Donkeyhorse (Half-Donkey)
Template

The Donkeyhorse is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. The resulting combination of species results in a mount that is more patient, sure-footed, hardy and long-lived than a horse, and considered less obstinate, faster, and more intelligent than a donkey.

All male donkeyhorses are sterile, and most females are infertile.


CREATING A DONKEYHORSE
"Donkeyhorse" is a template that can be added to any light equine quadraped animal of Large size.

Size and Type: as base creature

Hit Dice: as base creature

Speed: The base speed of a donkeyhorse is 30 feet. If the base creature has a burrow speed (*rimshot*), the donkeyhorse retains that ability.

Armor Class: as base creature

Attack: a donkeyhorse retains all the attacks of the base creature, and also gains a hoof attack if it did not already have it.

Damage: donkeyhorses have hoof attacks. If the base creature does not have this attack form, use the appropriate damage value from the table below according to the donkeyhorse's size. Creatures that have other kinds of natural weapons retain their old damage values or use the appropriate value from the table below, whichever is better.
_______________
Size. | Damage
------|----------
Large | 1d4_____

Special Attacks: a donkeyhorse retains all the special attacks of the base creature. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 the donkeyhorse's HD + the donkeyhorse's Charisma modifier unless noted otherwise.

Special Qualities: a donkeyhorse retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below.

Low-Light Vision (Ex): A creature with low-light vision can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of shadowy illumination. It retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

Scent (Ex): This extraordinary ability allows a creature to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Creatures with the scent ability can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights. For more information, refer to the SRD.

Abilities: Adjust from the base creature as follows: Str +2, Con +2, Wis -1.

Skills: a donkeyhorse has a +2 racial bonus on Dexterity checks to avoid slipping or falling.

Feats: a donkeyhorse loses the Run feat (if it has it), and gains Alertness, assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and doesn't already have it.

Environment: Any, usually same as base creature.

Organization: changes to "Domesticated."

Challenge Rating: same as base creature.

Treasure: same as base creature

Alignment: always neutral


CART-RAMMER DONKEYHORSE
A cart-rammer donkeyhorse is a particularly nasty variety of donkeyhorse, known for its ill temper and penchant for ramming carts with its powerful hooves.

To create a cart-rammer donkeyhorse, apply the donkeyhorse template and add the words "cart-rammer" as a prefix to the name of the creature.[/SBLOCK]

 

[CharlesRyan]

I have a shiny new one-pound coin for the good gamer who stats the bootpiddle plopstep donkeyhorse. (You'll have to come to Hampshire to collect.)

 

[Azgulor]

When I played Old D&D with Gygax a few years back he didn't encourage purchasing a mule; instead, he recommended we buy a dungeon cart, basically an adventurer-pushed wheelbarrow to carry treasure. Even after a gelatinous cube ate my mule, my accursed companions put my unconscious elf in the cart and used me to batter open doors. I'm still bitter. My mule barely lasted half an hour.

In comparison, 4e boasts several versions of the mule: the kickgroin donkeyhorse, the cart-rammer donkeyhorse, the gnomechewer donkeyhorse, and the universally disliked bootpiddle plopstep donkeyhorse. I think they're just too powerful for an average group! These things can fight, run, set off traps, act as a mount, act as cover, be used as an alarm, and double as iron rations. Broken.

But are they Brutes or Strikers?