Where is my Freaking Mule?!

[Ourph]

4E's rules are designed to address questions likely to come up in play. The "use <random animal, summoned creature, or hapless hireling> to set off traps" tactic is one with a long and well-attested history in D&D, so it's not unreasonable to want at least some guidance from the book on how to handle it.

Well, as far as I'm concerned the rules already give me plenty of guidance for adjudicating a situation like that. That's one of the strengths of having a toolkit approach.

You'll be eating those words when a PC sees the commercial possibilities in that spoon, corners the market, and builds a multi-million-gold-piece fake ice cream empire on magic spoons and gruel.

It's difficult to make money selling magic items when you have to pay full price to create them and can only sell them at 1/5th that price.

 

[malraux]

2. Even "mundane" items might require game mechanical rules. Probably the 10 foot pole example, you are correct it is too simple to require game mechanical rules. But lets take the pack mule. If all you're planning on doing with it is carrying stuff around, then just set a capacity and you're done. But lots of other things can happen with it. Will it automatically obey any order, or will it resist if forced into a dangerous situation (like to set off a trap)?

It's a mule, it won't obey any orders.

Does getting it to do certain things require skill checks, and if so what are the DCs?

It's a mule, there's no convincing it to do anything.

Is there a risk of it running away with your stuff if it feels in danger, and if so what (if any) rolls are required?

It's a mule, it will run away as soon as it has the chance.

Do you have to talk to it to give it orders, or can you give it orders in other ways (say if you are bound and gagged and want to get your mule to bring you something to help free you).

You can give it orders however you want, but again, it's a mule, it will ignore those orders regardless of spoken, telepathically, sign language, or the use of puppy dog eyes. At best, it will use the opportunity of you being tied up to run away.

 

[darjr]

I do remember one time the party mule was forced to go ahead and fell into a very deep pit. bottomless actually. 'coarse it was carrying all the treasure and much of the equipment and food. Still, for a short while, they were happy they avoided the trap.

 

[Zaran]

BTW, we seem to have missed an important entry in our earlier cataloging of mule types -- we didn't cover the one in the OP's subject line!

I'm not 100% sure where the regular "freaking mule" is listed, but the epic tier version, with that super power to never let your spirits down and its reputation as the kind you don't take home to mother, is listed as the Rickjames Donkeyhorse.

Would that be the Superfreaking Donkeyhorse?

 

[Zaran]

I do remember one time the party mule was forced to go ahead and fell into a very deep pit. bottomless actually. 'coarse it was carrying all the treasure and much of the equipment and food. Still, for a short while, they were happy they avoided the trap.

That's funny! Where was your party that you were avoiding bottomless pit traps?

 

[darjr]

It was something of my own... just after keep on the borderlands.

They did exploit it later. I was a kid, what can I say?

 

[El Mahdi]

It's a mule, it won't obey any orders.

It's a mule, there's no convincing it to do anything.

It's a mule, it will run away as soon as it has the chance.

You can give it orders however you want, but again, it's a mule, it will ignore those orders regardless of spoken, telepathically, sign language, or the use of puppy dog eyes. At best, it will use the opportunity of you being tied up to run away.

Ahhh! You're referring to the Muleheaded Donkeyhorse.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Muleheaded Donkeyhorse.

Wildmind Braybeast.

DARKER AND EDGIER people, come on!

Aaaaaaaaanyway, I want stuff I will actually use in my games in the books. Some mundane equipment is necessary, but I honestly don't need much more than that's in the PH.

But perhaps From Stone to Steel spoiled me.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Ahhh! You're referring to the Muleheaded Donkeyhorse.

Actually, that's the Donkeyhorseheaded Donkeyhorse ("Donkdonk", for short).

 

[Evilhalfling]

Im pretty sure the stats and price of a mule are coming out in the Darksun expansion.

+2str, +2 con or +2 dex ; racial power - tireless worker

The price really depnds on what you want it to do. Gladiators are more expensive than pack carriers for instance. Just check the sidebar on slavery