Carring Capacity for Tiger

[elbandit]

Howdy!

The new druid in my game (8th level) wishes to have her Tiger Animla companion act as a mount. My question is what would the carrying capacity be of a tiger? I have checked the DMG but could not find a formula. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[dcollins]

It's in the PHB under "Carrying Capacity". From the SRD:

Bigger and Smaller Creatures: The figures on Table: Carrying Capacity are for Medium bipedal creatures. A larger bipedal creature can carry more weight depending on its size category, as follows: Large x2, Huge x4, Gargantuan x8, Colossal x16. A smaller creature can carry less weight depending on its size category, as follows: Small x3/4, Tiny x1/2, Diminutive x1/4, Fine x1/8.

Quadrupeds can carry heavier loads than characters can. Instead of the multipliers given above, multiply the value corresponding to the creature’s Strength score from Table: Carrying Capacity by the appropriate modifier, as follows: Fine x1/4, Diminutive x1/2, Tiny x3/4, Small x1, Medium x1-1/2, Large x3, Huge x6, Gargantuan x12, Colossal x24.

So if the Tiger has Strength 23, normally that would give 600 lb. max load. But by the rules above it's 600 x 3 (large quadruped) = 1800 lb. max.

 

[shilsen]

It's easy to work out. Check table 9-1 in the PHB (pg.162), apply the modifiers for it being a large quadruped, and there you are.

If the tiger has a 23 Str (as the average tiger in the MM, pg. 282, does), then it has a carrying capacity as follows: Light 0-600 lbs, Medium 601-1200 lbs, Heavy 1201-1800 lbs.

edit: Darn you, dcollins!

 

[usdmw]

The posters above are right about the rules, but the rules are pretty silly.

The average tiger (STR 23) weighs around 500 lbs. According to the rules, 1 tiger could carry another tiger on his back + an extra 100 pounds and still only be lightly encumbered.

 

[Lamoni]

The posters above are right about the rules, but the rules are pretty silly.

The average tiger (STR 23) weighs around 500 lbs. According to the rules, 1 tiger could carry another tiger on his back + an extra 100 pounds and still only be lightly encumbered.

Being only lightly encumbered by another tiger on the back is silly, but moreso due to the awkward shape of the other tiger and the difficulty of keeping the tiger from falling off. Just the weight of the tiger probably wouldn't encumber the other tiger much. Well, actually encumberance always rises gradually with anyone, but that would be a pain to figure out in the rules. Therefore it only affects you after you go over a certain limit.

The difference between someone carrying 100 lbs and carrying 105 lbs isn't much, but it could spell a lot of difference due to encumberance penalties. Also carrying 100 lbs vs carrying nothing would mean a big difference in real life, but it might make no difference in the rules. That is just a result of making the game system easy to use. The more realistic something is, usually the more boring. If I wanted to play reality, I wouldn't buy a game to do it.

 

[shilsen]

The posters above are right about the rules, but the rules are pretty silly.

The average tiger (STR 23) weighs around 500 lbs. According to the rules, 1 tiger could carry another tiger on his back + an extra 100 pounds and still only be lightly encumbered.

What Lamoni said above. If you think that's bad, I bet halfling weight/strength ratios make your head explode

 

[elbandit]

wow! I never noticed that rule in the PHB before! Coolness! Many thanks guys!

-Sean

 

[dvvega]

Actually a real life tiger can carry much more than its own weight with negligible resistance.

In the wild a tiger is able to kill its prey, and hoist it up into a tree before beginning to eat. It normally carries it up in the mouth, but it has been known to lift with its claws as well.

Example animals it would carry up as dead weight (pardon the pun) are wildebeast.

 

[shilsen]

Actually a real life tiger can carry much more than its own weight with negligible resistance.

In the wild a tiger is able to kill its prey, and hoist it up into a tree before beginning to eat. It normally carries it up in the mouth, but it has been known to lift with its claws as well.

Example animals it would carry up as dead weight (pardon the pun) are wildebeast.

Good point. And completely random pedanticism: Tiger - Asia (or Eurasia); Wildebeest - Africa.

 

[Wolf72]

don't forget that tiger animal companion might have a higher str (3.5 druid's animals companions get bonus HD, str/dex, and AC)

for 8th lvl druid
(6) +4HD ( at 8HD, +1 any ability. at 9HD +1 feat)
+4 Nat AC
+2 Str (25, light load for large quad: 266 x 3 = 798 lbs)
+2 dex (17)