Help with mount problem (My players stay out!)

[alsih2o]

So, I have stolen form a friend some giant goats as mounts. (the idea is stolen)

Big as an elephant and trained to take ogre riders.

Can someone help me solve movement and such?

I want them to be able to jump like goats, but being as they are elephant sized I am unsure of the rules.

Any input is appreciated.

 

[Jdvn1]

Elephants can jump in D&D. What's wrong with tweaking the elephant stats?

 

[alsih2o]

Elephants can jump in D&D. What's wrong with tweaking the elephant stats?

I THINK the problem is Low Int.= Low Skill Pts.

And I am too fuzzy on the rules to figure the out around it.

 

[Jdvn1]

Well, Elephants have at least a +10 to Jump due to Strength. That's not shabby.

 

[Crothian]

And you can give the goats a +5 racial bonus to jump if you want. Also, if jump is modified by speed so if the goats are fast they will get additional bonuses to jump.

 

[FireLance]

I think the problem is that elephants are specifically noted as being terrible at jumping in the introduction to the MM, under "Skills: Natural Tendencies". However, there is no reason why a goat the size of an elephant should be bad at it. I'd use the elephant stats, but remove a slam attack (no trunk), and swop Skill Focus (Listen) for Skill Focus (Jump). With its Strength of 30 (+10 to Jump checks) and Speed of 40 (+4 to Jump checks), it will have a final Jump modifier of +17. If that isn't high enough, you can give it a further racial bonus to Jump.

Don't forget that wearing armor can affect the Jump modifer both by slowing the creature and imposing an armor check penalty.

Here's a stat block for the final creature:

Battle Goat: CR 7; Huge Animal; HD 11d8+55; hp 104 hp; Init +0; Spd 40 ft.; AC 15, touch 8, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +8; Grp +26; Atk +16 melee (2d8+15, gore); Full Atk +16 melee (2d8+15, gore) and 2 stamps +11 melee (2d6+5); Space/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.; SA trample 2d8+15; SQ low-light vision, scent; AL N; Saves Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +6; Str 30, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 7.
Skills: Jump +17, Listen +9, Spot +10
Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Jump)

 

[alsih2o]

Thanks, FL. Much appreciated.

 

[shilsen]

Elephants can jump in D&D. What's wrong with tweaking the elephant stats?

And dire elephants have a listed climb speed. Few things can freak out an adventuring party more than entering a large cavern and looking up to find a mastodon hanging from the wall above them

 

[Jdvn1]

That reminds of one old idea: ... I want to Summon an Elephant. Above the bad guy.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Good work, Firelance.

I would give the goats Skill Focus Climb. They do live on the sides of mountains, right?

Then I would give a +4 racial bonus to Jump because they are naturally "bouncy". You might also give them 50' move for an extra +4 mod to the Jump skill.