how much do exotic animals cost?

[Arabesu]

The handle animal rules gives fairly straightforward rules for determining the duration and difficulty that is required to train animals. For the common mounts, horses and ponies, the equipment tables give a list of prices for trained and untrained animals.

For Example:
Pony (2 Hit Dice), (30 gp) -> Warpony (2HD), (100 gp)
Horse, light (3HD) (75 gp) -> Warhorse, light (3HD) (150 gp)
Horse, heavy (3HD) (200 gp) -> Warhorse, heavy (4HD) (200 gp)

However, no guidelines for the cost of trained and untrained (but domesticated) exotic animals are given.

I am thinking about playing a gnomish Paladin who has enough handle animal skill to train a wolverine to be a mount, but not yet enough levels to make it a special mount (the case would also apply to a gnomish fighter).

How much should the untrained wolverine (3HD) cost?

How much should the trained wolverine cost?

What about a Dire Badger (3HD, trained vs untrained).

What about a Boar (3HD)?

Is there a formula somewhere?

Also, why is there the discrepancy in the above horse and ponies example where the horses are double the cost but ponies are 3.3 times the untrained cost and the heavy warhorse gets a hit dice boost. All in all, it looks like small characters get hosed when it comes to buying trained mounts outright.

Arabesu

 

[Crothian]

I think it woulkd be better to just have the character capture and train one for himself. I don't think msot of these animals would be readily there.

 

[wuyanei]

Well, I would require that the character obtain (capture? commision someone else to capture? use G Info to see if anyone is willing to do it for them) the untrained animal somehow. For the training fee needed to get someone else to train the animal for you, I'd use the DC times days required times 1 sp -- basically treating H Ani as a profession skill check.

For the Combat Riding (DC 20, 6 weeks) trick package, I'd say that it would cost about 20 x (6 weeks x 7 day/week) x 0.1 gp = 84 gp to get a well-skilled 1st level expert (take 10 +1 Cha, +4 ranks, +2 Animal Affinity, +3 Skill Focus = 20) to do the task for you.

BTW, if you look at the cost difference between pony/warpony, LtHorse/LtWarhorse, it is about 80 gp as well. That migh be where to cost comes from.

Edit: As for buying an untrained exotic animal, there is no set method, but I think 100 gp times the CR-th Fibonacci number might be a balanced and easy-to-remember rule-of-thumb. This gold goes to finding exotic-animal breeders, hireling fledgling adventurers etc., to breed or capture the creature for you. You still might need to wait a bit before the creature is delivered.

CR      Cost
~1    fraction of 100 gp
1        100 gp
2        200 gp
3        300 gp
4        500 gp
5        800 gp
6       1300 gp
7       2100 gp
8       3400 gp
9       5500 gp
10      8900 gp
11     14400 gp
12     23300 gp
13     37700 gp
...         ...
N-2    F(N-2) x 100 gp
N-1    F(N-1) x 100 gp
N     (F(N-1) + F(N-2)) x 100 gp

 

[Bront]

I'd worry about a mount that rages, but otherwise, I don't see why you couldn't get one. I have a halfling Druid who rides his Dire Rat.

 

[Vraille Darkfang]

Back of the Monster Manual 2.

They have the War Mount Template.

It includes guidelines for how much a 'War Mount' should cost.

A war mount being an animal trained for battle.

 

[Arabesu]

plus magebred

The situation is even more complicated since we're playing in Eberron. There, we have access to magebred animals that double the cost of the animal. So the "capture" and train option would not be available for magebred as they are bred in captivity.

So if I follow Wuyanei's formula, the untrained Magebred Wolverine costs 600 gp, but
a dire badger (both CR 2 I think) would cost 300 gp. Which seems weird, but makes sense since the Magebred Wolverine could then be trained in 5 weeks rather than 6 I guess with lower DCs due to its enhanced learning and has other cool bennies. Arguably, the Magebred Wolverine is between +0 and +1 CR better than the dire badger (which is itself arguably +0 to +1 CR better the the straight wolverine at CR2 also).

Vraille Darkfang, the MMII is a good suggestion; I'll check that when I get home.

As for Rage, I see it as a double edged sword. During the combat the animal could get forced into a skirmish that diverts it from where the PC wants to go, which could be quite bad and might require nigh epic handle animal to redirect it.

I'm trying to get away from depending upon the Paladin's Special Mount Ability, as I personally think the whole Pokemount thing is a little silly. Hence the purchasing of a relatively mundane but tough mount for a small PC. The real question is, how much a the character's wealth should go toward said mount since we will be starting higher than 4th level. I.e. what would be balanced relative to what the other PCs can buy.

Arabesu

 

[Arabesu]

Ooops, I meant 200 gp for Dire Badger and 400 gp for magebred wolverine. that'll teach me to try to read a table before coffee.

Arabesu

 

[Scharlata]

[...]However, no guidelines for the cost of trained and untrained (but domesticated) exotic animals are given.[...]

Fear Not! Your quest may have come to an end.

Look up page(s) 78-91 of the Arms and Equipment Guide for New Mounts, New Exotic Mounts and Training Costs.

Dire Badger: Young Price: 100 gp, Training Cost: 15 gp.

Enjoy!