Mount training section

[BOZ]

How are the weight values and check DCs? We are talking about an 8-HD Dragon, with a Strength score of 21. what other variables affect the values below?

TRAINING A THING
A THING requires training before it can bear a rider in combat. Training a THING requires six weeks of work and a DC 33 Handle Animal check (DC 26 for a young specimen). Riding a THING requires an exotic saddle. A THING can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or shee succeeds on a Ride check. When a THING is forced into an open area, a rider takes a -2 penalty to all Ride checks, due to the affect open spaces have upon the beast's Blindsight and nerves.
A paladin of 9th level or higher can select a THING as his special mount. Apply a -4 adjustment to the paladin's level for purposes of determining the mount's characteristics and special abilities.
THING eggs are worth 6,000 gp apiece on the open market while young are worth X,000 gp each. Professional trainers charge X,000 gp to rear or train a THING.
Carrying Capacity: A light load for a THING is up to 459 pounds; a medium load, 460-918 pounds; and a heavy load, 919-1377 pounds. A THING can carry up to its Medium load and still fly.

 

[mvincent]

What are you asking?
(i.e. Your post seems unclear. Perhaps rephrasing the question could help.)

 

[BOZ]

do the Handle Animal check DCs look right? are the carrying capacities for a quadruped correct? how would i figure out the values for purchasing and training young? is more information on the creature required to assess this information?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Well, I'll look at this, first.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a THING is up to 459 pounds; a medium load, 460-918 pounds; and a heavy load, 919-1377 pounds. A THING can carry up to its Medium load and still fly.

The other question involves flipping through the MM and comparing relative HA DCs, relative power, etc. That's a lot of work.

What we have here is:

8-HD Dragon, with a Strength score of 21

OK. In order to fully answer this question, we'll need to know the following information:

1. What size is the creature?
2. How many legs does it have?

I'll assume that the creature is at least Large (in order to carry a medium-sized rider) and that, as a dragon, it's quadrupedal.

That brings us to the base carrying capacity for a Medium biped with 21 Strenght:

Light: 153 lb. or less
Medium: 154–306 lb.
Heavy: 307–460 lb.

He's size Large, so we double those numbers to:

Light: 306 lb. or less
Medium: 307–612 lb.
Heavy: 613–920 lb.

And then he's a quadruped, so we increase them by an additional 50%. This brings us to:

Light: 459 lb. or less
Medium: 460–918 lb.
Heavy: 919–1,380 lb.

So, there you are. You're a little off, but not by much.

 

[BOZ]

OK, i'll call the carrying capacity done, looks like you got that. and yes, it is Large IIRC (don't have the stats in front of me right at the moment).

as for young purchase and training young costs, those can probably be extrapolated by looking at things such as the griffon, hippogriff, pegasus, giant eagle, and similar creatures.

The other question involves flipping through the MM and comparing relative HA DCs, relative power, etc. That's a lot of work.

actually, not as much as you're probably thinking. the rules for that are pretty much spelled out in the PHB under the spell description. i was just trying to see if anyone knew those rules better than me!

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

actually, not as much as you're probably thinking. the rules for that are pretty much spelled out in the PHB under the spell description. i was just trying to see if anyone knew those rules better than me!

I think you meant the skill description, but here we go:

Rear a wild animal 15 + HD of animal

Special: You can use this skill on a creature with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 that is not an animal, but the DC of any such check increases by 5. Such creatures have the same limit on tricks known as animals do.

So, if your dragon is an Int 1 or 2 dragon, you could domesticate it with a DC 28 HA check. This would require that the handler raise it from infancy, however.

I don't see any rules in this section detailing training already-sentient creatures for riding - which is why I said, earlier, that it would require leafing through the MM.

Take, for instance:

TRAINING A GIANT EAGLE

Although intelligent, a giant eagle requires training before it can bear a rider in combat. To be trained, a giant eagle must have a friendly attitude toward the trainer (this can be achieved through a successful Diplomacy check). Training a friendly giant eagle requires six weeks of work and a DC 25 Handle Animal check.

Riding a giant eagle requires an exotic saddle. A giant eagle can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check.

Giant eagle eggs are worth 2,500 gp apiece on the open market, while chicks are worth 4,000 gp each. Professional trainers charge 1,000 gp to rear or train a giant eagle.

The giant eagle is a 4HD large magical beast. It takes a DC 25 check and 6 weeks.

Your THING is an 8HD large dragon. You're proposing a DC 33 check (DC 26 for a young specimen) and 6 weeks.

Compare and contrast.

 

[BOZ]

well, this dragon has an Int of 5 which is definitely less than a giant eagle, but more than an unintelligent monster. since it has the same Int as a griffon, i might be better off just copying that section rather than trying to figure out a DC (the DC is also 25 for training griffons and pegasi - this may be a flat "rate").

as for the eggs and young, does there appear to be any formula for the selling price?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

as for the eggs and young, does there appear to be any formula for the selling price?

None that I'm aware of; I'm sure that, if you really wanted to, you could do a comparison of GP and hit dice of the various creatures.

 

[BOZ]

there doesn't seem to be a specific pattern, but there does seem to be a rough pattern. i'll do my best to follow that. thanks!

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Welcome! Sorry I couldn't be more help on the first question!