NPC Expert Horseman over a lifetime

[MavrickWeirdo]

It's important to note that starting at level 7, those CR 1 years start granting less experience, and after level 8 stop granting any experience at all. The two systems seem equally good except for this point, because it means that you can have elves not becoming a seemingly out of place high level without making them “learn slower”, which has always seemed a bit odd to me. So that’s my hopefully constructive criticism of the system.

Thank you for you comments, I can respect your disagreeing with the "learn slower" idea. In a previous thread someone pointed out that gaining experience at a slower rate is more cultural that racial. My response is that I am trying to create a method of making architypal, yet detailed, NPC. Other characters "milage may vary". (If you don't like the elves learning slower due to longer lives, try to wrap your mind around dwarves also learning at the slower rate.)

personally I don't like the idea of "after a certain level or age they stop gaining experience" (i.e. learning). I feel that Stephen Hawking, and Christopher Reeve, continue to "gain experience" in spite of (or even because of) their limitations. Again everyone is not the same, different people learn at different rates, and a person's potential is more dependant on "culture" than "race".

In the end each DM must find their own way to make the world "live" for their players.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Re: 1 exp/day

Interesting... ya learn something new everyday

many threads ago, when the "how fast do commoners gain exprience" question came up, that was what I called my system, but a good punchline is always worth repeating.

 

[Caliber]

I am an off again on again reader of your threads Maverick, and I always find them pretty cool.

I dunno if you do requests, but I was wondering if you have/had considered doing a Dwarven Forgemaster (ie. Expert) as he slowly works his way up to one of the great smiths of his clan?

Either way, thanks for posting these. They're cool. And they defintely help with the believable NPC department.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Johan, Human, Hippogriff Trainer
Expert L8; med humanoid; AL NG; CR 4; age 92 (venerable age)

HD 8d6-24 (+3); hp 11;
Init -1; Spd 30 ft; AC 12 (16 with cover);
BAB +6/+1; Atk +3 melee or +5 ranged;
SA +1 melee Atk vs. medium or smaller creatures (on foot) when mounted
SV Fort -1, Ref +1, Will +8;
Str 4, Dex 8, Con 4, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 14.

Skills (91 points): Animal Empathy +9 (11), Appraise +8 (10), Bluff +11 (13), Handle Animal +11 (17), Heal +11 (15), Listen +6 (8), Ride +11 (14), Sense Motive +11 (14), Spot +6 (8), & Use Rope +7 (6)
Feats: Mounted Combat, Skill Focus Handle Animal, Skill Focus Ride, & Toughness
Languages: Common

Armor: Studded Leather, +3, speed 30ft, 20 lbs
Weapons: Daggers (2): Atk +3 melee, +5 thrown, Dmg 1d4-3, crit 19-20 x2, range 10ft
Sling: Atk +5 ranged, Dmg 1d4-3, crit x2, range 50ft
Short spear: Atk +3 melee, +5 thrown, Dmg 1d8-3, crit x3, range 20ft
Equipment: barding (studded leather), bedroll, flint & steel, healers kit (10 uses), military saddle & tack, pouch with sling stones (10), rope (50’ hemp), trail rations (1 day), waterskin

Hasty
Hippogriff; Large Beast
HD 3d10+9; hp 25;
Init +2; Spd 50 ft., fly 100 ft. (average); AC 18 (or Ride Skill Check);
Atk 2 claws +5 melee, bite +0 melee; Dmg Claw 1d4+4, bite 1d8+2
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2;
Str 18, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 8
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +7*

Combat: Hippogriffs dive at their prey and strike with their taloned forelegs. When they cannot dive, they slash with claws and beak.

Skills: *Hippogriffs receive a +4 racial bonus to Spot checks during daylight hours.

Training a Hippogriff: Training a hippogriff as an aerial mount requires a successful Handle Animal check (DC 21 for a young creature, or DC 28 for an adult) and that the creature be willing. Hippogriffs mature at the same rate as horses. Trainers can reduce the DC by 5 and the rearing time by one-half by using a magic bridle enchanted for this purpose.

Hippogriff eggs are worth 2,000 gp apiece on the open market, while young are worth 3,000 gp each. Professional trainers charge 1,000 gp to rear or train a hippogriff. Riding a trained hippogriff requires an exotic saddle. A hippogriff can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds at a Ride check.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a hippogriff is up to 300 pounds; a medium load, 301-600 pounds; and a heavy load, 601-900 pounds.

Ride Skill
Guide with knees (DC5)
Stay in saddle (DC5) *
Fight with hippogriff (DC10)
Cover (DC15) *
Soft fall (DC15)
Leap (DC15)
Fast Mount/Dismount (DC21) *
Mounted Combat Feat: Ride Check Result acts as mount’s AC for 1Atk/round
* Military saddle bonus applies

Using ranged weapons while mount is moving:
Double move –4
Run, or Fly –8

Johan received the challenge of his career. Adventurers brought him 2 hippogriff eggs to train as mounts, Johan's price to train them was one of the hippogriffs. The adventurers were reluctant at first, but when Johan said he would include masterwork exotic millitary saddle, and masterwork studded leather barding for the mount they would keep, they agreed.

For the next few months saw to the carefull hatching and rearing of the two hippogriffs chicks. He named them Hasty and Sly. When the adventurers returned they chose Sly to go with them leaving Hasty with Johan.