NPC Expert Horseman over a lifetime

[Endur]

1 exp a day? what about elves?

What do you do about elven NPCs?

at 1 exp a day,

elf starts at age 110 ... level 1

elf age 187 ... level 8

elf age 300 ... level 12

venerable elf begins at 350

elf age 600 ... level 19

elf age 650 ... level 20

Maximum elf age is 750

So it would be a rare elf that makes it to level 20, but some would.

The 1 exp a day is an interesting idea.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Re: 1 exp a day? what about elves?

What do you do about elven NPCs?

at 1 exp a day,

elf starts at age 110 ... level 1

elf age 187 ... level 8

elf age 300 ... level 12

venerable elf begins at 350

elf age 600 ... level 19

elf age 650 ... level 20

Maximum elf age is 750

So it would be a rare elf that makes it to level 20, but some would.

The 1 exp a day is an interesting idea.

Personally I have "long-lived" races advance slower 182 exp/year. I feel that most "random" NPC's should be under 5th level. I have written some "elven NPC's over a lifetime" which I haven't posted yet, once I finish Johan I may follow up with them.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Johan, Human, Warhorse Trainer
Expert L6; med humanoid; AL NG; CR 3.5; age 57 (old age)

HD 6d6-12 (+3); hp 12;
Init +0; Spd 30 ft; AC 13 (17 with cover);
BAB +4; Atk +2 melee or +4 ranged;
SA +1 melee Atk vs. medium or smaller creatures (on foot) when mounted
SV Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +5;
Str 7, Dex 10, Con 7, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 13.

Skills (73 points): Animal Empathy +6 (7), Appraise +6 (8), Bluff +9 (10), Handle Animal +9 (14), Heal +9 (12), Listen +5 (6), Ride +9 (13), Sense Motive +9 (10), Spot +5 (6), & Use Rope +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 +2 melee, +4 thrown, Dmg 1d4-2, crit 19-20 x2, range 10ft
Sling: Atk +4 ranged, Dmg 1d4-2, crit x2, range 50ft
Short spear: Atk +2 melee, +4 thrown, Dmg 1d8-2, 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

Tempus
Horse, Light War; Large Animal
HD 3d8+9; hp 22;
Init +1; Spd 60 ft; AC 17 (or Ride Skill Check);
Atk 2 hooves +4 melee; bite +0 melee; Dmg Hoof 1d4+3; bite 1d3+1
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
SQ Weapon Focus Bite
SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2;
Str 16, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills: Escape Artist +5, Listen +5, Spot +5

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a light warhorse is up to 230 pounds; a medium load, 231-460 pounds; a heavy load, 461-690 pounds. A light warhorse can drag 3,450 pounds.

Ride Skill
Guide with knees (DC5)
Stay in saddle (DC5) *
Fight with warhorse (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 –8

Tempus may be the first horse Johan didn't "like". He respected Tempus, but Tempus was to mean to like. He would try to bite most who came near, and struggled to escape any bridle or saddle put on him. It took all of Johan's skill to train the horse to limit his hostility to battle.

 

[BLACKDIRGE]

Hey, Maverick.

I love all of the npc threads you have posted so far, they are a lot of fun to read. I do have one question for you.

Would you adjust your formula for NPC xp for humanoid NPC's that see a bit more action?

For example, an orc warrior in a given year is likely to see a lot more action than a human guardman. The orc warrior is liekly to go on raids and face challenges that a human guard would never see. Admittidly the orc's life expectancy is a lot shorter but if he were to survive as long as the humans in your posts then he could conceivably earn more xp and be of greater level.

Just curious.

Dirge

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Johan, Human, Head Trainer
Expert L6; med humanoid; AL NG; CR 2; age 70 (venerable age)

HD 6d6-18 (+3); hp 9;
Init -2; Spd 30 ft; AC 11 (15 with cover);
BAB +4; Atk +1 melee or +2 ranged;
SA +1 melee Atk vs. medium or smaller creatures (on foot) when mounted
SV Fort -1, Ref +0, Will +7;
Str 4, Dex 7, Con 4, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 14.

Skills (73 points): Animal Empathy +6 (8), Appraise +6 (8), Bluff +9 (11), Handle Animal +9 (15), Heal +9 (13), Listen +5 (7), Ride +9 (11), Sense Motive +9 (11), Spot +5 (7), & Use Rope +6 (4)
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 +1 melee, +2 thrown, Dmg 1d4-3, crit 19-20 x2, range 10ft
Sling: Atk +2 ranged, Dmg 1d4-3, crit x2, range 50ft
Short spear: Atk +1 melee, +2 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

Zephyr
Horse, Light War; Large Animal
HD 3d8+9; hp 22;
Init +1; Spd 60 ft; AC 17 (or Ride Skill Check);
Atk 2 hooves +4 melee; bite -1 melee; Dmg Hoof 1d4+3; bite 1d3+1
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
SQ Hide
SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2;
Str 16, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +5, Listen +5, Spot +5

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a light warhorse is up to 230 pounds; a medium load, 231-460 pounds; a heavy load, 461-690 pounds. A light warhorse can drag 3,450 pounds.

Ride Skill
Guide with knees (DC5)
Stay in saddle (DC5) *
Fight with warhorse (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 –8

Johans age is catching up with him. These days he finds it easier to ride than to walk. Zepher is a desendant of Shadow. His coat is a muddy, mottled brown that helps him to blend into the background.

 

[Allanon]

I really like these "life stories", but what I liked most was the way you gave the horses different abilities. That's something I can use in my campaign. Giving them other special abilities then scent really rocks. Tempest would be great for the Human Barbarian in my campaign, especially regarding his temper and tendency to bite other people including his owner.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

I really like these "life stories", but what I liked most was the way you gave the horses different abilities. That's something I can use in my campaign. Giving them other special abilities then scent really rocks. Tempest would be great for the Human Barbarian in my campaign, especially regarding his temper and tendency to bite other people including his owner.

Just remeber to do an Escape Artist check every time he tries to saddle the horse. (If the horse succeeds, the saddle is not on tight enough, -2 ride checks.)

 

[trimeulose]

1 exp/day

Interesting... ya learn something new everyday

 

[Thomas Hobbes]

Another, similar system I've seen in regard to NPC (specifically, the average commoner, although I'm sure it could be applied elsewhere) advancement over time was to treat each year as a CR 1, meaning that they level slightly slower than yours would, gaining only 300 xp/year instead of 365. It was posted by one of the head game designers of the D&D rulebook IIRC, though I'd be hard pressed to tell you which. So the advancement for a human would go

15: level 1
19: level 2
25: level 3
35: level 4
49: level 5
65: level 6
85: level 7

And would die just short of level 8. 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.

As for the characters, well… I first of all really like the concept of following an NPC's advancement throughout life, and I think you’ve executed it creatively and well. Good job, I’ll be seeking out the rest of these now.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Johan, Human, Horse Whisperer
Expert L7; med humanoid; AL NG; CR 3; age 72 (venerable age)

HD 7d6-21 (+3); hp 10;
Init -2; Spd 30 ft; AC 11 (15 with cover);
BAB +5; Atk +2 melee or +3 ranged;
SA +1 melee Atk vs. medium or smaller creatures (on foot) when mounted
SV Fort -1, Ref +0, Will +7;
Str 4, Dex 7, Con 4, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 14.

Skills (82 points): Animal Empathy +7 (9), Appraise +7 (9), Bluff +10 (12), Handle Animal +10 (16), Heal +10 (14), Listen +6 (8), Ride +10 (12), Sense Motive +10 (12), Spot +6 (8), & Use Rope +6 (4)
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 +2 melee, +3 thrown, Dmg 1d4-3, crit 19-20 x2, range 10ft
Sling: Atk +3 ranged, Dmg 1d4-3, crit x2, range 50ft
Short spear: Atk +2 melee, +3 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

Avalanche
Horse, Light War; Large Animal
HD 3d8+9; hp 22;
Init +1; Spd 60 ft; AC 17 (or Ride Skill Check);
Atk 2 hooves +4 melee; bite -1 melee; Dmg Hoof 1d4+3; bite 1d3+1
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
SQ Trample^
SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2;
Str 16, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +5, Listen +5, Spot +5

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a light warhorse is up to 230 pounds; a medium load, 231-460 pounds; a heavy load, 461-690 pounds. A light warhorse can drag 3,450 pounds.

^ Avalanche is trained to trample opponents in battle (as in the feat in the PHB). The rider need not have this feat, but must release control to his mount.

Ride Skill
Guide with knees (DC5)
Stay in saddle (DC5) *
Fight with warhorse (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 –8

Johans horses are famed thought the lands for their courage and disipline. When asked what his secret is he tells people that it is no secret, it is simply trust.