Post by Gigermann on Sept 23, 2006 22:09:27 GMT -6
#1; with regard to Surion's celestial warhorse:
The horse-in-question has Int:6 (unusually intelligent, as stated in the Paladin class description), which is equivalent to a troll or ogre. Those creatures are capable of speech, however crude it might be. Therefore, I was wondering if it might be possible for the horse-in-question to be able to put one or more of its skill points (gained from HD increase) in the Speak Language skill (Common, in this case, or possibly Celestial)...even if it could only understand that language, being most-likely physically incapable of actually speaking it. The MM doesn't really address the idea, and the Speak Language skill description doesn't specifically forbid it.
#2
The "Airs Above the Ground" tricks made famous by the Lipizzaner stallions are, according to my understanding, descended from actual standard "combat" maneuvers from the middle ages, intended to frighten ground troops. I've been wondering for some time how one might incorporate this sort of thing in D&D.
Basically, I think this would be a modified usage of the Intimidate skill, using the "attributes" (for lack of a better word) of the horse. You could simply use the horse's size to calculate the Intimidate bonus (+4 for larger creature), which alone would work in a pinch. And, of course, the rider would have to make a Ride check (DC?) to perform the maneuver, probably in lieu of "fighting." As per the Intimidate skill description, it could only affect creatures in its threatened area, which would cover a larger area, and thereby affect more creatures, if using the horse's 10' base.
The drawback to this basic idea is that if the rider has a low Charisma score and/or Intimidate skill, he still wouldn't be all that effective, when he really should be. In reality, it would seem the rider's Ride skill/check would have more influence than the rider's Charisma score.
Of course, there used to be a variant rule somewhere out in the Ether that said you could substitute your Strength mod for Charisma in Intimidate attempts, by incorporating a "feat of strength" in the attempt. I suppose you could substitute the horse's Stats in this case.
Thoughts? Is this sort of thing addressed somewhere I am not aware of?
The horse-in-question has Int:6 (unusually intelligent, as stated in the Paladin class description), which is equivalent to a troll or ogre. Those creatures are capable of speech, however crude it might be. Therefore, I was wondering if it might be possible for the horse-in-question to be able to put one or more of its skill points (gained from HD increase) in the Speak Language skill (Common, in this case, or possibly Celestial)...even if it could only understand that language, being most-likely physically incapable of actually speaking it. The MM doesn't really address the idea, and the Speak Language skill description doesn't specifically forbid it.
#2
The "Airs Above the Ground" tricks made famous by the Lipizzaner stallions are, according to my understanding, descended from actual standard "combat" maneuvers from the middle ages, intended to frighten ground troops. I've been wondering for some time how one might incorporate this sort of thing in D&D.
Basically, I think this would be a modified usage of the Intimidate skill, using the "attributes" (for lack of a better word) of the horse. You could simply use the horse's size to calculate the Intimidate bonus (+4 for larger creature), which alone would work in a pinch. And, of course, the rider would have to make a Ride check (DC?) to perform the maneuver, probably in lieu of "fighting." As per the Intimidate skill description, it could only affect creatures in its threatened area, which would cover a larger area, and thereby affect more creatures, if using the horse's 10' base.
The drawback to this basic idea is that if the rider has a low Charisma score and/or Intimidate skill, he still wouldn't be all that effective, when he really should be. In reality, it would seem the rider's Ride skill/check would have more influence than the rider's Charisma score.
Of course, there used to be a variant rule somewhere out in the Ether that said you could substitute your Strength mod for Charisma in Intimidate attempts, by incorporating a "feat of strength" in the attempt. I suppose you could substitute the horse's Stats in this case.
Thoughts? Is this sort of thing addressed somewhere I am not aware of?