add 2e help with character build

[Froogleyboy]

Okay, I'm in a 2E game soon and I want to play a guy who is trained at horse riding and is attached to his horse. Any ideas how to optimize this out

[Lvl45DM!]

What level and class are you?

[Froogleyboy]

level one, and I haven't decided race/class/anything

[Matthew]

Beast Rider or Cavalier kits would be options, but seeking to optimise a character in second edition is not really an advisable way to play. If your game master is using proficiencies then you effectively lose your fighter's ability to use all weapons permitted to his class without penalty. The trade off is that you get a handful of non-weapon proficiencies that are supplemented by bonus proficiencies gained from high intelligence. The character point system grants more versatility in that regard, but you are still potentially more limited than if not playing with proficiencies.

The best thing to do is talk over your character concept with your game master and see how open he is to accommodating you. If you are using proficiencies then a kit will typically grant a handful of bonus non-weapon proficiencies, such as riding and handle animal, and a bonus to checks with animals.

[Thane of Fife]

Okay, I'm in a 2E game soon and I want to play a guy who is trained at horse riding and is attached to his horse. Any ideas how to optimize this out

I can't comment on how good it is, but the Paladin book has a kit - Equestrian, I think - that is basically this. Essentially, your mount gets better, but you become bonded to it and have to take extra care of it. And there are some major code extensions; if you're separated from your mount for more than... a week, I think? - you fall. And paladin is hard to qualify for, of course.

Other mount-based kits would include Beast Rider and Rapid Response Rider.

As Matthew says, though, I don't think optimization is the right way to go about thinking of your character in 2nd edition (except that he's from the UK and therefore doesn't know how to spell 'optimization' correctly :smallbiggrin:).

[Froogleyboy]

Maybe optimization isnt the correct word. I just want to know the mechanical ways of achieving this

[Kylarra]

Well if you're attached to your horse, you may be a centaur. :smallbiggrin:

[Froogleyboy]

*facepalm*

[Lapak]

Maybe optimization isnt the correct word. I just want to know the mechanical ways of achieving thisIn that case, it's pretty straightforward. If non-weapon proficiencies are being used, make sure Ride and Animal Handling (or whatever it was called in 2e) are among the ones you take. Consider an appropriate kit if kits are being used - I have both the fighter and paladin books around if you need suggestions. Otherwise, either play a Paladin for the mount class feature or play a straight-up fighter. Most of the character-build in 2e is dealt with by roleplaying it, honestly. If you want to be a warrior who is attached to their mount, then just make it clear in the way you present your character to the DM and the other players, and stick to that while gaming.

[Froogleyboy]

I haven't any books except the main ones so help would be aprreciated :)

[jmbrown]

I haven't any books except the main ones so help would be aprreciated :)

There's not much you can do through the main books. Before all the Options crap, 2E was about playing things by ear. You asked your DM to do something and he said "Okay, you're a fighter so you probably know a thing or two... and you're strong so you can probably do that better... roll 1d6 and on a 1-4 you succeed."

If you want to be a warrior that excels at mounted combat, you'll need riding (land-based). That's about it. Animal Training is the second most important proficiency because it lets you teach your horse to attack, come, guard, and carry other riders but you. You might even want Charioteer if you plan on fighting from the back of a chariot.

Other than that, there are no abilities or bonuses that make you a better horseman or spells that "attach" your horse to you or whatever. To reiterate, 2E is light on the details because it's arbitrary information that the DM can easily adjudicate on the fly. "Mr. DM, I want to duck down on the side of my horse, dodge the arrows, pop back up, and cut the orc in half." The DM would say "Roll under your strength to see if you hold onto the horse, roll under your dexterity to see if you remain seated, make an attack roll to see if you hit the orc and give yourself a +2 bonus because you're charging and have the high ground."

None of that is listed in the rules but a good DM will reward you with descriptive play.

[Froogleyboy]

I meant help from people with other books. ya know . . . gimme so pazazz

[Matthew]

Okay, well, assuming you are using weapon and non-weapon proficiencies:

In the standard PHB, notable proficiencies for animal affinity are:

{table=head]Proficiency|Slots|
Attribute|Modifier
Animal Lore|
1|
Intelligence|
+0|
Animal Handling|
1|
Wisdom|
−1|
Animal Training|
1|
Wisdom|
+0|
Riding (Land-Based)|
1|
Wisdom|
+3[/table]

So clearly an average to high wisdom is necessary, and intelligence will also be valuable, even if just for additional proficiency slots.

If you are using Skills & Powers, though, then proficiencies look a bit more like this:

{table=head]Proficiency|Points|
Attributes|Rating
Animal Lore|
3|
Intelligence/Wisdom|
35%|
Animal Handling|
4|
Wisdom|
25%|
Animal Training|
2|
Wisdom|
40%|
Riding (Land-Based)|
3|
Wisdom/Dexterity|
35%[/table]

Where two attributes are listed, you can choose which of them affects your chance in line with the following table:

{table=head]Attribute | Modifier

3 |
−25% |

4 |
−20% |

5 |
−15% |

6 |
−10% |

7 |
−5% |

8-13 |
+0 |

14 |
+5% |

15 |
+10% |

16 |
+15% |

17 |
+20% |

18+ |
+25%[/table]

I have converted all ratings from a D20 to percentage chances for clarity. You can increase your percentage rating by +5% for each character point spent, a character point being equivalent to about half a proficiency slot.

And you can also choose from the kits in that book, which includes this one:



Rider

A rider is a character who has developed a bond with his mount. When the character was younger, he became friends with this animal, and the rider and his mount grew up together and grew close. They are now all but inseparable. In fact, they share such a bond they can sense each other’s location and general health. Perhaps the rider is an elf who was born in the deep wilderness and who rides into the campaign’s city on a giant boar. Maybe the rider is a halfling lass who—with her giant lizard mount—leaves her village behind in pursuit of adventure.

Social Ranks: Riders can come from most walks of life. Roll 2d6 to determine the rider’s social rank.

{table=head]2d6 Roll |
Rank|

2–4 |
Lower Class|

5–10 |
Lower Middle Class|

11–12 |
Upper Middle Class[/table]

Requirements: Riders must have a minimum Charisma of 13. This kit is open to the standard player character races, and to flinds, githzerai, goblins, kobolds, orcs, and swanmays. The kit is open to all classes.

Weapon proficiencies: Riders can select any weapons that fit with their adventuring professions. Weapons designed to be used while mounted are ideal. These include: lances, bow (any), horseman’s flail, horseman’s mace, horseman’s pick, spear, bastard sword, long sword, scimitar, morning star.

Recommended nonweapon proficiencies: Animal lore, animal training, animal handling, riding (any), rope use, charioteering, heraldry, bowyer/fletcher.

Equipment: Riders can select any weapons, armour, and other equipment that fits their adventuring class.

Recommended traits: Animal empathy, empathy, alertness, keen hearing.

Benefits: When this kit is chosen, the player and DM must determine a suitable mount for the character. There are several factors to consider: 1) the climate and terrain of the character’s homeland, where he acquired the mount; 2) the character’s race (halflings would have a difficult time riding elephants, while half-ogres would be too big for a pony) and; 3) the availability of the mount. A rider’s mount is similar to a wizard’s familiar in that the pair have a bond. Each will know the general state of health of the other, the direction the other is in, and the distance by which they are separated. Depending on its degree of intelligence, the mount might be able to understand if its friend is in danger. Many a rider has escaped certain death on the back of a mount that risked its own life to save him.

After making a list of possible mounts, the player should select one. DMs might prefer the mount to be selected randomly. If this is the case, use the following method. Roll 1d6. A result of 1–3 indicates the player should roll on the natural creatures table; 4, flying creatures; 5, giant land creatures, and; 6, underwater creatures. Then roll 1d8 on the appropriate mount table.

There are other possibilities for kit selection, but it looks as though this one may be most suitable for you.

[Froogleyboy]

I love it!