Four Horse Men

[arixe]

So I've Been try to make the Four horsemen and i cant decide what weapons pestilence and Famine will use. This is incase they have to use them at all.

[Ketiara]

So I've Been try to make the Four horsemen and i cant decide what weapons pestilence and Famine will use. This is incase they have to use them at all.

I don't have any ideas at the moment, but I would love to hear what you've ce up with so far.

[LordHenry]

Famine could use something like a big flail that dehydrates on hit.

[arixe]

Well Death and war are the easy ones you got your scythe and your sword. as for their abilities. they can just access the death and war domains at will. death probably cant be killed by conventional means meaning stabbing away at his ass or wishing him away even is a good way to get reaped.

war will probably be the single most bad ass barbairan in existance able to be in a constant rage state and escilating that state even farther when dealt or dealing damage. his body would probably respond by increasing sr or dr based on what your using meaning switching tatctic would be a constant need. While having to fallow wars constant changing tactics and abilities.

As for Famine Maybe a blighter i still think thats a druid variant. his abilities would span constant debuffs. to the point that anything would be the mostminimal threat possible str and dex would be draind to the point of near death. and then watch you struggle to fight him only draining you of your constitution when he is bored with the struggle. appathy would take care of the mages famine would slowly drain them of their will to do anything. using a spell or ability

Pestilence would be a blast. anything and everything is fair. bugs poison illness curses. he could turn an entire village into lycens and watch them rip each apart. poison entire food supplies send out colossal sized swarms of locusts and such. and coup de gracing with a good old dose of the black plague.

but the weapons of the last two elude me. mytholigy say famine used a flail and pestilence used a bow. but niether are sybolic enough for me. like you know its death when you feel the cold steel of that scythe blade on your throat. or see that buring sword of war peirce the sky. but no such luck with the other guys.

[dantiesilva]

They actually have a ability for weapons called desiccate that does just that, as for pestilence go germ warfare with the PRc from Dragonmarked book in Eberron.

[Feralventas]

Pestilence is Disease and Plague, so a rusted, bloody weapon with a serrated edge designed not to Cut, but to Rend and Infect. Save vs Filth Fever on every hit (see Dire Rats, I think.). Contagion if your party is higher level. A jagged, rusted metal pipe might work well with this as well; could be a Dagger or a short-spear for weapon stats before alterations.

Famine wields a great-club sized bone with pieces of meat still hanging off the side and a a swarm of carrion like rats or insects follows the wielder.

[arixe]

Pestilence is Disease and Plague, so a rusted, bloody weapon with a serrated edge designed not to Cut, but to Rend and Infect. Save vs Filth Fever on every hit (see Dire Rats, I think.). Contagion if your party is higher level. A jagged, rusted metal pipe might work well with this as well; could be a Dagger or a short-spear for weapon stats before alterations.

Famine wields a great-club sized bone with pieces of meat still hanging off the side and a a swarm of carrion like rats or insects follows the wielder.

thats perfect thanks.

[arixe]

by the way i just came up with that four horsemen crap on the fly. what did you guys think. i hope it inspired some dms out there to really stick it to their players with some bad ass horsemen.

[Krazzman]

Why not looking into Darksiders?

They broke the Riders-theme by dropping two but adding two others (strife and pride afair). There you can find some new ideas for War and Death.

Pestilence could be a blighter-esque druid. The druid spell list has many spells you can see to use for him as SLA's. His weapon of choice would be in fact a bow because he can channel his pagues with precision through this bow.

Famine as you said would be a similar concept but more draining and debuffs. His weapon could be a flail that spills smoke (constant sickening cloud) and on hit leaves a big cloud of deadly smoke or something like that.

[KillianHawkeye]

Based on Wikipedia, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse appear as follows:

The first one rides a white horse and is known as Conquest (AKA Pestilence) and wields a bow and wears a crown. Some believe he is the Antichrist. He is obviously the leader of the group.

The second one rides a fiery red horse and is known as War and wields a large sword. Definitely a frontline fighter-type.

The third one rides a black horse and is known as Famine and carries a balance or weighing scale. Interestingly, he suggests an imbalance between the upper and lower classes, with luxury items such as oil and wine being available while staples like wheat and barley become scarce. I'd peg him as the arcane spellcaster of the group.

The last one rides a green/greenish-yellow or pale/pallid horse (a sickly color similar to that of a corpse) and is named Death. He is commonly depicted as wielding a scythe or a sword. Possibly a divine spellcaster focused on necromancy?

[spiderfate]

Pestilence should be a humanoid made up of millions of worms and bugs and rats. wield a staff of disease.

[Roguenewb]

Based on Wikipedia, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse appear as follows:

The first one rides a white horse and is known as Conquest (AKA Pestilence) and wields a bow and wears a crown. Some believe he is the Antichrist. He is obviously the leader of the group.

The second one rides a fiery red horse and is known as War and wields a large sword. Definitely a frontline fighter-type.

The third one rides a black horse and is known as Famine and carries a balance or weighing scale. Interestingly, he suggests an imbalance between the upper and lower classes, with luxury items such as oil and wine being available while staples like wheat and barley become scarce. I'd peg him as the arcane spellcaster of the group.

The last one rides a green/greenish-yellow or pale/pallid horse (a sickly color similar to that of a corpse) and is named Death. He is commonly depicted as wielding a scythe or a sword. Possibly a divine spellcaster focused on necromancy?
Where's their rogue? Who's gonna pick the locks?

[KillianHawkeye]

Where's their rogue? Who's gonna pick the locks?

That's like asking who picks the locks in an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie.

They're professional badasses. They don't PICK locks. They kick in the door and blast whoever's inside.

[Bouregard]

Pestilence? Shortbow fired from horseback with arrows dipped in poison.

Famine? Some sort of agricultural equipment sounds fitting here

[The Redwolf]

Pestilence should be a humanoid made up of millions of worms and bugs and rats. wield a staff of disease.

Worm That Walks is what you'd want for that. It's in Pathfinder's second bestiary, they have Graveknights in the third bestiary which would probably work well for this as well. Even if this isn't Pathfinder it shouldn't be hard to work backwards.

[Flickerdart]

Worm That Walks is what you'd want for that. It's in Pathfinder's second bestiary, they have Graveknights in the third bestiary which would probably work well for this as well. Even if this isn't Pathfinder it shouldn't be hard to work backwards.
There's a Worm That Walks in the Epic Level Handbook (and thus the SRD).

[Dusk Eclipse]

Where's their rogue? Who's gonna pick the locks?

War and his awesome adamantine sword.:smalltongue:

[Novawurmson]

Conquest (AKA Pestilence)...He is obviously the leader of the group.


Not if you believe Good Omens.

Also:

Revelations 6:1-8 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+6&version=NIV)


I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Edit: If you'd prefer to hear Johnny Cash read it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_UpLZwrSng&feature=youtu.be&t=18m17s)....

[The Redwolf]

(snip)

Yeah, I would have said Death was the leader of the horsemen even before you brought up Revelation. I hadn't remembered the specific wording there, but based off of "They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth" it sounds like Death is above War, Famine, and Pestilence. I should really re-read Revelations...

[Roguenewb]

Do you want NPCs or monsters?

For monsters, I'd use:

Entropic Reaper (advanced however many HD, and *good* feats): Death

In Elder Evils, there is a character who is statted as a Lesser Worm that Walks Human class/class/class/class. Now, as far as I know they never announced the stats of lesser worm that walks, but you could peel everything off and determine what it is. Or hell, you could just Edwin Tolstoff as pestilience.

War is harder. For War you probably do want an NPC. Perhaps, Ruby Knight Vindicator build of evil speced to mega buff.

Famine, hmm. There's famine spirit in Monster Manual 2, but it's....wierd. It doesn't really cause famine around it, instead it has famine.

[nyarlathotep]

Why not looking into Darksiders?

They broke the Riders-theme by dropping two but adding two others (strife and pride afair). There you can find some new ideas for War and Death.


That's actually closer to correct, as the horseman traditionally called Famine is meant to symbolize more general societal strife, and Pestilence is a complete fabrication by pop culture. Pride I assume is supposed to be Conquest who was the original first horseman who rode on a white horse and wore a crown and bow.

[GreenSerpent]

I'd go with the Terry Pratchet versions of them.

War - Jotunbrud Human Barbarian/Frenzied Berserker, using a Spiked Chain and a fairly standard trip/pounce build.

Famine - Human Cleric (domains Hunger and Gluttony), focuses on Dessication spells (see Sandstorm), has the Deformity (Gaunt) feat.

Pestilence - Worm That Walks Rogue/Cancer Mage/Vermin Lord or similar.

Death - Perhaps a Necropolitan Human Wizard focusing on necromancy spells boosted up to a gigantic DC (Greater Spell Focus, Master Specialist, Shadow Weave Magic)

[arixe]

Now lets think modern horsemen.

War would be an arms dealer.

Pestilence might be docter or something similar

Famine would of course would be a corporate fat cat or something.

death would be a plain every day undertaker the hardest of the horsemen to identify. no one should ever see death coming.

[ksbsnowowl]

Pestilence could be a blighter-esque druid. The druid spell list has many spells you can see to use for him as SLA's. His weapon of choice would be in fact a bow because he can channel his pagues with precision through this bow.
The Blighter class is mechanically terrible. For a similar theme, but much better execution, see the Talontar Blightlord prestige class from Unapproachable East. It has 8/10 casting progression. Perhaps just change the Glaive requirement to a Bow for your purposes. In my Norse-themed home-brew game I changed it to Longsword to serve as a cult of Hel.

The same book also has the Diseased magic weapon property (+1, DC 12 Fort save each hit or contract Filth Fever immediately.)

[Anodai]

Famine? Some sort of agricultural equipment sounds fitting here

I was thinking along those lines, though that is what a scythe is... a pitchfork, perhaps?

[Doorhandle]

Based on Wikipedia, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse appear as follows:

The first one rides a white horse and is known as Conquest (AKA Pestilence) and wields a bow and wears a crown. Some believe he is the Antichrist. He is obviously the leader of the group.

The second one rides a fiery red horse and is known as War and wields a large sword. Definitely a frontline fighter-type.

The third one rides a black horse and is known as Famine and carries a balance or weighing scale. Interestingly, he suggests an imbalance between the upper and lower classes, with luxury items such as oil and wine being available while staples like wheat and barley become scarce. I'd peg him as the arcane spellcaster of the group.

The last one rides a green/greenish-yellow or pale/pallid horse (a sickly color similar to that of a corpse) and is named Death. He is commonly depicted as wielding a scythe or a sword. Possibly a divine spellcaster focused on necromancy?

I was about to say, why does everyone always forget about conquest? (Did he leave before they were famous?)

Also, I would like to note I am unhappy with any depiction of famine that doesn't have him as a ravening eating machine. :smallbiggrin:

That's just me though. Most of this is spot on. Insects could just as easily go to famine (locust swarms) as pestilence though, and IIRC Famine carried a set of scales/weights for measuring rations.


horseman traditionally called Famine is meant to symbolize more general societal strife, Intresting. Sauce?