What is the exact cost of an ogre or troll mOunt and how to protect cheaply?

[CyberThread]

What is the exact cost for a goblin to hire a troll or ogre as a mount?

What cheap magic do I need to protect my mounts naturally low will save do I don't get screwed by a spellcaster

[cakellene]

Up to DM, especially since they are not right body type for a mount. Though I have seen a special saddle for a gnome riding a giant in some book.

[Eloel]

As cheap as around 7500 gold per month and a way of getting 37 on UMD twice a month.

Source:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/scrolls.htm
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dominateMonster.htm

OR

Using command word items, spell level 9 x caster level 17 x 1800 / (5 / (1/16)) for once every 16 days = 3442.5 pieces of gold.

To keep the mount, don't mess with high level casters.

[CyberThread]

So dragged out arms and equipment. .

1000 to procure abd 1500 to train.

[Flickerdart]

The DMG gives a giant as an example of a creature who is "willing but not able" to be a mount, so you can't.

[Zaq]

As cheap as around 7500 gold per month and a way of getting 37 on UMD twice a month.

Source:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/scrolls.htm
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dominateMonster.htm

OR

Using command word items, spell level 9 x caster level 17 x 1800 / (5 / (1/16)) for once every 16 days = 3442.5 pieces of gold.

To keep the mount, don't mess with high level casters.

Yeah, that. Ogres and trolls are sentient people, after all, so you're looking at either a slave or a hireling. (Yup, that's right; I'm gonna call 'em people. I'm making that judgment.) The rules for hirelings are pretty patchy, particularly as regards non-human (or at least non-PHB race) folks. And even BoVD is justifiably skittish about providing hard-and-fast rules for slaves.

The frankest discussion of buying and selling slaves that I recall in the 3.5 canon comes in Lords of Madness, specifically with the neogi (as they are, after all, consummate slavers and slave traders). Pg. 101 gives a formula for slaves of 100 gp times the square of the slave's CR (minimum 1), but it stresses that this is just a very, very loose baseline with a lot of squishy modifying factors. It does give the explicit example of a troll (CR 5) being 2,500 gp. Of course, that assumes that you can (1) deal with neogi without being manipulated, ambushed, or enslaved yourself, (2) negotiate a "fair price," and (3) keep the desired slave docile and subservient even once it's freed from the neogi's magical compulsions, since after all, once the slave's your responsibility, the neogi isn't going to bother spending its limited control pool on someone else's property. A messy business from start to finish, to be sure.

AEG pg. 70 does discuss the possibility of hiring an ogre as a mercenary for 4 gp per day, but it also specifies that you'll probably have to whip them in combat (or some other display of strength) before they'll even think about listening to you, gold or no gold. And I think the GM would be justified in changing the situation for having a little fellow riding on the big fellow's head. And while ogres are stupid, they're not THAT stupid; 4 gp a day really isn't much when you're dealing with adventuring scenarios, and the ogre is certainly going to be able to see the shiny things that you're picking up from your slain foes and only barely sharing. (If I were in such a situation, I'd consider paying the ogre 400 copper a day instead, since that looks a lot bigger, particularly if you put it in a couple different bags.) Those last two or three sentences aren't RAW, but since RAW is so patchy, well, that's my opinion. (My biggest concern, if you're playing the ogre as being really dimwitted and therefore easily tricked, would be keeping their interest during downtime, and hoping that they REMEMBER your deal even after, say, a good night's sleep. Don't want your mount wandering off, with or without taking anything or hurting anyone first.)

Leadership is probably the easiest answer. Or, you know, Thrallherd. Or Mindbender, I guess, though that's less "automatic" as far as replacements go.

I'm not sure if any of the Planar Binding and/or Planar Ally style of spells (or any of their variants, like Spirit Binding or Truename Binding) can apply to ogres or trolls. Gate can, obviously, but that's Gate, and you probably want something a little bit less, um, scary. I've never actually dealt with long-term Summoning/Calling spells, so I don't recall the details of all the particulars of what you can and can't call, and whether any would let you snag a troll who's native to the Outlands, or an ogre being used on Acheron, or something with a template, or whatever. But if you can find such a thing, that might help.

[shylocke]

Screw ogres. Try and get a gray render. If it bonds to you, you don't need to train it. Also it is huge so it is easy to ride.

[CyberThread]

Yeah, that. Ogres and trolls are sentient people, after all, so you're looking at either a slave

I'm not sure if any of the Planar Binding and/or Planar Ally style of spells (or any of their variants, like Spirit Binding or Truename Binding) can apply to ogres or trolls. Gate can, obviously, but that's Gate, and you probably want something a little bit less, um, scary. I've never actually dealt with long-term Summoning/Calling spells, so I don't recall the details of all the particulars of what you can and can't call, and whether any would let you snag a troll who's native to the Outlands, or an ogre being used on Acheron, or something with a template, or whatever. But if you can find such a thing, that might help.

Would slapping a half fiend or celestial template on said ogre and troll count?


Also. You mention arms and equipment but why nothing on the exotic mount segment of the same book?

[killem2]

there is a contraption in a dragon magazine that allows someone smaller than someone else to ride them.


I'm trying to locate it, I know it is in the same issue as the ready drink helm.

[Zaq]

Would slapping a half fiend or celestial template on said ogre and troll count?


Also. You mention arms and equipment but why nothing on the exotic mount segment of the same book?

Eh, I didn't think of it. Looks like it's there, though, you're right. Pg. 91. But I guess you already know about it, no?

[CyberThread]

Eh, I didn't think of it. Looks like it's there, though, you're right. Pg. 91. But I guess you already know about it, no?



Feedback on the option.

[PraxisVetli]

Screw ogres. Try and get a gray render. If it bonds to you, you don't need to train it. Also it is huge so it is easy to ride.

This. So much this.

[PraxisVetli]

Screw ogres. Try and get a gray render. If it bonds to you, you don't need to train it. Also it is huge so it is easy to ride.

This. So much this.
Been there, done that.
The earlier you get it, the funnier it is.
Nothing, NOTHING, can stop you.

[CyberThread]

WBL wise, that is aiming towards level 11 or even higher.

[shylocke]

My old DM refused to let me get one. Gonna ask new DM next week.

[killem2]

I found it, it was in dragon 294, but it is a gnomish battlepack and it is meant for a small or tiny creature to ride a medium creature :(.