[Prc] Mr. Ed!

[Lysander]

A intelligent horse can save a rider's life and what's more intelligent than a person? Usually transformed by magical accident or an evil spell these former bipeds make the most of their curse. Some of the greatest knights in history only achieved their triumphs because of a Mr. Ed (good for cohorts!)

Mr. Ed

Prerequisites: Handle animal 2, Ride 2, Mounted Combat, must have been a sentient creature magically transformed into a heavy warhorse

A Mr. Ed retains their old intelligence, wisdom, and charisma, and hit points plus 12 additional hitpoints. Otherwise then gain all attributes, skills, and feats of a heavy warhorse. They retain all previous abilities but cannot do anything their new form prevents, including speech. They usually gain a large circumstance bonus to survival checks to feed themselves as they can eat grass. They can apply their own ride skill check to avoid blows with Mounted Combat.

Hit Dice: D8

Skill Points per level: 2 + Int modifier

Skills: Handle Animal, Sense Motive, Spot, Listen, Search, Survival, Jump, Intimidate, Perform (Impressive Feats of Horsemanship, Requires Rider), Perform (Animal Tricks), Perform (Tap Dancing), Ride

Bonus Languages: Sylvan

{table]Level| BAB| Fort| Ref| Will| Special
1st |+1 |+2 |+0 |+2 |A Horse is a Horse Of Course, Trusty Steed, Unnatural Equine, Mounted Combat
2nd |+2 |+3 |+0 |+3 |Meaningful Whinny, Stunning Hoof
3rd |+3 |+3 |+1|+3|Willing Gallop, Trample
4th |+4 |+4 |+1 |+4 |Diehard, Horsepower
5th |+5 |+4 |+1 |+4 | Best of Both Forms, Champion
[/table]

Weapons and Armor: A Mr. Ed can wear or use anything a horse could and nothing else. They can be shoed with Adamantine, Alchemical Silver, or Cold Iron horsehoes to gain hoof attacks that overcome the associated damage reduction. In fact each foot can be equipped with a different kind of horseshoe so it can attack with whatever is appropriate.

A Horse Is A Horse of Course

When the transformation struck them it really took. A Mr. Ed is immune to all transformation spells that would make them stop being a horse, beyond things like polymorph to stuff like Flesh to Stone which would just make them a statue of a horse. Spells that alter them slightly while keeping them a horse overall still work though. Even Wish cannot change a Mr. Ed. The only way a Mr. Ed can become something other than a horse (or a dead horse) is through reincarnation or direct divine intervention. If they somehow stop being a horse they lose all Mr. Ed Prc abilities.

Trusty Steed

Any rider/s a Mr. Ed carries automatically succeed on non-opposed ride checks. Also, any ally who has been with the Mr. Ed consistently for a month can vaguely understand their neighs, allowing the horse to communicate simple messages: "I want food" "Ambush up ahead" "I don't trust her" etc.

Unnatural Equine
A Mr. Ed's hoof attacks and bite are magical weapons.

Meaningful Whinny

The Mr. Ed has regained the power of speech, although their words are horribly tortured and horse-ish. They can still convertly neigh understable messages to their allies if they prefer.

Stunning Hoof
As a monk's Stunning Fist.

Willing Gallop
A Mr. Ed's speed increases by 10 feet. Damage from hustling becomes nonlethal. Additionally, once per encounter they can spur themselves (not literally) to go even faster without taking damage.

Trample
At level 3 a Mr. Ed gains the Trample feat for their charges.

Diehard
At level 4 a Mr. Ed gains the Diehard feat.

Horsepower
The Mr. Ed is starting to realize how much stronger their new form is. Once per day per Mr. Ed level they may treat one roll at though they had +4 STR.

Best of Both Forms

A Mr. Ed can choose whether or not to be affected by any spell that affects humans but not horses or horses but not humans. This provides no defense against spells that affect both humans and horses.

Champion

A Mr. Ed gains Improved Evasion while running, and forces the riders of any enemy horses they charge at to make a DC 5 Ride Check or be thrown from their horses.


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I gave them at least two things per level because of the no opposable thumbs downside to this PrC. Any suggestions for flavor/balance/fun?

[Debihuman]

While it is amusing, I think it needs some work.

I am almost sorry this template cannot be used by an Awakened horse.

Unfortunately, I can hardly see any real application of this. A sentient being who is transformed into a horse is probably not likely to have the other prerequisites (other than the transformation), nor would he or she be likely to want to give up the chance to transform back. This may work in a fairytale campaign but there are too many problems:

Why do they get 12 extra hit points?

Horses don't need Mounted Combat as a feat, only their riders need this. Intelligence horses (awakened or polymorphed) shouldn't need a rider to be able to join in combat. Normal horses are wary of combat but the same need not be true for beings transformed into horses. I could even see giving a Mr. Ed a bonus to fear checks or at higher levels.

Unnatural Equine is missing how a magical hoof or bite is used. Personally, I'd rather see this as an attack bonus.

I don't particularly like giving out feats at special abilities. It is okay to give out bonus feats at levels 1, 3, 6, etc. but make it clear that they are bonus feats and not special abilities. Also, you should designate whether these abilities are extraordinary, spell-like or supernatural.

Trample is not a feat it is generally an extraordinary ability. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm

Debby

[Lysander]

I'm giving them 12 extra hit points as a bonus for becoming much bigger than a human. I don't think +1d8 of a first level Mr. Ed otherwise represents the fortitude of a horse.

As for their riding feats, note I never say they need a rider to use any of them. The idea is since they're a sentient horse they can do everything on their own. Rather than have a rider help them avoid blows they can use Mounted Combat personally, etc. Trample is the fighter bonus feat, not the special ability.

The only supernatural aspects are A Horse Is a Horse, Unnatural Equine and best of Both Forms. Everything else is just taking advantage of the normal abilities of their new form.

Unnatural Equine is just to make up for the fact that they can't use most magical weapons anymore, for the purpose of getting past damage reduction.

While I agree this would not be a normal choice for a character their acquisition of it could be something decided on OOC. Rather than a character choosing to go out and become a Mr.Ed their player would tell the DM "Hey, playing a talking horse would be pretty awesome" and their character would bemoan their curse. Or, as I said, pretty great cohort.