Mount Question

[-Cor-]

A quick intro:

I'm getting ready to start a new campaign, and while I have a considerable amount of experience "playing" 3.5 DnD and probably just as much experience DMing other games, this will be my first time DMing 3.5. So, like most, I'm riddled with a ton of questions and have one I just can't figure out on my own.

This campaign is starting at level 1 with a 32 pt buy. Core + MIC, AEG, and PHB2. (And MM2 and DMG2 for me. Core + 5 I call it.)

I have a player who has come up with an incredibly interesting character concept. I won't go into great detail, but suffice it to say for this character to work, it needs a mount from right out of the gate at level 1. And wants a really specific mount at that; a wolverine.

I'd love for him to have it as I love the character concept, but I'm finding it really hard to justify a level 1 character with a 3HD CR 2 mount.

Even if yes, part of his well written back story is he found it and raised it from a kit. And even though he is a Gnome and can literally speak with the animal for a short period of time every day and would therefore have at least a minor circumstance bonus with the Handle Animal checks. And even though he's dropping all of his skill points into Ride and Handle Animal and taking the Animal Affinity feat. And he's spending all of his starting money on an exotic saddle for it.

Despite all of this effort there's still something bothering me about a level 1 with a CR 2 "pet". Even if once he gets to level 5 it'll hardly matter anymore.

Now, I think I might have come up with something, but I'm a little nervous about it. I was reading about advancing monsters and thought "Why not de-advance one?" Basically, create a small progression for his mount that he's made all of these concessions for. It would go something like this:

~Player Level 1 = Wolverine Mount with 1HD, 1 rank in both of its skills, and no Rage ability. (now approximately a CR 1)
~Player Level 3 = Wolverine Mount with 2HD, all of its ranks in its skills, still no Rage ability. (CR 1 1/2?)
~Player Level 5 = Wolverine Mount with 3HD and it's Rage ability. (Basically the standard entry at CR 2 which the DMG says is an appropriate CR for a mount for a 5th level character).

That said, the questions for all you bright and attractive OOtS forum readers:

Am I taking this too seriously? Does it not matter that much? Does my advancement idea seem stupid or would that work? And lastly, can anyone think of any better ideas for giving this guy a mount?

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.

[Albonor]

You ARE taking it too seriously but it is a concern. I suggest cursing the damn wolverine, a curse that will slowly go away with time. They did it quite well in Tales of the Abyss. After all, it is not the fact that the criter will be hard to kill that matters, it is the fact that it will win the fights alone. So curse it to suffer 1hp of damage with each ATTACK (not hit) for the first levels (you can introduc an anoying vilain with this, like a goblin witch, a fey-type, a...)

[tyckspoon]

The progression you sketched out should work fine. I'd probably peg a 1HD, non-raging wolverine at more like CR 1/2, but that's not so much difference that it really needs correcting; even at 1 HD, the wolverine's multiple natural attacks and good stats will let it be a useful mount.

[-Cor-]

I suggest cursing the damn wolverine, a curse that will slowly go away with time.

Hmmm... interesting alternative and one I'll definitely give some thought.

In other words, don't change the stat block, apply an inhibiting template that can be removed by some magical means.

Thanks. :)

[Infinity_Biscuit]

A heavy warhorse is a 4HD CR2 mount purchasable by anyone for 400GP. If the character starts out with enough wealth (or took out a loan or something), I don't see why you couldn't let him use an unmodified wolverine.

[-Cor-]

A heavy warhorse is a 4HD CR2 mount purchasable by anyone for 400GP. If the character starts out with enough wealth (or took out a loan or something), I don't see why you couldn't let him use an unmodified wolverine.

Perhaps, but CRs aren't always exactly spot on.

Let's compare the two stat blocks:

Heavy Warhorse

Spoiler

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Size/Type: Large Animal
Hit Dice: 4d8+12 (30 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11
Attack: Hoof +6 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack: 2 hooves +6 melee (1d6+4) and bite +1 melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: --
Special Qualities: Low-light vision
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +4
Feats: Endurance, Run
Challenge Rating: 2

Wolverine

Spoiler

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Size/Type: Medium Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8+15 (28 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Claw +4 melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack: 2 claws +4 melee (1d4+2) and bite -1 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rage
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Climb +10, Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Toughness, Track
Challenge Rating: 2

Wolverine has slighter fewer hit points (albeit minus a hit die) and the attacks aren't as good, but it's the Climb Speed, Burrow Speed, Rage, Scent, 3 Better ability scores, Better skills, and the 3 Useful Feats that I'm concerned wtih.

The Rage especially.

<shrug>

The DMG also says that a mount's CR should always be at least 3 below the CL of the owner. It could just be talking about Paladin Mounts and Animal Companions, but it doesn't specifically stipulate that.

Sounds like I'm trying to talk myself out of it, huh? Not exactly, I just don't want to encounter a first level scenario where someone's pet mops (or even could mop) the floor solo with the enemies encountered.