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Sarcosan-Bred Horse

"Sarcosan-bred" is an inherited template that can be added to any horse (referred to hereafter as the base creature). The creature's size, type, armor class, feats, and special attacks do not change.

A Sarcosan-bred horse uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Hit Dice: The horse's Hit Dice do not change, but the horse has maximum hit points.

Speed: Faster than horses bred elsewhere; increase the base creature's speed by 5 ft.

Special Qualities: Sarcosan-bred horses often posses quirks that make them especially unique. Roll once on the Quirks chart below.

Abilities: Sarcosan-bred horses tend to be smaller but faster than normal horses. Adjust the base creature as follows: Dex +2, Con -2.

Skills: Sarcosan-bred horses are well known as skilled jumpers. Sarcosan-bred horses receive a +2 racial bonus to Jump checks.

Environment: Southern Erenland.

Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +1.

Alignment: Same as the base creature.

Horse Tricks

Sarcosan culture is based on the bond that riders share with their horses, and thus it is only natural that this relationship would lead to the development of a few tricks not found elsewhere. Each of these tricks plays upon one of the strengths of a Sarcosan-bred horse, so the DC to teach these tricks to other horses is increased by 2. These tricks may be taught to non-horses, as well, but the DC is increased by 5. The DC listed after each trick is the DC for the Handle Animal check to teach the trick to a mount; getting the mount to perform a trick follows the normal rules, including requiring a successful DC 10 Handle Animal check for a mount to perform a trick it knows and a DC 25 Handle Animal check to "push" a mount to perform a trick it does not know. Each of these specialized tricks counts as two of the mount's tricks.

Defensive Attack (DC 25): Your animal has learned that not being hit is preferable to hitting the enemy. When you successfully convince your mount to attack and it uses the attack action or full attack action in melee, it may take a penalty of as much as -5 (rider's choice) on its attack roll and add the same number (+5 or less) as a dodge bonus to its Armor Class. This number may not exceed the mount's base attack bonus. The changes to attack rolls and Armor Class last until your animal's next action.

It costs only one trick for Sarcosan-bred horses with the skittish quirk to learn the Defensive Attack trick.

Hide (DC 10): Your animal has been trained to lie prone in the long grass common to the plains in order to gain concealment when hiding.

It costs only one trick for Sarcosan-bred horses with the wild quirk to learn the Hide trick.

Interpose (DC 25): You have trained your mount to interpose itself between you and harm. The first time you are successfully attacked in melee each round, your mount may attempt a Reflex saving throw with a DC equal to the Armor Class hit by the attack. If successful, your mount has interposed itself and takes the damage instead. The mount may not perform this trick if it is flat-footed or otherwise unaware of the attack. It costs only one trick for Sarcosan-bred horses with the loyal quirk to learn the Interpose trick. If your mount knows this trick, it always attempts the Reflex saving throw unless you command it not to do so. This is accomplished with a DC 10 Handle Animal check as a move action immediately before (up to 1 minute previous to) or at the beginning of an encounter.

Sarcosan-Bred Quirks

D10 Roll Quirk Game Effect
1 Skittish This horse is especially jittery, and receives a +1 competence bonus to Initiative checks and a -2 to save against fear effects.
2 Loyal This horse forms a close bond with its master and should its master fall unconscious or die, the horse will attack any enemy who approaches the owner, fighting to the death to defend him or her. Characters known by the horse to be his master's friends or allies may approach with a DC 15 Handle Animal or Wild Empathy check, but those with evil intent posing as friends (such as spies or assassins) must also make a Charisma check opposed by the horse's Wisdom check; normal body language and skill at bluffing are not a factor against an animal.
3 Wild This horse is more at home in the wild. The rider receives a +2 competence bonus to Ride and Handle Animal checks made while in natural settings, and a -2 penalty to the similar checks made in cities or towns.
4 Domesticated This horse is used to the noises of big cities and gains a +2 competence bonus to saves against fear effects. However, it can never be trained to fight unnatural creatures (i.e., anything other than humanoids, monstrous humanoids, giants, or animals).
5 Alert This horse is especially alert and gains the Alertness feat. Unfortunately, the horse is often nervous and does not eat well. It loses the Endurance feat and suffers a -1 penalty to Fortitude saving throws.
6 Strong This horse is built for strength instead of speed or intelligence. It receives a +2 bonus to Strength but loses the +5-ft. movement and +2 Dex bonus of most Sarcosan-bred horses. Additionally, it may only learn half the normal number of tricks for its Intelligence.
7 Disgruntled This horse does not get along well with other horses. When not in battle, it attempts a nonlethal bite attack against any other horse that enters its threat range. If the horse is being ridden, this instinct can be countered with a DC 25 Handle Animal check. The horse gains a +1 competence bonus to its bite attack at all times.
8 Smart This horse is capable of learning two additonal tricks, but it is also more docile than most. The Ride check to get the horse to attack incurs a -5 competence penalty.
9 Tracker This horse has an especially sensitive nose and has the Track trick as a bonus trick. It gains a +2 competence bonus to Survival checks made to track by scent, but it also suffers a -2 penalty to any Fortitude save against effects that would sicken or nauseate it.
10 DM's Choice DM's Choice (The DM may invent his own, choose one of the above, or choose a bonus feat that the horse receives.)