June 19, 2013 / Frank Gori / 4 comments
Man is a wingless animal with two feet and flat nails.” —Plato
Humans dominate the Earth because we use tools, plain and simple. Animals are limited to genetic and behavior adaptations, while humans can adjust to new environmental hazards with technology. Fangs and claws simply cannot compete with swords and guns. We have even taken the sky from the birds and the ocean depths from the fish.
In most fantasy settings, the world is not quite as tamed as ours is. While amazing and potent, magic is in relatively few hands. Where technology serves as an equalizer, magic creates gaps of power. In many ways, a magic item is the ultimate tool.
In Pathfinder and similar settings, we often see any number of characters with an animal companion or familiar. These animals are presented as extraordinary examples of their respective species and, in the case of animal companions and mounts, they fight alongside heroes. I regard animal companions as being heroic, and heroes need to be equipped. Join me after the jump for another way to think regarding the subject of what magic items an animal can wield as Old Hat Monsters presents Lions and Tigers and Bears, Equipped!
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June 12, 2013 / Frank Gori / 16 comments
“When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes.”
― William Shakespeare, Henry V
Fantasy novels love a good cavalry charge, or a hero who fights alongside a wolf, or a potent mage who spies from the eyes of a soaring bird. In Pathfinder, the only class feature that trumps the animal companion or familiar is spellcasting. Having another creature in a player’s control enhances tactical options and widens that character’s arrays of abilities.
A war-trained horse alone can greatly enhance character movement, carrying capacity, attack options, and defenses. A horse can be a better companion than some fighters since it begins with three attacks, scent, an outstanding carrying capacity, and an excellent move speed.
This may come as no surprise to Kobold Press regulars, but I must confess: I’m a bit addicted to monsters. As a player, I gravitate toward options that give me a familiar, animal companion, or mount since I find the game is missing something for me without that option. I feel that I’m in good company since eight of the eleven base classes either outright gives an animal companion, mount, or familiar, or have options that allow you to take one. So, join me after the jump as we discuss the best options available for animal companions, familiars, and mounts, and keep your eyes peeled for more topics around our fanged and clawed allies, including some alternate rules.
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June 6, 2013 / Peter von Bleichert / One comment
Gnolls have slaughtered their way to gaming infamy, and they are a favorite of gamemasters (GMs) and players alike. This article can be used by GMs to round out this age-old monster, or players can use it to create new characters. The following gnoll variant is formatted for AGE—though you can convert the material to your preferred system easily enough—and is specific to the Midgard campaign world.
Gnoll Vulturist
South of Siwal and deep in the Vulture’s Quarter exists a gnoll kingdom. This kingdom is ruled from a little-known city called Olum Kuleleri, where a gnoll said to be twice the size of any other sits upon a throne of bone. Olum Kuleleri is primarily subterranean, with vast natural and hewn Underdark levels housing armories, gnoll pup nurseries, slave barracks, and meat repositories that are guarded by trolls.
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June 5, 2013 / Frank Gori / 10 comments
A good gaming session has a few of the same elements as some traditional wedding receptions. Both are a gathering of friends in a festive atmosphere, likely with food at some point. As with one wedding tradition I could name, each session could feature “something old” and “something new.” Those familiar with my series here at Kobold Press know my favorite way to make nostalgic classic monsters new is to use templates to create an unexpected twist. This is not going to be one of those articles.
To extend the wedding analogy one more step, our “something blue” this week is the signature weapon of the various monstrous races—you’d be blue, too, if you had to wield the goblin’s weapon! Less is sometimes more; after the jump we’ll discuss what works and we’ll also propose a few changes to the monster weapon rack.
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May 29, 2013 / Frank Gori / 3 comments
Last week, I had a survey that would pay off with this week’s article. Responses were consistent on wanting a CR 7–10 encounter, but there ended up being a tie between kobolds and bugbears for this week’s star! House rule: When there’s a tie between kobolds and something else, kobolds win. I can perhaps be persuaded to stat out our bugbear rivals in the comment section.
An encounter works best when you have more than one thing to think about. Since it’s kobolds, I had to do a trap. Since this is Kobold Press, of course we have a second trap to knock your unsuspecting player characters back into the first trap, and a vulnerable spellcaster plays the bait! Need I say more? Join me after the jump.
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Man is a wingless animal with two feet and flat nails.” —Plato
