# Mounts for Halflings



## Orci (Jun 3, 2008)

Why do the Mount rules require a large or larger Mount? What about Halflings riding Dogs or something?


----------



## VannATLC (Jun 3, 2008)

Medium mounts lack structural intergrity.

Even a small child will severely damage a dog's back, and halflings are now bigger than 8 year olds.

(Barbaric Halflings riding on Raptors will never, ever be beaten.)


----------



## ozziewolf (Jun 3, 2008)

I want a dire wolf as my mount.   

Now if only there was some way I could talk my DM into it.


----------



## VannATLC (Jun 3, 2008)

Why do you need to talk your DM into it?

Dire Wolves are larger.

Its a nice opportunity for you to raid a Dire Wolf lair, steal its cubs and wait 5 years.

What?

You want to train a fully grown one?

Might have to wait to see what the druid can do.

Or talk about creating domination rituals.


----------



## Pbartender (Jun 3, 2008)

VannATLC said:
			
		

> Medium mounts lack structural intergrity.
> 
> Even a small child will severely damage a dog's back, and halflings are now bigger than 8 year olds.




But that has more to do with the skeletal and muscular structure of a dog, rather than its size.  Consider that Shetland ponies, ostensibly medium-sized animals, are often used as riding ponies for children.

Also, as you mention, halflings are bigger now...  Up to a foot taller, and almost twice as heavy as their 3E predecessors.  That makes a big difference.



			
				VannATLC said:
			
		

> Dire Wolves are larger.




Exactly.  For that matter, use Dire Wolf stats and simply call it a Really Big Dog.


----------



## ozziewolf (Jun 3, 2008)

VannATLC said:
			
		

> Why do you need to talk your DM into it?
> 
> Dire Wolves are larger.
> 
> ...




He'd likely stick me on a rabbit because he thought it was funny.  I can see it now... sorry son... all we have left here are these dire rabbits.

Percy: ...  
Stable owner: It's that or you walk buddy.. take your pick.

*Percy is later seen riding across the plains on a dire rabbit*

He has a twisted sense of humor like that... although in all seriousness I don't think he'd actually do that.. well maybe now that I joked about it he might. (We've been friends for about 8 years now.)

Maybe I could have a puma. (Inside joke)


----------



## VannATLC (Jun 3, 2008)

.. A dire rabbit would be awesome.

Monty Python style.

Shetland Ponies are marked as Medium? Really? I don't have my 3.5 books to look.

Even a small one is still pretty big, compared to a human. I mean. shorter, but still stocky and pretty long.


----------



## Lizard (Jun 3, 2008)

So, lemme get this straight....

A Halfling Rogue can make an Ancient Dragon go flying 4+ squares using a first level encounter power, but suddenly, the size of *mounts* matters?

House Rule 56-B: Mounts must be one size category larger than the rider. Small creatures can ride medium mounts, Tiny creatures Small mounts, etc.


----------



## med stud (Jun 3, 2008)

Weird mounts is a D&D- tradition, don't let real world- physics get in your way 

The standard mount for halflings would be either ponies or regular horses. A halfling is about the size of a 9-10 year old now and 9-10 year-olds were tought to fight from horse back in medieval times.

Quote from a 12th century guy who trained noble children: "The 12-year old that has never felt his teeth break beneath his helmet will never be a warrior."


----------



## Mort_Q (Jun 3, 2008)

Halflings ride dinosaurs!!  Graaaawwwwrrrr!


----------



## VannATLC (Jun 3, 2008)

Yeah.. I've already house ruled the push/pull/slide powers to lose 1 point for every category larger they are, after the 1st.

Man, I can't think of a better way to word that, outside of a formula.


----------



## ozziewolf (Jun 3, 2008)

VannATLC said:
			
		

> Yeah.. I've already house ruled the push/pull/slide powers to lose 1 point for every category larger they are, after the 1st.
> 
> Man, I can't think of a better way to word that, outside of a formula.




To be fair the Rogue sliding ability isn't about physical strength but feints and lures to position the monster where they want them... the monster itself does the actual movement.


----------



## nittanytbone (Jun 3, 2008)

I think the biggest loss is goblins mounted on regular wolves.  Sometimes a worg or dire wolf is just too tough!


----------



## Blackeagle (Jun 3, 2008)

ozziewolf said:
			
		

> I want a dire wolf as my mount.




Argent. I choose you!


----------



## Pbartender (Jun 3, 2008)

VannATLC said:
			
		

> Shetland Ponies are marked as Medium? Really? I don't have my 3.5 books to look.




Shetland Ponies are not specifically listed in the _Monster Manuals_. The Pony entry describes "a small horse, under 5 feet tall at the shoulder".

Shetland ponies are typically anywhere from 28 inches to 42 inches high at the shoulder.  Remember, by 3.5 rules, a medium-sized creature is one that is 4-8ft. in height (or length), weighing 60-500 lbs.  Most Shetlands will fall within that range, though some may be at the upper end.

By comparison, typical heights of large several large dog breeds (feasibly "riding dogs")...

Great Danes...  30 to 40 inches
Irish Wolfhounds...  33 to 36 inches
St. Bernards...  27 to 36 inches
Huskies...  23 to 28 inches
German Shepherds...  22 to 27 inches

An Irish Wolfhound...







A 3.5 halfling would be about as tall (34 to 38 inches) as that dog.


----------



## Family (Jun 3, 2008)

Jockeys are around 5" and 110lbs, Halflings can be 4'2" and 85lbs...plus they don't have to ride the thoroughbreds that win races that are 16-17 hands tall. A 14-15 hand horse would be just fine.

Then again this is fantasy, and in 4e halfings can ride horses.

Either way, giddy up


----------



## Aegir (Jun 4, 2008)

nittanytbone said:
			
		

> I think the biggest loss is goblins mounted on regular wolves.  Sometimes a worg or dire wolf is just too tough!




I'm surprised this niche wasn't covered as a Goblin monster. The worg entry does list that they get along well with goblins and often are seen carrying them into battle, but worgs as written are Lv 9 Brutes, so they might need a bit of powering down in many cases.

Wolves, OTOH, are only Lv 2. They're also better then their 3.x counterparts, and they were pretty decent (especially for low-level animals) even then. Basically, their "trip" ability is still in, only now its an automatic if they hit and have CA (their bites are also more powerful against prone targets).

Man, that is one scary encounter now, a pack of regular old Lv 2 wolves.


----------

