[DF] MOOSE! (Druidic Ally)

[chandley]

Inspired by the "make druids useful" thread necromancy, it occurs to me that only the Boar in the current Allies list has a striker, making it safe to attack armed opponents. The other notable (and common) animal with strikers are various deer, the most appropriate one for pure impressive munchkin druids being the Moose:

Moose
12 or 18 points
This giant herbivore is crowned by a truly impressive rack of antlers, which it has long experience using to crush and mutilate its enemies. Unafraid of anything, it also makes an impressive mount with a more druidic twist than the Stallion.

Shapeshifting: 10 to cast, 4 to maintain; or 183 points.

ST: 30 [100] HP: 30 [0] Speed: 6.00 [0]
DX: 12 [24] Will: 11 [25] Move: 8/24 [10]
IQ: 6 [-80] Per: 12 [30] SM: +1
HT: 13 [30] FP: 13 [0] BL: 106 lbs
Dodge: 9 Parry: 11 (Antler) DR: 1*, 7 for skull.

Antler Gore (15): 3d+6 imp, Reach C-1, can parry.
Bite (15): 3d-3 cr, Reach C-1.
Kick (15): 3d+3 cr, Reach C-1.
Antler Charge (15): 4d+8 imp at Move 12-14, 5d+10 imp at Move 15-17, 6d+12 at Move 18-21, 7d+14 at 22+
Advantages: Claws (Hooves) [3]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Enhanced Move 1.5 (Ground) [30]; Night Vision 3 [3];
Peripheral Vision [15]; DR 1 (Tough Skin -40%) [3]; DR 4 (Skull Only -70%) [6]; Fearlessness 5 [10]; Impaling Striker (Long +100%) [16];
Disadvantages: Animal Ally [-44]; Quadruped [-35]; Restricted Diet (Herbivore) [-10]; Weak Bite [-2].
Features: Large Antlers 3 (Striker weight for parrying is STx1.6 lbs, +3 to hit striker in combat)
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+3 [8]-15; Mount (A) DX+1 [4]-13; Running (A) HT+1 [4]-14; Stealth (A) DX+1 [4]-13;
Survival (Forest) (A) Per [2]-12; Escape (H) DX [4]-12; Climbing (A) DX [2]-12; Swimming (E) HT [1]-13; Hiking (A) HT [4]-13;
Intimidation (A) Will-1 [2]-11*.
Techniques: Kicking (Brawling) (H) [3]-15.
Class: Animal.

*Treat as SM+3 for purposes of Intimidation, due to large antlers.

[Walrus]

Awesome!

But I see several issues.

First, I don't see moose's antlers as an impaling striker. Though it may depend on particular form of subspecie, so this is just badass version.

And some pure mechanical ones. Kicking damage should be just 3d because Horizontal and Hooves equalize each other. SM might be at least +2 (due to Horizontal, again) though SM +1 may be just usual assumption to make less difficulties with narrow places.

[chandley]

Originally Posted by Walrus

Awesome!

But I see several issues.

First, I don't see moose's antlers as an impaling striker. Though it may depend on particular form of subspecie, so this is just badass version.

And some pure mechanical ones. Kicking damage should be just 3d because Horizontal and Hooves equalize each other. SM might be at least +2 (due to Horizontal, again) though SM +1 may be just usual assumption to make less difficulties with narrow places.

Moose antlers actually have several sharp points on them, that are at least as long as spear heads, check http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...e/antler12.jpg for an example.

Kicking damage has been adjusted for Horizontal, you are probably missing the +1 per die from Brawling at DX+2.

There are two "sizes" in SM+1 Horizontal. There is the 2 hex version and the 3 hex version. This guy is the 3 hex version. Moose dont quite get big enough to qualify for SM +2, which requires a 5 yard linear dimension (which is more Hippo, Rhino or Elephant sized).

[Bruno]

I have difficulty believing in SM +1 meese. My friend also asks if the 7d+14 charge attack is taking into account the neurotoxin or something[1], because it seems a little too good otherwise :D

Impaling, I'll buy in a DF setting. The antlers are big palmate things, but the "digits" are pointy. More realistically is probably cutting or crushing but I'll buy it for DF :)

[1] something of an in-joke on his blog

[chandley]

Originally Posted by Bruno

I have difficulty believing in SM +1 meese. My friend also asks if the 7d+14 charge attack is taking into account the neurotoxin or something[1], because it seems a little too good otherwise :D

Impaling, I'll buy in a DF setting. The antlers are big palmate things, but the "digits" are pointy. More realistically is probably cutting or crushing but I'll buy it for DF :)

[1] something of an in-joke on his blog

7 feet tall, 10 feet long, 1500 lbs. Its on the border, and I went with SM+1 (3 hexes). If you want em SM+2, it just makes ST cheaper (Save 20 points). Spread the saved points out amongst the skills.

It is definitely impaling. The sharp prongs are longer than a short sword, which is also impaling. If these guys core you, they gore right through you. If they sweep to the side, they have the option to do crushing, but that should be treated as "hitting with the flat". They dont do that normally.

This guy is bigger than a normal Moose (who is ST 23). That ups his Slam damage by a bit. Basically, its the normal slam damage (30 ST x Move 24)/100 = 7d, +1 per die for the leading with the striker, and +1 per die for Brawling at DX+2 (which Kromm specifically said is kosher). Also per Kromm, the striker absorbs the return damage, and ignores it. This is all canon for DF and basic Strikers. In a realistic treatment, you need to reduce the cost of the striker with some limitations, but Ive gone over that to death on these boards already.

[Bruno]

Only some breeds of moose have those long poky lobes, was my point. Some moose have Very Very blunt lobes, and some don't have the palmate scoops at all, instead having blunt lobes much like a smaller deers (mostly in the east end of eurasia)

[chandley]

Originally Posted by Bruno

Only some breeds of moose have those long poky lobes, was my point. Some moose have Very Very blunt lobes, and some don't have the palmate scoops at all, instead having blunt lobes much like a smaller deers (mostly in the east end of eurasia)

Ah. Well, I posted the pic of the moose antlers I am basing it on. If YOUR moose is different, its pretty easy to adjust as needed.

Oh, I will say that you are unlikely to ever actually GET to 7d on a slam. Takes 3 turns to accelerate to Move 24, so you need a run up of 48 yards in a fairly straight line... The Move 8 Slam that will be more typical just does the normal antler damage based on ST.

[Walrus]

Originally Posted by chandley

Moose antlers actually have several sharp points on them, that are at least as long as spear heads, check http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...e/antler12.jpg for an example.

Yeha, i checked. It's just usual assumption about our elks in Russia.

Kicking damage has been adjusted for Horizontal, you are probably missing the +1 per die from Brawling at DX+2.

Cetainly.

There are two "sizes" in SM+1 Horizontal. There is the 2 hex version and the 3 hex version. This guy is the 3 hex version. Moose dont quite get big enough to qualify for SM +2, which requires a 5 yard linear dimension (which is more Hippo, Rhino or Elephant sized).

Thank you for clarifying.

[ArmoredSaint]

Wow!

o___0

Those damage figures seem a little high. Isn't that higher than a lance wielded from the back of a charging warhorse?

Yeah, I have a little trouble accepting that...

[Bruno]

Exceptional moose top out at 35 miles an hour (Move 17). I'd remove the extra half-level of Enhanced move. I also don't think antlers are a good enough striking surface to justify the +1/die damage bonus - and I still think impaling is dubious. Tridents are bad weapons, because the force is distributed over a larger area than is efficient; moose have a terrible set of tridents on their heads.

Moose don't really use those antlers for self defense and they certainly don't charge like rhinos - they're far more likely to kick you to death. Or crush your car, but that's a different thing. The antlers are used for fighting between males in the breeding season - they "lock horns" and wrestle.