Worked example of mounted encumbrance

[hcobb]

Brioshai, Goblin wizard, age 20
ST 6, DX 9, IQ 17, MA 10
Talents: Horsemanship, Knife, Literacy
Spells include: 7-Hex Fire, 7-Hex Illusion, Magic Rainstorm, Pathfinder, Remove Thrown Spell, Spellsniffer, Staff V
Languages: Common, Goblin, Sorcerers’ Tongue
Weapon: Staff V silver dagger (1d-1), brand (1d-2)
Attacks and Damage: Punch (1d-4)

ST 27 riding lizard: $499 (self trained, understands basic commands in Goblin)
Silver dagger staff: $100
Middle class robes: $35 (Goblin sized)
Saddle and bridle: $50
Belt pouch: $5
Waterskin: $3
Backpack: $40
2 days rations: $10
Week's fodder for lizard: $50
Healing potion: $150
Cash on hand: $58
She carries 9.98 pounds of encumbrance.

Her lizard caries that plus 90 pound goblin, 2.8 pounds for her robes, 15 pounds for saddle for a total of 117.78 pounds, which is 4.36x ST which is -6 MA by ITL 130, adjMA 14. (Good luck getting a human or orc rider to fit!)
Using the formula from Adventures 2, page 5/7 we get a 2.18x load (2-hex lizard) which is full MA 20 and a human rider (or even two!) would be manageable.

Note that brand is "free" for a wizard who knows 7-Hex Fire, so she doesn't need the Light spell or to pay for oil. (Shadow plus Mage Sight would be nice, but memory points don't grow on trees.)

In combat she'll use the lizard's mobility to maintain distance then occult zap with the staff at adjDX 9 + 3 (Staff III+) -1 (Horsemanship) = 11. Mounted spellcasting is avoided due to low DX and that she'd fall off if she rolled an 18.

[Ferretman]

I like it sir...well done!

When we played goblins they were typically most on foot with a small handful (a half dozen, maybe?) on dire wolves. Never thought to put them on anything else, really (mostly since those were the miniatures I had on hand), but as you show a two-hex lizard could definitely work here.


Ferret

[hcobb]

By ITL 130 the ST 16 Dire Wolf is at a 7.5x load and is therefore MA 4. Quicker to get off the dog and just walk.

If dwarves weren't so dang useful as pack animals, you could just get a pet (self trained w/o talent) dire wolf for $304, and put a backpack on that. Then roll IQ 17 + IQ 5 on 4d6 for a 94.6% control roll success. (And this is why you always see wizards with crazy pets, they're showing off their IQ excess.)

[Ferretman]

Originally Posted by hcobb

By ITL 130 the ST 16 Dire Wolf is at a 7.5x load and is therefore MA 4. Quicker to get off the dog and just walk.

Yeah, as I recall we either didn't have them be that encumbered or ignored it completely. I believe they were probably using small bows, at least that's what the miniatures I have show.


Ferret

[hcobb]

In Legacy encumbrance is one of the few factors against ST dumping. We don't have bags of holding and the other things ST used to be good for in Classic are much reduced:

1. Going to ST zero is no longer instant death, and if you've got good friends and some prep being a half dozen points below zero isn't that big a deal.
2. Weapon Expertise is new and a lot more powerful than bulking up to swing a big sword.
3. Experienced wizards can add mana a lot easier than ST.

And so on.

[Ferretman]

Originally Posted by hcobb

In Legacy encumbrance is one of the few factors against ST dumping. We don't have bags of holding and the other things ST used to be good for in Classic are much reduced:

I never really like the D&D Bag of Holding....terrible idea.

This was of course all Legacy....I'm pretty sure we didn't care at all about it. In this particular example, the four or so dire wolves were part of a general goblin hoard. I maybe (?) recall a goblin/dire wolf combo in one of the Death Tests, maybe?


Ferret

[Axly Suregrip]

Originally Posted by hcobb

By ITL 130 the ST 16 Dire Wolf is at a 7.5x load and is therefore MA 4. Quicker to get off the dog and just walk.... dire wolf ... and put a backpack on that.

Lewis & Clark used dogs as pack animals. So, this checks out.