Mounts

From the mighty warhorse to the humble pack mule, mounts can be an integral part of your battle plan or simply a way to carry your excess gear. This section concerns the cost, upkeep, and carrying utility of your mounts (details on mounted combat are in Chapter 8: Combat).

In order to be used as a mount, a creature must be at least one size category larger than you, and must have an Intelligence score of 4 or lower. You may be able to convince creatures with a higher Intelligence score to let you ride them, but they are considered independent creatures (not mounts).

You can utilize a mount as a pack animal instead of riding it. A pack animal can carry a number of Supply based on its size in addition to its normal carrying capacity, and it can carry a number of bulky items equal to its Strength modifier + 1. If you intend to ride a mount as well as carry items with it, it can only carry half as many Supply and bulky items.

Many beasts commonly used as pack animals and mounts are especially adept at carrying heavy loads, and animals such as horses and mules have a much higher carrying capacity than their Strength score would normally provide, as shown on Table: Mounts.

An animal pulling a drawn vehicle can move weight up to 5 times its carrying capacity, including the weight of the vehicle. If multiple animals pull the same vehicle, they add their carrying capacities together.

Mounts other than those listed here may be commonly available in your setting, or may be rare creatures awarded for the completion of a quest. Many large pets could also be used as mounts. 

Table: Mounts

Mount Gear

The following items are associated with keeping proper care of a mount.

Barding. Barding is armor designed to fit an animal. Any type of armor (as shown on Table: Armor) can be purchased as barding, but it costs 4 times as much as the equivalent humanoid armor and it weighs twice as much.

Saddles. Saddles make for an easier ride and help prevent the rider from falling off. You gain an expertise die on any check made to remain mounted while using a saddle. Saddles for particularly unusual creatures are more expensive and cost 5 times the price of a regular saddle.

Saddlebags. Saddlebags allow you to pack items onto a creature beside the saddle. You cannot use a mount to carry Supply or bulky items without saddlebags.

Stabling. In a city your mount will need lodging just like you do. The cost found on Table: Mount Gear is the average cost to house and feed a Large-sized or smaller mount for 24 hours at most stables. Particularly exotic or larger mounts may cost more to stable.

Table: Mount Gear

Feed

Mounts are living creatures and they need to eat. Thankfully, most common mounts are herbivorous animals able to feed themselves if allowed to graze for at least 1 hour a day in grassy areas. Other mounts—especially carnivorous ones—may not be so easy to keep fed. Carnivorous mounts and herbivorous mounts without grazing areas must be fed Supply each day, or else they suffer fatigue just like characters. Medium mounts require 1 Supply each day, Large mounts require 2 Supply each day, and mounts that are Huge size or larger require an amount of Supply determined by the Narrator.

If using the casual supplies rules, mounts are assumed to either feed themselves or are carrying enough feed to last any journey.

If using the desperate supplies rules, feed for mounts must be tracked separately. Throughout the course of a day, Large-sized mounts must consume at least 4 pounds of food and 4 gallons (32 pounds) of water. Huge-sized mounts must consume at least 16 pounds of food and 16 gallons (128 pounds) of water. When a mount finishes a long rest without having consumed its required food and water, it gains a level of fatigue .

Mount Traits

Every mount is different. For each mount, there is a chance of it having a special trait. Roll 1d6. On a roll of 6, roll 1d20 on the following table.

1. Fleet. The mount is unusually fast. Increase its Speed by 5 feet.
2. Loyal. The mount will always come to you when called or whistled for.
3. Aggressive. The mount’s attack bonuses are increased by 1.
4. Skittish. When the mount or its rider is first attacked in combat, roll 1d6. On a 1, the mount panics and flees in a random direction for 1 round.
5. Proud. The mount will carry its rider but refuses to carry bags.
6. Kicks. The mount attacks anybody who wanders close while it is not being ridden.
7. Protective. Once per long rest the mount will take a hit for its rider 
8. Dislikes barding. The mount will not wear barding of any kind.
9. Bestial. The mount is unusually bestial looking. The rider gains an expertise die on Intimidation checks.
10. Unusual color. The mount is an unusual color for its species, making it somewhat unique.
11. Placid. The mount is usually docile and friendly, and will not attack foes.
12. Devil-touched. The mount has some devilish blood, given away by its red eyes. It has resistance to fire damage.
13. Vertigo. The mount is afraid of heights. Taking the mount across high places (like on a ledge with a 10 foot drop below it) requires coaxing with a DC 10 Animal Handling check.
14. Fey-touched. The mount has some fey blood. It and its rider gain advantage when making saving throws against enchantment spells.
15. Greedy. The mount chows down on unattended food, and requires double the normal Supply.
16. Fearful. The mount is afraid of fire and will not move with 10 feet of it without a DC 10 Animal Handling check.
17. Willing. The mount is eager to please, and lowers itself to assist when being mounted. Mounting this mount is a free action.
18. Jump-shy. The mount will not attempt jumps of any kind.
19. Spirited. The mount and its rider gain +1 to initiative checks.
20. Watchful. The mount can stand watch and alert the party if it detects approaching creatures.