Path of the Horseman

By choosing this path, a barbarian may gain a special mount similar to that of a paladin by taking the barbarian’s Mount Ability. The barbarian’s mount is similar to –yet distinct from –an animal companion, a familiar, and a paladin’s mount. The bond between a barbarian and his mount is born from the deep symbiosis between the barbarian’s soul and the natural world. The barbarian’s mount is a magical creature, but it is not the divine companion of the paladin –it is still rooted in the natural world, and represents a link between that world and the barbarian.

Barbarian’s Mount

Upon taking this ability at 3rd level, you can call an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve as your mount and companion (see the ‘Barbarian Mounts’ for details). The mount gains powers and abilities as you gain class levels. Should the mount die, you must wait one year and a day before you can call for a new one.

Types of Barbarian Special Mounts

Unlike a paladin, barbarians have a wider variety of mounts to choose from, often dependent upon the prominent terrain in their homelands. In addition, through the use of the Greater Special Mount and Supreme Special Mount feats, barbarians gain access to an even wider, and more powerful, variety of creatures for use as special mounts. Note that all such Greater or Supreme mounts are governed by the alignment and level restrictions listed for that monster or creature under ”Associated Character Level” in the lists of Greater and Supreme familiars.

Table 2-11: Standard Special Mounts
Small Barbarians
Special Mount Barbarian Type
Dog, riding (as mastiff)* Plainsmen or Northmen
Hyena* Jungle Savages or Plainsmen
Lizard, Giant* Jungle Savages
Pony * Plainsmen or Northmen
Wolf* Plainsmen or Northmen
Medium Barbarians
Special Mount Barbarian Type
Camel** Plainsmen
Warhorse* Jungle Savages, Plainsmen, or Northmen
Table 2-2: Greater Mounts
Small Barbarians
Special Mount Barbarian Type
Bear, black Jungle Savages or Plainsmen
Boar Jungle Savages or Plainsmen
Worg Jungle Savages or Plainsmen
Medium Barbarians
Special Mount Barbarian Type
Bear, brown Plainsmen
Bear, polar Northmen
Bison Plainsmen
Elk Northmen
Giant Bat Jungle Savages
Hippogriff Plainsmen
Lion Jungle Savages or Plainsmen
Lizard, giant venomous Jungle Savages
Lizard, Giant (Variant) Jungle Savages
Ostrich Plainsmen
Sabre-Tooth tiger Jungle Savages or Plainsmen
Tiger Jungle Savages
Yak Northmen
Large Barbarians
Special Mount Barbarian Type
Giraffe Plainsmen
Elk, Giant
Table 2-3: Supreme Mounts
Small Barbarians
Special Mount Barbarian Type
Dragon, very young (blue or copper) Plainsmen
Dragon, very young (bronze or green) Jungle Savages
Dragon, very young (silver) Northmen
Medium Barbarians
Special Mount Barbarian Type
Achaierai Jungle Savages or Plainsmen
Giant bear Northmen
Giant boar Jungle Savages or Plainsmen
Giant lion Jungle Savages or Plainsmen
Giant tiger Jungle Savages
Dire wolf Plainsmen or Northmen
Giant Badger/wolverine Northmen
Dragonne Plainsmen
Dragon, very young (red or gold) Plainsmen
Giant eagle Plainsmen
Griffin Plainsmen or Northmen
Lizard, Giant venomous Jungle Savages
Pegasus Plainsmen
Rhinoceros Plainsmen
Spider eater Jungle Savages
Winter wolf Northmen
Large Barbarians
Special Mount Barbarian Type
Elephant (mammoth) Jungle Savages, Plainsmen or Northmen
Dinosaur Jungle Savages

Barbarian’s Special Mount Properties and Special Abilities

Once per day, as a full-round action, a barbarian may magically call his mount from the outer planes in which it resides. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the barbarian and remains for 2 hours per barbarian level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the barbarian may release a particular mount from service (if it has grown too old to join his adventures, for instance).

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing any gear it had when it was last dismissed (including barding, saddle, saddlebags, and the like). Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the barbarian’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The barbarian may not summon another mount for thirty days or until he gains a barbarian level or adds either the Greater Special Mount or Supreme Special Mount Abilities, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead.

During this thirty-day period, the barbarian takes a -1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls as his grief and anger impede his ability.

A barbarian’s mount uses the base statistics for a creature of its type, but gains the abilities shown on the table below.

A barbarian’s mount is treated as a magical beast, regardless of the base creature’s original type, for the purposes of all effects that depend on its type though it retains the base creature’s HD.

Barbarian Level: The class level of the barbarian. If the mount suffers a level drain, treat it as the mount of a lower-level barbarian.

Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the mount’s base attack and base save bonuses.

Natural Armor Adj.: The number on the table is an improvement to the mount’s existing natural armor class. It represents the preternatural toughness of a barbarian’s mount.

Int.: The mount’s Intelligence score (if higher than the mount’s natural Intelligence score).

Empathic Link: The barbarian and his mount have an empathic link out to a distance of one mile. The barbarian cannot see through the mount’s eyes, but he can communicate empathically. Even intelligent mounts see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible. This is a supernatural ability. Because of the empathic link between the mount and barbarian, the barbarian has the same connection to an item or place that the mount does, just as a master and his familiar.

Share Saving Throws: The mount uses its own base save or its master’s, whichever is higher.

Mount Ability: Select any one mount ability (see Table 2-15: Special Mount Abilities).

Table 2-14: Standard Barbarian’s Special Mount
Barbarian Level Bonus HD Natural Armor Adj. Strength Adj Int Special Abilities
3rd-5th +1 +2 +1 5 Whirlwind Attack (2 Opponents), empathic link, share saving throws, Combat Sense, Primeval Instincts.
6th-9th +2 +4 +2 6 Whirlwind Attack (3 Opponents)
10th-13th +4 +6 +3 7
14th-16th +6 +8 +4 8 Whirlwind Attack (4 Opponents)
17th-20th +8 +10 +5 9
Table 2-15: Greater Barbarian’s Special Mount
Barbarian Level Bonus HD Natural Armor Adj. Strength Adj Int Special Abilities
4rd-5th +1 +2 +1 5 Whirlwind Attack (2 Opponents), empathic link, share saving throws, Combat Sense, Primeval Instincts.
6th-9th +2 +4 +2 6 Whirlwind Attack (3 Opponents)
10th-13th +4 +6 +3 7
14th-16th +6 +8 +4 8 Whirlwind Attack (4 Opponents)
17th-20th +8 +10 +5 9
Table 2-16: Supreme Barbarian’s Special Mount
Barbarian Level Bonus HD Natural Armor Adj. Strength Adj Int Special Abilities
3rd-5th +1 +2 +1 5 Whirlwind Attack (2 Opponents), empathic link, share saving throws, Combat Sense, Primeval Instincts.
6th-9th +2 +4 +2 6 Whirlwind Attack (3 Opponents)
10th-13th +4 +6 +3 7
14th-16th +6 +8 +4 8 Whirlwind Attack (4 Opponents)
17th-20th +8 +10 +5 9
Table 2-15: Special Mount Abilities
Alertness
Blessed Companion
Blood Bond
Enhance Attribute
Command Creatures of Its Kind
Commune with Nature
Countercall
Courageous Roar
Danger Sense
Darkvision
Detect Chaos
Detect Evil
Detect Good
Detect Law
Detect Magic
Discern Lies
Disease Immunity
Distracting
Encompassing Vision
Endure Elements
Fearful
Fast Movement
Great Leap
Haste
Healing Touch
Know Direction
Low-light Vision
Natural Armor
Non-detection
Speech
Talons
Trackless Step
Water Walk
Woodland Stride
Section 15: Copyright Notice

Familiars & Companions, Copyright 2017, Troll Lord Games; Author Casey Christofferson, Justin Bacon, Tommy Ruteledge, Josh Hubbel, Lance Hawvermile, Luke Johnson, Stephen Vogel and Dave Zenz.