Burrowing Riders [Archive] - Wizards Community

Burrowing Riders [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
KirkBb
05-19-06, 10:04 PM If you happen to come across a creature with a burrow speed, and make it into a mount one way or another, how exactly does riding the creature while it is burrowing work? I keep getting the image that the rider will get his face smashed by material that the mount didn't remove. And how does breathing work if you get really deep down into the soil?
Bob_The_Wizard
05-19-06, 10:10 PM I would say that the rider, unless he/she can tunnel on their own, hits their head on the ground, unless they just follow the tunnel after their mount.
primemover003
05-19-06, 10:35 PM Or you could build some sort of chariot-capsule to be dragged behind it.
Kazeofwinds
05-19-06, 10:47 PM Ashworm Dragoons(PrC from Sandstorm) Get a class feature that lets them ride their mounts underground for a few minutes before they need air again, I'd assume anyone else just gets their faces smashed into the dirt.
KirkBb
05-20-06, 10:38 AM Hmmm, what if you animated the creature and hid in its chest cavity while it was burrowing, does anybody think that would work? Oh, and exactly how much air would somebody have down there? On a slightly related question, how big would a creature have to be for a human to be able to use its chest cavity in such a way?
Alac Luin
05-20-06, 08:23 PM There is a creature (forgot it's name) in the Underdark book that has earth glide ability and grants it to it's rider. I'm not sure what your looking for, but this may be of intrest to you.
darkness ninja of light
05-20-06, 08:57 PM In Races of Stone it talks quite a bit about burrowing mounts.
There is an item it it called a burrowing saddle that has a dirt shield on it and allows you to strap yourself flat to your mount's back so you don't get pulled off. It takes some time to get strapped to it and also to get unstrapped (without simply breaking out of it). This means that you can't be fighting in battle then suddenly burrow underground for death from below (though letting your mount do that would be neat....and getting a burrowing creature and a flying creature to flank from directly below and directly above would be awesome), but I think it would be a little overpowered if it could do that. It's a neat item.
KirkBb
05-21-06, 01:28 AM Hmmm... nifty, so I guess its a given you don't suffocate while burrowing with your mount, but does anybody have a rule of thumb about riding inside a dead creatures chest cavity?
sdragon1984
05-21-06, 02:36 AM Hmmm... nifty, so I guess its a given you don't suffocate while burrowing with your mount, but does anybody have a rule of thumb about riding inside a dead creatures chest cavity?

undead burrowing mounts? where are you finding this?

do you have any idea how little your comments fit in this thread?
darkness ninja of light
05-21-06, 09:28 AM Heh heh, sdragon, you realize that that's the original poster you're talking to?

Um...gosh. That sounds really gross. Undead though, I see. At first it sounded like you were suggesting animating an already living animal. If the animal is large and hollow enough that you could fit in its chest cavity, then sure. I would rule that it would need to be two sizes bigger than you rather than one, but run it by your DM. If it's a skeleton then you'd have to do something about the dirt and gravel though. Do undead animals still get their burrowing speed? I would think so, since undead birds still fly, but I'm not sure.

If the animal leaves a useable tunnel after it, I wouldn't think you would suffocate. If not, then I'd use the normal holding your breath rules.
sdragon1984
05-21-06, 04:04 PM i apologize for my last post. in all honestly, i didnt realize it was the OP :embarrass

after reading darkness's post, i think i understand the undead idea better. i would think there would be a few problems to this, however:

if the undead has decayed to the point where its a skeleton, then there wouldnt be any protection from the dirt and gravel, as has already been mentioned.
the other problem is that even if that stage of decay hasnt been reached yet, the chest cavity of the creature would be signifigantly smaller then the tunnel, thus providing less oxygen room.
another problem is access to the chest cavity. the only way to get into there is through an already existing hole, either from behind, or from a front hole that closes once youre inside. in other words, it would either have to eat you, or use you as a suposatory(sp), and the creature would have to be prety big to effectively do either. exit, by the way, doubles this problem.

and this all, of course, is only after both the player and the character can get over any gross factor.
Alac Luin
05-22-06, 11:53 PM <snip> but does anybody have a rule of thumb about riding inside a dead creatures chest cavity?

I'd say 2 size catagory difference.
Gedrin
05-23-06, 02:48 AM See...wild burrowing animals have this problem, just like it can be a bit difficult to ride an untamed horse.
Trained burrowing mounts on the other hand are taught to burrow a bit differently, so as to accomidate the saddled rider.

Yeh...I like that...I'm gonna go with that.

As for the undead-burrowmobile...2 size categories seems about right, looking at the swallow whole rules. I think you'd have best luck with an undead insect. The insect's carapice would be intact, and provide suitable shelter. Also, you could modify the carapice to provide a door into the interior, perhaps through a beetle's wing areas. If you could get a large enough beetle you could probably ride in limo style.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
KirkBb 05-19-06, 10:04 PM	If you happen to come across a creature with a burrow speed, and make it into a mount one way or another, how exactly does riding the creature while it is burrowing work? I keep getting the image that the rider will get his face smashed by material that the mount didn't remove. And how does breathing work if you get really deep down into the soil?
Bob_The_Wizard 05-19-06, 10:10 PM	I would say that the rider, unless he/she can tunnel on their own, hits their head on the ground, unless they just follow the tunnel after their mount.
primemover003 05-19-06, 10:35 PM	Or you could build some sort of chariot-capsule to be dragged behind it.
Kazeofwinds 05-19-06, 10:47 PM	Ashworm Dragoons(PrC from Sandstorm) Get a class feature that lets them ride their mounts underground for a few minutes before they need air again, I'd assume anyone else just gets their faces smashed into the dirt.
KirkBb 05-20-06, 10:38 AM	Hmmm, what if you animated the creature and hid in its chest cavity while it was burrowing, does anybody think that would work? Oh, and exactly how much air would somebody have down there? On a slightly related question, how big would a creature have to be for a human to be able to use its chest cavity in such a way?
Alac Luin 05-20-06, 08:23 PM	There is a creature (forgot it's name) in the Underdark book that has earth glide ability and grants it to it's rider. I'm not sure what your looking for, but this may be of intrest to you.
darkness ninja of light 05-20-06, 08:57 PM	In Races of Stone it talks quite a bit about burrowing mounts. There is an item it it called a burrowing saddle that has a dirt shield on it and allows you to strap yourself flat to your mount's back so you don't get pulled off. It takes some time to get strapped to it and also to get unstrapped (without simply breaking out of it). This means that you can't be fighting in battle then suddenly burrow underground for death from below (though letting your mount do that would be neat....and getting a burrowing creature and a flying creature to flank from directly below and directly above would be awesome), but I think it would be a little overpowered if it could do that. It's a neat item.
KirkBb 05-21-06, 01:28 AM	Hmmm... nifty, so I guess its a given you don't suffocate while burrowing with your mount, but does anybody have a rule of thumb about riding inside a dead creatures chest cavity?
sdragon1984 05-21-06, 02:36 AM	Hmmm... nifty, so I guess its a given you don't suffocate while burrowing with your mount, but does anybody have a rule of thumb about riding inside a dead creatures chest cavity? undead burrowing mounts? where are you finding this? do you have any idea how little your comments fit in this thread?
darkness ninja of light 05-21-06, 09:28 AM	Heh heh, sdragon, you realize that that's the original poster you're talking to? Um...gosh. That sounds really gross. Undead though, I see. At first it sounded like you were suggesting animating an already living animal. If the animal is large and hollow enough that you could fit in its chest cavity, then sure. I would rule that it would need to be two sizes bigger than you rather than one, but run it by your DM. If it's a skeleton then you'd have to do something about the dirt and gravel though. Do undead animals still get their burrowing speed? I would think so, since undead birds still fly, but I'm not sure. If the animal leaves a useable tunnel after it, I wouldn't think you would suffocate. If not, then I'd use the normal holding your breath rules.
sdragon1984 05-21-06, 04:04 PM	i apologize for my last post. in all honestly, i didnt realize it was the OP :embarrass after reading darkness's post, i think i understand the undead idea better. i would think there would be a few problems to this, however: if the undead has decayed to the point where its a skeleton, then there wouldnt be any protection from the dirt and gravel, as has already been mentioned. the other problem is that even if that stage of decay hasnt been reached yet, the chest cavity of the creature would be signifigantly smaller then the tunnel, thus providing less oxygen room. another problem is access to the chest cavity. the only way to get into there is through an already existing hole, either from behind, or from a front hole that closes once youre inside. in other words, it would either have to eat you, or use you as a suposatory(sp), and the creature would have to be prety big to effectively do either. exit, by the way, doubles this problem. and this all, of course, is only after both the player and the character can get over any gross factor.
Alac Luin 05-22-06, 11:53 PM	<snip> but does anybody have a rule of thumb about riding inside a dead creatures chest cavity? I'd say 2 size catagory difference.
Gedrin 05-23-06, 02:48 AM	See...wild burrowing animals have this problem, just like it can be a bit difficult to ride an untamed horse. Trained burrowing mounts on the other hand are taught to burrow a bit differently, so as to accomidate the saddled rider. Yeh...I like that...I'm gonna go with that. As for the undead-burrowmobile...2 size categories seems about right, looking at the swallow whole rules. I think you'd have best luck with an undead insect. The insect's carapice would be intact, and provide suitable shelter. Also, you could modify the carapice to provide a door into the interior, perhaps through a beetle's wing areas. If you could get a large enough beetle you could probably ride in limo style.