Horse Breeds A compendium of fantasy horse breeds.

List a number of typical breeds of horses, with somewhat generic names. (i.e. - not based on Earth place names)

Horse, Heavy TypeLarge Animal Hit Dice3d8+6 (19 hp) Initiative+1 (Dex) Speed50 ft. AC13 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural) Attacks2 hooves +3 melee DamageHoof 1d6+2 Face/Reach5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks- Special QualitiesScent, Spooks (10) SavesFort +5, Ref +4, Will +2 AbilitiesStr 15, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 SkillsListen +6, Spot +6 Feats- Climate/TerrainAny land OrganizationSolitary Challenge Rating1 TreasureNone AlignmentAlways neutral Advancement-

This would be your typical heavy horse breed, used for pulling ploughs and large carts/carriages. This breed has had no war training, and thus has no levels. Heavy horses, if trained for battle, become your typical Greathorse.

Horse, Light TypeLarge Animal Hit Dice3d8+6 (19 hp) Initiative+1 (Dex) Speed60 ft. AC13 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural) Attacks2 hooves +2 melee DamageHoof 1d4+1 Face/Reach5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. Special QualitiesScent, Spooks (20) SavesFort +5, Ref +4, Will +2 AbilitiesStr 13, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 SkillsListen +6, Spot +6 Feats- Climate/TerrainAny land OrganizationSolitary Challenge Rating1 TreasureNone AlignmentAlways neutral Advancement-

Light horse. This could be the medieval Palfrey or Courser, depending on its ridability and speed. This horse has had no training for war.

Donkey TypeMedium Animal Hit Dice2d8+2 (11 hp) Initiative+1 (Dex) Speed30 ft. AC13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural) AttacksBite +1 melee DamageBite 1d2 Face/Reach5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. Special QualitiesScent, Spooks (20) SavesFort +4, Ref +4, Will +0 AbilitiesStr 10, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 11, Cha 4 SkillsBalance +3 (+2 racial), Listen +5, Spot +5 Feats- Climate/TerrainTemperate and warm desert, hill, plains, and mountains OrganizationSolitary Challenge Rating1/6 TreasureNone AlignmentAlways neutral Advancement-

A typical donkey.

Other names for the donkey include the 'ass', the 'moke', the 'burro', and the 'cuddy'.

The best pack animal around, a donkey is stolid in the face of danger, hardy, sure-footed, and capable of carrying heavy loads over vast distances. Unlike horses, they're willing (though not eager) to enter dungeons and other strange or threatening places.

This creature has had no war training.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a donkey is up to 50 pounds; a medium load, 51-100 pounds; a heavy load, 101-150 pounds. A donkey can drag 750 pounds.

Skills: Donkeys receive a +2 racial bonus to Balance.

An excellent website on donkeys is the Donkey Breed Society.

Mule TypeLarge Animal Hit Dice3d8+9 (22 hp) Initiative+1 (Dex) Speed30 ft. AC13 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural) Attacks2 hooves +4 melee DamageHoof 1d4+3 Face/Reach5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. Special QualitiesScent, Spooks (20) SavesFort +6, Ref +4, Will +1 AbilitiesStr 16, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 11, Cha 6 SkillsListen +6, Spot +6 Feats- Climate/TerrainWarm plains OrganizationSolitary Challenge Rating1 TreasureNone AlignmentAlways neutral Advancement-

A mule is the sterile cross between a horse and a donkey. The word 'hinny' refers to a mule from a female donkey and male horse. The term 'mule' is technically a female horse-male donkey cross, but is also used for all horse-donkey crosses.

Male mules (johns) should always be castrated: they can otherwise be unpredictable and dangerous with too many hormones. There have been no recorded fertile johns.

It is possible, but exceptionally rare (1 in a million chance) to get a female mule (molly) that can breed.

Mules have a reputation for being stubborn, but in fact they are just highly intelligent, unwilling to put themselves into danger, and know when they've been worked too hard. A horse, on the other hand, can be worked until it drops.

One of the best pack animals around, a mule is stolid in the face of danger, hardy, sure-footed, and capable of carrying heavy loads over vast distances. Unlike horses, it is possible (though not easy) to convince them to enter dungeons and other strange or threatening places.

This creature has had no war training.

Skills: Mules receive a +2 racial bonus to Dexterity checks to avoid slipping or falling.

References: Some excellent websites about mules are: British Mule Society, and Love Longears!.

Pony TypeMedium Animal Hit Dice2d8+2 (11 hp) Initiative+1 (Dex) Speed40 ft. AC13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural) Attacks2 hooves +2 melee DamageHoof 1d3+1 Face/Reach5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. Special QualitiesScent, Spooks (20) SavesFort +5, Ref +4, Will +0 AbilitiesStr 13, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 4 SkillsListen +5, Spot +5 Feats- Climate/TerrainAny land OrganizationSolitary Challenge Rating1/4 TreasureNone AlignmentAlways neutral Advancement-

A small pony.

This creature has had no war training.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a pony is up to 75 pounds; a medium load, 76-150 pounds; and a heavy load, 151-225 pounds. A pony can drag 1,125 pounds.

Zebra TypeLarge Animal Hit Dice3d8+6 (19 hp) Initiative+1 (Dex) Speed60 ft. AC13 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural) Attacks2 hooves +2 melee DamageHoof 1d4+1 Face/Reach5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. Special QualitiesScent, Spooks (40) SavesFort +5, Ref +4, Will +2 AbilitiesStr 13, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 SkillsListen +6, Spot +6 Feats- Climate/TerrainAny land OrganizationSolitary Challenge Rating1 TreasureNone AlignmentAlways neutral Advancement-

Zebras can be crossbred with horses or donkeys to create new and interesting breeds. Some of these breeds can be quite beautiful, with brown and black stripes. See the References, below, for more information.

References: An excellent site on zebra hybrids: Zebra Hybrids.