Inspired by the Saxon war dogs in the Bernard Cornwell Arthurian trilogy:


DOG, WAR

The large, black dogs are bred by Saxons to help break shield walls and to generally intimidate their enemies. The dogs rush in first to disrupt the wall's cohesion while their masters close on the line with sword and axe. With a successful bite attack, these fearsome dogs can hold on, immobilizing a limb or sword arm and inflicting an additional 1d6 damage per round (after the first). Their grip can only be broken by a successul weapon attack or an opposed STR roll. The dogs also make effective guard dogs and every chieftain will have one or two in their sleeping chamber. Some few (1 in 6) of the dogs may be outfitted with leather armor, which offers 4 points of protection. Engaging these vicious dogs requires a Valorous roll at +3.

SIZ 12, DEX 20, STR 13, CON 12, Move 7, Armor 2
Unconscious 6, Major Wound 12, Knockdown 12, Hit Points 24, Healing Rate 3
Damage 3d6

On a successful Bite attack, roll a 1d6:
1-2: Weapon arm, unable to use the weapon until opposed STR is won.
3: Shield arm, unable to use the shield until opposed STR is won (or the dog is killed).
4-6: Leg, roll DEX each round to stay standing.

Combat Skills: Bite 15 (–1d6 vs. metal armor).
Skills: Awareness 15
Traits: Loyalty (Master): 16
Valorous modifier: +3

Comments welcome.

They seem OK on a quick glance, being patterned after the Dog, Exceptional on KAP 5.1 p. 184.
(Quick aside, Wolves are a bit too small here, IMHO... SIZ 5 would be in the low end of the range. I would be tempted to make them SIZ 8 and up the STR to 13, with some exceptional ones (4d6 damage) even bigger and stronger than that, like SIZ 12 and STR 15.)

A couple of quick questions/comments:

1) Why increase the STR from 13 to 14? Not that it has any impact, but still, a curious change, especially as the write-up on p. 184 already references mastiffs and such big breeds?

2) Leather Armor 6 is too much, IMHO. This is better than the heaviest horse armor you can put on chargers. If you meant for a total 6 points (2 natural + 4 armor) then it is OK.

3) What happens once they latch on? Are you able to make unopposed attacks? Are you getting penalties for having a heavy dog hanging onto your limb? Are you able to swing your sword/use your shield at all? If using these dogs, this would be an important point.
Maybe roll a 1d6:
1-2 = weapon arm, unable to use the weapon until opposed STR is won.
3 = shield arm, unable to use the shield until opposed STR is won (or the dog is killed).
4-6 = leg, roll DEX each round to stay standing.

Thanks for the feedback, Morien. Responses to your points, in order:

1.) Ack! That's actally a typo. I meant to do 13, same as the Exceptional Dogs.

2.) Okay.

3.) Well, I originally thought the character just wouldn't be able to use that limb until shaken off, but I do like your random roll for hit location!


Coolness.


T.

ED. Incorporated Morien's suggestions in the OP.

I thought I have critters like this as Irish Wolfhouds
I wouldn't bother with hit locations
Not here anyway--see RuneQuest
I suggest that these can either keep attacking, biting each time
or if they latch on and hold then they simply create a negative modifier to the combatant until removed

I thought I have critters like this as Irish Wolfhouds


You do: Dog, Exceptional. This is pretty much exactly that with some different fluff text.



I wouldn't bother with hit locations


Normally, I wouldn't either. But it would make them a bit more interesting.



I suggest that these can either keep attacking, biting each time
or if they latch on and hold then they simply create a negative modifier to the combatant until removed

-5/+5?

-5/+5?

I'd do with just a -10 to the victim. Having a 100-lb. dog on your ass has got to be at least as hindering as darkness (also -10). But i'm going with your 1d6 idea. I like that kind of stuff and it's only one more simple roll.

By the way, I was thinking more of those badass Roman war dogs — like the modern Cane Corso breed.

I thought we were missing some opportunities with the dogs in the rulebook, namely the Valorous mod, latching on, armor and a Loyalty score (for heroic actions when the dog's master is threatened). As Morien said, "fluff." But cool fluff!


T.

So we ran a combat last night with these guys that took place at night, and the question came up should these dogs (or other animals for that matter) be subject to Awareness rolls and darkness penalties? I don't recall this being addressed in the rulebook. I ruled that they weren't because of better eyesight, hearing and smell, etc., but I don't know if this is the right answer. I note that none of the animals in KAP 5.1 have an Awareness skill, and it seems like they should OR a rule should be included in the future that animals need not make Awareness rolls for darkness, as humans do. I know the Avoidance roll somewhat represents Awareness, but I still think, because of this situation, Awareness skills should e provided for pretty much all creatures — men, beasts and monsters. If you don't want another stat, Awarness could come to encompass Avoidance, on the logic that highly Aware creatures would more easily evade detection. What do you guys think?


T.

So we ran a combat last night with these guys that took place at night, and the question came up should these dogs (or other animals for that matter) be subject to Awareness rolls and darkness penalties?

I'd say no
while dogs have good sight, their sense of smell is so superior to out that it's almost likemagic


I don't recall this being addressed in the rulebook.
No. Wasn't important before


I ruled that they weren't because of better eyesight, hearing and smell, etc., but I don't know if this is the right answer. I note that none of the animals in KAP 5.1 have an Awareness skill, and it seems like they should
These are all GM-run so it'snot really important for them to have awareness skills
From my experience it's be something like for dogs Awareness:50


OR a rule should be included in the future that animals need not make Awareness rolls for darkness,

I'd go with the former. But again, I'd hate to make too big a thing about animal fighting. Simpler is better


as humans do.

After moving out here to rural areas with very little ambient light I am tempted to make humans fighting in darkness impossible
In real darkness I cannot see my hand in front of my face unless I move around, and then Isee a shadow in the shadow. Furniture doesn't move for my, so I walk into it
It is so dark than when there is not a fog I can sometimes see the Milky Way from my front yard


I know the Avoidance roll somewhat represents Awareness,

Avoidness is more than that--it is also the ability to hide, hide tracks (walk in a stream) etc


but I still think, because of this situation, Awareness skills should e provided for pretty much all creatures — men, beasts and monsters. If you don't want another stat, Awarness could come to encompass Avoidance, on the logic that highly Aware creatures would more easily evade detection. What do you guys think?

I say then hear any noise and see any movement
try stalking a squirrel sometime
I might put the onus on the humans to not make any noise
but when a critter has such vastly superior skills than huamsn rolling dice for them is emaningless

OK, here
Google is our friend
http://puppyplaygroundindy.com/dog-senses-versus-human-senses-how-do-they-compare/
"The Nose: A dog interprets the world predominantly by smell, whereas human predominantly by sight. Even though a dog’s brain is one tenth the size of a human’s brain, the part that controls smell is 40 times larger than in humans. A human has about 5 million scent glands whereas dogs have 125 million to 300 million (depending on breed), meaning their sense of smell is 1,000 to 10,000,000 times better than humans!
"The Eyes: A common question people ask is if dogs are colorblind. The answer is, not really. Studies have shown that dogs do not only see in shades of black and white, but see in colors of various shades of blues and yellows as well. Dogs can see better at dawn and dusk than humans, however humans can see objects at a distance much better than dogs. Humans can also see things better close up than dogs. Dogs do have the advantage on recognizing moving objects, giving them better ability to spot and hunt prey.

The Ears: Puppies are born deaf and cannot hear until they are 21 days old. By the time their sense of hearing has developed, they can already hear 4 times the distance of a human with normal hearing. Dogs can hear higher pitched sounds and can detect a frequency range of 67-45,000 Hz, compared to a human range of 64-23,000 Hz."