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Segev
2019-06-26, 03:12 PM
Inspired by a thread in the 3.5/PF subforum on best aerial mounts, I got to thinking about what a pity it is that we so often have rules for prices for eggs for certain kinds of critters which, if raised and cared for, can become loyal mounts for reasonably inexpensive prices...but the time commitments are such that no PC would ever actually be able to do it before the game ended. Surely, though, there must be a way to incorporate that story, maybe with something in backstory that you've been raising and training this mount for years, and it's finally ready.

New Trait: Hatchery Heritage
You have grown up with the responsibility for caring for one or more exotic eggs or animals, and have one in particular you've grown a bond with and have personally cared for.
Benefit: Choose an exotic mount that has a listed price for eggs or baby versions, and describes the care and upbringing to train it as a mount. You have such a creature you've either cared for as it incubates or since it hatched or was born, and continue to do so. When you have at least 5 ranks in Ride and Handle Animal, and have saved up enough to buy your beloved pet or partner from your family or clan, you may spend the price listed for an egg or untrained baby to acquire this creature as a mount, loyal to you for having raised and trained it.

Ethereal Gears
2019-06-26, 03:53 PM
This is wonderful. I have to say I really love traits, and for my group they've always been a staple (we've never played without them I think), but I don't see too much homebrew on this topic.

Aside from being a lovely idea for a trait, I think the execution seems perfect. It can give you, in practical terms, quite a lot more money than the Rich Parents trait, but it's not like that's an especially powerful trait, and also, non-advancing mounts/pets are hardly that powerful either, so I think it works out flawlessly. The reward is delayed until level 5, furthermore, which helps banish any last balance concerns one might have.

Sorry I don't have any constructive criticism, I just think you hit this one right on the head. :)

Segev
2019-06-26, 04:40 PM
This is wonderful. I have to say I really love traits, and for my group they've always been a staple (we've never played without them I think), but I don't see too much homebrew on this topic.

Aside from being a lovely idea for a trait, I think the execution seems perfect. It can give you, in practical terms, quite a lot more money than the Rich Parents trait, but it's not like that's an especially powerful trait, and also, non-advancing mounts/pets are hardly that powerful either, so I think it works out flawlessly. The reward is delayed until level 5, furthermore, which helps banish any last balance concerns one might have.

Sorry I don't have any constructive criticism, I just think you hit this one right on the head. :)

Thanks! I was going to go for a feat, then thought, "It really should be something you've been doing since before your adventuring career, to account for all the time being already past rather than having to wait it in-game. So I should make it only takable at first level." Then I remember traits were a thing. And this isn't giving you a no-cash, no-investment-save-the-trait deal. It's opening up an option later if you spend certain (discounted) resources for it.

The gold cost isn't non-extant. But it is cheaper than buying a mount trained by somebody else.

But, to me, the key part of the trait is actually pseudo-fluff. You could, in theory, get most of this without any trait at all. Background of having worked to raise, say, a hippogriff from egg to maturity? PErfectly reasonable. The trouble is the cost. The trait codifies an option on the cost so you can pay it later, when you can afford it, but have the background history of having lovingly raised the critter yourself for years. Gives some excuse to interact with the critter before you can "buy" it formally for play use, too.

Steel Mirror
2019-06-26, 04:59 PM
I like it! I wonder if you could also adjust it slightly, so that you have the option in the future of buying another one from your clan or aerie or whatnot in case something tragic happens to your first pet. Because the one thing that every pet class or feature always has to worry about it what happens when their squishy companion eventually bites the dust, potentially invalidating an entire feature that the player spent character resources on.

But other than that, seems pretty cool to me.

Segev
2019-06-26, 10:33 PM
I like it! I wonder if you could also adjust it slightly, so that you have the option in the future of buying another one from your clan or aerie or whatnot in case something tragic happens to your first pet. Because the one thing that every pet class or feature always has to worry about it what happens when their squishy companion eventually bites the dust, potentially invalidating an entire feature that the player spent character resources on.

But other than that, seems pretty cool to me.

Well, there's always raise dead. Though honestly, feats to make the mount more durable are their own package of homebrew that need to be made, in my opinion.