Question about Roc animal companion


Rules Questions

Dark Archive

One of my players created a cavalier and he wants a Roc as his animal companion.

According to the Bestiary a Roc starts out as a Medium creature, then is Large at 7th level.

The cavalier is human. Would he be able to ride the Roc at 1st level even though both are medium sized?


No.

Dark Archive

MoFiddy wrote:

One of my players created a cavalier and he wants a Roc as his animal companion.

According to the Bestiary a Roc starts out as a Medium creature, then is Large at 7th level.

The cavalier is human. Would he be able to ride the Roc at 1st level even though both are medium sized?

Mounts for medium size creatures need to at least be Large... though a halfling or gnome could ride that baby Roc.

Whee!!!

PRD wrote:
Rocs taken as animal companions by druids or rangers are typically newly hatched birds—a baby roc is the size of a person and ready for flight and hunting within minutes of hatching. Unfortunately for druids seeking animal companions of legendary size, an animal companion roc is limited to Large size—still large enough for a Medium druid or ranger to use the flying beast as a mount.

Dark Archive

Qemuel wrote:
MoFiddy wrote:

One of my players created a cavalier and he wants a Roc as his animal companion.

According to the Bestiary a Roc starts out as a Medium creature, then is Large at 7th level.

The cavalier is human. Would he be able to ride the Roc at 1st level even though both are medium sized?

Mounts for medium size creatures need to at least be Large... though a halfling or gnome could ride that baby Roc.

Whee!!!

PRD wrote:
Rocs taken as animal companions by druids or rangers are typically newly hatched birds—a baby roc is the size of a person and ready for flight and hunting within minutes of hatching. Unfortunately for druids seeking animal companions of legendary size, an animal companion roc is limited to Large size—still large enough for a Medium druid or ranger to use the flying beast as a mount.

Thanks all...that's what I thought.


MoFiddy wrote:

One of my players created a cavalier and he wants a Roc as his animal companion.

According to the Bestiary a Roc starts out as a Medium creature, then is Large at 7th level.

The cavalier is human. Would he be able to ride the Roc at 1st level even though both are medium sized?

One issue you may run into with a Roc mount is that it cannot fly with anything more than a light load. (p. 167, A medium or heavy load counts as medium or heavy armor for the purpose of abilities or skills that

are restricted by armor. and p. 162, Flying mounts can’t fly in medium or heavy barding.)

Many medium cavaliers and their associated gear weigh in at a decent amount, although he can probably leave a lot of it with his ground-based friends.

Dark Archive

2 people marked this as a favorite.

Awesome stuff! Got pics of my Roc, I can't ride him though, he gets angry if I touch him, see.

Sovereign Court

Jared Ouimette wrote:
Awesome stuff! Got pics of my Roc, I can't ride him though, he gets angry if I touch him, see.

I'd also get angry if you'd touch me.

Dark Archive

Black Harlequin wrote:
MoFiddy wrote:

One of my players created a cavalier and he wants a Roc as his animal companion.

According to the Bestiary a Roc starts out as a Medium creature, then is Large at 7th level.

The cavalier is human. Would he be able to ride the Roc at 1st level even though both are medium sized?

One issue you may run into with a Roc mount is that it cannot fly with anything more than a light load. (p. 167, A medium or heavy load counts as medium or heavy armor for the purpose of abilities or skills that

are restricted by armor. and p. 162, Flying mounts can’t fly in medium or heavy barding.)

Many medium cavaliers and their associated gear weigh in at a decent amount, although he can probably leave a lot of it with his ground-based friends.

Good point about the load. Where do you see that in the rulebook? Page 167 doesn't talk about encumbrance. I searched for heavy load, but I couldn't find what you are referring too.

Sovereign Court

MoFiddy wrote:
Black Harlequin wrote:
MoFiddy wrote:

One of my players created a cavalier and he wants a Roc as his animal companion.

According to the Bestiary a Roc starts out as a Medium creature, then is Large at 7th level.

The cavalier is human. Would he be able to ride the Roc at 1st level even though both are medium sized?

One issue you may run into with a Roc mount is that it cannot fly with anything more than a light load. (p. 167, A medium or heavy load counts as medium or heavy armor for the purpose of abilities or skills that

are restricted by armor. and p. 162, Flying mounts can’t fly in medium or heavy barding.)

Many medium cavaliers and their associated gear weigh in at a decent amount, although he can probably leave a lot of it with his ground-based friends.

Good point about the load. Where do you see that in the rulebook? Page 167 doesn't talk about encumbrance. I searched for heavy load, but I couldn't find what you are referring too.

It's in the equipment chapter under Mounts & Related Gear... pg 162

--Drop like a Vrock!


MoFiddy wrote:
Black Harlequin wrote:
MoFiddy wrote:

One of my players created a cavalier and he wants a Roc as his animal companion.

According to the Bestiary a Roc starts out as a Medium creature, then is Large at 7th level.

The cavalier is human. Would he be able to ride the Roc at 1st level even though both are medium sized?

One issue you may run into with a Roc mount is that it cannot fly with anything more than a light load. (p. 167, A medium or heavy load counts as medium or heavy armor for the purpose of abilities or skills that

are restricted by armor. and p. 162, Flying mounts can’t fly in medium or heavy barding.)

Many medium cavaliers and their associated gear weigh in at a decent amount, although he can probably leave a lot of it with his ground-based friends.

Good point about the load. Where do you see that in the rulebook? Page 167 doesn't talk about encumbrance. I searched for heavy load, but I couldn't find what you are referring too.

Whoops, the page 167 reference should be 169, second column, middle of page. My apologies. The page 162 reference is accurate though. Had to double check.

Dark Archive

Black Harlequin wrote:
MoFiddy wrote:
Black Harlequin wrote:
MoFiddy wrote:

One of my players created a cavalier and he wants a Roc as his animal companion.

According to the Bestiary a Roc starts out as a Medium creature, then is Large at 7th level.

The cavalier is human. Would he be able to ride the Roc at 1st level even though both are medium sized?

One issue you may run into with a Roc mount is that it cannot fly with anything more than a light load. (p. 167, A medium or heavy load counts as medium or heavy armor for the purpose of abilities or skills that

are restricted by armor. and p. 162, Flying mounts can’t fly in medium or heavy barding.)

Many medium cavaliers and their associated gear weigh in at a decent amount, although he can probably leave a lot of it with his ground-based friends.

Good point about the load. Where do you see that in the rulebook? Page 167 doesn't talk about encumbrance. I searched for heavy load, but I couldn't find what you are referring too.

Whoops, the page 167 reference should be 169, second column, middle of page. My apologies. The page 162 reference is accurate though. Had to double check.

No apology necessary...I appreciate the help.

So at 7th level the Roc will have a Str of 20, so his light load capacity is 133 lbs (p. 171 Table 7-4). The Roc is also Large, so his capacity is multiplied by 2 (p. 170). So it seems that as long as the cavalier and his gear don't exceed 266 lbs, then the Roc should be able to carry him and fly. Am I correct?


It could have up to a 23 Strength (an additional +2 from being a level 7 animal companion, and +1 stat increase at level 4), so up to a 346lb. light encumbrance carrying capacity, given its large size.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Rules Questions / Question about Roc animal companion All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.