The thunder of hooves across the plain — a wall of meat and horn that feeds a region and, when panicked, kills without malice.
Framework Note #
This entry covers all wild grazing herd animals as a unified system. The DM selects a species tier from the table below and applies the corresponding statistics. All herd mechanics — male/female/young breakdown, panic rules, stampede damage — apply to every tier identically. Individual species entries follow the master stat block.
The RC explicitly invites the DM to add species within these ranges. This entry provides a complete mechanical and ecological framework for doing so consistently.
Herd Composition Rules #
For any encountered herd, apply the following breakdown before combat begins:
Gender/Age Distribution (per RC):
- 1 in 4 animals is male — minimum 3 HP per HD; full combat capability
- Remainder are females and young — females have normal rolled HP; young have only 1d4 HP per HD regardless of species tier
Determining composition: For a herd of N animals, males = N ÷ 4 (round down, minimum 1). Remaining animals are females and young in roughly equal proportion — the DM splits them as narratively appropriate.
Combat behavior:
- Males: Stand and fight. They advance toward the threat, use their standard attack, and do not flee unless Morale fails
- Females and young: Flee immediately on the round combat begins — they do not fight unless cornered with no escape route (DM discretion)
- Cornered females: Fight at –2 HR, –1 damage die size (d8 → d6, d6 → d4, d4 → d3)
- Young: Do not fight under any circumstances — they flee or cower
Panic and Stampede #
Trigger: Any group of 16 or more herd animals that is attacked, exposed to fire, or subjected to a loud sudden noise (thunder, explosions, a Cleric’s War-Chant) must check for panic.
Panic Check: Roll d100 at the start of the round following the trigger:
- 01–40: The herd stampedes toward the disturbance — all creatures in their path take 1d20 trampling damage, no attack roll required, Save vs. Dragon Breath for half
- 41–100: The herd stampedes away from the disturbance — creatures in the flight path take 1d8 trampling damage from glancing contact, Save vs. Dragon Breath negates
Stampede path: The DM determines the stampede corridor — typically 20 ft wide and extending the full length of the herd’s movement (240 ft per round at full speed). Creatures in the corridor cannot simply step aside unless they are more than 10 ft from the centerline — the mass of animals fills the space.
Duration: A stampeding herd continues to move at full speed for 1d6 rounds before dispersing. In the second and subsequent rounds the toward-stampede deals only 1d10 damage (momentum partially spent) and the away-stampede deals 1d4.
Morale check modifier: Herds of fewer than 16 animals do not stampede but still check Morale (base 5) when attacked. On a failed check all animals including males flee.
AV and stampede: Trampling damage bypasses AV — the sheer mass of bodies overrides any armor absorption. A character in Plate Mail (AV 6) still takes full 1d20 from the toward-stampede.
AC/AV Reasoning (All Tiers) #
RC original is AC 7 (descending) = Ascending AC 13 for all tiers.
- AC 13 applies to all tiers. Herd animals are not armored — they are fast, skittish, and mobile. AC 13 reflects that they are moving targets with natural evasion instincts, not plodding stationary targets. A charging bull is harder to strike cleanly than a standing one.
- AV varies by tier — a deer has thin hide (AV 0), an ox has thick hide and muscle mass (AV 1). The difference is modest but meaningful for sustained combat.
- Males vs. females: Males of species with horns, antlers, or tusks have AC 13. Females without these features have AC 12 (slightly easier targets when cornered, lacking the defensive head-swing).
Skill Slots — All Tiers #
Herd animals have Animal intelligence (INT 2). They receive the minimum skill allocation — 2 slots for 1–2 HD creatures, 3 slots for 3–4 HD creatures. No General Skills are possible at INT 2. All slots go to instinctive survival capabilities.
Universal slots (all tiers):
| Slot | Skill / Ability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HR Investment (Basic) | HR equals HD — basic instinctive attack accuracy |
| 2 | Alertness (Basic) | Cannot be surprised in open terrain; +2 Initiative in open plains; detects predators at twice normal range through scent and peripheral vision. This is the defining survival skill of a prey animal — the herd that doesn’t notice the threat dies first |
Additional slot (3–4 HD tiers only):
| Slot | Skill / Ability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Endurance (Basic) | Can sustain flight (stampede) at full speed for 1d6+2 rounds before tiring; males can sustain combat for the full encounter without fatigue penalties |
Martial Style — All Tiers #
Style: Hard (Basic rank, instinctive aggression) Rank: Basic
Herd animals do not fight with technique. They fight with mass, momentum, and desperation. Hard Basic is exactly correct — maximum damage output, no defensive consideration, a bull that has decided to fight has committed entirely to the charge.
Males specifically: When a male charges (moves more than 20 ft in a straight line before attacking), it gains the Lance Attack equivalent — roll damage and multiply by 2, then add modifiers. This represents the momentum of a full charge rather than a trained lance technique. The DM should apply this freely — a male herd animal defending its herd will almost always charge rather than stand and exchange blows.
No CB system: Animals do not use Combat Breath. Their combat is pure instinct — they do not Winden or Exhaust in the conventional sense. A male will fight until dead or until the threat retreats.
FD Calculation Notes #
FD for herd animals is calculated normally:
- Base 10 + STR modifier (estimated from damage output) + size modifier + armor FD bonus (none — no armor)
- Medium animals: FD 11–12
- Large animals: FD 13–16 depending on mass
The large tier animals (Elk, Moose, Cattle) are genuinely difficult to shove or trip — a 1,500 lb bull has FD 16, making FR checks to knock it down very demanding. This is intentional — the challenge of subduing a large herd animal through wrestling rather than damage is a real-world constraint reflected in the mechanics.
Species Tiers — Individual Stat Blocks #
Tier 1 — Small Grazers #
Antelope, Deer, Goats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 1–2d8 (avg 5–9 HP) |
| AC | 13 |
| AV | 0 |
| HR | +1 to +2 |
| FR | +1 to +2 |
| FD | 11 |
| Move | 240 ft (80 ft encounter) |
| Attacks | 1: Butt/kick 1d4 |
| Save As | Fighter 1 |
| Morale | 5 |
| Size | Medium |
| CR | 1 (individual) / 3 (herd of 16+, stampede risk) |
| XP | 10 (1 HD) / 20 (2 HD) |
Males: Antler/horn butt deals 1d4. Charging male deals 2d4 (charge multiplier). Goat males are notorious for unexpected aggression — their Alertness gives them +2 Initiative even in enclosed terrain.
Ecology note: Deer and antelope are the primary prey for almost every predator in temperate and tropical biomes. Their Alertness (Basic) represents millions of years of selective pressure — the slow ones are dead. A party tracking deer will find them extraordinarily difficult to approach without Stealth or Hunter’s Sanction.
Hunting value: A Medium deer yields approximately 100–150 lbs of usable meat. A party that takes down one deer has food for 2d4 days depending on party size. Males in rut (autumn) are aggressive and will charge without provocation — treat as attacking at Morale 8 rather than 5 during this seasonal period.
Tier 2 — Mid-Weight Grazers #
Wild Horses, Zebras
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 2d8 (avg 9 HP) |
| AC | 13 |
| AV | 0 |
| HR | +2 |
| FR | +2 |
| FD | 13 |
| Move | 240 ft (80 ft encounter) |
| Attacks | 1: Kick 1d4+1 or Bite 1d4 |
| Save As | Fighter 1 |
| Morale | 5 |
| Size | Large |
| CR | 1 (individual) / 3 (herd of 16+) |
| XP | 20 |
Attack options: Wild horses and zebras kick (1d4+1, rear legs only — attacker must be behind or to the side) or bite (1d4, attacker must be in front). They cannot kick and bite in the same round. The DM determines which attack is available based on the attacker’s position.
Males: Stallions are territorial and aggressive. A stallion that has not fled will fight with Morale 7 (not 5) — higher than standard because stallion fight instinct is specifically tuned to drive off rival males, which adventurers resemble to their animal brain.
Capture value: A live wild horse of good conformation is worth 75–150 gp to the right buyer. Zebras command premium prices in distant civilized markets (200–400 gp) as exotic animals. The challenge is the capture — an unbroken wild horse requires Animal Training (Skilled rank) to handle safely, and the attempt to capture one will trigger the herd panic check if more than 15 animals are present.
Ecology note: Wild horse herds operate with one dominant stallion, several subordinate males, and a larger group of mares and foals. The “1 in 4 male” ratio is approximate — in practice, bachelor male groups (all-male herds of 3–8 animals) also exist and are more aggressive on average than mixed herds.
Tier 3 — Heavy Grazers #
Caribou, Oxen
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 3d8 (avg 14 HP) |
| AC | 13 |
| AV | 1 |
| HR | +3 |
| FR | +3 |
| FD | 14 |
| Move | 240 ft (80 ft encounter) |
| Attacks | 1: Butt/gore 1d6 or Kick 1d6 |
| Save As | Fighter 2 |
| Morale | 6 |
| Size | Large |
| CR | 2 (individual) / 4 (herd of 16+) |
| XP | 35 |
AV 1: Oxen and caribou carry significant muscle mass and a thick hide that absorbs minor blows. AV 1 is modest but consistent — a glancing blow from a short sword that deals 4 damage becomes 3 after AV reduction (minus 1 that always penetrates = 3 total, minimum 1 guaranteed penetration). This matters in prolonged combat where the herd animal takes many small hits.
Males: Bull oxen are significantly more massive than females — 3 HP minimum per HD as per RC. A charging bull ox deals 2d6 on a charge (charge multiplier). Its FD of 14 means a standard-strength Medium attacker (FR +2) has serious difficulty shoving it — the Resist value of 8+ (size base 4 + half HD 1.5 + STR modifier + FR) makes a Shove challenging.
Caribou migration: Caribou herds in migration can number in the thousands. A migration herd of this size that panics is a landscape-scale disaster — the DM should treat a migration herd panic as an environmental hazard rather than a monster encounter, dealing 1d20 per round to any creature in the migration corridor for 2d6 rounds as the mass of animals simply flows over the terrain.
Ecology note: Oxen (domesticated wild cattle ancestors) that have escaped captivity revert to wild behavior within 1d4 generations. Wild ox herds in frontier areas represent genuinely dangerous encounters for low-level parties — a male ox can kill an unarmored character in 2–3 rounds.
Tier 4 — Megafauna Grazers #
Elk, Moose, Cattle
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 4d8 (avg 18 HP) |
| AC | 13 |
| AV | 1 |
| HR | +4 |
| FR | +4 |
| FD | 16 |
| Move | 240 ft (80 ft encounter) |
| Attacks | 1: Antler gore/butt 1d8 or Kick 1d8 |
| Save As | Fighter 2 |
| Morale | 7 |
| Size | Large |
| CR | 2 (individual) / 5 (herd of 16+, stampede) |
| XP | 75 |
AV 1: Same reasoning as Tier 3 — dense muscle and hide provides modest but consistent damage reduction.
Males — Moose specifically: A bull moose is the most dangerous of this tier. At 4 HD with minimum 3 HP per HD (12 HP minimum, typically 18–24 HP), with Morale 7 and antlers that deal 1d8 on a standard attack and 2d8 on a charge, a bull moose in rut is a serious threat to a 1st-level party. Moose are also notably aggressive compared to other megafauna grazers — they do not always flee when startled, and a bull moose may charge a threat that a deer or even a caribou would flee from. During rut season (autumn) treat bull moose Morale as 9.
Elk antler spread: Bull elk at this tier have antler racks up to 5 ft wide. In confined terrain (narrow forest paths, doorways, caves) a bull elk fighting defensively has its movement reduced to 60 ft (20 ft encounter) — the antlers catch on vegetation and walls. In open terrain this is not a factor.
Cattle — feral bulls: Wild cattle bulls are perhaps the most dangerous of the megafauna grazers because they are the species most accustomed to associating humans with challenge. A feral bull that encounters humans defaults to threat assessment before flight — the DM should roll Morale at the start of the encounter (not only when combat begins) to determine if the bull decides the humans are a challenge or a threat.
FD 16: Shoving a 2,000 lb bull moose requires exceptional FR. Most Medium characters with standard STR find it mechanically impossible to achieve a standard Shove result without significant FR investment. This is correct — attempting to wrestle a moose is not a viable combat strategy for most characters.
Hunting value: A mature bull elk or moose yields 400–600 lbs of usable meat — enough to feed a large party for 2d6 weeks. The antler rack of a bull elk is worth 20–40 gp to a taxidermist or trophy collector. A live adult cattle specimen is worth 50–80 gp to a rancher or 100–150 gp in urban markets.
Habitat & Ecology — Unified #
Primary Habitat: Open plains, light woods, savanna, temperate grassland, tundra (caribou), mountain meadows (goats, elk). The RC notes all but the most inhospitable climates feature at least one herd species.
Seasonal behavior: All herd animals have seasonal behavioral modifiers the DM should apply:
- Spring: Females with young — more cautious, females will not flee if young are cornered (fight at standard stats rather than reduced female stats if young are threatened)
- Summer: Stable behavior, baseline statistics apply
- Autumn (rut): Males are aggressive, Morale increases by 1–2 for males, herds are less cohesive (males fighting each other reduces coordinated male defense of females)
- Winter: Reduced movement in deep snow (move reduced to 120 ft / 40 ft encounter for all tiers in heavy snow conditions), reduced HP for females and young (stress and starvation — reduce female/young HP maximum by 25% in harsh winter conditions)
Predator relationships: Herd animals are the base of most wilderness food chains. Their Alertness (Basic) represents the evolutionary arms race with predators — they are hard to surprise precisely because the ones that weren’t hard to surprise were eaten. The DM should reward parties that use actual hunting techniques (downwind approach, Stealth investment, Hunter’s Sanction) rather than simply charging into a herd.
Watering holes: Herds concentrate at watering sources at dawn and dusk. A party that identifies a watering hole can set up an ambush with +2 to Stealth checks (animals are distracted by drinking and wind direction is predictable near water). However, predators know this too — a watering hole ambush may attract competing predators.
Interaction with intelligent monsters: Goblin tribes, orc warbands, and similar humanoid groups actively hunt herd animals. A depleted herd in a given area (fewer than 6 animals) suggests active predation — either large natural predators or intelligent monsters hunting for food. This is a useful environmental storytelling tool.
Encounter Notes #
Hunting encounter (most common): The party identifies a herd and decides to hunt. The DM should handle this as a skill encounter before combat:
- Approach: Stealth check (DEX-based) or Nature Lore check (INT-based) to get within range without triggering Alertness. Failure means the herd detects the party at maximum range and begins moving away — not yet fleeing, but moving.
- Selection: The party selects a target (usually a male, since females with young is a Neutral alignment violation in most Druid/Nature Cleric traditions). The DM notes which animal is targeted.
- First attack: If the party attacks with missile weapons from range before the herd detects them, treat as a Backstab-equivalent — double damage on the first hit, no attack roll penalty.
- Reaction: Males advance, females and young flee (standard behavior). If 16+ animals present, roll panic check.
Combat encounter (party is the prey): A herd in panic stampede that the party stumbles into is a pure survival encounter — the party cannot fight the herd, only survive it. Options: climb a tree (Climb Walls check, Guildsman Guild Art or improvised Athletics), get behind a large rock or obstacle (Nature Lore to identify one in range), or outrun the herd (the herd moves 240 ft/round — most characters cannot outrun it in the open; a spell solution is usually required).
Morale check triggers:
- Any animal takes more than half its HP in a single round
- Three or more males are killed
- Fire appears in the vicinity (automatic panic check at –20% to the 40% toward-stampede threshold — fire-panicked herds almost always stampede away, not toward, at 80% chance)
- Loud magical effects (Thunder, War-Chant, dragon roar)
CR notes: Individual herd animals are low CR — even a bull moose (CR 2) is not a serious threat to an experienced party. The CR escalation for herds of 16+ (to CR 3–5) reflects the stampede risk, which is genuinely lethal — 1d20 damage with no attack roll and Save vs. Dragon Breath for half is extremely dangerous for 1st–3rd level characters. A party that triggers a cattle stampede in a canyon has a real problem regardless of their level.
