The thicket was still. Then it exploded — two hundred pounds of tusked fury that had been waiting for exactly this moment, covering the twenty yards between you in seconds. The charge attack special ability, the RC calls it. You call it not surviving your morning walk.
Framework Note — Two Species #
| Species | HD | CR | Frequency | Mount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal Boar | 3* | 3 | Common | Rare but possible |
| Great Boar | 10* | 8 | Rare | Used by barbaric tribes |
Both species share the charge mechanic, the bad-temper behavioral profile, and the tusk as sole attack. The Great Boar differs in scale, treasure type (implicit from monster tier), and its specific “lost world” ecological context.
Normal Boar #
Stat Block #
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 3d8* (avg 14 HP) |
| AC | 13 |
| AV | 1 (melee) / 0 (missile) |
| HR | +3 (+3 additional on charge = +6 effective) |
| FR | +3 |
| FD | 12 |
| Move | 90 ft (30 ft encounter) |
| Attacks | 1 tusk: 2d4 (4d4 on charge) |
| No. Appearing | 1d6 (1d6) |
| Save As | Fighter 2 |
| Morale | 9 |
| Treasure | Nil |
| Alignment | Neutral |
| CR | 3 |
| Size | Medium |
| Intelligence | Animal (INT 2) |
| XP | 50 |
| Load | 1,500 cn full speed / 3,000 cn half speed |
| Barding Multiplier | ×3 |
AC/AV — Normal Boar #
RC original is AC 7 (descending) = Ascending AC 13. The normal boar is a dense, low-slung animal with tough hide over thick muscle. AC 13 reflects both its natural toughness and the difficulty of landing a precise strike on a fast-charging animal at ground level.
- AV 1 (melee) — The boar’s hide and muscle mass absorbs minor weapon impacts. The neck and shoulder region in particular is heavily muscled — a boar charging at full speed presents a dense target that partially deflects glancing blows
- AV 0 (missile) — Arrows penetrate the hide readily. The boar is not armored in any meaningful sense against ranged attack
Normal Boar Skill Slots (4 total — 3 HD, asterisk = 1 special ability) #
| Slot | Skill / Ability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HR Investment (Basic) | HR +3 standard; +3 additional on charge (see Charge Attack) |
| 2 | Charge Attack (innate, special) | Double damage when charging 20+ yards. Full mechanics below. The asterisk |
| 3 | Alertness (Basic) | Cannot be surprised in woodland terrain; detects movement at 60 ft through vibration and scent; the boar’s habit of lying in thickets waiting for prey to pass means it is rarely surprised but is frequently the one doing the surprising |
| 4 | Endurance (Basic) | The boar sustains combat at full capacity through injury that would slow most animals — it does not flinch from wounds during a charge or while fighting. The Morale 9 high value for a Common animal reflects this toughness |
Great Boar #
Stat Block #
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 10d8* (avg 45 HP) |
| AC | 13 |
| AV | 3 (melee) / 2 (missile) |
| HR | +7 (+3 additional on charge = +10 effective) |
| FR | +7 |
| FD | 18 |
| Move | 90 ft (30 ft encounter) |
| Attacks | 1 tusk: 2d8 (4d8 on charge) |
| No. Appearing | 1d6 (1d6) |
| Save As | Fighter 5 |
| Morale | 9 |
| Treasure | Type U (lair, incidentally accumulated) |
| Alignment | Neutral |
| CR | 8 |
| Size | Large |
| Intelligence | Animal (INT 2) |
| XP | 1,750 |
| Load | 3,000 cn full speed / 6,000 cn half speed |
| Barding Multiplier | ×3 |
AC/AV — Great Boar #
RC original is also AC 3 (descending) = Ascending AC 13. Same base AC as the normal boar — the Great Boar is larger but not more evasive. Its protection comes from AV:
- AV 3 (melee) — The Great Boar’s hide is a different proposition from the normal boar’s — thick, heavily keratinized skin over massive muscle, equivalent to scale armor for absorption purposes. A sword strike that connects with the shoulder mass of a Great Boar may deal reduced damage as the blade fails to penetrate effectively
- AV 2 (missile) — Even arrows find the Great Boar’s hide more resistant than normal boar hide. The thickness means arrows may not fully penetrate to vitals at normal range
- FD 18 — A Large creature of potentially 1,000+ lbs with 10 HD implied STR. Formula: 10 + STR mod (+7, implied by 2d8 tusk damage) + Size (+2) + Armor FD equivalent (+1) = 20 — reduced to 18 to reflect that despite the mass, the Great Boar is a mobile quadruped rather than a stationary object. Shoving it off a cliff is possible; shoving it in the open is not
Great Boar Skill Slots (7 total — 10 HD = 4 base + 5 at 9 HD + 1 at HD 10; asterisk = 1 special ability) #
Standard 10 HD budget: 4 base + 5 at 9 HD + 1 (HD 10) = 10 slots. INT 2 (Animal) caps useful skill investment. This entry uses 7 slots covering the creature’s full mechanical profile; the remaining 3 are unused.
| Slot | Skill / Ability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HR Investment (Skilled) | HR +7 standard; the Great Boar’s tusk attacks are more practiced — Skilled rank reflects a larger, more experienced predator |
| 2 | FR Investment (Basic) | FR +7; the Great Boar’s mass makes it an exceptional Shoving force — it doesn’t grapple, it simply runs through things |
| 3 | Charge Attack (innate, special) | As normal boar but doubled damage from 2d8 base = 4d8 on a successful charge. The asterisk |
| 4 | Alertness (Basic) | Same as normal boar — cannot be surprised in woodland terrain |
| 5 | Endurance (Expert) | Expert Endurance reflects the Great Boar’s prehistoric resilience — it sustains combat for exceptional duration, continues at full capacity even when seriously wounded, and can pursue prey across long distances. A Great Boar being ridden as a mount benefits from this — long marches do not tire it as quickly as a horse |
| 6 | Intimidation (Basic) | The Great Boar’s size alone is terrifying. Creatures of 3 HD or fewer seeing a Great Boar for the first time must make a Morale check or refuse to engage — the sheer scale is psychologically overwhelming. This is passive intimidation from mass, not an active special ability |
| 7 | Survival (Basic) | The Great Boar’s “lost world” habitat means it has survived in isolated ecosystems without human interference. It knows its territory thoroughly and can find water, shelter, and food in any forested environment |
Shared Mechanic — The Charge Attack #
Both boar species have the charge attack special ability. The RC’s description: “if they can charge for 20 yards (60 ft) before reaching their prey, they inflict double damage when they hit.”
Charge Mechanics #
Requirement: The boar must have a clear path of at least 60 ft (20 yards) to its target and must spend its entire movement in a straight line toward the target.
Terrain note: The charge requires clear ground — 60 ft of open forest floor, road, or field. Dense undergrowth, obstacles, or confined spaces may reduce or eliminate the charge opportunity. The boar’s habit of lying in thickets specifically exploits clearings, game trails, and forest roads where a 60-ft charge window opens naturally.
Charge resolution:
- Boar moves its full 90 ft (30 ft encounter) in a straight line toward the target
- On a successful HR roll: tusk damage is doubled (roll damage, multiply by 2, then add modifiers)
- Normal Boar: 2d4 × 2 = 4d4 (avg 10 vs. 5 standard)
- Great Boar: 2d8 × 2 = 4d8 (avg 18 vs. 9 standard)
- On a missed HR roll: the boar still moves its full distance (it may overshoot the target or pass by)
Initiative interaction: The charge resolves at the standard initiative roll. A character who wins initiative can attempt to brace a weapon (Set Spear vs. Charge) before the boar’s charge connects — see below.
HR bonus on charge: In addition to doubled damage, the charging boar gains +2 HR on the charge attack (the momentum makes the tusk strike harder to avoid as well as harder to survive). Normal Boar: HR +5 on charge. Great Boar: HR +9 on charge.
The ambush charge: The RC specifically notes boars “sometimes lie in thickets in the forest and charge passersby.” A boar that has been lying in wait (Alertness cannot be surprised) charges from concealment when targets pass within 60 ft. The party must beat the boar’s Alertness to avoid being surprised — the boar has chosen its ambush position specifically to have a charge window.
Set Spear vs. Charge (Counter-Mechanic) #
A character who is aware of the charge (not surprised) and declares in Phase 1 that they are Setting their spear can take double damage from the boar’s charge and deal it back. This uses the standard BECMI “Set Spear vs. Charge” rule from the Combat Maneuvers section.
Mechanics: The character braces a spear, polearm, or lance. When the boar charges into it:
- The boar takes double damage from the set weapon (same as the boar’s own charge multiplier)
- The boar takes the hit at the moment of charge — if the set weapon kills the boar, the charge is stopped
- If the set weapon does not kill the boar, the boar’s charge attack still resolves normally against the defender
Against a Great Boar: A set spear dealing 1d6 damage (spear base) × 2 = 2d6 (avg 7) against 45 HP is unlikely to stop the charge. The defender takes 4d8 charge damage while dealing 2d6 — a poor trade. However a magical spear (+2 or better, or wielded by a Fighter with Weapon Mastery) may produce enough damage to matter.
Martial Style #
Normal Boar — Style: Hard (Basic rank, pure momentum) Great Boar — Style: Hard (Skilled rank, apex predator) Rank: Basic (Normal) / Skilled (Great)
Both boars fight with the same philosophy: approach at maximum speed, hit once as hard as possible, continue moving. The charge is not a special tactic — it is the boar’s default attack mode whenever the terrain permits. The Hard style reflects total offensive commitment with no defensive consideration.
No Combat Breath: Animal intelligence, pure predatory instinct. Does not Winden or Exhaust in the conventional sense.
Post-charge behavior: After a charge the boar has overshot the target by 0–30 ft (depending on whether the target was at the edge of the charge range or the middle). The boar’s next action is to turn and close again for another tusk attack — or another charge if it has room to back up 60 ft. In confined spaces it attacks with standard 2d4/2d8 tusk damage after the initial charge.
Behavioral Profile — “Extremely Bad Tempers” #
The RC’s characterization is direct: bad tempers when disturbed, charges passersby. This is not random aggression — it is a specific behavioral trigger.
What triggers aggression:
- Entering within 30 ft of a boar that has detected the party (scent or sound)
- Approaching a boar that is eating, sleeping, or with young
- Making sudden loud noises near a thicket the boar is resting in
- Coming between a sow and her young (automatic aggression, Morale 11 equivalent)
- Persistent approach after initial aggression display (boars give warning — a snort, a ground-pawing, a short false charge — before committing)
What does not trigger aggression:
- Passing by at 60+ ft distance without approaching
- Moving away from an aggression display
- Offering food (not always effective but sometimes stops an approach)
The thicket ambush: The specific behavior of lying in thickets to charge passersby is realistic — wild boars do rest in dense cover near game trails and charge disturbances. The party should check for boar presence before entering dense undergrowth, especially near game trails (Nature Lore or Tracking check at difficulty –0 to detect recent boar signs — rooting marks, wallows, territorial markings on trees).
Great Boar — Mount and Lost World Context #
As a Mount #
The RC states Great Boars are “occasionally used as mounts by barbaric tribes.” The mount statistics make this viable:
- Load: 3,000 cn full speed (approximately 300 lbs with equipment — suitable for a light rider)
- Half speed: 6,000 cn at 45 ft (15 ft encounter) — heavier rider and equipment
- Speed: 90 ft (30 ft encounter) — slower than a warhorse (120 ft) but faster than walking
- Barding Multiplier ×3 — Great Boar barding is expensive and custom-made. At ×3 standard armor cost, a full set of boar plate costs significantly more than horse barding. Few barbaric tribes have the resources for full barding
Mount advantages over horses:
- The charge attack — a rider on a charging Great Boar delivers both the boar’s 4d8 tusk damage AND a lance or weapon attack at charge damage in the same round. This is devastating combined arms
- Terrain capability — Great Boars navigate dense forest better than horses (lower profile, stronger legs, indifferent to undergrowth)
- Morale 9 — Great Boars do not spook at combat, fire, or loud noises the way horses do. A Great Boar mount will charge into melee without a Riding check to maintain direction
- The boar’s own combat — a mounted Great Boar that loses its rider continues fighting independently, which may work for or against the party depending on context
Mount disadvantages:
- Temperament — the “extremely bad temper” applies to mounts as well. A Great Boar mount that takes significant damage in combat must make a Morale check (Morale 9). On a failed check it charges the nearest creature — which may not be an enemy
- Training requirement — Animal Training (Master rank) is required to train a Great Boar as a usable mount. The Riding skill (DEX-based) is required to control one in combat. Without proper Riding skill, a mounted Great Boar charge may require a Riding check to maintain direction
- Speed — slower than standard cavalry mounts on open ground
- Social context — arriving at a civilized settlement on a Great Boar mount produces strong reactions (awe, fear, amusement)
Training a Great Boar mount: Finding a Great Boar piglet in a “lost world” environment, surviving the parent’s inevitable charge, and then spending months training the piglet requires:
- Animal Training (Master rank): 3d6 weeks of intensive training
- Consistent food provision (Great Boar appetite is substantial — the DM should track feed costs)
- The trained Great Boar bonds to its trainer specifically — another rider faces a Riding check at –4 to control it
Lost World Context #
The RC places Great Boars in “lost world” settings — isolated prehistoric environments where megafauna survived. This gives Great Boar encounters specific campaign implications:
- Encountering a Great Boar means the party is in or near a lost world zone — dinosaurs, megafauna, and prehistoric cultures may be nearby
- Barbaric tribes that use Great Boar mounts are cultures adapted to the lost world’s scale — they may have knowledge of the environment the party needs
- A Great Boar that has been trained as a mount and escaped its tribe is a unique wilderness encounter — a 10* HD animal with mount conditioning moving through normal wilderness
Encounter Notes #
The ambush charge scenario: The party is moving through forest. A Tracking or Nature Lore check (difficulty –0) would have revealed the signs. Without it, the boar has been lying in a thicket 60+ ft from the trail, waiting. When the party enters range, the boar explodes out of cover. Surprise (1–2 on d6 standard) means the boar charges before the party can react — 4d4 charge damage to whoever is in front (avg 10) with no counter-action possible. Against a 1st-level character with 6 HP, this is potentially lethal on the first contact.
Normal combat (no charge room): After the initial charge, the boar fights with standard 2d4 tusk attacks. Morale 9 means it does not retreat until half HP. At half HP it checks Morale and may disengage. A normal boar that fails Morale breaks for the forest — it does not pursue if the party does not follow.
The Great Boar hunt: Barbaric tribes may hire or press the party into participating in a Great Boar hunt — a rite of passage or seasonal tradition. The party must kill or drive away a Great Boar without tribe assistance. Against a 10* HD creature with FD 18 and the charge mechanic, this is a genuine challenge for a mid-level party. The charge at HR +10 dealing 4d8 (avg 18) is dangerous regardless of party level.
Boar as food: A killed normal boar provides substantial food — 300–500 lbs of usable meat, enough for a large party for 1d6 weeks. The tusks are tradeable (10–25 gp to craftsmen who make tusk-ivory goods). A killed Great Boar provides 1,000–2,000 lbs of meat and tusks worth 100–300 gp each.
CR summary:
| Configuration | CR | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Normal Boar | 3 | Charge capable, Morale 9 |
| Group of 3+ Normal Boars | 4 | Multiple charges in first round from different angles |
| 1 Great Boar | 8 | 10* HD, 4d8 charge, FD 18 |
| Mounted Great Boar + rider | 10 | Combined lance charge + boar tusk charge simultaneously |
