Enlarged Dire Bear Mount

CR 9 (6,400 xp)

N large animal
Init +5; Senses Low-light vision, scent; Perception +12

AC 24, touch 8, flat-footed 23 (+1 Dex, +10 natural, +6 armor, -3 size)
hp 130 (10d8+60)
Fort +14, Ref +8, Will +4

Speed 40 ft.
Melee 2 claws +17 (2d8+11 with battle claws or 1d6+11 plus grab with natural claws), bite +17 (1d8+11)

Str 33, Dex 13, Con 25, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +10, CMB +21 (+23 grapple), CMD 30 (34 vs. trip)
Feats Endurance, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Run, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Perception +12, Swim +23; Racial Modifiers +4 Swim

Environment City, originally from cold forest
Organization Solitary
Treasure None


In the first place, the dire bear must be captured without harm in infancy in order to be tamed and trained without much difficulty. A good trapper may be hired to capture the animal for 500 gold pieces. Once captured, the dire bear must be tamed. Taming the young dire bear is a long and complicated task. It requires 1 year for an experienced trainer to tame the dire bear (Handle Animal DC 25). Hiring a trainer to domesticate a dire bear cost 1200 gold pieces, and accommodation and goods are not included in the price.

Once domesticated, the dire bear must be magically enhanced with the spells Animal Growth and Permanency*. Hiring a 10th level sorcerer or a wizard** to cast those spells cost 3500 gold pieces (500 for Animal Growth and 3000 for permanency).

The magically enhanced dire bear needs war gears to be efficient on the battle field. Forging the armor and the battle claws requires the skills of an expert blacksmith. Creating the gears involves 2000 gold pieces of materials and 2 weeks of hard work (Craft Armor DC 20 and Craft Weapon DC 20).

The final part in creating that ultimate war machine is the combat training. Train the magically enhanced dire bear for war requires a full month of intense training (Handle Animal DC 20). Hire a trainer to prepare the dire bear for battle cost 100 gold pieces, and accommodation and goods are not included in the price.

* The GM must allow Animal Growth to be part of the spell list that could be set permanent.
** Both spell requires being casted the same day.

Additional Ratings
Balance:	1 2 3 4 5 ( 3 Votes )
Utility:	1 2 3 4 5 ( 3 Votes )
Clarity:	1 2 3 4 5 ( 3 Votes )