Nomad (Character Kit)

Nomad
Description:  The nomad is a horseman from the vast steppes, similar to Mongols from our world. He excels at riding horses and shooting bows. A nomads life is harsh, and he may place a low value on human life. Nomad armies of mounted archers are fearsome opponents because of their mobil- ity. Horses, cattle, and sheep are vital to a nomads life, and loyalty to ones clan and chief is demanded of all. Nomads spendmost of the day in the sad
dle. To be a no-mad, the character must have a constitu- tion of 14 and dexterity of 13.
Role: A nomad in an AD&D campaign will likely be an outcast if the campaign is set in a civilized land. Nomads rarely leave their clans. Others may consider him to be cruel and taciturn. Nomads value their friends highly but tend to be curt with outsiders. Rangers and fighters may be nomads, but paladins may not.
Secondary Skills: Most of the second- ary skills are urban in nature and thus inappropriate here. Nomads skills could include bowyer/fletcher, hunter, and trapper/furrier. All nomads have a basic knowledge of livestock and horsemanship.
Weapon Proficiencies: When cre- ated, a nomad must take proficiency with the short composite bow or short bow, the scimitar, and the lance. The fourth slot may be used for any desired weapon.
* Recommended: lasso, knife.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus proficiency: Land-Based Riding (horse
* Recommended: Bowyer/Fletcher, Animal Handling, Endurance, Survival (Desert), Direction Sense.
Equipment: When created, the nomad must purchase either a riding horse or a pony. The nomad must also buy a bow as soon as possible.
Special Benefits: The nomads back- ground includes intensive training in arch- ery and riding. Because of this, the nomad suffers no penalties to attack rolls or rate
page 76) when firing
from a moving horse. However, range penalties are still in effect.
Special Hindrances: Nomads prefer mobility over heavy protection; thus, they will wear only leather, studded leather, ring, scale, or chain mail armor. Since they spend so much time on horseback, no- mads walk with a bowlegged gait and suffer a -1 to their base movement rate on foot.
Wealth Options: Nomads receive the normal 5d4x10 gp. As with other barbar- ic kits, the nomad must spend all but 3 gp or less. As noted above, the nomad must buy a horse or pony and a bow.
Races: Only humans may be nomads. Note: The Horde boxed set for the
AD&D FORGOTTEN REALMS campaign describes a setting appropriate for nomad type characters.
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