Angelalex242 wrote:...I love how you guys take offense to common sense and standard medieval warfare tactics. Shooting the horses out from under cavalry was not exactly uncommon.
I can't really speak for others, but I for one wasn't offended, just amused.
Here's what I'm picturing:
LM: "In between lightning flashes you see a dark figure on a dark horse is thundering down the road in your direction. You feel that same sense of dread and unease that you've learned to associate with Nazgul. What do you do?"
Player: "I shoot his horse out from under him!"
LM: "Um, ok. There aren't really rules for that, but go ahead and roll..."
Player: "Gandalf Extraordinary Success!"
LM: "Right...I guess he gets a Protection roll, I'll give him 3 dice....Gandalf. Ok, so the horse rears up with a scream, and then crashes forward into the dirt, dead before it even lands. From the wreckage the dark figure emerges, and you see a smoldering glint from beneath its hood, a fiery red that feels like rage. The moon reflects off a long, pale sword that he draws as he comes toward you. Gosh, he moves fast when he's pissed."
Player: "I quickly mount my..."
LM: "I'm not done yet. You feel a wave of terror washing over you. Roll Valour."
Player: "Gandalf again. Great, so I jump on my horse and..."
LM: "Well, your horse is screaming with terror and trying to rear up. You've tied him securely, but he is thrashing wildly, totally out of control. In fact he's in danger of hurting himself."
Player: "I try to calm him down."
LM: "Roll Insight."
Player: "Drat...7. What was the TN?"
LM: "Six. You sense from the horse's panic that there's no way you're going to calm this animal down before the Nazgul is on you. The horse is really freaking out as the thing bears down on you, kicking and rearing and screaming. He's in
serious danger of hurting himself now."
Player: "Crap. I cut him loose and draw my Numenorean longsword to deal with the Nazgul. Attribute Level 6! Ha! I spit on Attribute Level 6."
LM: "Your horse, frothing at the mouth, goes galloping off into the darkness, straight toward the rapids and waterfall you passed a half hour ago. You turn to face the Nazgul and he's gone. Completely vanished. The storm rages on."
"By the way, since you've been taking reduced Fatigue while Traveling, I'm assuming that means you keep your supplies on your horse, right?"
(Aside: the Nazgul knows of some trolls that live in this neighborhood. He's on his way to go roust them to do a job for him, after he drives the hero's horse over the waterfall.)