Riding on Climb Dog (from Arms and Equipment Guide)

[Shin Okada]

Now I am trying to create a halfling character riding on a Climb Dog, advanced to medium size and maybe with warbeast template (MM II). How difficult should it be to stay on saddle when the dog climbs?

The dog should have climb skill of +23 thanks to it's increased strength. And can always take 10 because it has climb speed. Thus, it can climb almost any surface very easily.

I think it is cool if a halfling can ride "on" a climb dog and use spells/ranged attacks while the dog is walking dungeon ceiling. But not sure how difficult should it be.

 

[irdeggman]

Speaking of riding dogs. . .

Avalanche Press' Noble Steeds (a very good book, by the way) has some very interesting things to say about why riding a dog is just outright impossible. this is despite the common belief in fantasy that it happens. Basically they sum it up by saying that a dog's physical structure would not allow it, since the way that their legs work and their back support. . . It has nothing to do with the weight they would be carrying but rather in how they would carry the weight.

 

[Flyspeck23]

Speaking of riding dogs. . .

Avalanche Press' Noble Steeds (a very good book, by the way) has some very interesting things to say about why riding a dog is just outright impossible. this is despite the common belief in fantasy that it happens. Basically they sum it up by saying that a dog's physical structure would not allow it, since the way that their legs work and their back support. . . It has nothing to do with the weight they would be carrying but rather in how they would carry the weight.

That's also on the special extended edition of LotR: TT. Remember the battle with the wargs and how the orcs are riding on them?

Mainly, it's the difference between herbivores (horses), where (simply put) the back forms a straight line and stays that way during movement, and carnivores (dogs), where this just isn't the case


That said, let's move back from the "real world" to the fantasy world...

I think it is cool if a halfling can ride "on" a climb dog and use spells/ranged attacks while the dog is walking dungeon ceiling. But not sure how difficult should it be.

That is cool, no doubt. I'd rule that it's difficult to stay in the saddle while the dog is climbing the wall, and even more difficult if he's climbing the ceiling.
Every round, the character should have to make a ride check to stay in the saddle. The base DC for that is 5, and I'd modify it by +10 when the dog sticks to a wall, and +15 while on the ceiling. Furthermore, I'd add +10 to the DC if the dog is moving.
So if the character wanted to use a sling while the dog is racing along the ceiling, the ride check DC would be 30. OTOH, if the dog would just hold on to the wall without moving, the DC would be only 15.

Best thing would be to check with your DM. As far as I know there isn't a rule for riding a mount on the ceiling