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Nomad (Dragon 172)
| Ability Requirements: | Constitution 14, Dexterity 13 |
| Prime Requisites: | Strength, Constitution |
| Races Allowed: | Only humans may be nomads. |
| Alignments Allowed: | Any |
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 mobility. Horses, cattle, and sheep are vital to a nomad's life, and loyalty to one's clan and chief is demanded of all. Nomads spend most of the day in the saddle.
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 secondary 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 created, 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.
Nonweapon Proficiencies:Bonus proficiency: Land-Based Riding (horse). Recommended: Bowyer/Fletcher, Animal Handling, Endurance, Survival (Desert).
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.
Recommended Traits: Direction Sense.
Benefits: The nomad's background includes intensive training in archery and riding. Because of this, the nomad suffers no penalties to attack rolls or rate of fire (see the DMG, page 76) when firing from a moving horse. However, range penalties are still in effect.
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, nomads walk with a bowlegged gait and suffer a - 1 to their base movement rate on foot.
Wealth: Nomads receive the normal 5d4 X 10 gp. As with other barbaric kits, the nomad must spend all but 3gp or less. As noted above, the nomad must buy a horse or pony and a bow.
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