Mounted Archer

Notice

The following rules are from an out of date rule-set An Archer Archetype from the Book of Engoku.

Description

The Mounted Archer relies on speed and dexterity to outmaneuver opponents and retreat tactically to come around for the next volley. Mounted Archers, unlike most archer traditions, are bold people, and are just as likely to take your head with a sword as they are to shoot you as they gallop by.

Garb

The Mounted Archer is packing for speed, and that means light and easy to reach at a gallop. Their clothes, armor, and various bags & quivers must be secure, trim, and lightweight. Shields are almost unheard of, but a cleverly designed buckler may do the trick.

Essential Abilities

No Mounted Archer that’s earned the right is complete without a horse. Once you’ve reached Lv 3, summon up an Archery Mount in any scenario that includes wide open spaces. If the scenario is nothing but tunnels or forest paths, you’ll want to leave it at home.

Suggested Abilities

Specialty arrows that don’t require extra effort (like lighting them) are good things to have, as long as they are easy to recognize and load at a gallop. Fire arrows and Bowyer are all but useless once the Mounted Archer gets his horse.

Role-Playing Notes

Mounted Archers are not unlike their trade, so they are skirmishers by nature. They are boisterous, aggressive, and quick to use tricky tactics that allow for high kill ratios; the same sort of attitude you’d expect of a modern jet fighter pilot.

Weaponry

They’re always armed with at least a single long sword, and rarely, if they have a good way to mount them, both a long sword and short. Curved blades are more effective from horseback, and thus more common. Most Mounted Archers use short bows since the length of the bow is a problem from horseback. However, the Nippon people developed a longbow that was quite effective from a seated position. If you can get a Yumi, more power to you, otherwise, use a short bow.