[RPG] Alternative Underdark Mounts

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I am currently working as the DM for Out of the Abyss and have a Paladin in my party. This means at level 5, I need to come up with a Mount for her.

Due to the Underdark being the Underdark, traditional surface world mounts aren't terribly useful. A Horse is going to have a hard time navigating the tunnels and cliffs and ledges and everything else that makes up the terrain. I don't want to give one of my players a basically useless class feature.

According to everything I have run across for 5E, there are only two types of creature used in the Underdark as Mounts… Giant Lizards and Steeders.

I would like to give her more options than that.

So, are there any other creatures traditionally used as viable mounts in the Underdark? I will gladly accept results from other editions of D&D…I don't mind re-statting things. The player is controlling a medium-sized character.

As my choice of tags and wording did not make this clear, allow me to clarify what I am looking for.

I am looking for a Mount for a Paladin using Find Steed at Fifth Level. It must meet the following requirements:

  • Large Size
  • CR no greater than 1 (CR of a Steeder)
  • Is used in lore by Underdark races as a mount.
  • Must meet the 'physical anatomy' requirements necessary to be ridden
  • Must not have a Flying Speed
  • Must come from official D&D material, or WotC sanctioned fiction

I am looking for another mount that is in the same 'class' of creatures as the ones that are already listed as options for the Find Steed Spell (warhorse, pony, camel, elk, or mastiff), but is canonically used as a mount in the Underdark, by one of the races that lives there. I am looking for an answer from official Dungeons and Dragons material, not homebrew, and would greatly appreciate a reference to the rulebook or D&D publication that contains this information. I will also accept WotC sanctioned fiction that features adventures in the Underdark and having a creature as a mount.

If no in-lore, canonical alternative exists, then 'there is nothing else' is a valid answer (assuming it is properly backed).

To be clear: I am looking exclusively for mounts used by the races of the Underdark, not mounts from the surface that could be useful on rough terrain or in caverns. I am capable of doing the research for other suitable non-Underdark mounts on my own and am looking to supplement this with lore-friendly Underdark options.

Best Answer

I did a search on D&D Beyond for Large Underdark creatures of CR 1 or below. From that here are the suitable mounts:

  • Giant Lizard/Giant Lizard (Variant)/Giant Riding Lizard: This CR1/4 lizard has appeared a couple of places and seems a pretty solid choice.
  • Giant Spider (AKA Steeder): You already pointed this out. CR1 and provided your table doesn't have an arachnophobe it's a good choice.
  • Giant Strider: Introduced with Volo's Guide to monsters this CR1 creature is IMO the best choice. The book even says "striders voluntarily serve as mounts".
  • Giant Toad: CR1 and if you don't mind hopping everywhere the extra jump distance can get you places other mounts can't.
  • Half-Ogre: In theory you could but this is more of an NPC than a mount.
  • Reduced Threat Carrion Crawler: A standard Carrion Crawler is CR2 but the reduced threat template makes this a suitable mount. Plus is has a climb speed.

Why the Giant Strider is the best option

Lets look at your requirements:

  • Large Size - Check
  • CR no greater than 1 (CR of a Steeder) - CR1 exactly
  • Is used in lore by Underdark races as a mount - More so than any other option. This creature literally only exists in the lore as a mount for Firenewt warriors.
  • Must meet the 'physical anatomy' requirements necessary to be ridden - Check
  • Must not have a Flying Speed - Check
  • Must come from official D&D material, or WotC sanctioned fiction - Published in Volo's Guide to Monsters.

I cannot see a better and more suitable option that the Giant Strider for an underdark mount.

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