A Comet Steed is a horse-like creature from the Spelljammer campaign setting.[1]
Description[]
A comet steed resembles a large, healthy warhorse with a pure white coat. However, any similarity with planetary-bound horses ends there. Comet steeds are natives of space and can travel freely in wildspace and the phlogiston. They are constantly surrounded by a fine, gleaming mist which is actually a cloud of stardust. When the comet steed flies through space, the dust cloud trails behind it, hence its name.[1]
Ecology[]
Comet steeds are herbivores and often land on planets to graze for a few days. They will then wander back into space and travel until they encounter another planet. They only need to eat two or three times per month, so they can travel great distances in space without feeding.[1]
Combat[]
Comet steeds are not particularly aggressive and tend to avoid combat whenever possible. Considering the great speed at which they can travel, it's fairly easy for them to avoid hostile creatures if they so choose. A comet steed has the amazing natural ability to travel at spelljamming speeds, making them highly prized as mounts (a comet steed is considered to have an SR of 7).
Comet steeds attack with their front hooves and bite. However, this would be extremely unusual for a comet steed. Like other equines, they tend to flee at any sign of danger. Only spelljamming ships with an SR of 7 or higher have any hope of keeping with these amazing creatures.
The stardust that constantly envelopes a comet steed grants it magic resistance. As a secondary effect, the dust gathers around the steed during combat, blinding any opponents in close combat with the steed. The blindness will clear 10 minutes after exposure to the stardust has ceased.[1]
Society[]
Comet steeds are extremely solitary animals, and do not socialise with other creatures, including other comet steeds. They mate once in their lives during a complex ritual that lasts only a few days. During the mating ritual, a male and female comet steed will breed, and the female will bear a single foal. Comet steeds can live up to 200 years.
A comet steed can be obtained as a mount in one of two ways. The first is to capture a young comet steed and raise it as a mount. Since young steeds are unable to travel at spelljamming speeds for the first year of their lives, it is relatively easy to capture a young foal. The difficult task is finding a foal, considering how rare these creatures are.
The second way to obtain a comet steed as a mount is to use a ring of the comet, which can be used to summon a comet steed on a temporary basis.[1]
Appendix[]
External Links[]
- Comet steed article at the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Wiki, a wiki for official Dungeons & Dragons content from 2nd edition AD&D.