Space Swine

Medium Magical Beast

Hit Dice: 4d10+12 (34 hp)

Initiative: +0

Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 30 ft. (clumsy) (6 squares)

Armor Class: 15 (+5 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 15

Base Attack/Grapple: +3 / +5

Attack: Gore +0 melee (1d8+2)

Full Attack: Gore +0 melee (1d8+2)

Space/Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Special Attacks: Squealing Charge

Special Qualities: Increased Carrying Capacity, Low-Light Vision, Superior Scent

Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +2

Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 5

Skills: Listen +7, Spot +6

Feats: Alertness, Endurance

Environment: Any

Organization: Solitary or herd (1-4)

Challenge Rating: 2

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always neutral

Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium); 9-12 HD (Large)

Level Adjustment: —

The creature looks like a boar with large grey, pigeon-like wings.

Space swine are a custom-bred species of boar. The dohwar, their creators, breed them for a variety of uses, including tracking and as beasts of burden. They also sometimes serve as food, leading intelligent races to nickname the flying pigs "star pork."

Space swine have a wingspan of eight feet, and they range in color from dirty to mottled brown. They grunt like pigs, and sometimes coo like pigeons—a behavior that irritates the dohwar.

Combat

Space swine are fierce fighters, as ill-tempered as their wild boar cousins. When used as a war mount by the dohwar, a space swine that's more than 30 feet away from their foe can perform a squealing charge attack. The swine emits a piercing war-squeal that rises in pitch as it nears its target during the charge.

Squealing Charge (Ex): The squealing charge is a more powerful version of a standard charge. To execute a squealing charge, a space swine must move at least 30 feet (6 squares), not the usual 10 feet. A space swine deals 2d8+4 points of damage when it makes a squealing charge. After making a successful squealing charge, the space swine must make a Fortitude save (DC 20) or be stunned for 1d4 rounds. Any mounted rider is automatically thrown.

Increased Carrying Capacity (Ex): A space swines carrying capacity is doubled.

Superior Scent (Ex): A space swine's superior scent ability works out to double the range of the normal scent ability. It also grants a +10 bonus to Track when using superior scent.

Training a Space Swine

Although somewhat intelligent, a space swine requires training before it can bear a rider in combat. Training a space swine requires six weeks of work and a DC 25 Handle Animal check. Riding a space swine for combat requires an exotic saddle. A space swine can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check.

Space swine young are worth 50 gp each on the open market. Professional trainers charge 200 gp to rear and train a young space swine.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a space swine is up to 200 pounds; a medium load, 201-400 pounds; a heavy a heavy load 401-600 pounds.

In the Spheres

Space swine are omnivorous and can eat anything. They survive in space ports by gobbling up the garbage tossed out by passing ships.

The dohwar try to sell space swine to other races, but few actually buy them. The only race that buys them in bulk is the tinker gnomes.