Making a Mount ft. Willy Abeel 

I was not expecting Ronald McDonald to have such an incredible voice

Willy is so fun! He's so energetic, its great to see him on camera and teaching us how to make mounts!

Bring this man back. That was hype.

Make mounts out of moles, that's what grampappy always told me

The Matt Colville impression, and the rest of them, humor, and animated delivery were phenomenal. I've watched this video 3 times still laughing. If Willy ever made a YT channel, I'd be all over it like a bard on a persuasion check.

Let this man do the MCDM audiobooks, what a legend.

Already hooked from Willy's legendary voice.

I loved the added effects for the stat blocks. That was dope. I love the charisma and energy for Willy. I hope he becomes a permanent addition to the team! I especially love that the video felt very MCDM but had just enough of Willy's style to not make it a copy of a Matt Colville video. Honestly I've loved all the new faces making videos on the channel. 2023 will be the year of MCDM, I swear it

Great video Matt Colville (note: not actually Matt Colville)! Those rules have completely changed my games. My players treat mounts, just horses, as treasure! That's wild to me but I'll never complain about it.

Man he nailed Matt's speech pattern.

When he brought up a dungeon as a mount, my brain went immediately to howl's moving castle. I know for a fact that at least one person in my group would give up their heart to have a tiny calcifer moving their own custom junk house. I also have an idea for my fey rogue who has a mimic pet for when that thing gets bigger.

The Mounted Combat article is hands down my favorite and most used Arcadia piece.

You had so much willpower not to call it a chocobo you have my respect.

Is... Is he dressed as non-union Ronald McDonald? Cause i kinda love it, in a cosmic horror kinda way

That lead in from Mounts to the Beastheart was top tier.

I thought when this started no way this dude will have a cool of a voice as Matt. Well played sir

More of everything about this, please.

That really felt like Matthew was roleplaying so well that I saw a entirely different person in the place

Great video. Fun and informative. Looking forward to how mounts might play out in MCDM’s rpg. That and the “Clown Prince of TTRPGs” made me laugh more than it had any right to.

Willy is such a character, he feels like he's fallen out of a fictional reality and graced us with his presence.

It is a sublime joy to see such incredible people like Willy doing videos here! Great job, and amazing article!

As someone playing a mounted knight in our current game, I was a bit miffed to discover that (citing Treantmonk's build) the best RAW way to keep your mount alive is to go sorcadin (clockwork soul), cast Find Steed, share Agathis with horsey, and cast Aid and Warding Bond to keep it nice and healthy. As too often happens in 5e, the answer is _"become a caster."_ It's a cool build, and I've been enjoying it, but it's not how you make mounts viable in 5e - this is!

Willy has a legendary voice and presentation. Thanks for the video

This is a masterful impression. Nice work, man. You really nailed his mannerisms.

I absolutely love how much the guest stars have their own vibes in the MCDM domain. Really wonderful presentation from Willy and I remember how jovial Amy Vorphal was as well.

Okay, the Drizzt Do'Urden pronunciation at 9:15 got me. Great vid!

I could watch MCDM create mounts, retainers, action-oriented monsters, and other cool stuff I haven't even thought of all day.

Who TF is this man and why am I wanting to be his friend?? This dude is awesome. Love the talk and the ideas!!

I don't play D&D, and I have no use for clever mounted combat in my games (mainly Delta Green and Vampire)... but man, Willy "playing" Matt, using Matt's speech patterns and intonations, but giving it all his own twist, what an absolute delight just listening to him enthusiastically explain his ideas. Stellar video! 10/10!

I'm two minutes in and I can already tell I'm gonna get a lot of use out of this for our barbarian, who is super into riding into battle and tamed an enemy warhorse in the middle of his first combat with some godly rolling. Thanks for sharing all this!

This cant be Willy's real voice right? He sounds incredible!

(Disclaimer: this is coming from the perspective of a DM that was running Dnd5e) First off, let me say that I appreciate the attempt at coming up with a solution of the mount problem. I have run mounts in my campaign before and ran into similar problems. This does create additional game balancing issues. Mounted rules in 5e change depending on if the mount is controlled or independent. Controlled mounts (aka mounts you have trained to ride on) can only take the actions Dash, Dodge, or Disengage. Independent mounts can do actions like the ones in your stat block, but have the drawback of doing something they decide to do and not what your character decides to do. If we look at this mount as an independent mount, this stat block would be much more balanced. But independent mount rules are confusing. Who controls the mount? The DM, the player? How often do you decide that the mounts actions are in line with the characters? The implication of the rules is that it does it's own thing, not the characters (unless the character makes an attempt at convincing it). From a game play perspective, it can be frustrating to both people. The player having to use ready actions and do things that are sub-optimal. And for the DM, it is another monster to control on the battlefield, and would likely foster tension between them and the player if the mount does something other than what the player wants. Okay then, lets just use the controlled mounts rules. Less load on the Dm, the player can coordinate the two better and all is good? Except per RAW, they can't use all those cool actions. So, a good chunk of that stat block goes to waste. But what if we did allow them? It would just a straight buff. So what? Well combat balance is already not very good in 5e. I can already feel the headache coming on trying to balance encounters when my party decides to get 4 of these mounts. If they were worried about getting hit? Just dash! Dash all day for perma disadvantage on all enemy attacks. Want to nova an encounter even more? Just spam Swingblade to get advantage for more juicy crits? Out of uses? Let's just go take the rest of the day off. My mount dies? Just go buy another one and attune to it during a long rest! If your table is playing a power fantasy type home brew game this works and lets the players feel awesome. Using these mounts in Curse of Strahd? Well I hope you don't mind buffing your monsters or using cheesy tactics to nerf the mounts. Otherwise the players will probably kill off the BBEG by level 5. I like the idea, but it just needs more tweaking to be viable. Like perhaps only unique creatures in the world might have a similar stat bloc when tamed. (You can't go down to the local town and buy a replacement) Or features get unlocked by level, similar to classes. (This might be the level 15+ version of the stat block) Perhaps all of this is in your mounted combat rules, so it is already taken care of. But if i just went off the video and stat block, I wouldn't use it. I am not a game designer and don't have the time and willpower to take an idea and fully flesh it out/balance it.

Where has this guy been hidden all this time? What a cool guy!

Willy's Matt impersonation is incredible 😂

gunna need more videos from Willy like IMMEDIATELY

The impression of Matt Colville's cadance and intonation was actually amazing at the beginning of this video. Also really cool mechanics! I've seen some of the mount problems you mentioned in my own games and these seem like great solutions

I never had my players ask for a mount, but they did buy a donkey once, which they named Speedwagon Vincenco. Because I didn't have a donkey artwork, I just googled "ugly donkey" and used one of the first pictures that popped up and the token has been a continual source of joy since.

my first thought when you mentioned the steed and warrior fantasy was "oh like Kokuoh and Raoh?" and now I want to make...that dynamic where it's more difficult to fight on the steed but the steed can make massive attacks

I have been looking for better mount rules for months now. Thank you sir, thank you

MCDM: Man's Cadence Does Magic. Willy, your voice is awesome, your outfit is awesome, and you look like D&D's Bob Ross. Thank you for the video!

I already made an Axebeak for my party's Paladin. All it does is lurch towards any enemy that hits them and attack it if it gets close. It's got better base stats cause it's specially bred, but I still feel like I'm shortchanging him after seeing this crazyass dinosaur. Great system, Williboo.

I see Ronald has started to do more than bringing the food to the table.

Thank you Will and MCDM for giving us this video. A well treat. You broke me with the Drizzt and Gwen joke. Good stuff.

Finally, a challenger for Matt for "Best GM Voice"

Damn! These are great, clean solutions. Thank you Willy (and Matt)!

A giant mantis that can wield weapons in it extendibles. You mad lads. To think giving players something they get to keep that you don't just take away with some loophole mechanic or it dies because its make believe. Actual useful mechanics can be done. You're not alone. Don't forget enlarge, haste or other magical influence for more ground covered, more thump, and all around good fun. Spider climbing a dual casted giant axe beak over the walls of a fortress leaves a lasting impression. Literally.

The one time I've been in a campaign where a mount actually made things more interesting, it was because the mount was my PC, with a homebrew playable dragon option. Amusingly, despite him being on paper just my loyal minion, my brother's kobold character who was riding him around honestly ended up being the real star of the show with my character mostly serving as a delivery mechanism and a way to proc sneak attack constantly. Really interested to try this the next time I play 5e.

I lost it when he pulled a red nose from under the desk

Great job Willy! I feel like some folk will say "oh that axe beak is too strong!" but like... I realize I don't have to put all much onto a mount as was done on this video. Really great presentation and charisma.

Great video, cannot wait to see the full rules for mounts in your game.

You made me think of this poem written by my first wife a very long time ago: Try Riding a House (#236) © Brenda January 28, 1985 11:25 pm Even though it’s not my first memory Blazing in my mind The bright fourth summer of my life. The home was big, two-story White, shining in the sun Pretty house, a challenge. Stairway winding up outside Railed porch at the top The sloping rooftop beckoned me. Nearly four, unafraid Standing on the rail Small fingers grasped the roof. Up and over warm blue tiles Till straddling the peak I was riding a house. Surveying my domain, I noticed A gathering of faces, My poor mother. It was glorious! It was fun! I loved it!

Definitely going to use this in my current game, I got to get my hands on this issue soon.

This was amazing! I didn't even know I wanted my players to have awesome mounts, then I listened to Willy talk for 10 minutes!

This guy went out of his way to look like someone named Willy

Willy Abeel looking like he just escaped from McDonaldland. Great video! Love the enthusiasm and advice.

He has Ronald Macdonald's clothes and Wendy's brains (note that Wendy is the smartest of all burger mascots)

This is a super cool system, and Willy was awesome. I really like the videos with other hosts it keeps everything fresh

That was amazing. Well done, Matt Colville! ;D

These are cool! I would gate the powers behind levels/teirs, so that the mount feels like it's improving beyond just numbers going up. So Your regular axebeak gained at low level, it has the Talon Trot, Water Walk and health improvements. Next tier, it's basic attack goes up to the Cleaving Head Slam. Top tier axebeak, gets Swingblade. This way the mighty and powerful level 12 fighter, and the level one wizard, don't have a mount that does the same thing, but is just tougher. It also gives a person with an axe beak something to look forward to as they level up. Also, this was good advice, but something that might be more helpful to a DM with less design experience, would be a list of abilities one could give a mount. Like, Talon Trot, could be good on a bunch of thematic creatures. Having a list of mount abilities or feats that could be applied to some creature, means DM's don't have to sit there and work through the difficult part of design (is this even a good idea?) because you guys have already done that bit. You know why those abilities would be good for a mount to have, and could include the design principles behind what you should add if you make your own. Could be good in a monster book...just saying.

This was really great. I wish stuff like this would get more attention on the channel. I know you haven’t cracked it yet but I do think MCDM could support more hosts and personalities given the right format tweaks.

More of this: Both the interesting expansions of existing systems, and Willy's voice and sick-ass stylings.

Willy's Matt delivery is great lmao

This guy was awesome! The voice! The energy! The willingness to give away state secrets to those who stay to the end!

I love Axebeaks. In my world they have the personality and similar appearance of a Shoebill.

that was great, great rules, great ideas, great host, great radio voice!

Ah, yes. The great Matt "People Enjoy A Good Horse" Colville.

Love the energy of this man, great to hear from the designers

this was a cool and fun run. Now i'm hyped to tell my dm about my new dream about my personal mount. As we all should do regulary

I know it's on purpose, but I got to say it. THAT IS A RONALD MCDONALD REFERENCE AND I AM HERE FOR IT!!!!!! AHHHHH

Incredible, thanks!

Awesome! I love the ending :D

Willys articles are always awesome, cool to see him in a video.

I have wanted this video since the first Arcadia issue came out. Nice video

Dungeon with a roller coaster. Boom! Rideable dungeon!

i love this video. such good practical advice.

This makes me think of a Wonderland RPG.. and I LOVE IT

I love Willy's voice. Nice video, keep them coming!

0:28 you know, with a voice that cool i almost believed you!

This was amazing, thank you Willy :)

Great Presenter!!! I have seen Abeel play before but never as a presenter. Thanks for the graphics! I at least know where to look! So you have to attune to the Mount? It certainly is powerful (maybe too powerful) but I don't want anyone except maybe a Ranger.

This is a great video. Matt getting more of your staff on video would be awesome. Only if their cool with it of course.

Great to see Willy doing a video. 10/10 presentation.

Howl's moving Castle is the only thing I can think of in terms of riding a Dungeon off the top of my head.

This was fantastic. We definitely need more Willy

I already loved the article from Arcadia but it just got 400% more entertaining to read in the author’s awesome voice

The Capybara mount needs to have something that classified it as a Fish

Willy: I'm actually not Matt Me: 😱 BAMBOOZLED, BAMBOOZLED I SAY

Not the the first time in my life that I'm looking for more Willy

It's Willy! Love that guy!

I want my rouge to ride a centipede! Moves silently, scales walls and ceilings, can change direction at full speed and causes G Force disorientation to the rider, terrifies any mammal, poison pincers, high armor class except for it's belly, can be stunned by bright lights, and fear of anything that flies, terrified of things that have beaks!

Whoa Willy needs to do more videos!!

Loved this!

I like some of these ideas. AC + PB, temp HP, and bonus action attack. Horses dying to lair/legendary actions is a mechanical drag. That said, 5e actually has really excellent mount mechanics, and the AoE, trot, and waterwalking are absolutely nutty. Giving disadvantage to all incoming attacks on Dash makes Dodge and Disengage irrelevant, and already trivializes difficult terrain. Why eliminate the existing mount decisions?

I would like to submit a formal request for additional Willie videos in the future. Great walkthrough!

1:37 I'm shocked at such deception

I love this. Willy's awesome!

Great job, Willy!

Cool intro! Well done there Willy!

10/10 after credits scene

Get this man his own show! This was great!