Tom McLaury — Tombstone Rancher
Tom McLaury is a rancher working with his older brother Frank near Tombstone. His cattle, creditors and friendships with the Clanton circle tie him to the same quarrel as the Earps. Accounts of the 1881 gunfight differ on whether Tom carried a firearm; his place in the campaign should turn on what he does and what the characters can actually establish, not on an automatic verdict that he is a ruthless gunfighter.
At a Glance
- Identity
- Thomas Clark “Tom” McLaury
- Work
- Cattle ranching, accounts and horse handling
- Home ground
- Ranch country of southeastern Arizona
- Brother
- Robert Findley “Frank” McLaury
- Associates
- Ike and Billy Clanton, nearby ranch families
- Immediate concern
- Resolve a livestock and weapons dispute without losing the ranch
- Crucial uncertainty
- Witnesses disagree on whether he was armed at the showdown
- Historical boundary
- Killed 26 October 1881; alternative outcomes are possible
Game Statistics
Tom is built as a rancher and an experienced handler of stock, not an interchangeable version of Frank. A firearm in his possession is scene-dependent. For the historical gunfight, testimony conflicts as to whether he had a gun at all: the GM should settle that question through play and evidence rather than silently equipping him with two loaded revolvers.
Tom McLaury — 2024
Medium Humanoid (Human), Neutral
AC 12 (unarmoured, Dexterity); Initiative +2 (12); HP 44 (8d8 + 8); Speed 30 ft.
Skills Animal Handling +4, Insight +4, Perception +4, Persuasion +3, Survival +4; Senses Passive Perception 14; Languages English; CR 1 (200 XP; PB +2).
Usual equipment Ranch books, rope, knife, a saddle and horse. A six-shot revolver may be stored with his gear, but is not assumed to be on his person during a confrontation.
Traits
Know the Price of Cattle. Tom has Advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) checks to notice altered livestock counts or mismatched brands in records he can inspect.
Actions
Knife. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) Piercing damage.
Revolver (only if carried and loaded). Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 40/120 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) Piercing damage. It fires once per action, expends one of six rounds and takes an action to reload the full cylinder.
Bonus Actions
Get Clear (Recharge 5–6). Tom Disengages, provided he can move toward a visible exit or available cover.
Reactions
Shield the Papers. When an adjacent ally carrying evidence is targeted by a melee attack Tom can see, Tom may impose a −2 penalty on that attack before the result is known.
Tom McLaury — 5e / 2014
Medium humanoid (human), neutral. AC 12 (unarmoured); HP 33 (6d8 + 6); Speed 30 ft.
STR 14 (+2), DEX 14 (+2), CON 12 (+1), INT 12 (+1), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 12 (+1); Skills Animal Handling +4, Insight +4, Survival +4; Senses passive Perception 12; Languages English; CR 1/2 (100 XP; proficiency bonus +2).
Ranch Accounts. Tom has advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) checks to find discrepancies in cattle ledgers or a deliberately altered brand tally.
Actions
Knife. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Revolver (optional). Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 40/120 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage. One shot per action, six rounds available and one action to reload a cylinder; omit if Tom was disarmed.
Bonus Actions
Seek Cover (1/Short Rest). Tom takes the Disengage action when there is cover or a door he can reasonably reach.
Reactions
Warn a Rider. When a creature within 15 feet moves into a hazard Tom can see, he can call a warning granting a +2 bonus to one Dexterity saving throw against that hazard.
Tom McLaury — Pathfinder 1e
CR 2 (600 XP); human Expert 4 (NPC class), Neutral Medium humanoid (human); Init +2; Senses Perception +11.
Defense
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (leather vest +2, Dex +2); HP 22 (4d8 + 4, NPC-class dice averaged rather than maximising the first); Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +6.
Offense
Speed 30 ft.; Melee knife +5 (1d4+2/19–20); Ranged (only if armed) masterwork revolver +6 (1d8/×4; 20-foot range increment; misfire 1). Within the first five firearm range increments, normally target touch AC under Pathfinder firearm rules. The optional weapon has six shots and must be reloaded using the actual advanced-firearm rules.
Statistics
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12; BAB +3; CMB +5; CMD 17.
Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (revolver), Skill Focus (Profession [rancher]), Alertness.
Skills Handle Animal +8, Profession (rancher) +12, Ride +9, Perception +11, Sense Motive +11, Survival +9, Knowledge (local) +8, Diplomacy +8 (4 ranks each in eight chosen Expert class skills, 32 ranks total); Languages English; Gear accounts, ropes, leather vest, horse and optional revolver.
This is an Expert, not a Gunslinger with unrestricted grit, rogue Evasion or legendary actions. His class-skills list follows the Expert NPC-class option.
Tom McLaury — D&D 3.5e
CR 3; human Expert 4 (NPC class), Neutral Medium humanoid (human).
| Hit Dice | 4d6 + 4 (18 hp, NPC-class first die not maximised) |
|---|---|
| Initiative | +2 |
| Speed | 30 ft. |
| Armour Class | 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (leather vest +2, Dex +2) |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +3/+5 |
| Attack and Full Attack | Knife +5 melee (1d4+2); optional masterwork six-shot revolver +6 ranged (2d6/×3, 40-foot increment) |
| Space/Reach | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Saving Throws | Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +6 |
| Abilities | Str 14, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12 |
| Skills | Handle Animal +8, Profession (rancher) +12, Ride +9, Spot +11, Sense Motive +11, Survival +9, Knowledge (local) +8, Diplomacy +8 (7 ranks each in eight chosen class skills, 56 skill points) |
| Feats | Exotic Weapon Proficiency (revolver), Skill Focus (Profession [rancher]), Alertness |
| Challenge Rating | 3 |
Campaign equipment. A six-shot revolver is not a core 3.5e weapon; if supplied it uses 2d6 piercing damage, a 40-foot range increment and ×3 critical, with a full-round cylinder reload. It does not target touch AC in this edition. Unlike the Pathfinder version, Tom has no misfire, grit or deed abilities.
Historical Record and Rules
University of North Texas — Paul Lee Johnson, The McLaurys in Tombstone, Arizona; O.K. Corral site — conflicting testimony and chronology; Arizona Memory Project; D&D 3.5e Expert; D&D SRD 5.2.1 under CC BY 4.0. The question whether Tom was armed at the 1881 fight remains disputed; none of the four mechanics blocks settles that historical question.
What Is Tom McLaury Doing Now?
Tom has arrived in Tombstone to collect supplies and settle a disputed cattle payment. He must decide whether to return to the ranch before dark or stay to find his brother Frank. The stablekeeper has put their saddle gear aside in the corral, but a shopkeeper claims a pistol was deposited at another saloon. Neither will put the claim in writing.
Encounters and Decisions
What was in the saddle? A deputy says Tom’s rifle is near the horses; an opposing witness claims he has a pistol in his coat. The players can ask to inspect the saddlebags, seek the corral keeper’s statement, or negotiate a careful search where both sides can see what is removed. A confrontation without neutral witnesses may leave the truth unknowable.
The lost purchase note. A ranch supplier refuses to release much-needed wire and grain until Tom settles a bill Frank says has already been paid. The handwritten receipt has no matching entry in the seller’s book. The characters may examine ink and date, find the assistant who took payment, or arrange credit against the next herd sale. The choice matters to the ranch more than winning a shootout.
Personality and Relationships
Tom is a younger partner in the ranch, familiar with hard work, prices and the hazards of driving cattle through disputed territory. He is associated with Ike and Billy Clanton; portraying them as his sworn enemies confuses the actual conflict. He may argue with Frank over risk, but both have a reason to keep the business afloat. Give the family’s rivals clear positions rather than a convenient alignment label.
Equipment, Services and Rewards
Tom has practical stockman’s equipment: rope, tack, brand records, a knife, a horse and perhaps a firearm stored with his gear. He can offer a night’s shelter, the use of a pasture, a trustworthy drover’s introduction or modest pay for a completed delivery. There are no arbitrary enchanted pistols, legendary dodges or automatic enemies in his baseline statistics.
What the Sources Actually Settle
Tom was killed in the 26 October 1881 Tombstone gunfight, but witnesses disagreed about whether he carried a firearm at that moment. Some accounts place weapons elsewhere in town and note that none was found by his body. The campaign should leave room for the characters to test testimony and choose a different outcome. Consult O.K. Corral: account and disputed armament and Paul Lee Johnson’s study of the McLaury family.
Campaign Connections
Return to Western NPCs, meet Frank McLaury and Virgil Earp, or visit Tombstone and the firearms rules.
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