Mounted combat

[mikebr99]

hey...

Any rules out there for staying horse'd and driving using only your knees... when you get hit by something?

Say you are charging through a group of giants to get at their leader... you are weilding a heavy lance and a shield, so no hands on the bridle (don't flame me if that isn't the right word). Your movement through the giants is going to provoke some AoOs, and you are moving at 80ft. per 6 seconds. If one of those giants hit you and did 15hps of damage.. is there are rules on a balance check or ride check for this? If so, based on what DC?

thanks...

 

[Lord Ben]

(*)Ride (DEX)

When the character selects this skill, choose the type of mount the character is familiar with. For this purpose, "horses" includes mules, donkeys, and ponies. If the character uses the skill with a different mount (such as riding a giant lizard when the character is used to riding horses), the character's rank is reduced by 2 (but not below 0). If the character uses this skill with a very different mount (such as riding a griffon when the character is used to riding horses), the character's rank is reduced by 5 (but not below 0).

Check: Typical riding actions don't require checks. The character can saddle, mount, ride, and dismount from a mount without a problem. Mounting or dismounting is a move-equivalent action. Some tasks require checks:

Riding Task DC
----------- --
Guide with knees 5
Stay in saddle 5
Fight with warhorse 10
Leap 15
Control Mount in Battle 20
Fast mount or dismount 20*
Cover 15
Soft fall 15*Armor check penalty applies.

Guide with Knees: the character can react instantly to guide the character's mount with the character's knees so that the character can use both hands in combat. Make the check at the start of the character's round. If the character fails, the character can only use one hand this round because the character needs to use the other to control the character's mount.

Stay in Saddle: The character can react instantly to try to avoid falling when the character's mount rears or bolts unexpectedly or when the character takes damage.

Fight with Warhorse: If the character directs a war-trained mount to attack in battle, the character can still make the character's own attack or attacks normally.

Cover: The character can react instantly to drop down and hang alongside the mount, using it as one-half cover. The character can't attack or cast spells while using the character's mount as cover. If the character fails, the character doesn't get the cover benefit.

Soft Fall: The character reacts instantly to try to take no damage when the character falls off a mount, such as when it is killed or when it falls. If the character fails, the character takes 1d6 points of falling damage.

Leap: The character can get a mount to leap obstacles as part of its movement. Use the character's Ride skill modifier or the mount's Jump skill modifier (whichever is lower) to see how far the mount can jump. The DC (15) is what the character needs to roll to stay on the mount when it leaps.

Control Mount in Battle: As a move-equivalent action, the character can attempt to control a light horse, pony, or heavy horse while in combat. If the character fails, the character can do nothing else that round. The character does not need to roll for warhorses or warponies.

Fast Mount or Dismount: The character can mount or dismount as a free action. If the character fails the check, mounting or dismounting is a move-equivalent action. (The character can't attempt a fast mount or dismount unless the character can perform the mount or dismount as a move-equivalent action this round.)

Special: If the character is riding bareback, the character suffers a –5 penalty on Ride checks.

If the character has 5 or more ranks in Handle Animal, the character gets a +2 synergy bonus to Ride checks.

If the character's mount has a military saddle, it gives a +2 circumstance bonus to Ride checks related to staying in the saddle.

 

[mikebr99]

Yeah... seen that...

I am wondering if ther are rules for a check to stay horsed when you are riding at full speed and run into a big club going the other way...

 

[whatisitgoodfor]

Stay in Saddle: The character can react instantly to try to avoid falling when the character's mount rears or bolts unexpectedly or when the character takes damage .

Emphasis added by me.

That is the only rule in the books concerning it.

It really isn't a very good one, and I have never heard of anyone requiring that it be made.

If you feel like house ruling it, then just change it to the same DC as a concentration check.

 

[Mahiro Satsu]

I thought that I read a rule somewhere that said its DC is 5 plus damage taken.

Could be wrong, but it sounds right.

 

[AGGEMAM]

Yeah... seen that...

I am wondering if ther are rules for a check to stay horsed when you are riding at full speed and run into a big club going the other way...

Have you checked the mounted combat rules in the PHB, page 138 ??

If so, then what is your Q ??

EDIT: I should add that there is no check for that unless you are dropped, or the attack was tripping you.

 

[Lord Ben]

That's what the stay in the saddle check is for. A DC5 is pathetic though, a 16 dex rogue with a military saddle will always make that check. But I think it's supposed to be rare to fall from the horse.

If I were to house-rule it I'd make it a DC of damage dealt if you want something particularly nasty and more likely to fall.

Ride checks are pathetic, any decently trained fighter can do all with no chance of penalty. Heck, a 1st level fighter with 14 dex, max ranks in ride, and a military saddle on a warhorse has +6, and +8 with regards to falling out of the saddle.

A 1st level fighter Goblin can have spirited charge and ride-by attack if on a Warg. Plus he'll have +13 to ride if he maxes ranks and has 16 dex. Goblin Cavalry are the best

 

[photon1966]

Eric the Paladin has finally gotten his Steed so we have been trying out the ride rules a bit. I have found 5+the damage done from the hit as a reasonable DC for the ride roll. Since Giants hit for considerable damage that would seem fair. While taking a arrow, even for 6-8 points doesn't seem likely to knock some one off their steed. Now if they specifically attack to dismount him thats another story all together.

I am not sure what I would use, though just quickly looking at the PH I would say a trip Maneuver would seem fair way of knocking some one off their steed intentionally, otherwise I think it would just be a lucky hit and with good skill the rider would stay on.

Just some quick thoughts

 

[Macbrea]

In this you are correct. To intentionally, pull someone from their mount is a trip.


Quote of SRD from Trip an opponent.

A combatant may make a trip attack against a mounted opponent. The defender may use his Ride skill in place of his Dexterity or Strength check. If a combatant succeed, a combatant pull the rider from his mount.

The DC check of knocking an opponent from a mount should probably be a ride check dc 5+damage taken. Which would make it more in line with the concentration checks. But, by the rules they choose to make it only a 5.


Remember a fighter only gets 2+int bonus skills. So, that might have been a deciding factor on how hard it is to knock someone out of a saddle. You cannot compare a rogue to skill checks for non roguish skills.