Mounts

[HazardCatcher]

Page 46 also explains forced movement, and though it does not directly address powers that include movement, it seems reasonable to apply the same principle as this paragraph and allow them to affect you and your mount. At least it seems reasonable until you meet a Talenta halfling rogue perched on a Tumbling dinosaur.

Then it seems awesome.


I've wanted to create a Talenta halfling riding a velociraptor type dino since before 4th edition was even announced and have been struggling to figure out how to do it. I was flirting with an archer ranger, maybe even using the beastmaster build to keep my mount at an appropriate level, although i'm not sure about using your companion as a mount.

This however seems like an even funner idea. Hmm... are there any light blade polearms a halfling could use?

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Then it seems awesome.


I've wanted to create a Talenta halfling riding a velociraptor type dino since before 4th edition was even announced and have been struggling to figure out how to do it. I was flirting with an archer ranger, maybe even using the beastmaster build to keep my mount at an appropriate level, although i'm not sure about using your companion as a mount.

This however seems like an even funner idea. Hmm... are there any light blade polearms a halfling could use?

Technically by RAW a mount must be large or larger and all beast companions are medium sized, so it isn't possible to ride one. You MIGHT be able to get around that using the ritual in PHB2 that lets you enlarge a beast (Beast Growth IIRC?). It only lasts 8 hours though. Of course the DM could always house rule it for small PCs. Overall it doesn't seem like it would hurt anything, riding your beast isn't that great a tactic anyway, though in some situations it could be nice for a BM archer build. Still, you'd be better off in that case to get a hawk and just buy a mount.

 

[Dalzig]

Technically by RAW a mount must be large or larger and all beast companions are medium sized, so it isn't possible to ride one.

Eberron Campaign Guide has Medium mounts which only small creatures can ride.

 

[DracoSuave]

It looks to me as if only forced movement is covered by the rules, not extra movement granted by powers.

I would take that to mean that you can't affect your mount by RAW with powers that are supposed to affect _you_.

But my inclination is to say that (as a house rule if nothing else) Mounted Combat should allow you using movement powers for your mount, but ... it might be broken.

Personal abilities don't affect your mount. That should be obvious as to why.

'I trained to be a better runner. RUN MOUNT RUN!' is somewhat addlebrained.

However, -ally-targetting abilities affect your mount just fine. If the warlord wants to Knight's Move you, then you can say 'Dude, the mount is what's moving' and the warlord goes 'OH YEAH' and Knight's Moves the mount.

 

[Mahali]

We've allowed the mount to shift with you when using "mount and rider are same creature" rules.

If they want the mount and rider to have complete individual turns then they don't share those effects.

 

[JiggleFloyd]

You have it. W/o Mounted combat you don't have access to the attacks nor the special abilities/properties a mount offers.

the nice thing is that if you have heavy armor on and thus reduced speed, being mounted alleviates this limitation.
The downside is that the mount is included in blasts and bursts, and, while having no healing surges of its own, must be healed through other means.
Having a constant attack bonus and damage means that they become less awesome as you level.

You being level 2 would still not have access to skitter as it requires level 4.

If you do get mounted combat I recommend a war horse and do some charging. At level 6 get a giant riding lizard because he attacks whenever you do. Impenetrable barding is a must with mounts.

It is arguable that while mounted your bursts are increases based on the size of your mount due to poor wording in the DMG.

If I am a ranger and riding a Giant Riding Lizard and use my twin-strike power with two melee weapons against a single target, will this cause my Giant Lizard to also attack twice?

Here is the wording for the Mount ability with the Giant Riding Lizard:
Combined Attack (while mounted by a friendly rider of 6th level or higher;, at-will)*Mount
When the giant lizard’s rider makes a melee attack against a target, the lizard can make a claw attack against the same target.

The way I see it, twin-strike allows me to do two melee attacks, and therefore allows my Giant Riding Lizard to make two attacks as well. Although this is probably incorrect and would seemingly make this mount ridiculously broken for a two melee weapon ranger, I just want clarification.

Also, how about opportunity attacks, can the lizard attack in addition to me for opportunity attacks?

 

[On Puget Sound]

By that logic, a Blinding Barrage while on the same mount and surrounded by enemies could result in up to 12 attacks by the mount, 1 into each adjacent square with an enemy. EDIT no I'm wrong, Blinding Barrage is not a Melee attack.

No, "Making a melee attack" is using an action with the "attack and "melee" keywords (including a basic melee attack). Some of these, like twin strike, have multiple targets and so require multiple attack ROLLS, but the mount only gets one attack because you have only actually made one attack.

Yes, an opportunity attack is a melee attack and so triggers the mount's power.

You can, of course, use an action point to let you (and your mount) make a second attack in the same turn.

 

[renau1g]

Another benefit to mounts is access to some interesting abilities (take the Nightmare, with just the one feat, I can have access to its teleporting ability)

Also, if you have skald's armor you can re-direct teh attack at your mount (if you're a SOB, like my drow sorceror).

 

[Mahali]

Another benefit to mounts is access to some interesting abilities (take the Nightmare, with just the one feat, I can have access to its teleporting ability)

There is a mount slot item Nightmare's Saddle that allows you to teleport with a Nightmare if you're mounted. The Mounted Combat feat doesn't allow it.

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

The real world use of horses and camels was typically to let you move around faster, not to trample someone to death. An archer with a horse on an open field is a wonder to behold.

Well, to be fair, warhorses were bred to emphasize aggressive behavior and they bit, trampled and kicked enemy infantry quite often...

Read G.R.R. Martin's books for lovingly gruesome descriptions of horses in fantasy/medieval battles...