questions about Mounted Combat

[DalkonCledwin]

Specifically I am wondering about how Mounted Archery works. My question has to do with what happens if you bring your mount to a full stop and then try to fire the bow or crossbow? The Mounted Archery Feat and the description of Mounted Archery in the Combat Section of the Pathfinder SRD, says that you take a -2 to a -4 penalty if the mount is making a double move, and that you take a -4 to a -8 penalty if the mount is taking a run action, but it makes no mention of what happens if the mount is not currently moving. So I am somewhat confused by this. Does the SRD automatically assume that a horse or other land based mount will always be in movement during combat, despite the fact that one can bring a horse to a halt? (this does not include flight based mounts which by are usually going to be in continuous movement by virtue of the mechanics of aerodynamics on all but the most capable of flying mounts)

I guess my question is, if you bring a horse to a halt during the middle of combat, do you take a penalty for firing at an opponent due to being on a mount, or is it assumed that you are treated the same as if you were firing from the ground?

 

[Friend of the Dork]

Specifically I am wondering about how Mounted Archery works. My question has to do with what happens if you bring your mount to a full stop and then try to fire the bow or crossbow? The Mounted Archery Feat and the description of Mounted Archery in the Combat Section of the Pathfinder SRD, says that you take a -2 to a -4 penalty if the mount is making a double move, and that you take a -4 to a -8 penalty if the mount is taking a run action, but it makes no mention of what happens if the mount is not currently moving. So I am somewhat confused by this. Does the SRD automatically assume that a horse or other land based mount will always be in movement during combat, despite the fact that one can bring a horse to a halt? (this does not include flight based mounts which by are usually going to be in continuous movement by virtue of the mechanics of aerodynamics on all but the most capable of flying mounts)

I guess my question is, if you bring a horse to a halt during the middle of combat, do you take a penalty for firing at an opponent due to being on a mount, or is it assumed that you are treated the same as if you were firing from the ground?

If you move your mount one move action, stop and shoot then it's the same as if you had done so on the ground, so no penalty.

The advantage of Mounted Archery is of course that you can move double or even run speed of the mount and still let loose a barrage of arrows... meaning infantry will never be able to catch you and would have to resort to ranged attacks themselves. Heck, if you use run and stay out of charge range even other melee cavalry cannot catch you, and if you have enough ammunition you would eventually win.

Unless your horse got tired of course...