Lances and Multiple Attacks

[Eric V]

How do you all handle PCs using lances while mounted with the Extra Attack feature?

If there are multiple targets, spread out, I get it. What if there's only one target? They charge up on the horse, stab the enemy 4 times from distance, then keep moving? Has anyone played with alternate rules for this? I was thinking one attack but 3e style hit depending on how many attacks the lance user has. E.g. an 11th level Cavalier would do 3d12+3xbonus on a single hit.

Any other ideas?

 

[The Crimson Binome]

You are right in that moving both before and after the attack can lead to silly outcomes. I am almost certain that the vast majority of groups simply don't worry about it.

The most fair solution would be to make all three attacks, total up damage the normal way, and then narrate it all as one thrust if you feel it necessary. Making a single attack for thrice damage would lead to some mechanical issues.

 

[Hussar]

D&D has never handled this well. By the rules, yes, you would get your full suite of attacks against that one target. Note, that since there's no actual "charge" action anymore (outside of a feat that is), there's no actual difference, rules wise, what weapon you are using from horseback.

And, since there's no bonus damage for lances, limiting them to a single attack would make them pretty much useless. Why would I use a lance instead of a longsword?

 

[77IM]

...Because a lance is a d12 reach weapon, so you're doing more damage than a longsword and not drawing Opportunity Attacks.

I agree with earlier posters: just make your 3 attacks as normal and describe it differently. The first attack is stabbing with the lance, the second attack is driving the lance further in, the third attack is ripping it back out!

 

[Sunseeker]

I'd make it +X Weapon damage dice. So, if you had two extra attacks you would deal +2d12 on a hit. I think that is a fair representation of the increased impact (buh dun tish) of a lance. Keeps the visual of a single charge and a single powerful hit in tact, while respecting the multiple attacks.

 

[Iry]

Combat is already an abstraction, with your character making feints and probing strikes (or whatever imagery is appropriate for your character concept). So you could handwave the entire thing as being a single incredibly potent strike that drives straight through the enemies defenses.

Alternatively, you can imagine it as several lightning fast strikes. As they charge forward they thrust the lance out for the first impact, then quickly draw it back for another impact before they move past the enemy. Something mostly impossible for us, but certainly possible for superhuman PCs. Like this delightful bird!

[video=youtube;3VyXti89LSg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VyXti89LSg[/video]

 

[Eric V]

Thanks guys! I think this might require a narrative solution.

 

[happyhermit]

1 attack doesn't necessarily map to one swing of a sword, after all that would make for some incredibly slow duels at low level. So in situations like this we usually see highly skilled fighters as simply having more combat force, in a way that lets them distribute it to multiple enemies if they want. So when they put "multiple attacks" on a single target they might swing their sword a dozen times or put their skill, time and effort into a single blow. Then again with the lance in particular I have played where they were restricted to one target for all their attacks in normal situations (there were more than a few memorable shish kabob events with unusually close or small enemies) and it worked fine, it did seem a tiny bit more lancey.

 

[Blue]

I'd make it +X Weapon damage dice. So, if you had two extra attacks you would deal +2d12 on a hit. I think that is a fair representation of the increased impact (buh dun tish) of a lance. Keeps the visual of a single charge and a single powerful hit in tact, while respecting the multiple attacks.

I really hope you've discussed with the player beforehand how you intend to impose a huge nerf on their chosen combat style and let them rebuild to avoid it. Otherwise that's a really nasty move to pull in the middle of a game.

 

[Sunseeker]

I really hope you've discussed with the player beforehand how you intend to impose a huge nerf on their chosen combat style and let them rebuild to avoid it. Otherwise that's a really nasty move to pull in the middle of a game.

I would bring it up when they talked about wanting to be a lancer.

But nobody has. I've had Knightly types who want to ride horses, do some mounted combat, but lancing? Nope.