Mounted get away

[TerraDave]

If I understand the RAW correctly, a character could...

1) get on a horse and ride away on it in the same round

they could also

2) do 1 and ride away (via the horse disengaging) from adjacent enemies

they could also

3) stand up from prone and combine with 1 and or 2.

4) get on that horse, attack, and ride away. And combine with 2 and or 3.


Is that all correct? Does combining all just get too cheesy?

 

[Oofta]

Basically yes to all of your questions.

If I understand the RAW correctly, a character could...

1) get on a horse and ride away on it in the same round

they could also

2) do 1 and ride away (via the horse disengaging) from adjacent enemies

they could also

3) stand up from prone and combine with 1 and or 2.

4) get on that horse, attack, and ride away. And combine with 2 and or 3.


Is that all correct? Does combining all just get too cheesy?

This is covered under Mounted Combat (page 76 basic rules)

When it comes to mounts and combats, there are two basic options. Do you control the mount or they can act independently. Intelligent mounts (i.e. most dragons, paladin's horse) act independently.

If the PC is controlling the mount, they both go on the PC's initiative and the only thing it can do is move and take the actions Dash, Disengage and Dodge.

If the mount provokes an opportunity attack, the attacker can target the PC. If the mount dodges, there is no OA.

Mounting requires half your movement, your movement limit does not count against the mount's movement. For #4, you'd have to be prone next to the mount when you stand because you don't have any extra movement to get to it.

If a mount is acting independently it gets it's own initiative*, attack and movement and is basically an NPC largely under the control of the player. The player is just along for the ride, and the DM gets to decide the mount is going to follow orders or not. Not normally an issue with special bonded mount like paladins get, but certainly can be an issue with other creatures.

So some of the things you mention may not be possible with an intelligent mount based on initiative and sequence.

Also remember that the DM is free to control the mount - a warhorse may not sit there patiently waiting for you to stand up, it may decide to flee combat for example.

*For simplicity, I do have the mount and rider go on the same initiative. It does make the paladin's mount slightly more effective, but not so much that it's overpowering.

 

[the Jester]

I don't have the mounted combat rules in front of me, but a high level mounted paladin is in my campaign. So, as best I recall:

1) get on a horse and ride away on it in the same round

Yes. But mounting takes half the character's movement. Since you share movement with your mount, the mount only has half its movement available. However, see my answer to 3, below.

they could also

2) do 1 and ride away (via the horse disengaging) from adjacent enemies

AFAIK, just because your mount doesn't provoke doesn't mean that you don't.

they could also

3) stand up from prone and combine with 1 and or 2.

Standing up from prone costs half your movement, mounting the other half. However, your mount could use its action to Dash.

4) get on that horse, attack, and ride away. And combine with 2 and or 3.


Is that all correct? Does combining all just get too cheesy?

So- get up (half your movement), mount (half your movement), attack (your action), ride away (mount's action used to Dash). Yep, that checks out. No, it's not cheesy- being mounted should absolutely be a significant advantage.

 

[Oofta]

I don't have the mounted combat rules in front of me, but a high level mounted paladin is in my campaign. So, as best I recall:



Yes. But mounting takes half the character's movement. Since you share movement with your mount, the mount only has half its movement available. However, see my answer to 3, below.



AFAIK, just because your mount doesn't provoke doesn't mean that you don't.



Standing up from prone costs half your movement, mounting the other half. However, your mount could use its action to Dash.



So- get up (half your movement), mount (half your movement), attack (your action), ride away (mount's action used to Dash). Yep, that checks out. No, it's not cheesy- being mounted should absolutely be a significant advantage.

There's no rule that I know of that says you share movement with your mount. Page 77 basic rules discusses a mount's movement

It moves as you direct it, and it has only three action options: Dash, Disengage, and Dodge. A controlled mount can move and act even on the turn that you mount it.

You don't provoke opportunity attacks Page 74 basic rules

You also don’t provoke an opportunity attack when you teleport or when someone or something moves you without using your movement, action, or reaction.

Since the movement costs the mount it's movement (or action if doing a dash) you don't provoke. If your mount provokes, the enemy can choose to attack you, page 77 basic rules

if the mount provokes an opportunity attack while you’re on it, the attacker can target you or the mount.
Underwater

 

[TerraDave]

It doesn't say "you share movement with your mount". Though that could be legitimate interpretation.

 

[Harzel]

So- get up (half your movement), mount (half your movement), attack (your action), ride away (mount's action used to Dash). Yep, that checks out. No, it's not cheesy- being mounted should absolutely be a significant advantage.

No, no, not cheesy at all. Now where did I put my peasant railgun?