A cohort as a mount

[0-hr]

I have a gnome with a worg cohort that he uses as a mount. Do the normal mounted combat rules apply, or is the cohort (with an INT of 8) more of an NPC, requiring to Ride checks, but also not benefiting from Mounted Combat rolls etc.?

 

[Moon-Lancer]

The rules are pretty awkward with int mounts. The skip articles say use diplomacy but that doesn’t work in all situations. I would say, still use ride when it accounts for a restriction of the rider.

Guide with knees 5
Stay in saddle 5
Fight with warhorse 10
Cover 15
Soft fall 15
Leap 15
Spur mount 15
Control mount in battle 20
Fast mount or dismount 20

of the list, i see guide with knees, leap, spur mount and control mount in battle as not beeing needed. Possibly you might not need fight with warhorse, but i would keep it for balance.

the others are mostly based on the rider and not the horse.

 

[frankthedm]

of the list, i see ...spur mount... as not beeing needed.

Uhm, beings can not spur themselves. How else can the rider get more movement out of his/her mount?

Now I'd agree 'spur mount' should not be a riding option in the first place. IMG Spurring the mount is how you convince the horse to make use of its Run and Endurance feats, not a use of ride for extra speed.

Hell I think adding the option to "spur" oneself is a great idea for a bonus for those who have the 'run' and 'endurance' feats. a "feat synergy" as it were.

 

[Seeten]

Digging sharp spurs into an intelligent animal you consider your "friend and companion" might not just be inhumane, it might be stupid, and cause you to get a stern talking to.

 

[frankthedm]

Digging sharp spurs into an intelligent animal you consider your "friend and companion" might not just be inhumane, it might be stupid, and cause you to get a stern talking to.

The moral concequences can be dealt with after the rules issues. Like Can someone spur thier mount twice in one round?

Spur Mount
You can spur your mount to greater speed with a move action. A successful Ride check increases the mount’s speed by 10 feet for 1 round but deals 1 point of damage to the creature. You can use this ability every round, but each consecutive round of additional speed deals twice as much damage to the mount as the previous round (2 points, 4 points, 8 points, and so on).

Sounds like you could spur twice with two move actions [2 total damage] gaining +20' to speed, next round you'd be doing 2 damage each spuring [4 total damage that round], third round you'd be doing 4 damage each spuring [8 damage total].

Just kidding!

Did I ever mention I had a wizard who got his Mount spell horses nicknamed Agony?

 

[Seeten]

I meant the one doing the "stern talking to" would be the mount itself, not the DM

By the by, my Sahuagin character is going to have a Wild Cohort/Animal Companion Shark Mount, but no spurs. Dont want a Jaws mouth around my head.

 

[frankthedm]

I meant the one doing the "stern talking to" would be the mount itself, not the DM

I know what you meant, but the amount of damage is so low, I could easily picture warrior types more than willing to take the damage in exchange for the speed boost.

 

[shilsen]

I know what you meant, but the amount of damage is so low, I could easily picture warrior types more than willing to take the damage in exchange for the speed boost.

The follow-up question then would be - if a rider can spur an intelligent mount to greater speed, would you let an ally boot an intelligent character in the ass to make him move faster on his turn?

 

[hong]

Dunno about characters, but I'd be perfectly willing to boot an intelligent player in the ass to make him move faster on his turn....


Hong "unintelligent players, doubly so" Ooi

 

[Darklone]

The follow-up question then would be - if a rider can spur an intelligent mount to greater speed, would you let an ally boot an intelligent character in the ass to make him move faster on his turn?

Marshal with whip