A halfling's Lance

[Shuffle]

OK, then the mount charges at my direction, and takes a double move. I ready an action to attack with my lance in a charge situation.

Happy?

From Ride entry

Control Mount in Battle: As a move action, you can attempt to control a light horse, pony, heavy horse, or other mount not trained for combat riding while in battle. If you fail the Ride check, you can do nothing else in that round. You do not need to roll for warhorses or warponies.

I would say that if you're controlling it your "move" is spent directing the mount where to go.

As a side note, I cannot imagine any DM actually using your interpretation. But we could put it up on the wizards board and see.

 

[Shin Okada]

DISCLAIMER : I am not suggesting anyone to use the rule as it is. The rule is a kind of bug. I am just trying to explain that the rule is odd by RAW. I am not actually prohibiting my players to use lace (or other reach weapons) when the mount charges.

OK, then the mount charges at my direction, and takes a double move. I ready an action to attack with my lance in a charge situation.

Happy?

Sorry, you can't by RAW. The mounted combat rule is saying that "If your mount charges" and "If you make an attack at the end of the charge", then "you receive the bonus gained from the charge". If the mount is just taking two move actions, this rule is not used. And you cannot ready a charge action. That is now a full-round action.

 

[Shuffle]

Gotcha
From SRD Mounted Combat.


"If your mount charges, you also take the AC penalty associated with a charge. If you make an attack at the end of the charge, you receive the bonus gained from the charge. When charging on horseback, you deal double damage with a lance (see Charge)."

From Charge

"First, you must move to the closest space from which you can attack the opponent."


It says nothing about the mount, it says you, the PC.

From Charge

"Lances and Charge Attacks: A lance deals double damage if employed by a mounted character in a charge."

Clearly this line if nothing else moots your arguement. Now I find it perfectly reasonable to say that the mount must end up adjacent to the target. If our actions are seperate however, I've spent a move controlling the mount. Then I use a single attack when in range, since its already a charge, I get the benefit. The question remains does the mount get an attack?

 

[Shin Okada]

Clearly this line if nothing else moots your arguement. Now I find it perfectly reasonable to say that the mount must end up adjacent to the target. If our actions are seperate however, I've spent a move controlling the mount. Then I use a single attack when in range, since its already a charge, I get the benefit. The question remains does the mount get an attack?

The main problem is, if you attack when the enemy is 10-foot away, the charge movement of the mount is not yet finished. So you are not attacking "at the end of the charge".

 

[Liquidsabre]

Yup, very interesting catch by the RAW there Shin, hadn't noticed that one, but looks like they already caught it in the SRD and made the change - essentially fixing the wording to how the designers want the mechanic to function for mounted combat (not to mention how it's actually played out at the game table).

Yea, I wouldn't worry about it too much, no one is going to play it by the RAW for mounted combat I imagine.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

The main problem is, if you attack when the enemy is 10-foot away, the charge movement of the mount is not yet finished. So you are not attacking "at the end of the charge".

Neat. I can't argue with your reasoning, Shin. You've definitely found a contradiction in the rules. This should go in the other thread we have up about RAW craziness.