D&D 5E Attacking with a warhorse

[Aenorgreen]

Can someone please help me see if I am missing something? I was looking into doing some fighting on a warhorse with my paladin. However, it seems that a warhorse never actually gets to attack. A domesticated beast is always considered controlled when ridden. That means it cannot take an attack action. So what point is there in listing its attacks? The only way I read to actually have a horse ever attack is to dismount. Am I missing something, or are mounts very weak, with the possible exception that you can gain advantage if you have the feat?

 

[MerricB]

A domesticated beast is always considered controlled when ridden.

You're reading that wrong. It's the other way around: You can only control domesticated beasts. If you have an undomesticated beast, you can't control it. (PHB page 198).

But you're right: while you're controlling your mount, it doesn't get to attack by the standard rules.

Cheers!

 

[CapnZapp]

It is baffling to the point of incomprehensibility why mounts and animal companions are strangled this way, while summoned critters and hirelings are left completely unrestricted :-(

Only reason I can come up with is the two rules were written by two completely different design teams that didn't talk to each other.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I'd say attacking with a warhorse counts as an improvised weapon (no proficiency bonus, unless you have Tavern Brawler) but I'll give you double damage dice: 2d4 + STR per hit.

 

[Klaus]

You're reading that wrong. It's the other way around: You can only control domesticated beasts. If you have an undomesticated beast, you can't control it. (PHB page 198).

But you're right: while you're controlling your mount, it doesn't get to attack by the standard rules.

Cheers!

Unless you let your mount act independently. As an intelligent creature, a paladin's mount always acts independently, and it gets a full set of actions. The paladin might issue commands (free action), either speaking or through reins/knees, and the mount (as a friendly "NPC") is likely to do as it's told.

 

[Aenorgreen]

Unless you let your mount act independently. As an intelligent creature, a paladin's mount always acts independently, and it gets a full set of actions. The paladin might issue commands (free action), either speaking or through reins/knees, and the mount (as a friendly "NPC") is likely to do as it's told.

Is a mount "intelligent"? It has an INT of 2. Does all it require is that the mount have an INT stat of 1+? I was under the belief that required something higher, but you may be correct. That would make it better but the separate initiative counts brings up a bunch of problems of its own.
Thanks for the answers.

 

[Meliath1742]

I believe a mount such as a warhorse is trained to work in concert with its rider. It understands simple commands or gestures from its master and should act on the riders initiative. In essence its attacks become an extension of the rider. Although I haven't researched the rules on this I think sometimes the GM has to make a call.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Is a mount "intelligent"? It has an INT of 2. Does all it require is that the mount have an INT stat of 1+? I was under the belief that required something higher, but you may be correct. That would make it better but the separate initiative counts brings up a bunch of problems of its own.
Thanks for the answers.

A paladin's mount (gotten via Find Steed) will always have an intelligence of at least 6 unless it's been Feebleminded/Intellect Devoured.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Despite what the rules say, a trained warhorse is fairly useless if it is unable to attack, that is why it is a WAR horse and cost so much more than a riding horse. These horses attacked regularly in AD&D and B/X and nothing was broken. A mounted warrior on a well trained warhorse WAS much more formidable than the same warrior on foot, that's kind of the point of the horse.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

Attacking with a warhorse

(nevermind, someone beat me to it ...)

I suppose if you can get someone to enlarge you enough the improvised weapons rules would cover it.