Centaurs & Lances

[Arcturus_Rugend]

I'm not sure if there's a rule mechanic to support this, but it seems logical that centaurs (or any tauric creature) should get the benefit of the double damage from a charge when they use a lance. Has this been addressed anywhere?

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'm not sure if there's a rule mechanic to support this, but it seems logical that centaurs (or any tauric creature) should get the benefit of the double damage from a charge when they use a lance.

Of course... as long as he's riding a Huge mount...

-Hyp.

 

[Arcturus_Rugend]

Of course... as long as he's riding a Huge mount...

That's not exactly what I was getting at...

And that could border on obscene.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Actually, I just had a weird mental image of a gnome-with-a-lance, mounted on a Medium centaur-with-a-lance, mounted on a Large centaur-with-a-lance, mounted on Huge centaur-with-a-lance (Righteous Might, y'see), mounted on a Gargantan Titanic Rat, all charging.

Illustrated by Dr Seuss.

-Hyp.

 

[Arcturus_Rugend]

I'd like, for a chance
To return to the lance
Though your knack with the stack
Of the crazy beast pack
Had me flat on my back
With a chuckle; I return
For the answer I yearn
Can the cloven hoofed man
With the lance in his hand
Make a charge
'Cause he's large?
And be counted as mounted?

(With apologies to Dr. Seuss.)

 

[The Souljourner]

Awesome rhyme! I suppose by the letter of the rules, no, but I think any reasonable DM would allow it.

-The Souljourner

 

[gtJormungand]

Arcturus, that was great stuff.

Technically, the only rules on lances is that they get double damage when changing while on a mount. Given that that is supposed to me a person charging on a horse, a centaur should be able to do it, but its not in the letter of the rules.

 

[Arcturus_Rugend]

Thanks for the praise, guys.

On a related note, can a lance be used when a character is on foot? If it can, it's a reach weapon that can be used one handed in conjunction with a shield.

(edited for grammar)

 

[gtJormungand]

On a related note, can a lance be used when a character is on foot? If it can, it's a reach weapon that can be used one handed in conjunction with a shield.

That's exactly what the rules say. It is a medium sized weapon, which means that medium sized characters can wield it one handed and therefore use a shield in the other. It also has reach. It does not say anywhere that it can only be used when on horseback, only that it is better when employed that way.

 

[Arcturus_Rugend]

Why on earth would anyone use the longspear then? It seems as if the designers made the lance a "medium" sized weapon so that it could be used from horseback with a shield in archtypical medieval fashion, for jousts and the like. I wonder if they just neglected to think that someone might attempt to use it sans mount?