Mounted Arkery - I WIN YO... *I*... *WIN*

[Visigani]

So uh... let's say I'm a Drood.

And my special animal is a special animal that I ride around on...

and I'm an elf....

and I got a bow... and I got me some arrows too.


Can *i8 plink with my arrows... and have my MOUNT ready an action to move away from any attackers or from any perceivable incoming attack?


Zow?

 

[anest1s]

So uh... let's say I'm a Drood.

And my special animal is a special animal that I ride around on...

and I'm an elf....

and I got a bow... and I got me some arrows too.


Can *i8 plink with my arrows... and have my MOUNT ready an action to move away from any attackers or from any perceivable incoming attack?


Zow?

Or be a halfling and ride a dire bat

 

[anest1s]

Actually, that ready action would fail.
If you interrupt the opponent when he next to you, you would get an attack of opportunity. If you interrupt him when he is starting to move, he can charge you. If you interrupt him between, he can use his standard action as a move action to come next to you. Then your little trick is over.

Not to mention that it will be a hell of a DC to explain to your mount what you want to do.

 

[Visigani]

Actually, that ready action would fail.
If you interrupt the opponent when he next to you, you would get an attack of opportunity. If you interrupt him when he is starting to move, he can charge you. If you interrupt him between, he can use his standard action as a move action to come next to you. Then your little trick is over.

If he spends his standard action to move next to me... can't my mount just withdraw?

 

[anest1s]

If he spends his standard action to move next to me... can't my mount just withdraw?

withdraw is full round action, you can't ready it anywayz

 

[Visigani]

Restricted Withdraw is a standard action... and you wouldn't need to ready it at that point... just use it to move away from the guy attacking you.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Restricted withdraw is only allowed if you are limited to a standard action for the round. Just like a partial charge. I guess you could look for some cursed item to make your mount permanently Slowed if it's that important to you...

There is the Sahuagan Flip feat in Stormwrack to Withdraw as a Move action, but it: a) Requires you to be in water or some other swimmable liquid at the time and b) is allowed immediately after a successful melee attack.

I know of no other way to withdraw as a standard or move action. MIC has boots of the battle charger to charge as a swift + standard (swift to activate the item) twice per day. Maybe ask your DM for an identical item for withdraw (Boots of the Fleeing Coward?).

 

[Dandu]

Brazen Greaves of Sir Robin

 

[jefgorbach]

I must be overlooking something ... RAW states normal animals/mounts can be Trained so its simply a case of the elven rider using his action to attack then speaks a verbal command (free action) causing his mount to respond as previously trained to move in the desired direction using its own action for that round.

This becomes easier for a Druid/Animal Companion since he can not only issue known verbal commands like above but also use his Handle Animal skill as a free-action via their Link per RAW allowing for more complex tricks and actions.

Likewise this becomes a moot-point for those with a Familiar/Special Mount, as its increased intelligence not only allows comprehension of far longer/more complex commands, but honestly SHOULD allow it to perceive the impending danger and react accordingly WITHOUT the rider's input.

 

[Jack Simth]

I must be overlooking something ... RAW states normal animals/mounts can be Trained so its simply a case of the elven rider using his action to attack then speaks a verbal command (free action) causing his mount to respond as previously trained to move in the desired direction using its own action for that round.

Yes, you are missing something: There's a specific list of tricks (described under the Handle Animal skill), and you're trying to get it to do something not on the list. Additionally, you're doing some strange effects with that readied action: A mount always acts on the rider's turn, but a readied action changes initiative of the critter that readied the effect.