Mounted Combat Variant Rules

[Endur]

I've been thinking of some variant mounted combat rules (since the mounted combat rules are limited).

1. Counter Charge ... This is essentially an action where you wait until the enemy charges at you, and you charge simultaneously. The two of you meet in the middle. Both sides attack simultaneously and work out damage simultaneously (potentially both could die).

2. Ride Skill: Instead of DC 5 Ride check to the stay in the saddle when you take damage, the DC should be the damage received. Also, I've been thinking of a modifier to the Ride DC based on the size of the weapon. +8 for huge, +4 for large, +0 for medium, -4 for small, -8 for tiny, etc. Get shot with an arrow, and you'll probably stay in the saddle. Get hit by a small tree wielded by a Giant and you'll probably be knocked out of the saddle.

3. Jousting: When two mounted opponents charge each other, the riders can substitute their ride check for their AC (instead of using their ride check to substitute for their mount's AC).

Tom

 

[Endur]

Comments, anyone???

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No other ideas? Thoughts? Has anyone run a campaign that was heavy on mounted combat and jousting?

 

[Endur]

Some revised thoughts.

1. Counter Charge ... This is essentially an action where you wait until the enemy charges at you, and you charge simultaneously. The two of you meet in the middle. Both sides attack simultaneously and work out damage simultaneously (potentially both could die).

If one combatant has reach and the other does not, then the one with reach would strike first. Since both sides are charging simultaneously, neither side would get an AOO for passing through the other's threatened reach.


2. Ride Skill: Instead of DC 5 Ride check to the stay in the saddle when you take damage, the DC should be the damage received. Also, I've been thinking of a modifier to the Ride DC based on the size of the weapon. +8 for huge, +4 for large, +0 for medium, -4 for small, -8 for tiny, etc. Get shot with an arrow, and you'll probably stay in the saddle. Get hit by a small tree wielded by a Giant and you'll probably be knocked out of the saddle. Note that a military saddle adds +2 to the check, and a masterwork saddle would add a further +2 to the check (so mw military would be +4).

3. Jousting: When two mounted opponents charge each other, the riders can substitute their ride check for their AC (instead of using their ride check to substitute for their mount's AC). In order to substitute your ride skill for your AC, you must be wielding a shield on your off hand and holding a weapon in the other hand.

4. Tourney Lances in Jousts: Would follow the normal rules for lances, except they do subdual damage. You can take the -4 to hit if you want to do real damage with a Tourney Lance (aiming for the head or other critical point). Even with subdual, Tourney's are still dangerous because of the danger of falling off the horse after being hit with a lance, and the danger of being dragged by your own horse or trampled by the competitor's horse.

Tom

 

[seasong]

Counter Charge: I think this would make a good mechanic for ripostes of various sorts. I think I'll be stealing this, thanks .

Staying in the saddle DC = damage taken: Yeah! YEAH! That's how that should work. I don't think you need the weapon size mechanic, however - larger weapons tend to do more damage, and the DC for a giant-wielded tree trunk is going to be heinous enough already .