D&D 5E Mounted Combat?

[GameDoc]

So my current Playtest character is an elven warbringer cleric who has the knight background. I get a lance, which the Equipment section states can only be used if mounted, and I get a light warhorse with a saddle and bridle, but no barding. I assume it has the stats for the generic horse in the Bestiary.

With no other rules to address mounted combat, I guess the DM and I will wing it in terms of how to acquire barding at some point and how mounted combat works. That's fine. We both enjoy tinkering with rules.

I think we can use prior editions' rules on barding, but wondered if anyone had any nifty ideas on mounted combat rules.

I'd probably suggest the following:

1) Melee combatants on foot are at a disadvantage to hit a mounted opponent if their weapon doesn't have reach.

2) You don't have to make a Charimsa/Handle Animal check to get a warhorse to follow commands in battle.

Any other ideas? I'm particular stuck on how to handle attacking the mount instead of the rider and how to handle Dexterity saves against area attacks (save separately or as one).

 

[MortalPlague]

1) Melee combatants on foot are at a disadvantage to hit a mounted opponent if their weapon doesn't have reach.

That seems pretty potent. I might run it as having cover instead.

Any other ideas? I'm particular stuck on how to handle attacking the mount instead of the rider and how to handle Dexterity saves against area attacks (save separately or as one).

I think you need to give the horse HP and defenses, and allow it to be attacked separately. It needs to be a viable tactic to dismount the knight by slaying the horse. Especially if you keep the disadvantage on attacks...

 

[DEFCON 1]

I think you need to give the horse HP and defenses, and allow it to be attacked separately. It needs to be a viable tactic to dismount the knight by slaying the horse. Especially if you keep the disadvantage on attacks...

I would suggest doing as MP says and give the horse HP and defense... but I also might create a Mounted Combat combat rule that states that a rider may absorb the damage his mount takes, if he so chooses. So if the mount is attacked and hit for X amount of damage... the PC can take that damage instead.

So you end up with the enemies on foot choosing two different tactics. Either they attack the rider straight away and roll their attack with Disadvantage unless they have Reach (or the rider has Half cover for a +2 to AC, whichever rule you prefer to incorporate). Or they attack the mount with a regular attack, but on a successful hit the rider can choose to take on the damage himself.

This basically gives a rider an extra "pool" of HP that enemies have to whittle down in order to kill the knight... but the knight does run the risk of having his mount get killed. So to my mind, they balance each other out. I might even suggest that the horse does not get Hit Dice and thus can't naturally recover hit points during short rests... only getting his HP back after an Extended rest.

 

[GameDoc]

You guys are tapping in to my big concern with using a mount, particularly as levels go up: If the mount doesn't increase it's HD/HP, it becomes fodder for the enemy if the rider can't somehow protect it from attacks.

 

[DEFCON 1]

You guys are tapping in to my big concern with using a mount, particularly as levels go up: If the mount doesn't increase it's HD/HP, it becomes fodder for the enemy if the rider can't somehow protect it from attacks.

There currently aren't multiclass rules in the game yet to make what I'm going to suggest official... but there *is* a rule that you're looking for over in the Fighter class. It's the Protect maneuver.

If you and your DM are willing to play around with the rules a bit... you could ask him perhaps to exchange one of your spell slots for a single Expertise Die of your appropriate level and the Protect maneuver. Maybe make it a spell itself.

So for instance... a 2nd spell called "Defense". Duration of 1 minute... grants the Cleric a single Expertise die each round and the Protect maneuver. The size of the Expertise die is based upon the level of the Cleric at the appropriate level on the Fighter/Rogue chart. Each round the Cleric can use the Expertise die just like a Fighter does for Protect, to reduce incoming damage by the amount of the die roll to one adjacent ally (or horse).

 

[Kinak]

Well, I think your disadvantage suggestion is probably the biggest risk to your mount. Everyone will want to cut your mount out from under you with that big a difference.

I'd think you want something that goes the opposite way, like:
Whenever your mount takes damage, you may choose to split that damage between you and your mount (each taking half).

That way, attacking your mount won't be worth it normally. You still get increased movement and use of a lance, but the more mechanical benefit you put on the mount, the more likely it'll get slaughtered.

For Dexterity saves that effect both, I'd say probably have either horse or rider roll and apply it to both. If you're feeling generous, have them both roll and apply the higher.

Your Charisma suggestion is spot on.

Cheers!
Kinak