Mounted combat

[plavi]

Hi all,

a question about mounted combat. It sais that when being mounted, you can do one of several things:
-move with your mount and do 1 melee attack
-move with your mount and do 1 spell
-move with your mount and do ALL ranged attacks

And this is where I get confused, for 1 and 2 imply that moving with a mount is a move-equivalent action, however 3 implies that moving with the mount is a free action.... which should it be???
If taking number three, could I just move, do 1 ranged attack, and then dismount (which is a move equiv action). Or mount, move and do 1 ranged attack? If I can with a ranged attack, then why not with a melee attack?

The rules are not very clear on this, or I just can't find it...

Regards

 

[Zephalon]

Sword & Fist has an excellent example of a mounted combat.

 

[Wippit Guud]

If you're doing melee attacks, you're limited by having to be next to the guy you're attacking. You only have time to hit him once.

If you're casting spells, well you can ony cast one regardless.

But, if you're shooting, you can be anywhere and shoot, you don't have to be next to the target, so you can shot as many as you can.

 

[Darklone]

Don't forget that under certain circumstances your horse may RUN and you still get your partial action.

 

[Stalker0]

The key is to remember that when the horse moves, that's the HORSES action, not yours. On a horse, you get your full round action, so you could take 2 move equivalent, a standard and a move, etc. Examples would be pulling out a potion and drinking it while your horse is charging. The ph simply added an extra stipulation that you could only make one melee attack, because while you have a full round action, by the time the horse actually gets to your enemy you only have time for one attack.

 

[0-hr]

So do the two arrow shots take place at different locations?

 

[Hollywood]

So do the two arrow shots take place at different locations?

No, the PH states that all ranged attacks take place at the midpoint of the mount's movement.

 

[0-hr]

Well I guess that is about as logical as linear acceleration due to gravity

 

[Rackhir]

The rule that all the ranged attacks take place at the mid-point of the mounts movement is just a simplification to ease game play, just like the aformentioned linear acceleration due to gravity. If you really want to calculate out the number of attacks vs total distance moved and then have the Char, take the shots at the individual points feel free.

Or likewise wish to break out your old physics textbooks to calcuate the rate of decent, just don't forget to calculate the airodynamic coeficient of the char, changes in the acceleration due to the diminishing distance between the Char and the center of mass or the effects of increasing air density on the rate of descent.

 

[0-hr]

I really don't have trouble dividing a 60ft move by 2 (or even 3) to find out where the arrows would be loosed. And I've been doing d6 per 10 feet cumulative since 1st Ed. I guess I must be some sort of ulta-genius math wiz though.