Mounted & Dazed?

[kmdietri]

So if a character is mounted and either the character or the mount becomes dazed.

This came up and I could think of a few different ways this might be handled.

You and your mount combine for only one action but only the dazed individual takes the associated penalties

The dazed individual gets one action but the other creature can take the remaining two actions.

Both things are dazed.

As a group we couldn't decide between option one or two.

Did I miss anything in the rules that would have clarified this?

 

[Rechan]

Man. When I read the title of the thread, I couldn't help but think it not Grandma friendly.

I would go with option 1. Dazed is meant to make you decide 'Move or Attack'. So it's not fair that you would get a move regardless of the dazed status.

However, I would add this caveat: You may dismount if your mount is dazed.

 

[Markn]

So if a character is mounted and either the character or the mount becomes dazed.

This came up and I could think of a few different ways this might be handled.

You and your mount combine for only one action but only the dazed individual takes the associated penalties

The dazed individual gets one action but the other creature can take the remaining two actions.

Both things are dazed.

As a group we couldn't decide between option one or two.

Did I miss anything in the rules that would have clarified this?

In the DMG it talks about the mounts being included as XP in an encounter (this is found in the Mounted Combat section). Since they provide XP, they are treated as a full combatant as any other NPC would be. it would be exceptionally beneficial to the PCs to daze both rider and mount.

Based on this, for me I would rule that if the mount was dazed it would only get one action (either move or standard) but the NPC would get all the actions. If the NPC was dazed, then the mount would take both actions and NPC would only get one. Since the NPC does not need the move action (the mount does the moving for him) the NPC is likely not very hindered.

Having said all that, as a DM I would take into accounts the situation. If the NPC was on a riding horse, I would rule that the mount wouldn't necessarily go into a battle and might even take the NPC further away from battle. If it was a warhorse I might make some sort of check to see how the mount reacts. If it was a dragon I would say the dragon would do what was in the NPCs best interest.

Hope that helps.

 

[frankthedm]

Depends on if this is a Rider & mount share actions or Rider and mount have separate actions situation. Here is my opinion.

Rider & mount share actions

A rider must give his dazed mount all 3 of the riders actions for the mount to take one action.

A dazed rider only has one action to give his mount or use himself. If the mount somehow takes more than one action, the rider falls from the mount.

 

[Armadillo]

Based on this, for me I would rule that if the mount was dazed it would only get one action (either move or standard) but the NPC would get all the actions. If the NPC was dazed, then the mount would take both actions and NPC would only get one. Since the NPC does not need the move action (the mount does the moving for him) the NPC is likely not very hindered.

I agree. However, the NPC would still need to use his one action to control his mount. If for some reason, the PC was unable to control the mount, then the mount may not choose to attack and may not move in the desired direction.

The type and training of a mount would largely govern what a mount might do. For instance, a trained warhorse might continue to advance and even attack. Whereas, a riding horse might more likely execute a double move away from combat.

 

[Markn]

Depends on if this is a Rider & mount share actions or Rider and mount have separate actions situation. Here is my opinion.

Right. The way I DM, I build the mount into the XP and therefore, for me, I use the Rider and Mount have separate actions. I find this to be pretty balancing as certain encounters the PC's are able to knock both combatants out by taking out only the rider out (such as the case with a riding horse) and in other instances the PCs effectively have to take both out because both the rider and the mount are capable of independent thinking such as a dragon and rider. So, depending on the circumstances, the daze can be effective or somewhat less effective.