Mounted Enemies; how should they be ran?

[Rechan]

The DMG gives rules on what happens when you use a mount. Namely that to use the mount offensively, you have to give up your standard action to let it use its basic attack.

However, for several mount types, this doesn't let them use their more powerful abilities. It also doesn't let the rider showboat either.

Since NPCs are handled differently, and the game is Exception Based Design, then If monsters are mounted, should they follow the same rules?

The reason I ask is simple: the mount and rider are giving Xp in the fight (especially if it's a monstrous mount). If the rider and mount are limited by the Economy of Actions and not allowed to use their abilities regularly, then for the purposes of a fight, the rider is better off getting off the mount and the two fighting individually.

 

[mach1.9pants]

I personally have been just combining the move action of a mounted enemy. So the mount and rider act on the same initiative, but both can take their minors and standards during the round. However between them they only have one move action and one move speed (oh and only the mount can give up his standard for a double move, not the rider). That seems to work OK and seems about right. Full XP for both awarded.


Just my rules though

 

[James McMurray]

If you're giving full XP, use both creatures' full abilities. If you're just using the mount for mobility and their mount bonus, only give a small fraction of the XP for the mount.

 

[Bigwilly]

I'd go with mach1.9pants take on it. Alternatively, the riders let their mounts do the initial fighting (especially if the mounts have nice attacks) until they are killed. Then the riders draw their own weapons and take on the hopefully weakened PCs (or just run for it when their mounts are killed).

 

[Imban]

The DMG gives rules on what happens when you use a mount. Namely that to use the mount offensively, you have to give up your standard action to let it use its basic attack.

The DMG also says this only applies to PCs riding mounts that they own. Monsters or PCs riding major NPCs get their full actions and the mount's full actions.

 

[functionciccio]

The DMG gives rules on what happens when you use a mount. Namely that to use the mount offensively, you have to give up your standard action to let it use its basic attack.

Rechan, probably I'm wrong, but the DMG says (or at least it seems to me) that a mount can use a standard action to attack instead of its rider, but it doesn't say that it must be a basic attack.

 

[babinro]

Keep in mind there is a Mounted Combat Feat detailed on pg 199 of the PHB. It allows the mount to use its special combat features while being used rather than just the basic attack. This does improve the mounts attacks within the rules of the game. However, it appears the rider still just spends their time controlling the mount rather than doing anything else fun.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

There is no reason for the NPCs to use the PC rules.
The way I see it, there are a couple ways to run NPC with mounts:

Option 1:
- The rider spends a move action hanging onto the mount while it moves, keeping a minor and a standard. The mount has its full set of actions.
Both creatures XP value is counted in the encounter design.

Option 2:
- Modify the rider stat-block, adding hit points, move capabilty, and a basic bite attack/powers. When the NPC hits bloodied, it loses the additional move capacity and basic attack. Describe it as two characters and slightly increase the XP value as appropriate.

I recently ran my group against an encounter using option #1. It worked out very well, especially when the Rogue used his KO power on the rider.

 

[Skyscraper]

DMG, page 46:

These rules exist to let the PCs use mounts in the easiest, most balanced way. When you decide that the evil wizard rides a wyvern, you add the NPC and the monster to the encounter as normal and let them take their full actions separately. The evil wizard moves along with the wyvern, but both monsters get to attack. The
encounter is balanced because you accounted for both of their XP values.

In case of a NPC, each have their usual sets of actions per round. It is even mentioned (somewhere) that you could choose to have them act on the same initiative cound (which is probably what i'd do, though i'd probably use the worst initiative bonus of the two).

Sky