rhino hide and spirited charge?

[the_mighty_agrippa]

sooner or later, one of my players is going to try this asinine combination. i'm close to ruling that whatever ability used is determined by the charging "character."

since horses have considerably more mass and a higher feat requirement - mounted combat, ride by attack, spirited charge - i'm thinking that mounted attacks do not include rhino hide armour. unless it was barding and we're talking about a natural attack - or god forbid a centaur.

so before i go smacking down some player, is there a clear ruling on this?

thanks.

 

[Artoomis]

A clear ruling? Well, I don't know about that.

I think you could rule that Rhino Hide does not apply, but you are really limiting your player's options if you do.

On the other hand, it's pretty reasonable to not allow Power Lunge to combine with the other, even though the text of the feat seems to indicate it would.

Charging while mounted is rather specialized and costs many feats to do it well. If your player wants to do this, let him.

He pays the price with:

1. Using up several precious feats.
2. Having a poor AC (Rhino Hide is not an optimum choice, to be sure).
3. He can only use this when the situation presents itself just right - straight line, lots of space, etc.
4. Complete reliance on a mount with probably much fewer hit die, worse AC and worse saving throws than his own. A significant weak link, usually.

Let your players go for it.

I have a Rhino Hide-wearing halfling paladin with a riding dog with celestial armor (fly 50 minutes 1/day). In just the right circumstances, he can deliver a deadly blow. For him, part of the combat is lining up the next shot.

In terms of actual damage, pure hack-n-slash fighters do better.

It seems to balance out pretty well.

 

[Derulbaskul]

I have a player in one campaign whose character is a centaur with the spirited charge feat. The PC is awesome with room to move (and will be even scarier when one of the other PCs takes the requisite feats and starts to fight from his back) but these tactics are easily countered if they begin to get out out of control. For example:

- illusion-covered pits;
- the divert charge spell from BoEMIII (a big favourite);
- "nerf the mount!"

Anyway, I believe that rhino hide armour only applies to the PC's unmounted charge attack. However, a centaur wearing same would get the bonuses... but I think he would find a lot more illusion-covered pits between he and the bad guys.

Cheers
D

 

[Hypersmurf]

Wonder what happens if you make your Rhino Hide from a skinned Half-Dragon Fiendish Rhinoceros?

-Hyp.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Wonder what happens if you make your Rhino Hide from a skinned Half-Dragon Fiendish Rhinoceros?

-Hyp.

It re-animates and eats you. Seriously, you didn't think you could just skin a fiendish half-dragon safely, did you?

As for the original question, I'd let it go. One thing, though, do not listen to the player if he starts trying to get the charging ability of Rhino Hide enchanted into other armor (such as a breastplate). A big part of the balance of Rhino Hide, as Artoomis pointed out, is dealing with the crappy AC granted by wearing hide.