Ride Skill in D&D 4

[TheClone]

No, I won't introduce a new skill to the 4e skill system that will unbalance it.

I was just discussing with a friend, who plays the hereditary prince in my campaign and plans on organizing a knights tournament. And we stumbled upon the ride skill. Some rule ideas for such tournaments propose the nature skill, which I find pretty strange. I'd suggest athletics or acrobatics (especially when it comes to staying in saddle while jousting), because riding is definitely a physical activity that shurely also involes balancing. Nature has handle animal listed and seems suitable for wagon driving to me (handle animal was used for wagon drigin in 3e), but not actual riding.

Surely you need knowledge about horses to ride one, but it's more good balance that keeps you in the saddle. You need pretty strong legs to so and guide the horse, too. So far my experience when sitting on a horse.

4e itself does not list ride in any of the descriptions for the htree skills (at least in the PHB).

What do you think?

 

[wedgeski]

I don't think the problem is solved by using Athletics or Acrobatics, since either way you're struggling with the very catch-all nature of the 4E skill system. Your best bet is to conjure up a simple extension of your own.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Ahtletics and Acrobatics works for me as well, though I think one reason they might suggest Nature is that Nature also represents actually being able to survive "in nature" as well.

It's not just theoretical knowledge, it's practical as well, and thus it may include riding - since that's a typical form of travel in D&D.

But for skill challenges you need multiple skills anyway, so a combination of Nature, Athletics and Acrobatics (and possibly even Endurance) may work.

 

[Will Doyle]

There was an article up on DDI about jousting a while back - see it here.

In short, the skill challenge variant suggests Intimidate to cow your opponent, Nature to select and prepare your horse, and Athletics to manage the charge.

In general, I use a variety during play. Typically Nature, as in my limited experience a lot of horseriding is about managing your mount. But for a straight horsejump, Acrobatics.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

Instead of deciding on one skill that would be used for all riding checks I'd ask the player to describe what they're doing and intending to do on horseback each time and make a case by case decision on which skill to use.

If the character is trying to twist in his saddle to avoid falling out, I'd have them roll Acrobatics. If they're trying to settle down their terrified mount, I'd have them roll Nature. If they're trying to ride many miles as fast as possible, Pony Express style, I might have them roll Endurance or Nature, or maybe both.

 

[delericho]

I was just discussing with a friend, who plays the hereditary prince in my campaign and plans on organizing a knights tournament. And we stumbled upon the ride skill.

Indeed. Removing that skill was probably a mistake - much moreso than Craft, Profession or Perform.

I believe the assumption is that most characters will be considered to be at least competent on a horse, viewing the ability to ride analogous to the modern ability to drive - not universal, but extremely common.

Some rule ideas for such tournaments propose the nature skill, which I find pretty strange. I'd suggest athletics or acrobatics (especially when it comes to staying in saddle while jousting), because riding is definitely a physical activity that shurely also involes balancing. Nature has handle animal listed and seems suitable for wagon driving to me (handle animal was used for wagon drigin in 3e), but not actual riding.

Surely you need knowledge about horses to ride one, but it's more good balance that keeps you in the saddle. You need pretty strong legs to so and guide the horse, too. So far my experience when sitting on a horse.

I actually did a fair amount of riding when I was younger. It involves surprisingly little balance, but does work a lot of muscles - muscles you didn't know you had until you started!

What do you think?

I think that because there is no catch-all Ride skill, your best bet is to take it on a case-by-case basis and call for rolls depending on what the rider is doing at the time.

I would probably default to Nature for most things, as knowing the horse is probably the single most important aspect. However, at various times Athletics (for moderate-length and intense riding, and staying in the saddle), Acrobatics (for any trick riding), Endurance (for long-distance rides) and even Intimidate (for controlling an unruly mount) all have their places.

 

[RHGreen]

I think it should be based on the horse's skills. You tell it what to do and it tries to do it. If it blatantly can't do it, it pulls up.

You could have mounts with different skills then.

Jumper, Racer, Charger, Ambler.

It doesn't matter how charming or wise you are, it isn't going to make a horse jump 10' futher than it is able to.

You can even give them a limited power set - Back-Kick(Encounter - forced movement), Buckaroo (when someone steals your horse you can make it buck the rider)

Just think of it as a summoned creature - only you have the benefit of using its movement speed.

All a ride skill should govern is if the mount does what you tell it to, or if you fall off. I can live without making those kinds of checks.

The mount does as you say when you say it. The only time you run the risk of falling off is if someone hits you with a forced movement or a power that makes you prone. These just need a save. If you make it you are prone on your horse - you can't make your horse move as you struggle back into your seat properly.

 

[RHGreen]

As an addition, if you really need to make a check for something like making the horse do something when it is spooked I suppose that is when you could use Assist Other for it to make a save, or then you can pull out the skills.

Intimidate - Use whip.
Athletics - Force it under control.
Diplomacy/Nature - Calm it down.
etc..

 

[keterys]

The horse makes an Athletics or Acrobatics check. If you've got mounted combat (or an appropriate theme) then it can use its bonus or yours. Done.

Nobody rides so badly that they bump themselves out of the saddle and fall off without outside interference (like a giant doing a forced move + prone power).

Unless it's funny at the time, or something

If you're doing an actual skill challenge, then I'm fine letting the PC have some freedom anyways, but Nature, Athletics, Acrobatics, Endurance all good depending on scene in challenge.

 

[rjfTrebor]

i've seen dm's use insight for all the animal reading aspects of it and then it was just a strength or dexterity check for the rider, characters with a past involving horse riding were given a bonus to both these checks.