Riding piggyback in combat???

[Phoenix8008]

Okay, I'm devising a couple new villains for my campaign and I came up with this idea of having a duo who fight together with the halfling riding on the back of a minotaur or other large sized fighter type. The halfling is going to be a Psion who does Telepathy and Psychokenesis stuff mainly, not melee combat. The large fighter type will have the 'Large and in charge' feat to keep others out of his area of reach as much as possible.

Now, I haven't been able to find any rules to cover her riding on his back and what happens in combat. I guess that each would give the other some cover bonus from that side, but I'm not sure.

Any ideas? Any help would be appreciated and thanks in advance.

 

[Ferret]

Not sure if you can, you might be able to(Small<-> large ) But you can do that thing iin ace ventura: when nature calls, with that Large tribesman and the small one.

 

[gamecat]

I saw a backpack-like item in an issue of dragon (I forgot which) that allows a small character to ride in the pack.

 

[GWolf]

Issue 291

That was from Issue 291, The one On gnomes I am pretty sure.

 

[Archer]

You are thinking of the gnome battlepack in the April Issue in the Rumage Sale article.

-4 tumble & balance while wearing it (when full)
rider can face any direction but can't move (duh)
rider is -2 to hit with melee, halved dex bonus to ac/saves (reasonable)
rip cord for quick release (handy)

price 75 gc

Its pretty much a common sense, simple item with a few DM discresion items laid out for you. Lots of people have thought up similar devices, as you have. This is just one way such an item could function.

 

[Tonguez]

I did this - my gnome scorcerer-alchemist on the shoulder of an ogre bodyguard. The gnome throws fireballs and other grenades (alchemist fire) while the ogre does the melee. Gnome can't take AoOs, and -2 dex.

However the backpack sounds good too

 

[Celebrim]

Hmmm....

So if a Goblin had the Ride (Giant) skill and the Mounted Combat feat, could he use his ride skill to negate attacks on his Orge steed? What if he had the Ride By Attack feat? Could the ogre charge through the party without provoking an AoO?

 

[DevoutlyApathetic]

Ride by attack leaves your mount open to AoO's. It just means you don't get attacked. I'm not a huge fan of it myself....

 

[Phoenix8008]

Thanks all. And thanks especially to Archer for just the kind of info I needed! That's in Dragon issue 294 in case anyone else wants to find it.

 

[Tewligan]

"Who rules Bartertown?"

(Why, I do believe this is my 100th post. Yaay, me!)