My question is simple : what happens when a druid use "animal defiance" (from Masters of the Wild) and turns the horses used by his ennemies ? Could riders make a skill check to control their mount (and, if so, which DC ?). Or have they just win a mandatory 10-rounds free ride, away from the druid ?
riding skill VS Animal defiance feat
- Thread starter Aloïsius
- Start date
lukelightning
First Post
I'd say the animals are running away.... just as if a fear-type spell was cast on them. A ride or handle animal check is trumped by this power.
Artoomis
First Post
At DC 20 you can control an untrained mount in battle. Failure simply mean no action that round. This is a bit worse than that, so I think it reasonable to do this:
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DC 25. Control a frightened mount. You can make the horse follow your commands, but it's still a struggle. You use one move action yourself in doing this, and the horse is reduced to only one move (and just a move, not any other move action - you are forcing the horse to move the direction you want it to when it absolutely does not want to do that).
If you fail, but make DC 20, then you have prevented the mount from running away. You and your mount can take no other action, but the mount does not run.
Failure (below 20) means the mount runs, and you STILL get no actions because you are too busy attempting to control the panicked (or other condition) mount.
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This seems reasonable, but I pretty much made it all up. I'd apply these rules to anytime the mount wants to run, whether from fear or other influences. It's basically using your training to force the mount to do what it does not want to do - what it REALLY does not want to do.
I drew from this chart of how to set DCs for skills:
Very easy (0) Notice something large in plain sight (Spot)
Easy (5) Climb a knotted rope (Climb)
Average (10) Hear an approaching guard (Listen)
Tough (15) Rig a wagon wheel to fall off (Disable Device)
Challenging (20) Swim in stormy water (Swim)
Formidable (25) Open an average lock (Open Lock)
Heroic (30) Leap across a 30-foot chasm (Jump)
Nearly impossible (40) Track a squad of orcs across hard ground after 24 hours of rainfall (Survival)
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DC 25. Control a frightened mount. You can make the horse follow your commands, but it's still a struggle. You use one move action yourself in doing this, and the horse is reduced to only one move (and just a move, not any other move action - you are forcing the horse to move the direction you want it to when it absolutely does not want to do that).
If you fail, but make DC 20, then you have prevented the mount from running away. You and your mount can take no other action, but the mount does not run.
Failure (below 20) means the mount runs, and you STILL get no actions because you are too busy attempting to control the panicked (or other condition) mount.
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This seems reasonable, but I pretty much made it all up. I'd apply these rules to anytime the mount wants to run, whether from fear or other influences. It's basically using your training to force the mount to do what it does not want to do - what it REALLY does not want to do.
I drew from this chart of how to set DCs for skills:
Very easy (0) Notice something large in plain sight (Spot)
Easy (5) Climb a knotted rope (Climb)
Average (10) Hear an approaching guard (Listen)
Tough (15) Rig a wagon wheel to fall off (Disable Device)
Challenging (20) Swim in stormy water (Swim)
Formidable (25) Open an average lock (Open Lock)
Heroic (30) Leap across a 30-foot chasm (Jump)
Nearly impossible (40) Track a squad of orcs across hard ground after 24 hours of rainfall (Survival)
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Frankly, any Druid who invested the two feats required to get Animal Defiance and Animal Control should get the most beneficial ruling whenever using it IMHO. They are really *very* weak, usable in highly limited circumstances. So, when the Druid wants to use it (and has a reasonable opportunity to do so) let him or her reap the benefits! 
Artoomis
First Post
rowport said:Frankly, any Druid who invested the two feats required to get Animal Defiance and Animal Control should get the most beneficial ruling whenever using it IMHO. They are really *very* weak, usable in highly limited circumstances. So, when the Druid wants to use it (and has a reasonable opportunity to do so) let him or her reap the benefits!
Well, I don't think the feat considered what happens when contested for control - whether magically or mundanely.
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rowport said:Frankly, any Druid who invested the two feats required to get Animal Defiance and Animal Control should get the most beneficial ruling whenever using it IMHO. They are really *very* weak, usable in highly limited circumstances. So, when the Druid wants to use it (and has a reasonable opportunity to do so) let him or her reap the benefits!
yes, but what about the Fighter who invested 13 or 14 skill points in Ride skill ? I think the DC used by Artoomis seems OK.
Thank you all : I plan to play a druid, and this was one of the feat I may choose.
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