Warhorses attacking
- Thread starter Quasqueton
- Start date
I didn't remember there was something relevant in the MM. If you're riding the horse, the attack is automatic, and you make a DC 10 Ride check to attack as well. If you're not, you can command it to attack with a Handle Animal check.Quasqueton
First Post
Reading the Handle Animal skill and Ride skill descriptions more carefully, I think I'm seeing the answer.
Attack, come, defend, down, guard, and heel are tricks known by an animal trained with the Combat Riding general purpose.
To get an animal to perform a trick it knows is a Handle Animal skill check DC 10 (12 if wounded). This is a move action that can be used untrained.
Note this from the Ride skill description:
To ride a horse in battle is no check. A rider can fight from horseback with no check.
But to get the horse to attack is a move action Handle Animal check DC 10.
If the rider wants to fight also, he can make a free action Ride check DC 10.
Looks reasonable to me.
Quasqueton
Attack, come, defend, down, guard, and heel are tricks known by an animal trained with the Combat Riding general purpose.
To get an animal to perform a trick it knows is a Handle Animal skill check DC 10 (12 if wounded). This is a move action that can be used untrained.
Note this from the Ride skill description:
To ride a horse in battle is no check. A rider can fight from horseback with no check.
But to get the horse to attack is a move action Handle Animal check DC 10.
If the rider wants to fight also, he can make a free action Ride check DC 10.
Looks reasonable to me.
Quasqueton
Ridley's Cohort
First Post
From my reading of the PHB, to get your warhorse to attack you may either use Handle Animal against DC 10 as a MEA or use Ride against DC 10 to "Fight With Warhorse" as a free action.
There is nothing illogical about having more than one way to 'skin the cat'.
There is nothing illogical about having more than one way to 'skin the cat'.
Ridley's Cohort
First Post
Quasqueton said:
What is illogical about this sequence is you are making the implicit assumption that I would be disallowed from attacking just because I happen to be on a warhorse, even though it contradicts your first statement.
Consider this sequence:
(1) Handle Animal vs. DC 10 as a MEA: Success! Warhorse will attack this round.
(2) Ride vs. DC 10 as a Free Action: Failed!
(3) I may now perform an Action. May I now attack with my sword or not? If yes, why bother with a Ride check at all. If no, why I am restricted from spending my Action in the normal manner?
Quasqueton said:
An additional thought, why is the DC to have a warhorse attack the same as directing your wardog to attack? With a warhorse, you have the bit & bridle, not to mention the spurs with which to cojole/direct the horse to attack, whereas with the dog, you have to rely on getting it's attention and conveying your commands, all on a battle field. I would think the warhorse would be much easier.
FireLance
Legend
Gnimish88 said:
Not necessarily. If the mount continues to attack the opponent after the first command, both you and the mount can make full attacks in subsequent rounds. I would rule that the mount does continues to attack (until the opponent is defeated, or it is forced to flee due to injury, etc.) since "Down" is a separate trick.
FireLance
Legend
Ridley's Cohort said:
I have to admit that I've never fought on horseback, but I would imagine that it's difficult to co-ordinate your attacks when you're sitting on something that is itself lashing out with hooves, claws and/or bites. If you're not directing the mount to attack, it moves about less, and making your own attack is not so much of a problem (no check required).
Mind you, a real rules lawyer might try the following:
Round 1:
(1) Attack
(2) Command warhorse to attack
(3) Warhorse attacks
Round 2:
(1) Command warhorse to down
(2) Warhorse stops attacking
(3) Attack
Quasqueton
First Post
Wow. Some of you completely misunderstood my post there. Let me break it down:
Rider attack (default situation) -- A rider can simply use the war horse as legs. Use the mount's movement in the combat, and make attacks as normal. Requires no skill checks.
Mount attack -- A rider can direct his mount to attack with a move action Handle Animal check DC 10. The mount will continue attack, round to round (full attack after the first round), until commanded to stop.
Both attack -- A rider can direct his mount to attack with a move action Handle Animal check DC 10. And the rider can also attack by making a free action Ride check DC 10. Again, the mount continues attacking, round to round (full attack after the first), until commanded to stop. The rider can make a full attack each round (after that first in which he commanded his mount) so long as he keeps making his free action Ride check DC 10.
Now that I've read more closely, and compared the Ride and Handle Animal descriptions, I beleive the above is how the rules work.
Quasqueton
Rider attack (default situation) -- A rider can simply use the war horse as legs. Use the mount's movement in the combat, and make attacks as normal. Requires no skill checks.
Mount attack -- A rider can direct his mount to attack with a move action Handle Animal check DC 10. The mount will continue attack, round to round (full attack after the first round), until commanded to stop.
Both attack -- A rider can direct his mount to attack with a move action Handle Animal check DC 10. And the rider can also attack by making a free action Ride check DC 10. Again, the mount continues attacking, round to round (full attack after the first), until commanded to stop. The rider can make a full attack each round (after that first in which he commanded his mount) so long as he keeps making his free action Ride check DC 10.
Now that I've read more closely, and compared the Ride and Handle Animal descriptions, I beleive the above is how the rules work.
Quasqueton
Similar Threads
