What sort of actions while your mount moves?

[Artoomis]

This is in the SRD somewhere (I admit I'm not the one who found it, and Wizards.com is down right now so I can't check on it).

edit: The site is back up, but I can't find any mounted combat info in the SRD. That's pretty much beside the point for this question, but does anyone know where those rules are in teh SRD?

If a combatant's mount moves more than 5 feet, the combatant can only make a partial melee attack. Essentially, a combatant has to wait until the mount gets to the combatant's enemy before attacking, so the combatant can't make a full attack.

This description (the same as in the PHB) raises an interesting point for mounted archers and mutiple opponents. For archery, you obviously don't need to wait until you "get to the combatant's enemy before attacking," so one might think you get to use a full attack while your mount is moving.

For melee, if you have a line of opponents, it implies you could swing at them as you go by, using a full attack. Of course, they would all get an AoO on you as you go by unless you have reach, like from a lance.

I think neither of these were intended, but both are very plausible readings of the mounted combat rules.

What do you think? Is the "flavor text" meant to have any rules meaning here, or is the first line about making only a "partial melee attack" the controlling language.

Note, this says "melee" which may or may not mean this was meant to include ranged attacks (that depends on how hyper-technical you want to get with the rest of the rules).

The terminology here is a bit weak, and the "flavor text" looks important, so the question boils down to what do you think the intent was here?

 

[AGGEMAM]

The rule, ie the 1st sentence, is very clear.

The flavor text, ie the 2nd sentence, is just there to rationalise the rule, although they might as well have have written:

'We don't want a mounted character to be able to make multiple attacks while moving, because that would put unmounted character at a too great disadvantage.'

Btw, Artoomis, remember that your mount may attack as well on a Ride check DC 10.

 

[Ravellion]

Bugger! The one time I want to answer a rule question I don't have my books on me. Mounted Archers can make a full attack action while their mount is moving... you might find references in the combat chapter or the mounted archery feat.

Rav

 

[Artoomis]

The rule, ie the 1st sentence, is very clear.

The flavor text, ie the 2nd sentence, is just there to rationalise the rule, although they might as well have have written:

'We don't want a mounted character to be able to make multiple attacks while moving, because that would put unmounted character at a too great disadvantage.'

Btw, Artoomis, remember that your mount may attack as well on a Ride check DC 10.

Thanks for your answer. The mount cannot attack while it is moving of course (unless it has Spring Attack, which is essentially one attack while moving).

I need to reread the whole PHB section on mounted combat - it seems to me there is a bit in there about bows getting full attacks while moving, 'course I could be wrong. If there is, it puts that "flavor text" in a different light, doesn't it?

 

[Artoomis]

Bugger! The one time I want to answer a rule question I don't have my books on me. Mounted Archers can make a full attack action while their mount is moving... you might find references in the combat chapter or the mounted archery feat.

Rav

Yep - I think you are right.

Makes me think twice about teh "flavor text" above. I think that perhaps you should get attacks while you move, but, since adjucating just how do to that could be difficult, I'll never ask for that from my DM.

 

[AGGEMAM]

The mount cannot attack while it is moving of course (unless it has Spring Attack, which is essentially one attack while moving).

True, but if you charge, you might consider the mount charging as well, as you're not using ride-by-attack at the same time.

Let me draw you a picture:

X--1-2-3

We have you, mounted, and three enemies, you could attack all three in they are on a straigth line. If you do like this (and assume you have trample, ride-by-attack, mounted combat):

1) Charge no1, and trample no2 doing so.
2) Ride-by-attack no2, moving to no3
3) Your mount attacks no3.

 

[Rackhir]

Actually the PHB (at least) is very clear on this topic. If they move more than a 5' step, mounted archers are specifically permitted to use the full attack action and mounted melee combatants are not.

You've already quoted the relavent section of the SRD for melee so I'll post the relavant section on mounted archery.

From the PHB pg 138, column 2, paragraph 10.

(after a section on penalties for firing while moving) " In either case, you make the attack roll when your mount has completed half its movement. You can even exercise the full attack action while your mount is moving."

It then goes on to talk about how you can use your MEA normally etc...