Why NOT Fast Mount?

[The Spectrum Rider]

If you're going to mount a horse (responders please remember Eric's grandma), is there any reason not to attempt a Fast Mount? There's no penalty to failure - if you fail the DC 20 Ride check, you just get what you would have gotten anyway (a move-action mount).

I would have expected it to say "Failure: if you fail by 5 or more, you do not mount, and lose your move action." A good house rule, sure - but is there anything in the actual rules anywhere?

(Same for Fast Dismount, of course.)

The Spectrum Rider

 

[Sejs]

If you're going to mount a horse (responders please remember Eric's grandma), is there any reason not to attempt a Fast Mount?

Well, if you're not in a rush there's no reason to fast mount. *shrug*

 

[Anabstercorian]

Unless you have a mean-and-nasty DM, there's no reason not to fast-mount.

 

[Scion]

Just think of it like practice, you do it enough and you can tell your dm that it was how you trained to be better at horseriding

But I understand what you mean, still, I would rather there not be a penalty. If you are in a rush, and try to do it faster but fail, then you are still in a rush but it takes more time. having it take an extra round would probably be bad somehow.

 

[Rashak Mani]

No reason not to attempt Fast Mount... unless you want get onto the saddle elegantly.

 

[Tatsukun]

Hmm, random thought...

What if you made it like donning armor hastily? Something like "You can mount a horse as a FREE ACTION with a ride check, DC 20, but you take -2 to ride checks until you use a standard action to readjust yourself in the saddle."

Oh, this is a house rule, sorry for the wrong forum!

As RAW, I don't think there should be a reason not to try. There are a lot of skills / feats that you should always try if you can. Why not quickdraw if you can? Why not always move silently (with the minus for moving at your normal speed) if you can pull it off? The answer is just that it doens't always fit the role playing.

Ok, that's my 2 yen.

-Tatsu

 

[Scion]

What if you made it like donning armor hastily? Something like "You can mount a horse as a FREE ACTION with a ride check, DC 20, but you take -2 to ride checks until you use a standard action to readjust yourself in the saddle."

At that point I'd probably make it dc 25 or 30 in order to avoid the -2 penalty