[Pathfinder] Mounts in Combat

[ScubaGoomba]

How do they work with regards to CR? If I have my PCs fight a cavalry, are the mounts assumed into the riders' CRs considering things like feats necessary to be useful, gear, and the like, or are they factored on their own because they get their own Initiative, Actions, and stat block?

Interested in RAW and RAI perspectives on this, so anybody with something of value to say should chime in!

[Venusaur]

Depends. I'm not really familiar with pathfinder, but if the mount is a class feature like the Paladin's, or an animal companion, or from a feat like natural bond, then no. If its just a horse that the BBEG bought, than it probably would have a negligible effect on CR.

[ScubaGoomba]

Actually, on the other side of that question, what if the cavalry is encountered off their mounts? Should the CR be dropped by one since their feats make them less effective than they would otherwise be?

[Novawurmson]

@Venusaur's got it - if the mounts are a class feature (i.e. Cavalier, Paladin, Druid, Ranger), they don't count towards CR; they're included in the base creature's CR. It's the same reason you don't factor in a Wizard's familiar or a Summoner's Eidolon.

I think it would be fairly reasonable to lower the CR of a group of riders by 1 if they are encountered off their steeds. It all goes under "favorable environment for the PCs," imo.

Remember that CR is a mostly a rough estimate of how likely something is to kill your players than a strict rule you have to follow.