Druid question, wildshape and riding

[UndeadAce]

Hello, I just started playing D&D and I want to make a druid character, but I have a question: can a druid ride an animal companion while in wildshape?

[INoKnowNames]

Hello, I just started playing D&D and I want to make a druid character, but I have a question: can a druid ride an animal companion while in wildshape?

That's honestly a very good question. I assumed most people would simply use their new animal form for the movement ability it possesses....

It says Wildshape functions like Alternate Form... and Alternate Form says you keep your skills from your base form... so if you had enough ranks in Ride before you transformed, you could keep them and continue from there....

I say I don't see why you couldn't. Except for the Bear Riding a Bear Summoning Bears scenario, which I can barely stand hearing.

[Greyfeld85]

For the record, the animal you ride needs to be a size larger than your character.

I don't know if there are any other restrictions, though.

[INoKnowNames]

For the record, the animal you ride needs to be a size larger than your character.

I don't know if there are any other restrictions, though.

I honestly don't remember where that issue came from, actually. I know you get a -5 to a mount illsuited to you, but otherwise I never heard where the size thing came from.

[Quietus]

I honestly don't remember where that issue came from, actually. I know you get a -5 to a mount illsuited to you, but otherwise I never heard where the size thing came from.

The -5 is riding without a saddle, or possibly riding something you haven't got the correct Ride() skill for. You do need to have a mount one size larger than yourself in order to ride it, but you can - for example - wildshape into a Medium sized ape, and then ride your Large sized shark into battle. Later on, go dire ape and huge shark.

[INoKnowNames]

The -5 is riding without a saddle, or possibly riding something you haven't got the correct Ride() skill for. You do need to have a mount one size larger than yourself in order to ride it, but you can - for example - wildshape into a Medium sized ape, and then ride your Large sized shark into battle. Later on, go dire ape and huge shark.

It doesn't actually say on the SRD that you need a specific Ride skill; just the one type. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/ride.htm)

These are the only two penalties from the Ride skill that it lists:


If you attempt to ride a creature that is ill suited as a mount, you take a -5 penalty on your Ride checks.

If you are riding bareback, you take a -5 penalty on Ride checks.

And this is the only part that mentions size, unless my CTRL-F is failing today.


Fast Mount or Dismount

You can attempt to mount or dismount from a mount of up to one size category larger than yourself as a free action, provided that you still have a move action available that round. If you fail the Ride check, mounting or dismounting is a move action. You can’t use fast mount or dismount on a mount more than one size category larger than yourself.

I don't see where at all it demands a mount one size bigger than yourself. It doesn't seem to list it there, anyway.

[Darrin]

I don't see where at all it demands a mount one size bigger than yourself. It doesn't seem to list it there, anyway.

It's in the DMG, page 204, under Mounts:

"At least one size category larger than the character."

I can't find the same text in the SRD. That section was probably left out.

[UndeadAce]

Thanks everyone, I also have a follow up question: should I bother putting points into riding if I am going more for a wildshape based druid?

[INoKnowNames]

It's in the DMG, page 204, under Mounts:

"At least one size category larger than the character."

I can't find the same text in the SRD. That section was probably left out.

The descriptor for the paragraph before that list also seems to note the list to be more of a guideline, too. "At it's most basic level, the mount -should- have the following characteristics". Doesn't mean it -has- to.

But that's an argument for the player and DM, and not really relevant to this conversation. Thanks for showing me where that came from.


Thanks everyone, I also have a follow up question: should I bother putting points into riding if I am going more for a wildshape based druid?

Ultimately, it seems like you'd be more or less fine without it. As I mentioned when I first responded, it seems like most people use Wild Shape for transportation anyway. Fly Speeds, Swim Speeds, Climb Speeds, Burrow Speeds, and even faster Land Speeds are all pretty good uses for Wild Shape, especially if you use Natural Spell. Be a Sparrow droping Lightning!

If you still want to do Mounted Combat from your Animal Companion, you certainly could, and in that case Ranks in Ride become important. But otherwise, you can probably do without. You've got a lot of freedom to do pretty much whatever you want, being a Druid and all.