Like a Submarine....

[GutterFace]

So today I am full of questions...sorry everyone. but the help is appreciated :)

If you are riding an Ashworm (Sandstorm), and for arguments sake you have a Burrowing Saddle (RoS). and you manage to have Ride-by-Attack...

is this legal?

turn 1) Ride 15 ft, attack, burrow/move 15 ft

turn 2) Burrow 15ft., pop up and attack (do you get to attack against FF since they probably dont know where you came from?), attack and dive again?

thanks!

[BowStreetRunner]

Ride-By Attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#rideByAttack) states "When you are mounted and use the charge action...", however the Burrow (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#burrow) special ability states "Creatures cannot charge or run while burrowing."

So no charge while burrowing, therefore no Ride-By Attack involving the burrowing movement mode.

[GutterFace]

ah good call, i didn't put the two together.

thank you

[Twilightwyrm]

Yes, that should be legal. As you have ride by attack, you can attack while your mount moves. Burrowing is part of their normal movement, therefore this is just as fine as flying and doing the same thing. As for the Flat-Footed condition, it depends mostly on your DM, since you are actually popping out of the ground to attack. If you found some way to attack from under the ground, then they would most certainly be flat-footed, but your DM might rule that since you are actually coming out of the ground, they now know where you are. Of course, they might also rule that they don't have enough time to react, and therefore you do get a flat-footed attack, or indeed that the opponent needs to make some sort of specialized listen check to avoid being flat-footed. Depends on the DM.

Edit: Or what he said. In theory, if you could find some way to get an attack just before and after movement, then you could do what I am suggesting.

[GutterFace]

interesting. hmmmm this is all going to the DM for consideration.

Either way, this will be fun and interesting to play and it will get me away from being a caster

[BowStreetRunner]

The problem is getting a charge action that will allow you to activate Ride-By Attack. If there is some way around the limitation of charging while burrowing, you would be golden. I just don't know of anything that has this effect.

I do know that if you can get an 'extra move action' for your mount, you could start underground, take a move action to burrow to the surface, then make a charge attack with your normal actions. Belt of Battle maybe?