Mounted Actions

[Snig]

I have a few questions regarding combat while mounted on your animal companion.

First of all, does your animal companion get its own turn in the initiative? Does your character get a turn and your companion a separate turn?

As far as I know you can "Handle" your mount on your turn? To do such things as attack. I'm pretty sure this requires a move action? Does this mean a move action for your character or your mount?

Do you and your mount share move actions, standard actions, full round actions?

If my mount takes a double move do I still have a move action left to spend on handling the mount to attack? And then a standard action for myself?

Lots of questions but hopefully someone can help clarify.

Edit: I'm also wondering if your actions change depending on if you are mounted on your companion or just fighting along side him.

[BowStreetRunner]

Everything is described under Mounted Combat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#mountedCombat).

Your mount moves on your initiative.

You each have your own set of actions which you take on the same initiative count.

During your turn you make a DC20 Ride check as a move action to guide a mount that is not combat trained, or a DC5 Ride check as a free action to guide a mount that is combat trained.

If your mount moves more than 5 ft, you can only make a standard action attack. If it moves less, you can use a full action attack.

[Snowbluff]

You and your mount have separate actions, but they happen at that same time. This manifests in different ways, but usually it means you have to take your move action as your mount is taking his, or you lose it.

For an animal companion mount, you can move it as your animal companion, or with ride checks for free action.

EDIT: Swordsaged.

[Snig]

Just so I have this straight, a druid is mounted on his animal companion, they both use the druids initiative but each have their own actions?

The Druid has a Standard and a Move action, and the Animal Companion has a Standard and Move action? So I could first move with my mount, then make an attack with my mount, then I could attack with my druid and still have a move action available with my druid?

I'm having a hard time getting the actions straight while controlling a druid mounted on his animal companion.

If anyone could give me an example of 1 round of combat with a druid mounted on his companion that might help?

[Snig]

Can anyone help a noob clarify this?

[Tarqiup Inua]

Can anyone help a noob clarify this?
I believe you simply use your mount's speed instead of yours, everything else is the same. If it is war mount, it gets to attack, too, I believe.

In other words - when your mount moves, you move as well the same way and at its speed.

That's the way I would handle it, anyway.

[BowStreetRunner]

On initiative count 15, Sir Launcelot riding on a Heavy Warhorse makes a DC5 Ride check to guide his mount with his knees. (If he fails, he needs one hand to guide the mount.) Succeeding, he first uses a move action to ready his shield, then takes a free action to direct his mount to charge the Black Knight. Launcelot and his horse both take a -2 AC penalty and both receive a +2 attack bonus as part of the charge. Launcelot makes one attack with his lance which deals double damage since he is mounted and charging. His warhorse also makes a single hoof attack.
On initiative count 12, Merlin riding on a Light Horse makes a DC20 Ride check to control his nonwar mount in battle. (If he fails, he will need a full-round action just to control the mount.) Succeeding, he uses a move action to guide the mount to move up a nearby hill overlooking the action. The mount takes a double-move and reaches the top of the hill. Merlin casts a shield spell between move actions so he has to make a DC 11 Concentration check before casting the spell.
On initiative count 10, the Black Knight riding a Heavy Warhorse makes a DC5 Ride check to guide his mount with his knees. He already has his sword and shield out. He directs his mount to take a 5 foot step and then make a full attack (2 hooves and a bite) against Launcelot. The Black Knight also makes a full attack against Launcelot.