Exploiting Ride checks on enemies

[ben-zayb]

By RAW:

1. There is a Ride check penalty on creatures not normally fit for mounting
This means that all creatures (classified into normally mountable and not) can be ridden

2. The action for normally mounting or fast mounting only requires a Ride check
The description doesn't give separate options for willing or unwilling targets, and by RAW there's no save or opposed check to prevent being ridden



So by RAW, is there anything that prevents a PC, especially one built for attrition, from forcibly riding his enemies and spurring them to death (no save, doubled damage every round) and/or using them as cover against their own allies?

[PurpleSocks]

I'm pretty sure you there are rules (somewhere) for being knocked off of your mount via bullrush? I'm away from my books at the moment but If thats the case theres nothing from stopping an unwilling mount from bullrushing its rider.

In addition there are no rules to say a mount cannot attack its rider, or initiate a grapple and so on.

[prufock]

A mount can purposely fall to shake you off. You get no check or save to negate. You can negate the falling damage with a check.

DMG page 205 notes that mounts with intelligence scores above 3 use special rules. You must use diplomacy to agree on what such a mount will do.

So yes, it can work on an unintelligent unwilling mount that doesn't just throw you off on its first action. It's a slow go for a couple rounds but damage ramps up quickly after the first few. Doesn't seem very efficient though.

[Fouredged Sword]

I don't know, it could be funny and useful as a halfling crusader to whip up Ironguard glare then hop on the back of the ogre. It can't attack anyone but you or suffer a -4 to hit, it can't move away from you. It can choose to try to throw you off, but I would think it would be an opposed check of some kind.

Interestingly enough, it would bypass freedom of movement, so it could be a way to maintain a grapple like condition late game.

If you are mounting a medium target, you can even do so as a free action. If they throw you off, they wasted actions and you can hop right back on! Epic uses allow you to make a DC 60 check to use your mount as cover, even from itself! Get the ability to hide while observed and you can jump on something's back and DISAPPEAR!

[PurpleSocks]

I imagine most GM's would start throwing books at you as soon as you handed them your character sheet for review

[Maglubiyet]

So yes, it can work on an unintelligent unwilling mount that doesn't just throw you off on its first action. It's a slow go for a couple rounds but damage ramps up quickly after the first few. Doesn't seem very efficient though.

However, it would allow a 0-level goblin with a +2 DEX and +4 racial Ride bonus to mount any number of animals, elementals, vermin, oozes, unintelligent undead, and constructs and spur them to death. Mithril golems, Tyranosaurs, Titanic Toads, Zombie Cloud Giants, the Tarrasque...awesome.

Funniest thread ever!

[ZamielVanWeber]

I already saw someone exploit these rules quirks to have an ogre as a paladin mount.