mounts and conjured animals

[emacleric]

Hello everybody!
I suppose I can use a conjured beast from Conjure Animals spell as a mount. Now there is my question. Does this mount act indipendently? Or is there the option, for me, to choose to controll her? Mounting rules says: "It moves as you direct it, and it has only three action options: Dash, Disengage and Dodge (PHB 198)", and then "You can either control the mount or allow it to act independently. Intelligent creatures, such as dragons, act independently".

Thank you

[Ninja_Prawn]

The key phrase is the one you didn't quote: "You can control a mount only if it has been trained to accept a rider." To paraphrase, this means it is up to the DM to decide, on a case-by-case basis, whether or not you can control a mount.

So, you'll have to ask your DM. It's fair to assume a riding horse can be controlled, but can a elk? Or a bear? And that will depend on the tone of the campaign. As an example, in a fey-themed game I'm running, I've allowed the PCs to control giant snakes, vultures and centaurs (though the latter acted independently).

[Dalebert]

Why would you want to control it as a mount? Just tell it what to do because it obeys you per the spell. Say "Let me ride you. Go over there. Attack that." It doesn't use an action to command them. If you want more leeway, summon giant eagles or a giant elk. They're exceptionally intelligent and could understand fairly complex commands.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Why would you want to control it as a mount? Just tell it what to do because it obeys you per the spell. Say "Let me ride you. Go over there. Attack that." It doesn't use an action to command them. If you want more leeway, summon giant eagles or a giant elk. They're exceptionally intelligent and could understand fairly complex commands.

Yeah, that's the other thing. Often, not controlling the mount is the better option. Especially if you have magical control anyway.

[hymer]

Yeah, that's the other thing. Often, not controlling the mount is the better option. Especially if you have magical control anyway.

I agree. The reason I might suspect could crop up is impractical initiative. Since you can't shift initiative in 5e, it could be annoying to have your turn (casting a spell), then the enemy's turn (run into melee range), and then the mount's turn (move + dash gets you OAed). You could have kited the opponent if only the mount had used your initative.
But it's niche.

[Vogonjeltz]

Hello everybody!
I suppose I can use a conjured beast from Conjure Animals spell as a mount. Now there is my question. Does this mount act indipendently? Or is there the option, for me, to choose to controll her? Mounting rules says: "It moves as you direct it, and it has only three action options: Dash, Disengage and Dodge (PHB 198)", and then "You can either control the mount or allow it to act independently. Intelligent creatures, such as dragons, act independently".

Thank you

Assuming the DM selects something that can be ridden it could probably be ridden...but if it's not a controlled mount the creature would do nothing at all, as per the Conjure Animals spell.

The whole thing seems unwieldy compared to just getting a real mount.

[RickAllison]

Assuming the DM selects something that can be ridden it could probably be ridden...but if it's not a controlled mount the creature would do nothing at all, as per the Conjure Animals spell.

The whole thing seems unwieldy compared to just getting a real mount.

If it's not controlled, the PC can just issue verbal commands that are obeyed per the spell. So:

1) The creature is controlled and acts like a normal controlled mount.

2) The creature is uncontrolled and does whatever the user asks on its initiative.