Simple Mounted Combat clarification

[Mjolnirbear]

So RAW says intelligent mounts always act independently and bearing a rider does not limit their actions. Controlled mounts never have the attack action. Many people infer that an animal mount, therefore, is always controlled. But it's not.

In my Eberron game, I've introduced the following rule: as an action, if you are not riding a mount with intelligence 6 or more, you can decide to switch between controlling your mount and giving it its head (allowing it to move independently) at which point it will act as its nature dictates. This requires an Animal Handling check.

My Mounted Combat feat has the following change to the first paragraph: you can control your mount or give it its head as a bonus action with a successful animal handling check.

And I have a war-trained template available for certain mounts which increase their cost. They can wear barding without penalty and will attack any enemy in their reach.


You could make the switch à bonus action and keep the feat as is: I'd be concerned about making mounted combat too good. And it makes more sense to me that someone not trained in animal handling would need to take some time to stop an animal from running.

Thoughts?

[Tetrasodium]

So RAW says intelligent mounts always act independently and bearing a rider does not limit their actions. Controlled mounts never have the attack action. Many people infer that an animal mount, therefore, is always controlled. But it's not.

In my Eberron game, I've introduced the following rule: as an action, if you are not riding a mount with intelligence 6 or more, you can decide to switch between controlling your mount and giving it its head (allowing it to move independently) at which point it will act as its nature dictates. This requires an Animal Handling check.

My Mounted Combat feat has the following change to the first paragraph: you can control your mount or give it its head as a bonus action with a successful animal handling check.

And I have a war-trained template available for certain mounts which increase their cost. They can wear barding without penalty and will attack any enemy in their reach.


You could make the switch à bonus action and keep the feat as is: I'd be concerned about making mounted combat too good. And it makes more sense to me that someone not trained in animal handling would need to take some time to stop an animal from running.

Thoughts?

It seems fine, aside from lance use there is basically no benefit to mounted combat unless the rider is a rogue or kobold without the mounted combatant feat. I wouldn't worry about making it a very little bit better like you describe