Fighting while mounted

[Aaronmoze]

What checks do players need to make when fighting while mounted? My example is a paladin and a battle sorcerer, both on non combat trained mounts attacking enemies that are on foot.

[Hellpyre]

Ride checks, generally. With trained mounts, most of the checks should be trivially low. With untrained mounts, moving them in combat without losing your action is a 20 IIRC.

[KarlMarx]

Ride checks, generally. With trained mounts, most of the checks should be trivially low. With untrained mounts, moving them in combat without losing your action is a 20 IIRC.

I believe there's a table of them in the Ride skill, and it's pretty easy to improvise beyond that.

Casters will also have to make a Concentration check if they want to cast while mounted.

And if you want to work with the mounts in the long term, handle animal to train for combat riding isn't strictly necessary but is amazingly useful.

[KillingAScarab]

Casters will also have to make a Concentration check if they want to cast while mounted.If you're using the material in the Wild Life articles (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118x), the mounted spellcasting feat removes the concentration check while mounted. The Silverwood Arcanist prestige class gets that feat for free while stating you don't need to meet the prerequisites, but mounted combat is a prerequisite for Silverwood Arcanist, and it would not be a smart idea to be a spellcaster without at least 5 ranks of concentration.

[Darrin]

Ride checks, generally. With trained mounts, most of the checks should be trivially low. With untrained mounts, moving them in combat without losing your action is a 20 IIRC.

Yes, DC 20 Ride Check to "Control Mount in Battle" for both the Paladin and Sorcerer. Since the mounts are not trained for battle, this costs a move action. If the check fails, then the rider gets no actions that round, as they spend all their time controlling the mount.

If the Sorcerer is casting a spell on a moving mount, then he needs to make a Concentration check or the spell is disrupted. Casting on a "moving" mount is considered a "vigorous motion" and requires a DC 10 Concentration Check. If the mount is galloping, that's a "violent motion" and requires a DC 15 Concentration Check. Unfortunately, the rules don't give much details on how "fast" the horse has to be moving to be considered "vigorous" or "violent", but my best guess at RAW would be:

Mount is motionless or standing still: No check.
Mount moves somewhere between 5' and it's land speed: DC 10.
Mount moves over it's land speed (charge, double move, run action): DC 15.

[Aaronmoze]

Great answers. Thank you so much!!