Fun ways to use a Mount

[Whit]

I want to use a mount but be able to use it in dungeons as well. So thinking Halfling, Gnome or Dwarf. What would be a good fun way
A ranger animal companion mount
A Cavalier mount
A paladin mount
A find familiar mount using enlarge

[etrpgb]

Let us start with the rules:

http://5e.d20srd.org/srd/combat/MountedCombat.htm

Mounting rules are simple and quite freeform. As usual, this means that they give lots of possibilities to the players, but also lots of chance to the DM to stop you.

First problem, what is a mount?



A willing creature that is at least one size larger than you and that has an appropriate anatomy can serve as a mount

So, if you are a dwarf you need a large mount. If you are a gnome or an halfling, then a medium one is fine.

But, what is "appropriate anatomy"? In DND we have dog riders, but in reality probably dogs cannot really act as mounts because their back is weak. Similarly in reality we have ostrich riders, but in DND they would be medium creatures so a human cannot ride them. It is a DM call.

If it were me, being a fantasy setting I would be fairly open... After all, if real world humans manage to ride ostriches elfs and half-orcs can probably ride pretty much anything with a bit of back.


Second problem, what can I do with it?


While you’re mounted, you have two options. You can either control the mount or allow it to act independently. Intelligent creatures, such as dragons, act independently.
[... a controlled mount...] It moves as you direct it, and it has only three action options: Dash, Disengage, and Dodge.

Here is a big deal, if you control it the mount cannot attack! If your Hafling is mount a Deinonychus (ToA pg. 217) or a war horse being unable to attack is a big loss.
However, you can let it go free but in this case the mount acts as it sees fit, basically it is a DM call.

If it were me if you pass a Animal Handling check with a difficult based on the kind of creatures (imo carnivorous predators are probably harder to use as mounts than docile herbivorous animals) then I would use the Loyalty rules (DMG pg. 93), as long your mount is loyal (loyalty store >10) you basically control it even if he acts independently. If it is tenuously loyal (loyalty score between 1 and 9) the DM guides it or you follow the controlled mount rules it limiting its actions. If it become disloyal (locality score of 0) then it won't act as mount at all. As RAW however, if the mount is "intelligent" it cannot be controlled; this is a bit strange because it would mean for example that the horse a character finds with Find Steed cannot be controlled. I think it would not be a much of an houserule to allow some intelligent creatures to accept to be controlled.




Once during your move, you can mount a creature that is within 5 feet of you or dismount. Doing so costs an amount of movement equal to half your speed. For example, if your speed is 30 feet, you must spend 15 feet of movement to mount a horse. Therefore, you can’t mount it if you don’t have 15 feet of movement left or if your speed is 0.

Mounting always costs half of your speed and your speed must be greater than 0. This rule gives the main advantage of a mount: being mobile. Remember you can get up and down freely, so you can mount up one turn, move 60ft, in the next turn move 60ft again, get down, move 15ft again and Attack for example.

There is also a problem with the weapon reach if you mount very large mounts. But at the moment it is not relevant as you want to ride only up to large creatures.



Said all that, about "fun" I kinda like the idea of riding a dinosaur. I do not know why, but I think a Dwarf riding an Allosaurus (MM pg.79) (or an Halfing riding a Deinonychus (ToA pg. 217)) is kinda fun and if you keep the mount loyal also powerful.

The point is simple actually, speak with your DM about how he likes the think about this rules. Once done, you need a medium or large creature (because even larger creature won't fit easily in dungeons), check the MM or the polymorph guides and see something you think fit. Go in a quest and get your mount!



nb, ToA is Tomb of Annihilation

[DarkKnightJin]

I'm fairly sure you can attack while mounted.
The Lance would be pretty dumb to add with its restriction on being 2-handed while NOT mounted, after all.

Personally, I kinda wanna make a Gnome, Kobold, or Halfling with a mount and a Shortbow for giggles.
If at all possible, go Beastmaster Ranger (Revised, obviously), and get a Wolf Spider mount. Or a Panther. Either way would be pretty badass, I think.

[ImproperJustice]

My Alchemist uses a mechanical Giant Spider for a mount.
We refluffed it so it looks like the Spider Harness Gizmo from Teen Titans uses.

That being said, having a mount that spider climbs is super helpful in dungeon exploration while giving GMs fewer coniption fits than flight.

You can charge and fight at really odd angles. Grapple folks and move then up walls and over cliffs.


As I side note: Dwarfs on Mountain Goats from the Battle of the Five Armies was pretty awesome.

[etrpgb]

I'm fairly sure you can attack while mounted.
The Lance would be pretty dumb to add with its restriction on being 2-handed while NOT mounted, after all.


The rider can always attack, it is the mount that cannot attack when controlled.
There are just some ambiguities about reach. If I am using a Lance and I am on a gargantuan brontosaurus (ToA pg. 215) exactly where can I attack?

I think the rules imply that you kinda "merge" with the mount, so basically the rider work as a creature overlapping the mount. So in the gargantuan brontosaurus example, I can attack 10feet all around the brontosaurus. But it is not really clear.

[DarkKnightJin]

The rider can always attack, it is the mount that cannot attack when controlled.
There are just some ambiguities about reach. If I am using a Lance and I am on a gargantuan brontosaurus (ToA pg. 215) exactly where can I attack?

I think the rules imply that you kinda "merge" with the mount, so basically the rider work as a creature overlapping the mount. So in the gargantuan brontosaurus example, I can attack 10feet all around the brontosaurus. But it is not really clear.

You are right, I misread the post. For some odd reason, I thought they meant the player can't attack.

Though honestly, I think a Warhorse, or a more exotic mount, like a Giant Spider, would be able to take other actions than just movement ones while mounted. Especially if they've been trained to accept a rider.

The idea about fluffing the mechanic Giant Spider as a Spider-backpack is pretty sweet. I might steal that if I ever roll up an Artificer.

[Shulk]

kenshi with a mounted combat feat of some sort, running in on horse, slashing, punching, then having the horse trample

[etrpgb]

You are right, I misread the post. For some odd reason, I thought they meant the player can't attack.

Though honestly, I think a Warhorse, or a more exotic mount, like a Giant Spider, would be able to take other actions than just movement ones while mounted. Especially if they've been trained to accept a rider.

The idea about fluffing the mechanic Giant Spider as a Spider-backpack is pretty sweet. I might steal that if I ever roll up an Artificer.

In my post I tried to explore the RAW and how I would do it where I think it is problematic. As you well said, I also think it is a pity that a Warhorse cannot attack.

I like the solution I wrote about (via Loyalty rules) because it gives a bit of importance to the mount instead of just being another layer of HP and a set of powers. Treat your mount well and you get the full power, treat it poorly and you need to command it harshly and you get sub-par performance.
Of course players are encouraged to roleplay the thing, but I like to keep a number as loyalty score makes it easier to keep track. Overall between sessions.

[danpit2991]

but dogs get plus 15 loyalty points lol