Greywander
2021-11-02, 04:19 PM
Context: A little while back I was inspired to create a tank build (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?637779-Steel-Commanders-Artificer-riding-a-Paladin-(oh-yeah-it-s-blitzkrieg-time!)) (as in, the armored fighting vehicle). It was a two-person build concept, with an Artillerist Artificer riding a Redemption Paladin; the paladin is the armor, and the artificer is the cannon. Mechanically, the paladin's Aura of Protection boosts the saves of both, while the artificer's protector cannon grants temp HP (and later, half cover) to both as a bonus action, allowing the artificer to also spam offensive spells. Redemption Paladins can also regenerate, and as a capstone get resistance to basically all damage (with some caveats). So the two together make quite a tanky combo (as in, the damage sponge), while having the offensive abilities of both (ranged and AoE from the artificer, single target melee from the paladin).
Now, part of the plan was to have the artificer pick up Mounted Combatant in order to grant the paladin Evasion. Also, if the paladin took a hit while the artificer had temp HP and the paladin did not, the artificer could redirect that attack toward themselves in order to absorb the damage into their temp HP. However, someone pointed out that this is backwards: The paladin can regenerate, and gets resistance from their capstone (and also damage reduction from HAM), so we really want the paladin to be taking all the hits. Thus, it should actually be the paladin who is riding the artificer, using Mounted Combatant to redirect all (or most) attacks toward the paladin. However, I just didn't want to give up the mental image of a gnomish tinkerer riding a hulking warforged into battle.
Solution?: But what if Mounted Combatant could apply in either direction? As a rider, Mounted Combatant would allow you to take hits for your mount (and grant your mount Evasion), but as a mount, it would allow you to take hits for your rider (and grant your rider Evasion). This way, we could still have the paladin being ridden by the artificer, but now it's the paladin taking Mounted Combatant and using it to redirect attacks away from the artificer and toward themselves. Which honestly makes more sense: if you're piloting a mecha, the pilot isn't going to take a hit in the place of the mecha, protecting the pilot is part of the mecha's job.
Now, this could lead to a potential exploit if you can have the paladin also riding someone, say, a druid in Wild Shape. Now the paladin can apply Mounted Combatant's effects to both the artificer and the druid. I'm honestly not sure this is enough of an issue to be concerned about, if you cared enough to prevent this, we could either (a) split this into two feats (e.g. "Ridden Combatant"), or (b) only allow you to apply the feat's effect in one direction at a time (perhaps chosen at the start of your turn and lasting until your next turn). There's also a potential exploit if you get a mount that can somehow take feats (e.g. sidekick levels?), but again, I don't know if that's worth worrying about.
I mean, the other option (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?637802-Riding-another-PC-and-getting-a-3-4-cover-quot-saddle-quot) is to build an apparatus into the saddle to grant the artificer 3/4 cover, possibly allowing them to duck back for full cover when it isn't their turn. Reversing Mounted Combatant seems a lot less fiddly.
Not sure what to do with the first bullet point, though. You could just nix it, i.e. it only applies when you are the rider. Alternatively, it might just give the mount advantage on attacks against creatures smaller than themselves while being ridden. This way, we're getting basically the full effect of what we would be getting if it were the paladin riding the artificer. It would only apply to small or tiny creatures, but that's still fairly useful. There's probably a way to exploit this, too, like making a Rune Knight with Ritual Caster so you can get your familiar to ride you while you're Large/Huge, so I don't know.
Now, part of the plan was to have the artificer pick up Mounted Combatant in order to grant the paladin Evasion. Also, if the paladin took a hit while the artificer had temp HP and the paladin did not, the artificer could redirect that attack toward themselves in order to absorb the damage into their temp HP. However, someone pointed out that this is backwards: The paladin can regenerate, and gets resistance from their capstone (and also damage reduction from HAM), so we really want the paladin to be taking all the hits. Thus, it should actually be the paladin who is riding the artificer, using Mounted Combatant to redirect all (or most) attacks toward the paladin. However, I just didn't want to give up the mental image of a gnomish tinkerer riding a hulking warforged into battle.
Solution?: But what if Mounted Combatant could apply in either direction? As a rider, Mounted Combatant would allow you to take hits for your mount (and grant your mount Evasion), but as a mount, it would allow you to take hits for your rider (and grant your rider Evasion). This way, we could still have the paladin being ridden by the artificer, but now it's the paladin taking Mounted Combatant and using it to redirect attacks away from the artificer and toward themselves. Which honestly makes more sense: if you're piloting a mecha, the pilot isn't going to take a hit in the place of the mecha, protecting the pilot is part of the mecha's job.
Now, this could lead to a potential exploit if you can have the paladin also riding someone, say, a druid in Wild Shape. Now the paladin can apply Mounted Combatant's effects to both the artificer and the druid. I'm honestly not sure this is enough of an issue to be concerned about, if you cared enough to prevent this, we could either (a) split this into two feats (e.g. "Ridden Combatant"), or (b) only allow you to apply the feat's effect in one direction at a time (perhaps chosen at the start of your turn and lasting until your next turn). There's also a potential exploit if you get a mount that can somehow take feats (e.g. sidekick levels?), but again, I don't know if that's worth worrying about.
I mean, the other option (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?637802-Riding-another-PC-and-getting-a-3-4-cover-quot-saddle-quot) is to build an apparatus into the saddle to grant the artificer 3/4 cover, possibly allowing them to duck back for full cover when it isn't their turn. Reversing Mounted Combatant seems a lot less fiddly.
Not sure what to do with the first bullet point, though. You could just nix it, i.e. it only applies when you are the rider. Alternatively, it might just give the mount advantage on attacks against creatures smaller than themselves while being ridden. This way, we're getting basically the full effect of what we would be getting if it were the paladin riding the artificer. It would only apply to small or tiny creatures, but that's still fairly useful. There's probably a way to exploit this, too, like making a Rune Knight with Ritual Caster so you can get your familiar to ride you while you're Large/Huge, so I don't know.