What happens when a character is a mount for another character?

[harpy]

Searching doesn't seem to be finding anything, but has there been any rules vetted on what happens when one player is mounted on another character? Such as a wizard polymorphs into a warhorse and then the fighter mounts the polymorphed wizard and charges into battle.

Beyond that being spectacularly sub-optimal, how do all of the mounted rules function when the mount is a character?

[JaronK]

Awesomely! You get the AC of Mounted Combat, for one. Also, you get a lot of OOC jokes and giggles.

At least in my group.

JaronK

[Prime32]

They function exactly as normal. Meaning that the fighter can, in fact, negate attacks made against the wizard with a Ride check. Sub-optimal?

Also, you get a lot of OOC jokes and giggles.

At least in my group.

Not just yours. That demon ostrich with butterfly wings would have been awesome, but the DM said that it would be too conspicuous. *grumble*

[Asheram]

We did this in a campaign. A halfling barbarian riding on a dire-puma druid. ;)
It was real fun.

(Btw, a little question off the side. Why is ride a dexterity and not a Wisdom skill? I believe that riding was mostly about communicating with the mount and reading the mounts intentions before it acts ... other than just keeping in the saddle)

[Prime32]

(Btw, a little question off the side. Why is ride a dexterity and not a Wisdom skill? I believe that riding was mostly about communicating with the mount and reading the mounts intentions before it acts ... other than just keeping in the saddle)

That's covered by the synergy bonus from Handle Animal.

[BenTheJester]

They function exactly as normal. Meaning that the fighter can, in fact, negate attacks made against the wizard with a Ride check. Sub-optimal?

Not just yours. That demon ostrich with butterfly wings would have been awesome, but the DM said that it would be too conspicuous. *grumble*

yes it is suboptimal, if I remember correctly, only one of them has a standard action per round

[sofawall]

yes it is suboptimal, if I remember correctly, only one of them has a standard action per round

You don't.

[harpy]

I guess it's just that RAW has a lot of assumptions baked into it in terms of how mounted combat works. There is an assumption that the mount's will is subsumed into the will of the rider for the most part, being directed and operating as one in the same round.

But when you have two characters then suddenly you're operating perhaps at different initiative counts, the rider can only argue with the mount as to where to go, etc.

So I guess I'm just seeing if there is anything that has has fleshed out the unique nature of "character on character" action.

[Artanis]

So I guess I'm just seeing if there is anything that has has fleshed out the unique nature of "character on character" action.

I see what you did there

[BenTheJester]

You don't.

Ugh you're right, I guess.

There are just absolutely no mention of a mount's standard action, not in the DMG, not in the PHB, not in any of the 5 All About Mounts serie.

[Admiral Squish]

Searching doesn't seem to be finding anything, but has there been any rules vetted on what happens when one player is mounted on another character? Such as a wizard polymorphs into a warhorse and then the fighter mounts the polymorphed wizard and charges into battle.

Beyond that being spectacularly sub-optimal, how do all of the mounted rules function when the mount is a character?

It works much better with a druid wildshaped into some Big cat or a dire wolf. I once had a halfling knight on a cheetah...

[jmbrown]

We did this in a campaign. A halfling barbarian riding on a dire-puma druid. ;)
It was real fun.

(Btw, a little question off the side. Why is ride a dexterity and not a Wisdom skill? I believe that riding was mostly about communicating with the mount and reading the mounts intentions before it acts ... other than just keeping in the saddle)

Ride used to be a wisdom check in AD&D but the idea in 3E is that all actions from the ride skill are based on manual dexterity; dipping down in the saddle, dismounting, rearing on the reigns, knowing when to spur it on, etc.

I guess it's just that RAW has a lot of assumptions baked into it in terms of how mounted combat works. There is an assumption that the mount's will is subsumed into the will of the rider for the most part, being directed and operating as one in the same round.

But when you have two characters then suddenly you're operating perhaps at different initiative counts, the rider can only argue with the mount as to where to go, etc.

So I guess I'm just seeing if there is anything that has has fleshed out the unique nature of "character on character" action.

It's not difficult or complicated. The mount acts on your initiative count. Only light horses, ponies, and heavy horses have to be checked to control in battle so the rider doesn't have to make ride checks (but he still must make the DC 10 to guide with the knees if he wants both hands). If you order your mount to attack (which happens on your initiative) and you also want to attack, then you also have to make the "fight with warhorse" check which represents regaining your bearings. It makes sense; when a horse rears back to stomp on something or your chimera breathes fire on the enemy it's pretty jarring for the guy riding it.

Everything else regarding the ride skill functions normally.

[Vizzerdrix]

Babies, most often.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Normal rules for mounted combat apply. Initiative is a simple delay from being a non-issue. As for who decides where the mount goes, that's obviously up to his player, but the mounted characters player can communicate his desires through speaking, ride checks, or not communicate at all because they've worked things out before-hand and the mount's player already knows what his character needs to do without being directed. Oh and the rules for being on a mount that you don't control are in either the DMG or MM, I just don't remember which.

[Stompy]

They function exactly as normal. Meaning that the fighter can, in fact, negate attacks made against the wizard with a Ride check. Sub-optimal?

The Ride skill

Said fighter can also spur you and make you leap (theoretically).

I am so giving a halfling outrider a piggyback ride, with an exotic saddle so we can negate ride penalties.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

Eh... It'd make sense to me if the mount was a charger barbarian and the rider a martial adept. The first acts on their count to power attack pounce while the second is moved into position to unleash boosts/strikes. Not sub optimal at all for a pair of melee characters, and even better if the 'rider' is a Crusader for heals and White Raven perks.

[nhbdy]

Babies, most often.

not with magical birth control!

[Vizzerdrix]

The description for ride says that not everything that is willing can be a mount, so I don't see any DM allowing a gnome wizard to ride the dwarf barbarian. Now throw a halfling outrider on a centaur anything and things get into the twilight zone.

[RebelRogue]

Hilarity ensues!

[Draken]

Jokes aside, the following happens:

1 - Movement is controled by the Mount.

2 - Mount has normal actions.

3 - Rider cannot Full Attack if the mount has moved more tha 5 feet in that round, unless he has a class feature that allows him to (Cavalier, Ashworm Dragoon, There is another one but I forgot the name, its in CW).

4 - Rider receives same benefits ad penalties if the mount charges.

5 - Rider has all his normal actions, but cannot use his move action to actually move, nor can he perform double moves.

6 - Rider can use the ride skill to protect the mount.

So, I would guess that ideally the PC-riding-PC combo is best formed by a character who will not draw that much use from his move actions as a rider (spellcaster, manifester or martial adept), a charger with a lance, or someone with cavalier levels. Ideally the mount will be a shapeshifted druid/wildshape ranger or some other fititng melee.

[RandomLunatic]

3 - Rider cannot Full Attack if the mount has moved more tha 5 feet in that round, unless he has a class feature that allows him to (Cavalier, Ashworm Dragoon, There is another one but I forgot the name, its in CW).

Halfling Outrider.

[Sinfire Titan]

The description for ride says that not everything that is willing can be a mount, so I don't see any DM allowing a gnome wizard to ride the dwarf barbarian. Now throw a halfling outrider on a centaur anything and things get into the twilight zone.

Human Wizard Mount with a Halfling Chain Tripper as his rider. How's that for teamwork?

[Jayabalard]

what, noone is going to reference the book of erotic fantasy? I'd think it would have rules to cover that situation...

[Another_Poet]

Searching doesn't seem to be finding anything, but has there been any rules vetted on what happens when one player is mounted on another character? Such as a wizard polymorphs into a warhorse and then the fighter mounts the polymorphed wizard and charges into battle.

Beyond that being spectacularly sub-optimal, how do all of the mounted rules function when the mount is a character?

For the rider, it functions like any other non-battle-trained mount.

For the mount, take into account your encumbrance from the weight of the rider + gear.

There are no rules for training a PC or other intelligent creature as a batle mount. However I assunme that since an Int 1-2 animal can learn to do it, your Int 18 wizard can learn the tricks too. Someone would still need to make a Handle Animal check when the wizard is in animal form, and it would still take weeks to get him battle trained. A nice DM might reduce the DC or training time since the wizard can actually understood what's being said.

Unlike a normal untrained mount however, a PC (or other intelligent creature) acting as a mount could attack any type of creature (not just animals, giants, humanoids and monstrous humanoids like other mounts) because that is a matter of personal choice.

ap

[Tinydwarfman]

My favorite pvp team was two halfling sorcerers mounted on two druids in dire bat wildshape never got to actually play it though...

[dragonfan6490]

A friend of mine and I want to try this, with him being the rider and my character being a Centaur Fighter. Now if only Centaurs weren't ECL 6 before class levels...

[Volos]

Have the party's druid turn into some big cat with pounce. Give him powerful and greater powerful charge so that he's doing an extra 3d6 on a charge. Power attack and Leap attack allows for double power attack damage. Pounce allows use of both claws and the bite attack at the end of a charge. Charge of the Triceatops Spell give him a gore attack that does 2d6 for a Large size Cat.
Give the fighter the mounted combat and mounted charge feats, and a badass spear.

Kill everything.

[flabort]

This would be Ideal for gestault...
Mount:
Druid X//Lion Totem Barbarian X

Rider:
Feat rouge X//Warlock X
Feat rouge so he gets extra feats (as fighter), and synergies with warlock.

Druid wears unique saddle, morphs into lion, rougelock climbs on saddle, druid uses barbarian rage (for nice lion synergy), charges in, using lion pounce to slaughter, while rougelock fires energy at everyone, picking a pocket or two on the way if he has time.

[urbanpirate]

What happens when a character is a mount for another character?

new half race template