Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Moherajikuyx 03-08-04, 09:39 AM	Here's an essay about horse fighting. I can't find anything wrong, so I fear we might have been doing it a bit off. From: Tom Bollis Subject: Re: Re: Warhorses attacking Handle Animal checks are required to command a creature with Int 1 or 2 to attack. This is normally DC 10 and a move action to handle an animal that knows the trick (DC 6 and free action for animal companion), or DC 25 and a full round action to push an animal that doesn't know the trick (DC 21 and a standard action for an animal companion); the DC is increased by 2 if the animal is wounded or has taken nonlethal damage. This includes normal warhorses. A paladin's warhorse or a familiar has Int greater than 2, so does not require Handle Animal checks. (See Handle Animal in the PHB.) The action required is for the master, not the animal; the animal follows the command on its action (even if on the same initiative for rider and mount), so a mount that does not take more than a 5' step can take a full attack action, even if the ride took a full round action, or a standard action and a move action. A rider has to take the same Handle Animal checks as any other controller of an animal. The rider must make ride checks even if the mount has Int greater than 2, such as a paladin's warhorse. Ride checks are required to guide with knees (DC 5, free action at start of turn, else both hands required to ride in combat), fight with warhorse (DC 10, free action, to attack or full-attack while riding a war-trained mount; can't attack from a mount that is not war- trained, except that mounts with Int greater than 2 don't require training to perform tricks), and to control mount in battle (DC 20, move action, to control a mount with Int 2 or less that is not war-trained, else your full round is required to control the animal). (See Rind in the PHB.) Thus, for a normal warhorse, a rider needs to make a Ride check (DC 5, free action) at the start of the round and a Ride check (DC 10, free action), and a Handle Animal check (DC 10 (12 if mount injured), move action). For an animal companion warhorse, a druid or ranger rider needs to make a Ride check (DC 5, free action) at the start of the round and a Ride check (DC 10, free action), and a Handle Animal check (DC 6 (8 if mount injured), free action). A paladin, riding his special mount, needs to make a Ride check (DC 5, free action) at the start of the round and a Ride check (DC 10, free action) only, as creatures with Int greater than 2 don't require Handle Animal checks. Thus only free actions are required to fight with a fighting animal companion warhorse mount, as with a paladin and warmount. Only riders of normal war-trained mounts need a move action. Tom Bollis
sshuit 03-10-04, 04:44 PM	Hmm interesting. So you have to burn a Mv Equiv Action (MEA) in order to get your warhorse to attack.... and you have to make a handle animal check as well... Interesting. I've been letting people do it "for free" as long as they can make their ride check to control mount in combat. I'll start doing it this way I guess.
Jindl 03-10-04, 04:58 PM	With all due respect to Mo, this source is unaccredited, and the Elder 8 have not discussed any change to the current method of handling mounted combat (a method which was decided by the Elders). Until a change is decided upon by the Elder's, we will continue to handle mounted combat as we have in the past. (Which is to say, continue doing it the same way, sshuit.) -Jindl
Moherajikuyx 03-11-04, 03:16 AM	Actually I was asking for a discussion. No one said that was a rule... I just said that the interpretation looked sound and clear. What's your opinion?
kattattack22 03-11-04, 03:42 AM	I like it. It seems like that the current way assumes that mounts are intelligent and will just attack without much direction. I may be wrong about this since its been a long time since I read a fight with a mounted fighter.
Battousai2005 03-17-04, 09:53 PM	The only probelm with the theory of the MEA is that war mounts are naturally trained to attack