Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Nicholas the Paladin 10-14-07, 03:17 AM	Hi, I have two questions concerning the 'Amber amulet of vermin' from MIC. - I'm thinking about using the 'giant wasp'(large) of 'giant bee'(medium) as a mount for my Gnome. Something about it just strikes my imagination. How do I go about riding it? If I read the skill, I understand that you don't need a check to ride it. Just when you make a certain maneuver or get hit you make a Ride-check (with a -5 penalty for riding bareback) Correct? - The 'Huge Monstrous Scorpion' *must* be a typo, right? Getting a CR7 creature for a couple of hundred GP's is just too much. I wouldn't allow it. Thanks!
Dracomorph 10-14-07, 03:38 AM	Well, you also need a saddle. In this case, and exotic saddle, preferably a military one. But you're right, the skill description in the PHB explicitly says that you don't need any ranks in the Ride skill to ride a mount in a stress-free environment. An Amber Amulet of Vermin is a pretty bad choice for a mount though, since it only functions for 1 minute/day. I think you might be right that Huge monstrous scorpion is a typo. Large monstrous scorpion would be more in line with the power level of similarly priced other critters.
Nicholas the Paladin 10-14-07, 04:41 AM	Well, you also need a saddle. In this case, and exotic saddle, preferably a military one. But you're right, the skill description in the PHB explicitly says that you don't need any ranks in the Ride skill to ride a mount in a stress-free environment. The skill says you can ride without a sandle (bareback) with a -5 penalty. But talking about a saddle, you maybe *could* place a saddle on your bee or wasp, if you make it a unique creature that actually returns the next day. Do you onsider this reasonable? An Amber Amulet of Vermin is a pretty bad choice for a mount though, since it only functions for 1 minute/day. For me , it'll only be quick gettaway in combat of a way to reach that highpoint. as for actions, I see it in the following way: - I command the wasp to appear with a standard-action, leaving me a move-action - with a free-action I command it it delay ('wait') - I use my remaining move-action to climb on it's back - On it's turn (my initiative -1: for delaying) it flies off, taking me with it .... So within one round I might get away from a dangerous place (but leaving me vulnerable to missle fire)
Dracomorph 10-14-07, 05:41 AM	If you intend to use your mount in combat, you really should take ranks in ride. And you should certainly use a saddle. If you get hit with something, or if your mount takes off really fast, it is well within your DM's rights to call for a ride check to stay on. Also, getting on it in the first place is potentially problematic, requiring a move action and provoking AoOs. A saddle that is bound to the mount isn't that unreasonable, but isn't strictly allowed, so it's a DM call to let you do it.
Nicholas the Paladin 10-15-07, 02:07 AM	If you intend to use your mount in combat, you really should take ranks in ride. I don't intend to use it in combat, I just want to use it to get away as fast as possible ;) And you should certainly use a saddle. If you get hit with something, or if your mount takes off really fast, it is well within your DM's rights to call for a ride check to stay on. leaving with a mount usually doens't require a Ride-check, ....at least it never did with us. A millitary saddle is a minor investment. Also, getting on it in the first place is potentially problematic, requiring a move action and provoking AoOs. Like I already desribed in my example above, I use a move action to get on the flying mount. It could indeed proke AoO's, but I have other ways that might prevent that. A saddle that is bound to the mount isn't that unreasonable, but isn't strictly allowed, so it's a DM call to let you do it.True
Dracomorph 10-15-07, 02:23 AM	Stay in Saddle: You can react instantly to try to avoid falling when your mount rears or bolts unexpectedly or when you take damage. This usage does not take an action This is what I'm referring to when I say "If it takes off too fast, or you get hit." The DC to stay in the saddle is 5, and a military saddle gives you a +2 to this check. Riding bareback gives you a -5 penalty to all ride checks, including this one. Also: Control Mount in Battle: As a move action, you can attempt to control a light horse, pony, heavy horse, or other mount not trained for combat riding in battle. If you fail the ride check, you can do nothing else in that round. You do not need to roll for warhorses or warponies. The DC for this check is 20, which is very difficult to reach without ranks in the ride skill. It's pretty clear that nothing from an Amber Amulet of Vermin is going to be combat-trained as a mount, so you would need to make this check to escape from a combat situation. After all, if you haven't escaped, then you are still in combat. This is why I have to recommend you take ranks in the skill for the uses you want. Non-combat riding is pretty much only for overland travel, so you have to be very careful about how you're using this.
Nicholas the Paladin 10-15-07, 02:39 AM	Okay, I get it. But my Gnome getting away from combat failing his DC20 ride-check will make him loose actions (which I make a funny event on itself: him screeming and kicking the mount to its right course)....but he'll get away anyway ;)
Nephlite 10-15-07, 01:22 PM	Hi, I have two questions concerning the 'Amber amulet of vermin' from MIC. - I'm thinking about using the 'giant wasp'(large) of 'giant bee'(medium) as a mount for my Gnome. Something about it just strikes my imagination. How do I go about riding it? If I read the skill, I understand that you don't need a check to ride it. Just when you make a certain maneuver or get hit you make a Ride-check (with a -5 penalty for riding bareback) Correct? - The 'Huge Monstrous Scorpion' *must* be a typo, right? Getting a CR7 creature for a couple of hundred GP's is just too much. I wouldn't allow it. Thanks! The amulet is based off Giant Vermin: You do realize the only orders you can give the creatures are attack, defend, stop, and so forth. While they won't attack you: your allies aren't safe if they are closer than enemies. This isn't summoned Monster where the creature is intelligent.
Prub 10-15-07, 02:42 PM	The amulet is based off Giant Vermin: You do realize the only orders you can give the creatures are attack, defend, stop, and so forth. While they won't attack you: your allies aren't safe if they are closer than enemies. This isn't summoned Monster where the creature is intelligent. not exactly true, it states that it summons the creature as if summoned by summon natures ally spell, which does state that it attacks your opponents to the best of its abilities, if you can communicate with it you can tell it to attack certain enemies not to attack or perform OTHER actions thats how I would rule it as per the wording,.
Nephlite 10-15-07, 03:14 PM	not exactly true, it states that it summons the creature as if summoned by summon natures ally spell, which does state that it attacks your opponents to the best of its abilities, if you can communicate with it you can tell it to attack certain enemies not to attack or perform OTHER actions thats how I would rule it as per the wording,. Wait, why are the Prequisites Giant Vermin than? Shouldn't SNA make more sense. Still the vermin have low Int so understanding (no complex stuff) is difficult.
Prub 10-15-07, 05:24 PM	Wait, why are the Prequisites Giant Vermin than? Shouldn't SNA make more sense. Still the vermin have low Int so understanding (no complex stuff) is difficult. no idea why they have that as a prereq instead of SNA. But then again how many things dont make sense. Just going by what it says though.