Overruning a mounted creature [Archive] - Wizards Community

Overruning a mounted creature [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mrloki
03-25-07, 02:19 PM How does it work? when somebody charges a mounted guy. We had a problem last night. Cause it says that you can only effect a singular creature. I let it slide because it fit the flow of the battle but I was wondering for when he did it again. Thanks for your input guys!
paladin2019
03-25-07, 02:38 PM So, the character overran a mount and it toppled the rider, too? Where's the problem?
Slimgauge
03-25-07, 07:31 PM I'm looking at the online SRD and in my PH, and I don't see where it says that you can only affect a single creature. It does say that you can make only one overrun attempt per round, and that you can't overrun an opponent who is more than one size category larger than you are.

I'm going to assume a medium size character attempting to overrun a medium opponent on a standard heavy warhorse since you haven't give us any details.

Step Zero: Move. The attacking character uses a move action so as to enter the horse's square(s). Since the RAW says "as a standard action taken during your move", I think you have to use an actual move action, not your five-foot-step to do this. A standard warhorse is a large creature, and takes up 4 squares. I would assume that you'd resolve the overrun upon entering the FIRST square that the horse occupies. Note that the moving character may provoke an attack of opportunity from a third party if that party threatens both the square the attacking character is moving from and the horse's square that he is moving into. If the attacking character was not adjacent to the horse when he began his move and the rider has a lance, the attacking character might have been AoOd when he moved from 10ft away to 5ft (adjacent).

Step One: Attack of Opportunity: The horse may now get one AoO against the attacking character, since that character is exiting a threated square, unless something else prevents it. Probably Hoof +6 melee (1d6+4). The horse is unlikely to have Combat Reflexes, so if it has used its one AoO already, it's probably SOL. If the rider is armed and hasn't already had an AoO against the attacking character, it might also get one now.

Step Two: Horse avoids ? Unless the attacking character has Improved Overrun, at this point the horse could simply let the attacking character past. The attacking character simply continues his move action, but cannot make any more overrun attempts. This prevents him (if he has enough movement) from simply exiting the horses square and re-entering it.

Step Three: Horse blocks ? If the attacker has improved overrun or the horse blocks, there is an opposed strength check (the defender may use dex instead if it's better, but a warhorse has a much better strength). The horse is going to get his 18 str, a +4 for being large, and a +4 for being four-legged. Armor class doesn't figure into it, so I don't think the "Mounted Combat" feat on the part of the rider figures into this. If the attacker beats the horse (even with the net +8), the horse falls (is knocked prone). What happens to the rider ? From the SRD section on mounted combat "If your mount falls, you have to succeed on a DC 15 Ride check to make a soft fall and take no damage. If the check fails, you take 1d6 points of damage."

But does the horse block or avoid ? If the horse has no rider, it will avoid unless trained to do otherwise, because the SRD says "Without you to guide it, your mount avoids combat." When it has an active rider, if I was the DM, I might indicate to the rider what the horse is likely to do (probably avoid) and ask the rider to make a ride check to have the horse make a different choice if the rider doesn't want the horse to do that.

What I don't think you can do is overrun the rider, since you can't enter his square (it's on top of the horse). Fly-by attack, yes. Overrun, no.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mrloki 03-25-07, 02:19 PM	How does it work? when somebody charges a mounted guy. We had a problem last night. Cause it says that you can only effect a singular creature. I let it slide because it fit the flow of the battle but I was wondering for when he did it again. Thanks for your input guys!
paladin2019 03-25-07, 02:38 PM	So, the character overran a mount and it toppled the rider, too? Where's the problem?
Slimgauge 03-25-07, 07:31 PM	I'm looking at the online SRD and in my PH, and I don't see where it says that you can only affect a single creature. It does say that you can make only one overrun attempt per round, and that you can't overrun an opponent who is more than one size category larger than you are. I'm going to assume a medium size character attempting to overrun a medium opponent on a standard heavy warhorse since you haven't give us any details. Step Zero: Move. The attacking character uses a move action so as to enter the horse's square(s). Since the RAW says "as a standard action taken during your move", I think you have to use an actual move action, not your five-foot-step to do this. A standard warhorse is a large creature, and takes up 4 squares. I would assume that you'd resolve the overrun upon entering the FIRST square that the horse occupies. Note that the moving character may provoke an attack of opportunity from a third party if that party threatens both the square the attacking character is moving from and the horse's square that he is moving into. If the attacking character was not adjacent to the horse when he began his move and the rider has a lance, the attacking character might have been AoOd when he moved from 10ft away to 5ft (adjacent). Step One: Attack of Opportunity: The horse may now get one AoO against the attacking character, since that character is exiting a threated square, unless something else prevents it. Probably Hoof +6 melee (1d6+4). The horse is unlikely to have Combat Reflexes, so if it has used its one AoO already, it's probably SOL. If the rider is armed and hasn't already had an AoO against the attacking character, it might also get one now. Step Two: Horse avoids ? Unless the attacking character has Improved Overrun, at this point the horse could simply let the attacking character past. The attacking character simply continues his move action, but cannot make any more overrun attempts. This prevents him (if he has enough movement) from simply exiting the horses square and re-entering it. Step Three: Horse blocks ? If the attacker has improved overrun or the horse blocks, there is an opposed strength check (the defender may use dex instead if it's better, but a warhorse has a much better strength). The horse is going to get his 18 str, a +4 for being large, and a +4 for being four-legged. Armor class doesn't figure into it, so I don't think the "Mounted Combat" feat on the part of the rider figures into this. If the attacker beats the horse (even with the net +8), the horse falls (is knocked prone). What happens to the rider ? From the SRD section on mounted combat "If your mount falls, you have to succeed on a DC 15 Ride check to make a soft fall and take no damage. If the check fails, you take 1d6 points of damage." But does the horse block or avoid ? If the horse has no rider, it will avoid unless trained to do otherwise, because the SRD says "Without you to guide it, your mount avoids combat." When it has an active rider, if I was the DM, I might indicate to the rider what the horse is likely to do (probably avoid) and ask the rider to make a ride check to have the horse make a different choice if the rider doesn't want the horse to do that. What I don't think you can do is overrun the rider, since you can't enter his square (it's on top of the horse). Fly-by attack, yes. Overrun, no.