Tripping and Mounted Combat [Archive] - Wizards Community

Tripping and Mounted Combat [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
E_Vernon
03-30-08, 06:29 PM I'll explain the situation.

I have a character that likes to trip (Combat Reflexes, Improved Trip). He, of course, uses a reach weapon that is capable of making trip attempts.

I then have a mounted opponent that uses a lance (Mounted Combat, Spirited Charge, Ride-by-Attack).

The mounted opponent will be charging and the player will be trying to trip the mount (not the rider).

So the PC will attempt to trip, the rider will roll a ride check to negate the trip, then he'll make his own charge attack. Then he'll move out of threatened squares on his mount. Can the PC use the AoO to trip the mount?
Kradlo
03-30-08, 06:49 PM There is NO AOO from the character attacked if the attacker is using Ride-By Attack.

PHB, pg 99 (emphasis mine). "When you are mounted and use the charge action, you may move and attack as if with a standard charge and then move again (continuing the straight line of the charge). Your total movement for the round can't exceed double your mounted speed. You and your mount do not provoke an attack of opportunity from the opponent that you attack."

Now if another opponent is within range to threaten the squares as the ride passes by, that opponent will have an AOO, and that attack may be used as a trip attempt (if the weapon has the ability to trip).
E_Vernon
03-30-08, 06:52 PM Ah, I knew that, but explained the situation incorrectly. The first charge will be against someone other than the tripper, but the subsequent charges* will be against the tripper. Thanks for the answer.

EDIT: Typed "trips" meant "charges
kjenks
03-30-08, 07:10 PM There are some really good ways to avoid getting skewered in this situation, but what you describe isn't one of them.

Sorry, no AoO for you. The mounted dude's Ride-by Attack prevents you from getting an attack of opportunity on either the mount or the rider in this situation, so I'll presume that your "trippy" character is using a readied action.

I'll also assume that you and the lancer will have the same reach (10 ft.) with your weapons.

Your readied action is resolved before the lancer's charge attack. You can attempt to trip the mount, but the rider can use his Ride skill to negate your melee touch attack using his Mounted Combat feat, so don't assume this will be automatic.

If you succeed on the trip attack, the lancer still gets to make his triple-damage charge attack on you because, even if his horse gets tripped just as he's attacking, he still meets all of the requirements for a mounted lance charge attack. (Isn't that strange?)

Try this instead: Light up a smokestick then stand on the other side of the smoke from the lancer. He won't be able to charge you, so he won't get his fancy x3 multiplier.

Or drink a potion of Fly. Attack him from directly overhead and he can't use his mounted lance charges on you.

Or lob a tanglefoot bag at the mount. Depending on your DM, reducing the mount's movement this way will probably prevent a mounted charge attack. (This isn't a slam-dunk, though, because of the wording here: "Second, if any line from your starting space to the ending space passes through a square that blocks movement, slows movement, or contains a creature (even an ally), you can’t charge." Being entangled by a tanglefoot bag may or may not count as "slows movement" here.)
E_Vernon
03-30-08, 08:30 PM Oh, I am the DM. See I was actually hoping that the PC would get the AoO trip somehow because the rider is going to roll really well on his ride checks to negate the trips. The PC is going to need all the trip attempts he can get to get the opponent off the horse or he's going to be impaled pretty severly after a few ride-bys :[

That the rider still gets a triple damage lance attack even if the trip is successful makes me a little more sad-face'd.

Lol, thanks for the answers, though.
MrWildman
03-30-08, 10:08 PM I just want to chime in with and endorsement of
caltrops (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#caltrops), the little controllers of the battlefield.

A two-pound bag costs a single gold piece and can stop chargers and bull-rushers in their tracks. And they're fun to describe. "The enemy rogue smirks and flings open a bag of caltrops. Looking like children's toys, the deadly spiked balls scatter between you and him as he darts behind a curtain."

Peace.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
E_Vernon 03-30-08, 06:29 PM	I'll explain the situation. I have a character that likes to trip (Combat Reflexes, Improved Trip). He, of course, uses a reach weapon that is capable of making trip attempts. I then have a mounted opponent that uses a lance (Mounted Combat, Spirited Charge, Ride-by-Attack). The mounted opponent will be charging and the player will be trying to trip the mount (not the rider). So the PC will attempt to trip, the rider will roll a ride check to negate the trip, then he'll make his own charge attack. Then he'll move out of threatened squares on his mount. Can the PC use the AoO to trip the mount?
Kradlo 03-30-08, 06:49 PM	There is NO AOO from the character attacked if the attacker is using Ride-By Attack. PHB, pg 99 (emphasis mine). "When you are mounted and use the charge action, you may move and attack as if with a standard charge and then move again (continuing the straight line of the charge). Your total movement for the round can't exceed double your mounted speed. You and your mount do not provoke an attack of opportunity from the opponent that you attack." Now if another opponent is within range to threaten the squares as the ride passes by, that opponent will have an AOO, and that attack may be used as a trip attempt (if the weapon has the ability to trip).
E_Vernon 03-30-08, 06:52 PM	Ah, I knew that, but explained the situation incorrectly. The first charge will be against someone other than the tripper, but the subsequent charges* will be against the tripper. Thanks for the answer. EDIT: Typed "trips" meant "charges
kjenks 03-30-08, 07:10 PM	There are some really good ways to avoid getting skewered in this situation, but what you describe isn't one of them. Sorry, no AoO for you. The mounted dude's Ride-by Attack prevents you from getting an attack of opportunity on either the mount or the rider in this situation, so I'll presume that your "trippy" character is using a readied action. I'll also assume that you and the lancer will have the same reach (10 ft.) with your weapons. Your readied action is resolved before the lancer's charge attack. You can attempt to trip the mount, but the rider can use his Ride skill to negate your melee touch attack using his Mounted Combat feat, so don't assume this will be automatic. If you succeed on the trip attack, the lancer still gets to make his triple-damage charge attack on you because, even if his horse gets tripped just as he's attacking, he still meets all of the requirements for a mounted lance charge attack. (Isn't that strange?) Try this instead: Light up a smokestick then stand on the other side of the smoke from the lancer. He won't be able to charge you, so he won't get his fancy x3 multiplier. Or drink a potion of Fly. Attack him from directly overhead and he can't use his mounted lance charges on you. Or lob a tanglefoot bag at the mount. Depending on your DM, reducing the mount's movement this way will probably prevent a mounted charge attack. (This isn't a slam-dunk, though, because of the wording here: "Second, if any line from your starting space to the ending space passes through a square that blocks movement, slows movement, or contains a creature (even an ally), you can’t charge." Being entangled by a tanglefoot bag may or may not count as "slows movement" here.)
E_Vernon 03-30-08, 08:30 PM	Oh, I am the DM. See I was actually hoping that the PC would get the AoO trip somehow because the rider is going to roll really well on his ride checks to negate the trips. The PC is going to need all the trip attempts he can get to get the opponent off the horse or he's going to be impaled pretty severly after a few ride-bys :[ That the rider still gets a triple damage lance attack even if the trip is successful makes me a little more sad-face'd. Lol, thanks for the answers, though.
MrWildman 03-30-08, 10:08 PM	I just want to chime in with and endorsement of caltrops (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#caltrops), the little controllers of the battlefield. A two-pound bag costs a single gold piece and can stop chargers and bull-rushers in their tracks. And they're fun to describe. "The enemy rogue smirks and flings open a bag of caltrops. Looking like children's toys, the deadly spiked balls scatter between you and him as he darts behind a curtain." Peace.