Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 usgrandprix Sep 29, 2014 9:15:28	"You can control a mount only if it has been trained to accept a rider. Domesticated horses, donkeys, and similar creatures are assumed to have such training. The initiative of a controlled mount changes to match yours when you mount it. It moves as you direct it, and it has only three action options: Dash, Disengage, and Dodge. A controlled mount can move and act even on the turn that you mount it."   Does the mounted character have to use any action/movement to control the mount or does the mounted character get it's move (say, dismount) and action in additon to the mount's move and action?   The mount can move and use the actions Dash, Disengage, or Dodge. Can the mounted character also move (say, dismount and move half speed) and use a separate action in additon to the mount's action and move? In what order if they share initiative? Or does the mounted character lose all its actions and move to the mount?   Or by "share" does it mean the two get one move and one action between them like:   mount move, mount action rider action, mount move rider move, mount action rider move, rider action   And if it's this last option how can a mount use it's move when the character uses its move to mount it?   "A controlled mount can move and act even on the turn that you mount it."   Thanks a lot for any insight.
#2 usgrandprix Sep 29, 2014 11:26:31	Hi. If someone can help me with this I'd really appreciate it. You might even roll a 20 soon for the good karma! Thanks for any guidance here.
#3 JohnnyBlaise Sep 29, 2014 11:38:44	It does not specify that "directing a mount" is any particular thing (bonus action, move, action, reaction), therefore it is none of these.  Normally, all creatures have thier own initiative counts, so if there is just a horse standing there, he has his own initiative.  This rule over-rides that initiative rule, making you both act at the same time.  Normally all creatures can take a move, action, bonus action or reaction on thier turn.  This rule overrides that, limiting the ACTION choices, but leaving the rest untouched.  So it can take any move, bonus or reaction it wants.  But it can't take the "Help" action or the "Attack" action, etc.     The big advantage of the mount is movement.  It lets you replicate the "charge" of previous editions, by effectively giving you a move and a dash, before you take your attack action.     The actual sequence would be:   Player's move:   Walk up to your speed and climb into saddle (free interaction with an object) Mounts move: mount moves up to its speed Mounts action: dash up to mounts speed Players action: attack Players bonus action: offhand attack.   You could also reverse that, getting off the horse at the end of its movement, then using your movement to go another 30'.
#4 usgrandprix Oct 01, 2014 10:40:19	Thanks. That helps. OK. So all in one turn you get: Character move Character action Mount move Mount action (limited to Dash, Disengage, or Dodge)   So in one turn, starting dismounted, I could:   Character action (attack) Character move half Get on mount (other half of move) Mount action (Disengage) Mount move and the next turn (mounted):   Mount move Character action (attack) Mount action  (Dodge)   I'm assuming Dodge effect applies to the mount and the rider, but I'm not sure.   It's just really unclear what the shared initiative slot means: 1. Share 1  move and 1 action between them or 2. On one turn they each get an action and they each get a move   sounds like it's #2   Finally. The warhorse stat block has an attack. There is no way it will use this mounted, right?   Thanks again for your help.
#5 usgrandprix Sep 29, 2014 12:09:05	JohnnyBlaise wrote:
#6 RCanine Sep 29, 2014 12:26:26	I'm assuming Dodge effect applies to the mount and the rider, but I'm not sure.
#7 usgrandprix Sep 29, 2014 12:52:53	Most welcome sanity check. Thanks! Mounts are quite powerful then.   So the Disengage benefit probably only counts for the mount and the rider is still subject to AOO. Thanks a lot horsie!   So one disadvantage to being mounted is the rider can't avoid AOOs at all?   Or maybe the rider can use the disengage action? And maybe the rider can use the disengage action when the mount does not? Interesting.   So in one turn I could: Mount dodge action Rider disengage action Mount move AOO could not target the rider but it could target the mount with disadvantage.   Or Rider attack action Mount disengage action Mount move AOO could target the rider but not the mount   Or Rider disengage action Mount disengage action Mount move No AOO
#8 2Chlorobutanal Sep 29, 2014 18:45:19	Since the rider of a mount doesn't "move," the rider never provokes OAs from the mount's movement.   The mount always provokes any OAs.  Those OAs can be directed at the rider, but they were caused by the mount.   If the mount takes the Disengage action, the rider won't provoke OAs for the mount's movement (as a matter of course), and the mount won't provoke OAs from the disengage.  Therefore, neither mount nor rider has to worry about OAs.   Likewise, a rider using the Disengage action is pointless as long as he or she remains mounted.
#9 usgrandprix Sep 30, 2014 5:49:15	OK. Thanks.   So the rider benefits from the mount's Disengage but not from the mount's Dodge.   A polearm master with a galive and a mount would be pretty good:   attacks, disengage, move, and then an OA if the target closes again
(Reply to #9) JohnnyBlaise	usgrandprix wrote:
(Reply to #10) 2Chlorobutanal	JohnnyBlaise wrote:
#12 RCanine Sep 30, 2014 17:34:08	JohnnyBlaise wrote:
#13 JohnnyBlaise Oct 01, 2014 8:50:04	Yeah, I would assume the heightened speed of a monk allows them to "mount" proportionally faster.  I think you are right, its similar to the stand-up. Id think it takes less time for Jackie Chan to stand up than for George R.R. Martin (hence a 10' rule makes more sense than a 1/2 rule).  But the rules are the rules.
(Reply to #13) 2Chlorobutanal	JohnnyBlaise wrote:
#15 RCanine Oct 01, 2014 19:59:16	2Chlorobutanal wrote:
#16 usgrandprix Oct 03, 2014 6:09:22	Looking at the Find Steed spell it seems to imply your mount is intelligent and threfore acts independently on its own turn.   I think this is a disadvantage for a melee attacker. When the character's turn comes up it can only attack what is next to it. It cannot move before, during, or after attacks. So you could:   -Start the round with nothing in your reach and get no attack -Start the round with nothing in your reach, ready an attack, use a reaction on your steed's turn if it did what you readied, but get no bonus action attack (bonus actions only being available on your turn) -Attack and finish a target next to you but not be able move to your next target for a bonus action attack   If a normal warhorse allows you to attack AND disengage AND move before, during, and after attacks on the same round that seems a lot better than an intelligent warhorse.   Of course if your intelligent mount is very offensive or you are a ranged fighter that's the way to go, but it seems like a longsword cavalier on a magical steed should be as tactially capable as someone on a warhorse.
(Reply to #16) 2Chlorobutanal	The spell describes the steed and rider working as a seamless unit, which could imply shared initiative, the same way that a Ranger's animal companion takes its turn at the same time as the Ranger.  I'd probably say the magical mount works this way in combat, to allow a Paladin to work with the mount easily.   The other option would be to have the mount be "controlled" despite its intelligence, for the sake of ease of play (but limiting the power of the spell quite a bit).   Without a lot of testing to fall back on, I'd start by letting the mount act on the Paladin's turn and attack or act as a separate "uncontrolled mount" character.
#18 PetardoMauriti Oct 20, 2014 16:36:18	So while mounted (paladin's steed or living horse or other mount), you can basically disengage for free each your turn, using the mount action?   Another question, while you are on mount (and using grid system), are you allowed to choose square where are you exactly like in 4e? Asking because I wonder if you can get rid of that penalty with the lance at close range.
(Reply to #18) 2Chlorobutanal	PetardoMauriti wrote:
#20 usgrandprix Oct 24, 2014 10:36:48	PetardoMauriti wrote:
#21 KomhKs Dec 22, 2014 5:14:40	JohnnyBlaise wrote:
(Reply to #21) OoftaMeg	KomhKs wrote: