Niche D20These rules cover being mounted on a horse or similar creature in combat but can also be applied to more unusual steeds, such as a griffon or dragon.
Mounts in Combat
Various creatures can serve readily as a combat steed, improving the mobility of the rider. The mount acts on the rider’s initiative count, but still retains its own action points that it may use as the rider directs it. When the mount moves (even if the mount is forcibly moved such as through a Reposition maneuver), the rider is moved with it until the rider dismounts or is unseated from the mount. A mount, unless specified otherwise, must be at least one size category larger than the rider. While mounted, the rider is treated as sharing the mount’s space.
Because the rider is moved with the mount, the rider’s movement while mounted is treated as forced movement; this means that the rider does not provoke attacks of opportunity from movement but the mount does unless otherwise exempted. If the rider is forcibly moved away from the mount’s space (such as through a Reposition maneuver) the rider is dismounted and loses any related benefits and penalties. If the rider is grappled and the mount moves away, the rider is dismounted. Riding equipment (such as saddles) can provide bonuses to the rider to avoid being dismounted, as described by the items themselves.
Combat While Mounted
When guiding a mount of animal intelligence, the rider must make a DC 5 ride check as a 2 AP action to direct it, usually requiring the rider to hold onto the mount’s reins or for the mount itself to assist in directing it. If the rider wishes to guide the mount without the use of reigns so that its hands are free to perform other actions, it is instead a DC 8 ride check. If this check is failed, the mount does not follow the rider’s direction on that turn and the rider may attempt the check again so long as the rider has the required AP to do so.
A mount that is not trained for combat will attempt to flee on its turn unless the rider succeeds on a check to direct its movement. A mount that is trained for combat will remain in place on its turn unless directed to move; if the mount had been directed to attack a target on the previous turn, it may take the Focused Attack action at that target, or the Shift action to keep the target within its range, without direction by the rider and may make attacks of opportunity if they arise.
Mounts with greater than animal intelligence can easily follow orders and commands no longer require the rider to use an action to direct it, as it is able to act independently.
Certain weapons may gain additional benefits or have special restrictions related to mounted use, which may be noted in the description or keywords of specific weapons (such as longbows, shortbows, and greatbow).
Melee Combat
When the rider is attacking a creature smaller than its mount, it gains the +1 bonus to attack rolls due to attacking from higher elevation, as long as the target is on the same or lower elevation as the mount.
If the mount is directed to make a Charge action at a target, the rider may make a Focused Attack at the end of the charge as a 3 AP action while still gaining any applicable bonuses from the charge. Even if the rider chooses not to make an attack at the end of the charge, both the rider and the mount suffer any penalties imposed by charging (including the penalty to AC rolls).
In addition, the rider may choose to make a ride-by attack as a 3 AP action while the mount is moving; this is a single melee attack made at any point during the mount’s movement, and allows the mount to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity from the target of the ride-by-attack for its movement on that turn. If the mount takes more than one movement action on its turn, the attack may be made at any point during any of the movements. If the mount uses the Charge action, it may instead choose to charge past the target rather than stopping at it; if it does so, the mount may not make any of its own attacks as part of the charge and retains any penalties imposed by charging, but the rider may make the ride-by-attack with the appropriate bonuses and penalties from a charge against the target from any space in the path of the charge where the target would be within reach.
The rider may make melee attacks normally without penalty if the mount has moved less than its base speed during the turn. If the mount moves more than its base speed (such as by taking a second movement action or using a Charge action) the rider’s attacks are made at a -2 penalty due to the rigorous motion (this usually cancels out the bonus to attacks from a Charge action). If the mount takes the Run action, this increases to a -4 penalty.
Ranged Combat
Making ranged attacks while mounted normally provides no penalty as long as the mount did not move on its last turn and all attacks made are made before the mount begins moving on the current turn. Attacks may be made at any point during the mount’s movement, but the motion of the mount makes it far more difficult to accurately hit a target. Attacks are made at a -2 penalty if the mount has moved less than its base speed during the turn, at a -4 penalty if the mount has moved more than its base speed during the turn, and at a -8 penalty if the mount took the Run action this turn. There is no penalty to the rider’s ranged attacks if the mount only takes the Shift action to move on its turn, even if it takes that action multiple times.
Intelligent Mounts
Creatures with higher than animal intelligence (an intelligence score greater than 2) can serve as mounts, but some rules apply differently to this type of creature.
The rider and mount still act on the same initiative, but the mount may choose to take actions without the rider’s direction. If the mount is under the rider’s control, such as through a class feature, the rider may still direct it but is no longer required to take an action to do so as verbal or non-verbal communication may be used to convey intent. If the mount is not under the rider’s control, it is not required to take commands from the rider and may choose to use its actions regardless of the rider’s instructions.
Casting Spells While Mounted
The rider may cast spells normally while mounted as long as the mount did not move on its last turn and any casting is performed before the mount begins moving on the current turn. If the mount performs any movement on its turn other than taking the Shift action, the rider may still cast a spell at any point before, during, or after this movement, but doing so requires a Concentration skill check due to the motion (DC 5 + ½ the BCB of the spell) if the mount has moved less than its base speed during the turn. If the mount moves more than its base speed during the turn, this is treated as vigorous motion (DC 10 + ½ the BCB of the spell), and if the mount takes the Run action this is treated as violent motion (DC 15 + ½ BCB of the spell).
The Mount Falls
If the mount falls prone (including falling unconscious or dying), the rider is unseated and must succeed on a DC 15 Ride check to soften the fall; failing this check causes the rider to take 1d6 points of falling damage.
Unconscious Rider
If the rider is knocked unconscious, they must roll a d20 to determine if they stay mounted. If the mount has no saddle, the rider must roll a 16 or higher to avoid being dismounted. If the mount is saddled, the rider must roll an 11 or higher to avoid being dismounted. If the rider is fastened to the saddle, it must only roll a 6 or higher to avoid being dismounted. If the rider is dismounted, it immediately falls to the ground into a random adjacent space taking 1d6 points of falling damage.
An unguided mount of animal intelligence will usually attempt to avoid combat. An unconscious rider must make another roll to remain mounted each hour as long as the mount does not engage in any vigorous motion. If the mount takes damage or takes a Run action, the unconscious rider must immediately make another roll to avoid being dismounted.