PDA

View Full Version : Riding the Fireball



LibraryOgre
2008-02-14, 12:35 AM
Or something like that.

It was a situation that came up pretty frequently in our last game, what with 3 of the people being mounted, and 2 of those mounts having Improved Evasion (3, now that the ranger's made 6th level).

1) What happens when your mount Improved Evades an attack that would technically include you in it?

2) How do you handle your mount's movement combining with the PC's actions? Can my mount make a move, I make a full attack action, then my mount make another move (if I have Ride-by-attack)? Can my mount charge, and I make a full attack?

3) Where did you get that lovely spatula?

ealan
2008-02-14, 12:46 AM
Answer to #3
I got my spatula at IKEA... ain't it nice

horseboy
2008-02-14, 01:00 AM
I like it so much, I bought the company.

Kizara
2008-02-14, 01:53 AM
1) RAW, you aren't helped by your mount's evasion ability.

2) I'm pretty sure these actions are covered in the normal combat rules. I'm also pretty sure you can't full attack if your mount moves that turn, but you can use your move action for something else: like loading a crossbow.

chionophile
2008-02-14, 02:04 AM
1) RAW, you aren't helped by your mount's evasion ability.

So, um, if you aren't allowed to take advantage of your mounts evasion ability, then how exactly are they avoiding it that doesn't get you out of the way too? They only thing I can think of is that they're using you as a shield. Which would be rather amusing.

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-02-14, 02:09 AM
So, um, if you aren't allowed to take advantage of your mounts evasion ability, then how exactly are they avoiding it that doesn't get you out of the way too? They only thing I can think of is that they're using you as a shield. Which would be rather amusing.Essentially, the tiger you're riding manages to dodge the flames and debris, but when it ducks, you don't go down far enough, and when it rolls to put out the flames, it rolls over you. It makes sense as long as you don't fall into the trap of thinking of evasion as magical. If it is just DBZ-style reflexes from something that doesn't care about you surviving because "Oh ** that's a fireball!!!", then you aren't really helped by it's dodges, but it may be fine.

John Campbell
2008-02-14, 02:21 AM
1) What happens when your mount Improved Evades an attack that would technically include you in it?
Your mount doesn't take damage. Congratulations. Now roll your Reflex save...


2) How do you handle your mount's movement combining with the PC's actions?
Your actions and your mount's are separate, but they happen at the same time. You can take a different move action - say, control a spell - while your mount uses its move action to move 30', and then each of you still have an action left.

However, that "move 30'" still takes up the first part of the round, so even if you don't take your move action and just sit around waiting for your mount to get where it's going, you can't full-attack when you get there. (Unless you're a Wild Plains Outrider; their capstone ability allows them to do it.)

And if your mount moves, then you take a standard action to attack, your attack is taking up the last part of the round, so your mount can't then move again afterward. (Unless you have Ride-By Attack.) It can, though, use its own standard action to attack at the same time you're making your attack.

You can cast or shoot a ranged weapon while your mount is moving, though, but you take a penalty (Concentration check, to-hit penalty).


Can my mount make a move, I make a full attack action, then my mount make another move (if I have Ride-by-attack)?
No. Not melee, anyway. You can do it with ranged attacks, but you're at -4 to hit (-8 if your mount is running).


Can my mount charge, and I make a full attack?
No. Though see above caveat.

You'll want to read this (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#mountedCombat) until your brain tries to crawl out your ears. (That only takes about three read-throughs, judging by my experience when I was planning to play a dire-wolf-riding half-orc ranger.)