Big Question About Mounted Combat (Halfling Druid)

[Callabryn]

Okay, so. I'm intending to play a Halfling Druid as sort of a Tarzan, shortspear-throwing, from the back of a lion companion, wildman. While I've searched books extensively for mounted combat rules, rules for ranged weapons while mounted, etc, I've still yet to find concrete rules for a Small character throwing/stabbing with spears from the back of a Medium creature in combat, or if I have, I'm too slow to put them all together in some form that my GM will understand.
Can somebody help me with the exact logistics of such a character? Please and thank you.

[Nefreet]

You'll probably have better luck asking this in the Rules Forum.

Is there something in particular you need help with? I'd suggest starting by reading over the Combat Chapter in the Core Rulebook.

Other than the (usually) shorter reach of your mount, Mounted Combat rules for small-sized riders are really no different than those for medium-sized riders.

[Knight Captain Buzz Seeker]

For what you're talking about, it seems like the following are the feats you would need for this to be viable:

Mounted Combat

Description:

Prerequisites: Ride 1 rank.
Benefit: Once per round when your mount is hit in combat, you may attempt a Ride check (as an immediate action) to negate the hit. The hit is negated if your Ride check result is greater than the opponent's attack roll.

Mounted Archery

Description:

Prerequisites: Ride 1 rank, Mounted Combat.
Benefit: The penalty you take when using a ranged weapon while mounted is halved: –2 instead of –4 if your mount is taking a double move, and –4 instead of –8 if your mount is running.

The first is just common sense for any character who will be mounted often, and is a prerequisite for what you're really looking for. The Mounted Archery feat is pivotal to any ranged while mounted build. I wish you luck on your endeavor, as ranged builds are feat heavy to begin with. As are mounted combat builds. If you get this idea to work, let us know how the play is.

[Ellias Aubec]

Mounted Archery is only needed if you use your mount to move twice or run - just a single move in a round and the feat will have no effect on you.

[Caderyn]

Due to the fact all ranged attacks are resolved at the mid point of the mounts move, being able to double move with low penalties allows a much bigger skirmish range.

For example Hasted Tiger 70 foot base, without the feat 35ft move, you full attack 35ft back, with the feat 70ft move, you full attack 70 ft back to safety, putting you out of charge range of any creature that moves 30

[Knight Captain Buzz Seeker]

I believe another feat is needed to full attack if the mount moves more than 5 feet. Currently at work and can't pull up the Archive.

[Jeff Merola]

Buzz "Danger" Seeker Jr. wrote:

I believe another feat is needed to full attack if the mount moves more than 5 feet. Currently at work and can't pull up the Archive.

Nah. You either can already do it (ranged attacks) or can't without Pounce of some sort (melee attacks).

[Sigurd Hausakljufr Thorfinnson]

Jeff,
Look up mounted skirmisher, which seems to conflict with your statement.

[Jeff Merola]

Sigurd Hausakljufr Thorfinnson wrote:

Jeff,

Look up mounted skirmisher, which seems to conflict with your statement.

Huh, didn't know that feat existed. The "Normal" line of it is flat out wrong, though, as you can explicitly take a ranged full attack action when your mount moves (it probably should say "Normal: If your mount moves more than 5 feet, you cannot make a melee full attack.". That feat does let you full attack without pounce, though, if your mount doesn't move very far.

Core, page 202 wrote:

You can use ranged weapons while your mount is taking a double move, but at a –4 penalty on the attack roll. You can use ranged weapons while your mount is running (quadruple speed) at a –8 penalty. In either case, you make the attack roll when your mount has completed half its movement. You can make a full attack with a ranged weapon while your mount is moving. Likewise, you can take move actions normally.[/spoiler]

Also, if that feat's "Normal" text was correct, then you couldn't actually do anything but make a single attack after your mount moved more than 5 feet.