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Is it possible to ride an animal companion and direct it with handle animal without it being treated as "mounted combat"?
For instance, I act on initiative 20, my AC acts on initiative 10. On my turn, I climb on top of him, does he immediately start acting on my turn now? Or can I keep directing as I would an AC even though I'm now riding it (i.e. use a free action to tell it what to do, take my turn as normal, then it acts on its initiative 10)?
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If your animal companion's initiative is 10, then it can act on initiative 10. In this instance, I would say you could use your move action to mount your companion (or free action to fast mount) than use your standard action to delay to the mount's initiative. At initiative 10, the mount can move as you guide it with your knees as a no action and use your delayed standard action to make an attack.
Initiative rolls are based on the creature at the time of the initiative roll. If you're already mounted, use your own initiative. The mount can react as fast (or as slow) as you can. If not, the animal companion uses its own. A predator/carnivore/omnivore may attack on its own while a prey/herbivore/omnivore may wait for directions from you or use the total defense action if not directed otherwise.
Handle Animal is used when you're not mounted and Ride is for when you are mounted. If you are mounted, it is mounted combat.
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This is why I just grant Eidolons, Animal Companions and Cohorts the same initiative as the player character that is in 'command' of them.
Sure if you've got a player that's been optimizing for initiative and they take a traditionally low-initiative companion there can be a bit of cheese. But that's honestly nothing to write home about in terms of all the other things a person can be spending feats/ability scores/magic items on.
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This is why I just grant Eidolons, Animal Companions and Cohorts the same initiative as the player character that is in 'command' of them.
Sure if you've got a player that's been optimizing for initiative and they take a traditionally low-initiative companion there can be a bit of cheese. But that's honestly nothing to write home about in terms of all the other things a person can be spending feats/ability scores/magic items on.
You just explained exactly why you shouldn't let them act on the same initiative... Or at the very least have them both roll and take the lower.
You just explained exactly why you shouldn't let them act on the same initiative... Or at the very least have them both roll and take the lower.This is why I just grant Eidolons, Animal Companions and Cohorts the same initiative as the player character that is in 'command' of them.
Sure if you've got a player that's been optimizing for initiative and they take a traditionally low-initiative companion there can be a bit of cheese. But that's honestly nothing to write home about in terms of all the other things a person can be spending feats/ability scores/magic items on.
I tend to disagree with this. Maybe the mount is slow to act to danger (i.e. low initiative), but it shouldn't be slow in reacting to your commands... or, you know, a pair of spurs digging into its sides.
Once you are on the mount making ride checks, it should be acting on your initiative.
Your mount acts on your initiative count as you direct it. You move at its speed, but the mount uses its action to move.
As for the original topic, use a cart, wagon, or chariot and you can subsitute handle animal for most uses of ride. A friendly DM might even let you use the appropriate 3.0 era charioteering feats for this.