Deinotherium Sweep Ability


Rules Questions

Scarab Sages

I'm trying to figure out how the Deinotherium's Sweep ability works in practice. The creature appears in AP #91: Battle of Bloodmarch Hill

Sweep (Ex) wrote:
A deinotherium can sweep a target with its downward-curving tusks and knock the victim to the ground. As part of a charge, a deinotherium can move up to twice its base speed in a straight line and make a gore attack at any point during its movement. If this attack is successful, the target is knocked prone and the deinotherium can deal damage with its trample attack before continuing its movement.
Trample (Ex) wrote:

As a full-round action, a creature with the trample ability can attempt to overrun any creature that is at least one size category Smaller than itself. This works just like the overrun combat maneuver, but the trampling creature does not need to make a check, it merely has to move over opponents in its path. Targets of a trample take an amount of damage equal to the trampling creature’s slam damage + 1-1/2 times its Str modifier. Targets of a trample can make an attack of opportunity, but at a –4 penalty. If targets forgo an attack of opportunity, they can attempt to avoid the trampling creature and receive a Reflex save to take half damage. The save DC against a creature’s trample attack is 10 + 1/2 the creature’s HD + the creature’s Str modifier (the exact DC is given in the creature’s descriptive text). A trampling creature can only deal trampling damage to each target once per round, no matter how many times its movement takes it over a target creature.

Format: trample (2d6+9, DC 20); Location: Special Attacks.

1) Does the creature deal Gore damage when it makes the Gore attack? Or is that just for knocking the target prone?

2) Does the target get a reflex save or attack of opportunity like with a normal trample to halve the trample damage?

3) Can the creature deal trample damage even if the target is not at least one size smaller than the creature?

Now, the Deinotherium can also be an animal companion. And it has the belt [saddle] slot (in PFS, anyway). So it can be a mount.

Ride-by Attack wrote:

While mounted and charging, you can move, strike at a foe, and then continue moving.

Prerequisites: Ride 1 rank, Mounted Combat.

Benefit: When you are mounted and use the charge action, you may move and attack as if with a standard charge and then move again (continuing the straight line of the charge). Your total movement for the round can’t exceed double your mounted speed. You and your mount do not provoke an attack of opportunity from the opponent that you attack.

4) If the rider has Ride by Attack, then can the rider also attack during the Sweep, since Sweep is performed "as part of a charge" and mounts and riders are both charging per the FAQ?

5) At what point does the rider attack? As soon as he is within reach?

6) If the trample damage as part of Sweep allows for an attack of opportunity from the target, does Ride by Attack prevent the Deinotherium from provoking (leaving the target with only the Reflex save option)?

Any other potential issues combining these two things? I'm going to lock the character in at 2nd level (PFS) soon, so I want to make sure I don't make choices that aren't going to function later.


I will take a crack. Since this is for PFS assume table variation and it would be advantageous to bring this special attack to the DM's attention before starting. I would always assume the least of what the special attack says and do not attempt to read between the lines.

AND the ONLY reason to look at the trample rules is to determine damage dealt as Sweep is part of a charge attack and not a trample attack.

1) No. Just knock prone because no where in the text does it say that it deals gore damage. It is just calling out the attack used by the sweep.

2) See above about trample rules. No AoO unless the Deino doesn't have ride-by attack.

3) There is no size limitation listed so yes trample damage despite being larger size.

4) yes

5) Yes, as soon as he is within reach

6) See above about trample rules. Ride-by attack would negate an AoO from the target of the Sweep attack. But not negate a readied action.

Scarab Sages

I’d be good with those answers. Really as long as I can attack when the Mount sweeps, I’m happy. But other opinions would be great.

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