I'm making a cavalier and am having some issues with the banner ability.
"The banner must be at least Small or larger and must be carried or displayed by the cavalier or his mount to function. "
In my mind, a banner is a large and cumbersome thing, generally the sole duty of a single solider in a group (not good at battalion/division and all that), so it seems like I would have to actually WIELD this banner to gain its effects, but if that's the case, this ability is horrid, since, well, I lose a shield or my ability to two hand my lance or any number of other things. Mechanically, however, the ability seems to imply that you could, I suppose, have a banner pole attached to your saddle. Or something. I'm not really sure.
Can anyone tell me with certainty how this ability works mechanically?
Also, can anyone tell or show me how one would have a banner attached to them without "wielding" it with a hand or more?
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I don't have my books in front of me right this second but I seem to recall the banner ability stating that the banner can be affixed to a spear or lance and still work.
EDIT: Ah, HERE's what I was thinking. It's not the banner ability, but this would certainly give an example of how one might "display" their banner.
you need to hold your banner in your hand if it isn't attached to your mount. One exception is the Commanders Field Plate but it does not apply to Magic Banners that specifically require you to hold the banner in one or both hands.
If you want to keep your Banner and a shield an option is to take three levels of Phalanx Soldier in which case you can one hand your Polearm, with a Banner attached.
Otherwise you can use a Buckler and two hand the polearm
That's helpful, That Crazy Alchemist, but since I don't get to make the rulings, it's of limited use to me.
Diminuendo, I get that I would need to hold it in my hand if it isn't attached to my mount. I'm wondering what the rules would be for attaching it to my mount. That seems like the obvious choice. I mean, why use a valuable hand slot when I can attach it to the mount for free?
Sorry I don't know the mount rules very well
I mean, why use a valuable hand slot when I can attach it to the mount for free?
Because taking your horse into a tavern is generaly frowned upon.
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Sorry I don't know the mount rules very well
I mean, why use a valuable hand slot when I can attach it to the mount for free?Because taking your horse into a tavern is generaly frowned upon.
The tavern owner can piss right off. We just saved the town from goblins.
Maybe you could have a small banner and strap it to your back like the samurai did? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sashimono
Because taking your horse into a tavern is generaly frowned upon.
While that's probably true, I don't really see how that's important. It's not as if I'm going to sovereign glue the banner to my mount. It would most certainly be detachable so I can carry it about when the mount isn't present.
Maybe you could have a small banner and strap it to your back like the samurai did? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sashimono
Ah, this... THIS makes sense. I'll be honest, my historical knowledge is limited. I had no idea they did this. This works very well and even makes sense. I'm familiar with, as I said, banners being carried. And found pictures of knights tying their pennons to their lances, which also makes sense, but that, in combat, seems less than ideal to me. This seems better, in many ways.
I mostly wanted to wrap my mind around a few ways that COULD display my banner without it being in one hand, since the ability seems to imply that I can, but doesn't really describe how. Do they generally make saddles that would allow something like that samurai picture, too? That might work just as well.
Banners come in many sizes, shapes, and styles. From the huge stick like ones to flags on your lances and horses armor to the markings that Samurais wore. Basically it's saying "Your Banner needs to big enough to actually mean something to your allies." Get creative with it, make it fancy, intimidating, awesome, whatever. You're a Cavalier/Samurai who embodies an Honor or Code, and you dang well make sure everyone knows about it!
Also very helpful. Thank you, SwiftyKun. :)
I just want to make sure I'm doing everything within the rules when I design the banner to be attached somehow to the mount's saddle, or perhaps draped over its flanks or something like that. I'd like to be able to use both my hands *and* get the banner bonus, so this thread has been very helpful. Thank you all. :)