There is a problem that keeps coming up in our games primarily regarding reflex saves and mounts with evasion. If the mount makes it save while the rider is on it, does that mean that the rider still takes damage (assume both make the save). Is there a ride check involved? I'm getting tired of the debates derailing the game so I would like some kind of official ruling.
For example, our paladin is 15ft off the ground on a Dragonne mount. A fireball was centered below him. Both made the save, the mount has evasion, and is between him and the blast. Does he still take the half damage? Does cover affect it? I can see both arguments.
We had a similar quandary in our games and I asked about it in this thread.
Basic consensus was that your (lack of) evasion and your mount's (lack of) evasion are independent. Your saves and your mounts saves are similarly independent. It sort of takes some mental gymnastics to explain in realistic world, but mechanically it's almost required.
However, with a successful Ride check, you can take cover behind your mount having it absorb your damage.
We did brew up a feat (listed further down in the thread) to allow you to share saves with your mount.
HEY, ANOTHER Quandary! :-)
...I would give the character the +2 Reflex bonus from Cover*, or POSSIBLY the +4 from Improved Cover if it was strongly justified. Improved Cover automatically includes Improved Evasion, but I would reasonably allow 'regular' Evasion to apply to lesser Cover in cases like your Fireball-under-Mount situation.
But from most angles, there isn't going to be any REAL Cover, at most Soft Cover (probably lesser/partial) with no Saving Throw bonus.
Anyway, what is your Paladin complaining about Saving Throws for? Sheesh!
It's a rules question that has just come up more than once so we want it settled.
Quandary has it right. At most, the mount would offer soft cover, the same as any other ally, granting no saving throw bonus. If the mount has evasion and you don't, then it was somehow able to dodge the blast but leave you hanging in it. If you have evasion but your mount doesn't, then you managed to evade the hit but your mount was out of luck.