Mounted Combat in Kingmaker?

[Ninjaiguana]

I'm going to be running Kingmaker for my gaming group when it comes out, and one of my players is muttering about a mounted combat based fighter.

I know that in most modules and adventure paths, mounted combat is a terrible idea - the opportunities to use it are few and far between, the logisitics of getting a mount around with the party can be difficult, and resources spent becoming better at fighting from horse/camel/lizardback are generally resources wasted.

Is Kingmaker likely to differ from the norm in this regard, or should my player be considering a different character?

[kenmckinney]

That's a really good question.

You'd think that an AP about taking and controlling territory would have more use for mounted types. Then again, the River Kingdoms area are described as being marshy...not ideal terrain for horses.

Ken

[Jason Nelson]

Ninjaiguana wrote:

I'm going to be running Kingmaker for my gaming group when it comes out, and one of my players is muttering about a mounted combat based fighter.

I know that in most modules and adventure paths, mounted combat is a terrible idea - the opportunities to use it are few and far between, the logisitics of getting a mount around with the party can be difficult, and resources spent becoming better at fighting from horse/camel/lizardback are generally resources wasted.

Is Kingmaker likely to differ from the norm in this regard, or should my player be considering a different character?

A lot of the action in Kingmaker takes place outdoors, which makes mounted combat much more viable than in a more urban or dungeon-centric campaign. There are also several places in the AP where mounted PCs will be of particular use. So, in sum, I'd say that a mounted character is going to have a better time here than perhaps in some other campaigns.

That said, this is a wild and rugged area, which includes rivers and swamps and such, so bringing a mount or a pack animal is not without complications. I'd suggest investing in horseshoes of the zephyr at your earliest opportunity. :)

[Robert G. McCreary]

As Jason said, there are lots of opportunities for outdoor adventuring, but there's a pretty good number of "dungeons" scattered about too. A mounted PC isn't going to be able to use his mount all the time, even in this AP. But he'll probably get more chances to do so than in a "regular" adventure or AP.

So yes...and no... :)

[Ninjaiguana]

Thanks for the responses! It sounds like I can mostly give him the green light on mounted combat, then. I know he's not expecting to be able to use it all the time. If Kingmaker's likely to be better for mounted combat than previous paths, that's about all that could be hoped for. :)

[Dorje Sylas]

The type of mount you use can also be a big deal. Getting various kinds of exotic mounts with different movement modes can help let you into spaced you normally can't take one. Climbing mounts most of all. Climbing mounts for small riders are even better.

If he's a Fighter he should get a stable of animals to ride, no reason he should be locked into horses. Even the Nazgul upgrade to flying mounts when the lost thier horses.

[Fizzlebolt]

As counterintuitive as it seems, consider suggesting a small character--medium mounts can usually enter even the narrow corriders of dungeons, given a decent handle animal score.

[Mirelena]

Definately going for a shaman type summoner who calls forth a nature spirit that he can combat on mounted :D fun fun

[Marc Waschle]

Our gnome Druid and her Tiger. She rides a pony for now, till the Tiger grows up! She can't wait.

[Rodel]

This will be the first game that I haven't actively discouraged mounted combat. In fact one of my players took a second look at the cavalier at my suggestion and discovered that it was a better class than he had first thought. I still gave him the caveat that mounted combat feats still won't be as useful as other feats (you rarely have to leave behind a Weapon Focus after all). Still, KM seems the most allowing of mounted combat; definitely more than RotRL or CoT. Course now I have to know THOSE rules.