Picking a rider off his mount

[godsDMit]

If a flying creature were to attempt to pick up a rider who is on a mount and take him off the mount, do you think it should be any harder than making the CMB? Should the rider get a Ride/Reflex to avoid being grabbed? A ride/Str check to stay in the saddle somehow? Some other 'yes, he's grappled, but he's still in the saddle cause of X condition?'

[Weables]

As a DM, I'd probably give him the +4 stability bonus many creatures get for multiple legs, or being dwarves, etc. Doesnt apply to a grapple, but it seems reasonable here. Makes it 20% harder to yank him off a horse than just to grapple him.

The other thing you need to do is check the flying creatures light/medium loads. I'm fairly sure that creatures encumbered with more than a light load cannot fly, or have reduced speed. I can't find the rule for the life of me, so please correct if that's untrue.

That being said, I dont believe there's an official rule for what you're looking for, so this is solely my opinion

edit: depending on if you actually want to fly away with the person, or simply knock them off the horse, I'd consider a bull rush attempt instead. Maybe still add the stability bonus for being in the saddle, but it all depends on what specifically you're trying to do

[Maezer]

The rider can use the mount for cover. That would grant a +4 bonus to his CMD. Attacking defensively, or using the full defense action also would improve his CMD.

As per house rules: If the rider had securely tied himself to his mount/saddle (so that he can't dismount without taking actions to unsecure himself) I'd grant a circumstance bonus as well. I'd probably go with +2 for a move action tie, or +4 for a full round action against CMD checks to foceable move the character.

[Maezer]

Weables wrote:

The other thing you need to do is check the flying creatures light/medium loads. I'm fairly sure that creatures encumbered with more than a light load cannot fly, or have reduced speed. I can't find the rule for the life of me, so please correct if that's untrue.

The rules are in the barding section, p 162 and encumbrance section, p 169. of the core rules.

But yeah can't fly with more than a light load. But most things that do that fly and drop thing with humans are quite strong.