Can a creature suitable for use as a mount, with non-animal intelligence, select and benefit from Mounted Combat, Ride-by Attack, and Spirited Charge?
Another way to phrase it: if you are suitable to be a a mount, can you 'ride yourself'? Once the jokes are over I would appreciate your input.
Can a creature suitable for use as a mount, with non-animal intelligence, select and benefit from Mounted Combat, Ride-by Attack, and Spirited Charge?
Mounted Combat: "Once per round when your mount is hit in combat..."
If you are not riding something, you don't have a mount. If something is riding you, you still don't have a mount, so it doesn't work.
Ride-By Attack: "When you are mounted and use the charge action..."
In english "mounted" can mean both 'riding on a mount' as well as 'being ridden by something' so if something is riding you, and you charge, RBA should work. However the intent is almost certainly not.
Spirited Charge: "When mounted and using the charge action..."
Same as Ride-By Attack.
Can you be your own mount ? No, of course not ! You
Let's postulate a Centaur.
Mounted combat: This would only apply if the centaur was actually somehow riding another creature (a dire elephant, perhaps ?)
He can't negate a hit on himself by rolling a ride check.
Ride-by-attack: If the centaur wants to do this himself, he needs to use Spring Attack. Sadly, he won't get the benefit of the charge, but neither does he take the -2 to his AC.
Spirited Charge: Again, this specifies you must be mounted. I remember a v3.5 feat just for centaurs that did the same thing, but it's not Pathfinder.
I'm betting I've been ninja'd by now.
Edit: Yup, blasted ninjas
It is worth noting Paizo took this away from the centaur, one of the more commonly allowed PC monster types. In d20 they had "A centaur employing a lance deals double damage when it charges, just as a rider on a mount does.", and as another poster noted, further mount related benefits were in the FR setting.
In Pathfinder they instead get the Special DisAbility of Undersized Weapons (Ex) Although a centaur is Large, its upper torso is the same size as that of a Medium humanoid. As a result, they wield weapons as if they were one size category smaller than their actual size (Medium for most centaurs).
|
short answer no. you cannot mount yourself. and there is a list of feats in the animal companion section of the crb. it specifically states that once the animal companions intelligence raises it can take additional feats it qualifies for.
now for the feat stuff
mounted combat
Benefit: Once per round when your mount is hit in combat, you may attempt a Ride check (as an immediate action) to negate the hit. The hit is negated if your Ride check result is greater than the opponent's attack roll.
these work while riding a mount. if you are considering yourself your mount then you are actually just walking or running. and since no ride checks are required for walking or running this just doesnt make since. also just being an animal does not make it mountable. mounts are trained or specific animals. even a summoners eidolon has to take the mount evolution to be rideable.
i guess another way i could take your question could be "if i have a riding dog that gains intelligence could it take mounted combat" and i will tell you yes so long as he met the prerequisites. the only problem is he would have to be riding something else to use it. and a riding dog riding a dinosaur would be kinda cool. ive played a brood master summoner who had two eidolons one was a flying snake that had the mount and the other was a bidped with skilled ride. it was hilarious but not very efficient.
so goodluck with turning your animal companion into a mounted combatant. it seems less than optimal but full of flavor
|
|
i couldnt resist i had to post a follow up
level 4 druid with an ape animal companion.
at level 4 use the ability increase to bring his intellect up to 3. for his feats take skill focus ride and mounted combat of course putting his skills into ride. purchase him a light horse to ride. after that start taking mounted combat feats. now your animal companion can take mounted combat feats and use them.
or same level 4 but different animal companion. choose a small bird animal companion and for a barded saddle make it have a perch and the bird can hold the reigns in his beak. for his mount. a riding dog.
Thanks.