Flying Carpet, mount, fly speed, or something else?

[Pirate Rob]

Relevant Text:

This rug is able to fly through the air as if affected by an overland flight spell of unlimited duration. The size, carrying capacity, and speed of the different carpets of flying are shown on the table below. Beautifully and intricately made, each carpet has its own command word to activate it—if the device is within voice range, the command word activates it, whether the speaker is on the rug or not. The carpet is then controlled by spoken directions.

So if you're riding around on a carpet does it basically just give you overland flight?

Or do you ride around on it using the mounted combat rules?

Or does it just move around however you like by talking to it. (In which case it probably couldn't doublemove/run etc)

Any thoughts?

[Pirate Rob]

Originally I had been playing this as the first option, although from a strict reading of the rules I'm leaning more towards moving the carpet around as a free action allowing full attacks at the same time as the carpet moves.

[Ravingdork]

I've been trying to find an answer to this question for over five years.

Good luck. *FAQ*

[Pirate Rob]

Thanks, I've got a player in Eyes of the Ten next week at Kublacon with one of these who's been playing it as a mount. I'm somewhat inclined to just use the way he's used to, especially with it being the middle of the road solution. If anybody has any thoughts on this issue or insight into how you run it I'm all ears.

[frostdracul]

Since talking doesn't really count as an action (or a free action if you want to count it) and you command it via speech I would rule the same way, allowing the full attack since technically the carpet is moving not the player and it isn't an action to control it. But that's just my two cents. I'm wrong a lot >.>

[Ravingdork]

I've posted this question in James Jacobs' personal Q&A thread. Hopefully we will have an unofficial answer from one of the game developers soon, at least.

[Thomas Long 175]

he doesn't fly himself. he's sitting on something that flies. just because you don't have to make ride checks to keep it from moving outta fear doesn't stop it from being separate from the person in its ability to move.

Treat it like a construct mount basically I'd say. It's a lifeless mindless monster that responds basically to you and is capable of flying. You don't fly. The thing you sit on flies.

[Ravingdork]

FrostDracul, Thoma Long: So it can move twice its speed in a round with a double move or even take the run action?

[Thomas Long 175]

the spell it uses is built to target a living thing. I'd say yes, you'd treat it like a creature being targeted with the same spell and you simply have to direct it yourself.