I have a question regarding riding and climbing:
In my group we have a summoner riding on his eidolon. The eidolon has a climb speed and can climb walls etc. very easily. What about the summoner who sits on the eidolon? Is he "climbing" or is he still riding? Can he fall from the eidolon (sure he can as long as they are not clued together) and what rules / skills cover this?
At the moment i use a houserule. The rider has to do a riding skill check with a DC similar to the climbing DC +5.
Discuss :)
I'd say that when you're "riding" while moving horizontal, you become "cargo" when going vertical. Just imagine a horse capable of climbing a wall: any rider on that bizarre beast would have to hang on for dear life. That's not riding.
So I'd drop any need for climbing check for the rider, but also deny them riding checks. And unless they're strapped to the mount, they'd need a free hand just to hold on.
But all that is as much a house rule as your own solution.
To me this is the same thing as a flying mount. The fact it is using its legs to move instead of wings does not make much difference. An unusual mount will often have a specially made saddle instead of using a normal saddle designed for a horse. A saddle for a flying or climbing mount probably has straps to keep you in place. Anne McCaffery dragon riders series uses this aproach.
Right of hand I am not that familiar with the rules for mounted combat, but I would suggest looking up how flying mounts are treated.
Stay in Saddle: You can react instantly to try to avoid falling when your mount rears or bolts unexpectedly or when you take damage. This usage does not take an action.
Stay in saddle is a DC 5 Ride check. I would give this a +5 for moving along walls and a +10 when upside down. The check should them be made at the start of every turn spent against the wall or upside down. Though it is GMs discretion of increasing or decreasing the DC and when to make these checks. But this seems fair to me.
A Military saddle gives +2 bonus to these type of ride checks.
Making the rider make climb checks is silly, just like a rider flying a pegasus does not make fly checks. Its the mount that makes the fly/climb checks and then only when performing "daring or complex maneuvers".
I would say a ride check to stay in the saddle is appropriate, but if the rider is often in the saddle for comabt they would probably invest in a special saddle with a harness to keep them firmly seated even if they are upside down.
... if the rider is often in the saddle for comabt they would probably invest in a special saddle with a harness to keep them firmly seated even if they are upside down.
The downside is, of course, you lose the flexibility of being able to quickly dismount or use your mount as cover if you're are strapped in. A potentially deadly trade-off, but maybe worth it if you are going to spend all your time hanging from ceilings while mounted.
The downside is, of course, you lose the flexibility of being able to quickly dismount or use your mount as cover if you're are strapped in. A potentially deadly trade-off, but maybe worth it if you are going to spend all your time hanging from ceilings while mounted.... if the rider is often in the saddle for comabt they would probably invest in a special saddle with a harness to keep them firmly seated even if they are upside down.
I agree it's a very specific schtick that has downsides, but if your using this schtick in the first place you probably don't care as much.
I agree it's a very specific schtick that has downsides, but if your using this schtick in the first place you probably don't care as much.
What if your climbing mount wants to take a roll in a mud-bath while you are still strapped in?!? The horror! :p
"And that's how we found him: Drowned by his class feature."
I agree it's a very specific schtick that has downsides, but if your using this schtick in the first place you probably don't care as much.What if your climbing mount wants to take a roll in a mud-bath while you are still strapped in?!? The horror! :p
"And that's how we found him: Drowned by his class feature."
"Apparently he had a very low handle animal check and his trained war mount wouldn't listen for a whole minute."
I'd say ride check if ride is so low that you can't take ten vs. the climb DC. Some of the FR books have drow tie themselves to the saddle of their lizard mounts and use their mounts ability to climbs walls and ceilings efficiently.
Might also require the player to drop some gold on a custom saddle as he would be pulling that off with a run of the mill horse saddle.
As far as dismounting, slip- knots, or something, it's the strapping in that will take a few minutes.