GM having problem with mounted cavalier PC


Advice


I'm a GM, and there is a mounted combat-focused cavalier in my group. He's third level and his Ride check is already enormous. I'm looking for ways (RAW or otherwise) an enemy can knock him off his horse, preferably without a Ride check to ignore it (though other checks are fine).

On a related note, is it just me or are the Ride check DCs extremely low? Would I be breaking the ride system if I boosted all the DCs by 5?


They're meant to reflect that, even without enormous, specialized training, most people are able to stay in the saddle without too much of a problem.

However, the 'Stay in saddle' check says 'when you take damage' not 'when anything happens that might knock you off'. Bull rushing a PC (as opposed to the mount) can push him off simply by beating his CMD.


You could still grapple the cavalier. Use terrain to hinder movement. Have enemies retreat through 5-ft. spaces and use ranged attacks.


Heh. I just had a player complain how unachievably high the DCs were. Course he was trying to ride the summoner's Eidolon, bareback and without the Mount evolution so that's a 10pt bump to all the DCs. And while he's got a good Dex, he's got no ranks in ride...

That's just it, the Ride system is meant to cover everyone from the 1st level Cleric with an 8 Dex to the 15th lvl Cavalier with his bonded mount. In order for the former to have any realistic chance to carefully mount a horse and (more importantly) avoid taking a d6 Dam fall when they dismount the horse, the latter is going to quickly be in 'take 1' territory for most of the tricks. They are, after all, a class focused on Mounted Combat.

Also remember that sauce goes with the goose as well as the gander. If you boost those checks for the Cavalier, you are also boosting them for all the other PCs and NPCs.

I suppose my question back is 'Why do you want to knock him off his horse?' Do you also want to find ways to negate the Mage's magic missile, the Rogue's sneak attack and the Cleric's channel energy?


tempestblindam wrote:


I suppose my question back is 'Why do you want to knock him off his horse?' Do you also want to find ways to negate the Mage's magic missile, the Rogue's sneak attack and the Cleric's channel energy?

Totally agree. The Cavalier is supposed to be a mounted tank. If you want to nerf him, put him in non-mounted combat situations sometimes. But Tempest is right do you wanna nerf everybody every now and then?


Mulgar wrote:
tempestblindam wrote:


I suppose my question back is 'Why do you want to knock him off his horse?' Do you also want to find ways to negate the Mage's magic missile, the Rogue's sneak attack and the Cleric's channel energy?

Totally agree. The Cavalier is supposed to be a mounted tank. If you want to nerf him, put him in non-mounted combat situations sometimes. But Tempest is right do you wanna nerf everybody every now and then?

Thirded.

But there are RAW ways to do it. Any combat maneuver check that moves a character can knock him off. Bear in mind if you're attempting to maintain any sense of realism that military saddles make it harder for a character to fall out of or be knocked off his saddle so you may want to consider that a circumstance bonus to his CMD.


Thanks for the tips. And occasionally, yes, I do want to nerf everyone's primary ability. Not every fight, of course; that's just cruel. But I want my players to know that fights will not always go their way. If an assassin is sent to kill the mage in my party, I will make sure the assassin is prepared to counter the magic. Likewise, if there are a bunch of thugs trying to rob my party and half of the thugs get slaughtered by the guy on the horse, they're going to realise they have to either run or find a way to dismount him. If my party wants to specialize, they'll have to take a few hits when the opposition to their specialization shows up.

I want to emphasize again I'm not trying to be a dick. But I don't want every fight to go exactly as the PCs want it to. What's the fun in that?

As for increasing ride checks, you're right. That's not a good idea.


Sometimes enemies are prepared, especially for PCs whose methods they've learned well.

Unhorsing a cavalier? Enterprising kobolds may rig up a hidden "neck line".

Neck Line Trap CR1: Perception DC20, Disable Device DC18
Trigger: location

Effect: DC20 Reflex avoids, 2d6damage and be un-horsed. If charging, 3d6damage and un-horsed.

Silver Crusade RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

Grease his saddle.

Use rough terrain, so he can't charge.

Send the group into dungeons, so he can't take his mount (unless he is small of course).


Also, there are a variety of weapons designed to be used against mounted riders (goblin horsechopper, for example).

Reach weapons can be readied against a mounted rider moving past, and braced weapons may complicate a mounted rider's options.


Cause Fear, cast on the mount.


What about shatter cast on the saddle. It will not necessarily take the rider off his mount, but it will, at least, reduce the bonuses from the military saddle.

Not that I know how you would rule that. Is a saddle attended? I would assume so, but who is attending it? The the mount or the hero? Its lashed to one of them, but the other is sitting on it (and has the unnamed power of being one of the story's main characters).

Charm Animal is a first level druid spell. Druids, by-in-large, have lots of ways to deal with animals, which most mounts are.


Command the mount to fall. Mind affecting stuff is quite easy on animals.


Scavion wrote:
Command the mount to fall. Mind affecting stuff is quite easy on animals.

Yes use the language dependent spell on the animal. That's a good idea.


TarkXT wrote:
Scavion wrote:
Command the mount to fall. Mind affecting stuff is quite easy on animals.
Yes use the language dependent spell on the animal. That's a good idea.

Woops. Lets go with charm animal instead.

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