If a mount with rider moves through a threatened square, who exactly provokes the attack of opportunity? The mount? The Rider? Both? In other words, if a mounted attacker rides up to a target armed with a reach weapon and Combat Reflexes, can the target make attacks of opportunities against both the rider and the mount before the rider can attack? It would seem weird somehow, because the movement of both mount and rides is simultanous.
... the rider is in contact but did not yet leave the threatened square, because he is 1x2 squares large. So he doesnt provoke, because he did only enter, not leave a threatened square.
Hm, this is an interesting way to look at it.
Anyway, the same situation occurs if the rider passes by someone else with Combat Reflexes. One attack of opportunity, or two?
I have always treated it as both provoke.
The thing that provokes is moving out of a threatened square?
Did the rider move out of a threatened square? Yes. Did he spend a move action to do so? Doesn't matter.
That's why actions like reposition explicitly tell you that the movement doesn't provoke, because otherwise it would.
i think that is pretty clear. thats why you use readied Actions vs charging Mounts.
only moving out provokes, there is no exception for creatures with a size > 1 square. so they dont provoke it a part of them leaves a threatened square.
I would interpret this exactly opposite. There is no provision, so even if only part of them leaves a threatened square, they provoke.
It's equivalent to leaving a threatened square to enter another threatened square. Leaving the threatened area isn't what provokes. Leaving a single threatened square is what provokes.
I have always treated it as both provoke.
The thing that provokes is moving out of a threatened square?
Did the rider move out of a threatened square? Yes. Did he spend a move action to do so? Doesn't matter.
That's why actions like reposition explicitly tell you that the movement doesn't provoke, because otherwise it would.
This is also how I've always seen it. Getting bull rushed explicitly tells you you don't provoke. Otherwise you would, even though you aren't in control of leaving the threatened area.
But if the rider passes you by, you basically have to make both attacks of opportunity at the same time. making one after the other feels off.
No, the rules don't say you need to take a move action.
It says two kinds of actions provoke, but it is not necessarily indicating that it's an action type (like move action, full attack action, full round action).
It then says in the next line specifically, that moving out of threatened square provokes. You moved, you provoke.
Both characters can be attacked, but would require combat reflexes to do so or multiple people threatening.
Your understanding is incorrect. The rules are not meant to be read like a legal document. It is not intended to be written in legalese, and you shouldn't get bogged down in thoughts like constitutive and declarative rules. It just doesn't quite work like that.
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The easiest way to resolve is to treat mount and rider as a single entity for purposes of provoking AOO via movement. The attacker chooses whether to direct his AOO at either the mount or rider, but the pair of them only provokes one AOO.
There are some simplified mounted combat rules available in this book, if you're interested.
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raw i would say only the Mount provokes.
Two kinds of Actions can provoke attacks of opportunity: moving out of a threatened square and performing certain actions within a threatened square.
Moving: Moving out of a threatened square usually provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening opponents. There are two common methods of avoiding such an attack—the 5-foot step and the withdraw action.
so weather or not you provoke an AAO is decided by the fact if you did take a move Action. the first sentence tells us provoking the AOO requires an Action.
in mounted combat we learn:
Your mount acts on your initiative count as you direct it. You move at its speed, but the mount uses its action to move.
so the rider does not provoke an AOO. yes he did move out of a threatened square, but he didnt take a move Action, wich is a condition to provoke the AOO.
This is RAW, however it should be considered that the mounted combat is pretty poorly ruled.
Personally i feel, there should be 1 AOO and you can decide if you want to attack the rider or the Mount.
to your specific example:
i dont think there is an AOO at all. I try to "paint the example".
the guy with reach weapon is "O". 1 square.
the mounted rider is "RR". 2x1 squars, if he rides a horse.
threatened square is "T".
other Sqares is "X"your Situation is (from the side):
OXTXXXXXXRR
now the rider attacks:
ORRXXXX
the rider is in contact but did not yet leave the threatened square, because he is 1x2 squares large. So he doesnt provoke, because he did only enter, not leave a threatened square.
You are trying to rule as if the rider is some kind of Schrödinger creature that now is in one square of his mount, now in another, without moving from point A to B.
Instead the rider is in every space of his mount for all the time.So using your example
OXTXXXXXXRR
now the rider move and enter the threatened area:
OXRRXXXX
then move in contact
ORRXXXXX
he has moved from the threatened area to the square adjacent to the target. Some part of him has moved away from a theatened square, so he provoke.
BTW, a horse is a 2x2 creature, not 2x1.