| Calybos1 |
I'm looking for the rules on how a Small-sized cavalier stays on a Medium-sized mount when it's using a special movement type such as Swim or Climb. Is there a mount Strength requirement, a special type of saddle, a move-action Ride or Handle Animal check, etc.?
In this specific case, it's a halfling cavalier whose mount is a "giant" gecko (size Medium), but I'd like to find the general rules for any rider of any mount when the mount is climbing, jumping, swimming, and so forth.
| Carrauntoohil |
From the Riding Gecko description:
Prized for their ability to run along cave ceilings and sheer walls, these creatures require exotic saddles to ride.
One would imagine that the exotic saddle needs to have wall- and ceiling-walking built in from the outset.
From the exotic saddle description:
Exotic saddles are custom-made for unusual mounts
Can any of the mounts with a climb, swim or even fly speed be deemed to be anything other than 'unusual'?
| Sysryke |
I think this would fall into the category of GM call. Just another one of those details to exhaustive to make rules for all the variables. Exotic saddles definitely help. From their, look at the ride skill. Make the player make checks to stay in the saddle, with appropriate penalties for direction, gravity, and environment, and bonuses for saddle types, character resources, and roleplay.
| Mark Hoover 330 |
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The closest rule I could find was
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.
It is clearly stated in RAW that riding a Griffon requires an Exotic Saddle. I would presume that such a saddle, tailored to the animal and it's specific movement types, would allow you to make Ride checks to stay in the saddle during flight or while it is climbing.
Finally there's the Vermin Tamer Cavalier who specifically gets mount options that have Climb and Fly speeds and then gain Circumstance bonuses on checks to "stay in the saddle" when the mount is climbing or flying.
While that archetype doesn't specifically call out the Ride skill for those checks the phrase "stay in the saddle" is consistent with the action name used under the Ride skill. My expectation would be that a rider needs to make a Ride check to remain in the saddle, suffering a -5 penalty if they have no saddle, no bonus or penalty for an Exotic Riding Saddle, or a +2 Circumstance bonus if using an Exotic Military Saddle.