Melee Combat from a Mount	-	Missile Fire from Horseback	-	Unhorsing
OA	-	-	DSG	WSG

Melee Combat from a Mount

Rules for Mounted Combat     Although the sweeping charges of vast ranks of cavalry are not as common in the realms of the Underdark as upon the surface,  many of the races living beneath the surface maintain a stable of appropriate mounts. When battles or skirmishes are fought, the role of the mounted warrior is different from that of his walking companions, just as in surface warfare. Fighters of the Underdark who are trained to ride a steed into combat practice their skill every bit as much as their counterparts on the surface, and make just as effective a fighting force. In order for a steed to function as a mount during combat, it must have been trained for this task, and must be of a species appropriate to such combat. Mules, for example, are inappropriate combat mounts because of their lack of speed, maneuverability, and fearlessness. Although horses can be trained to fight in underground conditions, they rely heavily on the sense of sight, and are unusable in situations of total darkness. Steeds that may be employed by the races of the Underdark include such creatures as griffons, nightmares, dire wolves, giant striders, giant lizards, and rothe. Horses are used if illumination permits, and are especially favored for raiding parties that venture onto the surface during the dark of night. A mounted character wielding a melee weapon has certain advantages over his opponents who are on foot. The mounted character’s height advantage serves to protect him from the opponents’ attacks, and gives him an advantage when he attacks. This advantage translates into a +1 modifier on all attack rolls made by a mounted character against an opponent who is not mounted. When the character standing on the ground makes an attack, any roll that exactly equals the number needed to hit strikes the mount instead of the mounted character. This procedure is only used if the rider is the intended victim; a character can always choose to attack the mount instead of the rider.

Melee Combat from a Mount A character astride a land-based mount who is engaged in melee combat with an opponent standing on the ground has an advantage of + 1 “to hit” if the foe is the same size as the attacker, but receives no bonus if the opponent is larger. On the other hand, a mounted attacker must take a -1 penalty “to hit” against an unmounted opponent of smaller size (it’s a little tougher for a man on horseback to hit a goblin that is assaulting him from below). A character who is on foot and fighting a mounted opponent has a - 1 penalty “to hit” regardless of the size of the opponent. However, if the character’s “to hit” roll (including all other modifiers) is exactly the number he would have needed to hit his foe otherwise, his attack hits the mount instead of the rider. A character on foot can choose to strike against the mount instead of the rider, which can often be a good tactic. A character on a flying mount can engage in melee combat with a nearby opponent that is also airborne, or with a foe that is on the ground (if the character’s mount is flying low enough to make this possible). If two antagonists are both airborne, the combat adjustments for relative elevation usually do not apply, since it is assumed that the combatants are constantly jockeying for position and neither one will voluntarily remain in a vulnerable position for any length of time. A character who is airborne is + 1 “to hit” against an opponent on the ground, or +2 if the attack is made at the end of a swooping charge. A character on the ground may choose to defend against an attack from above by remaining in one spot and bracing himself for the onslaught. If he does this, and he is wielding a weapon of at least 3 feet in length, he receives a +4 bonus on his “to hit” roll, but at the same time he forfeits any armor class bonus due to dexterity. An airborne opponent, noticing this tactic, can choose to pull up and break off his attack, in which case neither combatant will score a hit. A character on a flying mount must be able to hover in close proximity to a land-based opponent in order to benefit from multiple attacks per round. If an attacker closes to take one swing and then veers away in an attempt to avoid being hit in return, he will not be able to change course in time to get in a second or third attack. Most flying creatures have very poor maneuverability when they are used as mounts, and as such they are not capable of repeated abrupt changes in direction or other precise maneuvers. < Lances: A lance is a long spear carried by a mounted man. Norman lances were about 12' in length, but later in the Middle Ages the weapon grew to an average length of about 14' -- thus effectively giving the horseman about 10' of reach beyond the horses's head when charging. - Unearthed Arcana, page 124 >

Missile Combat from a Mount

Missile Fire from Horseback The mounted bowman is an integral part of the armies and fighting styles of the Oriental lands. Vast hordes of fierce warriors on swift ponies gallop across the plains, harrying their foe with devastating bowfire from the backs of their horses. Warriors practice and refine the art until they are able to fire great longbows at targets while riding at a full gallop. Such practice is not for show-it is a vital and effective form of combat. Mounted bowmen could gallop quickly toward the enemy lines, discharge their arrows, wheel and return to the safety of their own lines, well out of range of foot archers. Daring raids could be made on the enemy camp, the bowmen swooping through and attacking without pause. Such tactics gave power and fear to the horse archer, making him a difficult foe to overcome. Indeed, on those rare occasions when gajin armies marched against the mounted foe, disaster was the common result. The slogging ranks of footmen and heavy knights marched doggedly forward, their ranks thinned by bowfire. Hafting their formation they would prepare to fire, only to have the foe gallop out of reach. Should the knights foolishly charge, the bowmen would easily avoid them, decimating their opponents with effective bowfire. There are two ways a character can fire a bow while on horseback with the horse standing still and with the horse moving. Any character can use a missile weapon from the back of an unmoving horse. This takes no particular skill. When firing from the back of a moving horse, the character must have the horsemanship proficiency. This is necessary since firing the bow requires two hands and the character must be able to guide the horse with his knees. In addition, the DM can rule that extremely rough areas of ground (rocky slopes, thick underbrush, etc.) require the character to handle the reins, preventing bowfire. The rate of fire from horseback is half what the character is normally allowed. Thus, 211 becomes 111, 3/1 becomes 3/2, etc. The character also suffers penalties on his chance to hit, based on the speed of the animal. These are listed on Table 67. Table 67: Horseback Bowfire Modifiers Animal's Current SPEED Movement Modifier Less than ½ normal -1 ½ to less than ¾ normal  -3 ¾ to maximum  -5 These modifiers are cumulative with those for range, weapon versus armor type, etc. During the round in which he fires, the character cannot perform maneuvers with his mount except for slight turning. The most the horse can be turned is 30 degrees to either side of its current direction. Sharper turns and maneuvers prevent the character from firing his bow. Firing from horseback can also be performed while mounted on any horse-like creature to which the horsemanship proficiency also applies.

Mounted Missile Fire Mounted bowmen can create a formidable force, combining SPEED with the ability to attack from a distance. Often, a mounted archer can ride close to his enemy, shoot an arrow, and ride away again before the enemy can react. Any character can fire a bow from a mount that is not moving, without negative modifiers. In order to shoot from a moving steed, however, the character must have both horsemanship proficiency and a bow weapon proficiency. This is required because the character needs both hands to fire the bow, and thus must guide his mount with his knees. The DM can rule that a given type of terrain, because of steepness, slipperiness, or very rough ground, requires the character to hold the reins, and thus prevents mounted bow fire. Shortbows, composite shortbows, and light crossbows can all be fired by mounted characters, but the rate of fire is less than when unmounted. A character who normally makes attacks at a rate of 2/1 will fire at a rate of 111 when mounted. A rate of 3/1 becomes 3/2, etc. The character also suffers penalties to hit, based on the speed of the mount at the time the attack is made, as shown on Table 14: Mounted Bow Fire. Table 14: MOUNTED BOW FIRE Mount's Current Movement Modifier to hit Less than 1/2 normal -1 1/2 to less than 3/4 normal -3 3/4 to maximum speed -5 These modifiers are cumulative with all others that apply. During the round he fires, the rider cannot perform maneuvers with his mount, except for slight turning. The most the mount can turn is 45 degrees to either side of its current direction. Sharper turns and complicated maneuvers require the character to hold on, and prevent the use of a bow. These rules apply to riders on all types of mounts. If the steed is flying, additional penalties apply as listed in the DMG, page 53,  under Aerial Missile Fire.

Missile Combat from a Mount 1. Only a character with proficiency in riding his mount can successfully USE a missile weapon from the back of a moving mount, whether airborne or land-based. 2. Even if the weapon does not actually require two hands to be used, the character must be able to ride with both hands free, which is one of the abilities included in the land-based and airborne riding proficiencies. 3. Any missile weapon except a longbow or a heavy crossbow can be used from the back of a moving mount. 4. However, the attacker must take a one-step reduction in his normal rate of fire on the following scale: 6/1, 5/1, 4/1, 3/1, 5/2, 2/1, 3/2, 1/1.     For instance, a 13th level fighter who is specialized in hurling the javelin     can ordinarily make 5 attacks every 2 rounds. If he is fighting from the     back of a moving mount, his rate of fire is reduced to 2 attacks per round. In no case can a character's rate of fire be reduced to 1/1 because of this penalty. 5. In addition, a character using a missile weapoin from the back of a moving mount suffers a penalty "to hit" based on the SPEED of the mount: MOUNTED BOW FIRE Mount's Current Movement Modifier to hit Less than 1/2 normal -1 1/2 to less than 3/4 normal -3 3/4 to maximum speed -5 These penalties are in +addition+ to all others (range, visibility, etc.) that may apply. <alt> 6. During the round he fires, the rider cannot perform maneuvers with his mount, except for slight turning. <(DSG)> 7. It is not possible to USE a missile weapon with success if the mount is performing complex maneuvers, or if the mount is turned at an angle of more than 45° during the round in  which firing is attempted. At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, missile combat from the back of a moving land-based mount may be impossible in certain terrain conditions where the rider is forced to use at least one hand to hold onto his mount.  As already noted in the DMG <> on page 53, further penalties apply on any attempt to engage in missile combat from the back of a flying mount: short range is considered as medium range and medium range is considered long range for purposes of "to hit" modifiers unless the mount is hovering. In this case,  the rider suffers no additiontal penalties "to hit" but still must abide by the reduction in rate of fire given above.      SUMMARY MISSILE COMBAT FROM A MOUNT (WGS.86) * However, the attacker must take a one-step reduction in his normal rate of fire on the following scale: 6/1, 5/1, 4/1, 3/1, 5/2, 2/1, 3/2, 1/1. * For instance, a 13th-level fighter who is specialized in hurling the javelin can ordinarily make 5 attacks every 2 rounds. If he is fighting from the back of a moving mount, his rate of fire is reduced to 2 attacks per round. * In no case can a character's ROF <> be reduced to below 1/1 because of this penalty. * In addition, a character using a missile weapon from the back of a moving mount suffers a penalty "to hit" based on the SPEED of the mount: -1 if the mount is moving at less than half of its full normal rate, -3 for a SPEED of one-half or more but less than three-quarters of normal, and -5 for a SPEED of three-quarters normal or greater. * It is not possible to USE a missile weapon with success if the mount is performing complex maneuvers, or if the mount is turned at an angle of more than 45 degrees during the round in which firing is attempted. * As already noted in the DMG <> on page 53, further penalties apply on any attempt to engage in missile combat from the back of a flying mount; short range is considered as medium range and medium range is considered long range for purposes of "to hit" modifiers unless the mount is hovering.

Unhorsing

Unhorsing In a world where the horseman is an important and formidable warrior, defending against him and defeating him are important goals of the foot soldier. One of the simplest and most direct methods is to get him off his horse. Once downed, the lone warrior can be outnumbered and overpowered with far greater ease. There are several methods of unhorsing a character-some heroic and others just grim and efficient. By far the most direct was to eliminate the mount. Once the horse is slain, the rider is automatically on foot. This can be done by missile or melee attack. However, it does have a considerable disadvantage (especially from the commoner's point of view): the horse cannot be claimed as a prize. Since horses are valuable commodities and often the goal of the attack, killing them to dismount the rider is somewhat of a last resort tactic. Oriental warriors prefer to bring the rider down without harming the horse. Hits from weapons can accomplish this and some weapons are more effective than others. Anytime a rider is struck by a melee weapon of 3 feet or greater length wielded by another mounted character, and the to hit roll was a natural 20 on 1 d20, there is a chance that the struck rider is knocked from his mount. If the rider does not have horsemanship proficiency, he automatically falls to the ground (suffering an additional 1 d3 of damage). If the rider does have horsemanship proficiency, he is allowed to check against his proficiency. If the roll is successful, the character retains his seating with no ill effect (other than the damage inflicted by the hit). If the roll fails, the character falls to the ground with the effect as noted above. Foot soldiers using melee weapons of 5 to 9 feet in length have the same chance as a mounted attacker of unhorsing a rider and the rider has the same chance of remaining in his saddle. Foot soldiers using weapons of 10 feet or greater in length have a 25% chance (16-20 on 1 d20) of dismounting the rider. Again the rider is allowed a roll against his horsemanship proficiency to remain in the saddle. Riders can also be pulled from the saddle by both mounted and unmounted men. A mounted man can attempt to dive on another rider by pulling adjacent to him and leaping from his saddle. If he makes a successful to hit roll, he has grappled the other rider. If not, he falls to the ground. The grappled rider makes a check against his horsemanship proficiency. If he fails, both characters fall to the ground (each suffering 1 d6 points of damage). If he succeeds, he remains in the saddle with the other rider hanging from his side. The grappling rider must make a to hit roll thereafter every turn. If he succeeds, the other must again make a proficiency roll as noted above. If he fails, he falls to the ground (and takes damage). Meanwhile, the rider can use a weapon to strike at his grappling opponent. When doing so, he is -2 on his chance to hit. Man on foot can also attempt to pull a rider from his horse, although this is not an easy task. The attempt can only be made by man-sized creatures or larger. Those larger than man sized count as two men for the attempt. First, the footman has to grab the rider as he passes by. To do this he makes a to hit roll, modified by the speed of the horse. If the horse is moving 6' or less, the footman's chance is reduced by -2, at 7 to 12"the   modifier is -4, and at speeds greater than 12' the modifier is -6. If the hit is successful, the rider must make a proficiency check to remain in the saddle. If the attempt to unseat the rider fails and the horse is moving faster than 12", the animal is allowed a free set of attacks against the footman. For each additional footman grappling (up to 4), -1 is applied to the proficiency check. If the rider is pulled from his horse by more than one person, he suffers no damage, since he is likely to land on someone on the way down. If a horse can be surrounded by eight men, they can pull both the horse and rider down. Of course, all during this the horse and rider are allowed their normal attacks. Finally, given time and materials, set defenses can be prepared to dismount riders and stop horses. Most of these are simple tricks and traps ropes hung between trees at the rider's height, tripwires, etc. The DM must determine the success of these types of traps. Stakes: For defense against horse attack, sharpened stakes can be set in the ground. It takes two men an hour to prepare a 10-foot-square area with stakes of about 4 to 5 feet in length, provided there is a supply of bamboo or light wood available.  These are easily spotted arid can be avoided simply by turning aside or the rider can attempt to urge his horse through.  This requires a proficiency check just as if a jump or leap were being attempted.  If the horse does enter the defended area, it will crash into 0-3 of these stakes (I d4-1) for every 10 feet of depth of the barrier. Barding will reduce the number of stakes which hit (by -1 for chain and -2 for plate). Each stake causes 2d6 points of damage to the horse. The rules for dismounting a horse rider also apply to other riding creatures that a character may encounter.

Forcing Opponents to Dismount Although the mounted warrior gains a few advantages over his opponents on the ground, special tactics have evolved to allow those opponents to even the odds somewhat. The most straightforward approach is to try to knock the rider off his mount. This more than evens the odds, since the rider is generally stunned, injured, or at the very least, prone after falling from his mount. There are several methods for dismounting an opponent, some of which are heroic and others that are merely grim and efficient. By far the most direct is to slay the mount. Once the steed has been killed, the rider finds himself on foot, and often is caught off balance. The disadvantage to this approach is that the mount is no longer useful to anyone. In many cases, it is more beneficial to try to remove the rider and capture the steed. If a steed is killed while a character is mounted upon it, the character automatically falls to the ground. If the character has horsemanship proficiency (see the proficiency rules on page 23), <> he is entitled to make a Proficiency Check to see if he lands on his feet. If the check is successful, the character remains upright and can continue to act normally, even attacking that same round if he has not attacked yet. If the check fails, or if the character does not have horsemanship proficiency, he falls to the ground and suffers 1d3 points of damage. The character can perform no further functions that round, and must spend the entire next round climbing to his feet. Often, combatants attempt to bring a rider down without killing the steed. Some weapons are more effective than others at accomplishing this. Anytime a rider is struck by a melee weapon of three feet or greater length wielded by another mounted character, and the attack roll is a natural 20, there is a chance that the victim is knocked from his mount. If the rider does not have horsemanship proficiency, he is automatically knocked to the ground, and suffers an additional 1d3 points of damage. If the character does have horsemanship proficiency, he is allowed to make a Proficiency Check. If the roll is successful, the rider retains his seat with no ill effects (beyond the damage caused by the attack). If the roll fails, the character falls with the effect previously noted. Fighters on foot who are armed with weapons of five to nine feet in length have the same chance of unhorsing riders as mounted attackers do-and riders have the same chance of remaining in the saddle in both instances. Foot soldiers using weapons of 10 feet or greater lengths have a 25% chance of dismounting riders (a roll of 16-20 on the attack roll) . Again, riders with horsemanship proficiency are allowed to check to see if they can remain in the saddle. Riders can also be pulled from their mounts by both mounted and unmounted attackers. A mounted attacker can attempt to dive on another rider by moving adjacent to him and leaping from the saddle. If he makes a successful attack roll, he has grappled the other rider. If not, he falls to the ground and suffers 1d6 points of damage. If the attack is successful, the grappled rider may be allowed a check against his horsemanship proficiency. A successful check means that the grappled character remains in the saddle with the other character hanging from his side. If the roll is not allowed, or fails, both characters fall to the ground and sustain 1d6 points of damage. If the rider remains mounted with his attacker clinging to him, the procedure is repeated in subsequent rounds. In order to keep his place, the attacker must successfully roll to hit; if he does so, the rider must make another Proficiency Check to remain in the saddle. A rider can use a weapon to attack a grappling opponent, but all such attacks are made with a -2 modifier to hit. Characters and creatures on foot can also attempt to pull a rider from his horse, although this is not an easy task. The attempt can only be made by creatures that are man-sized or larger. Those larger than man-size count as two men for the attempt. First, the character on foot must grab the rider as he passes by. To do this, he makes an attack roll, modified by the speed of the mount. If the steed is moving at 6” per round or less, the attacker’s chance to hit suffers a -2 modifier. If the steed is moving at 7” to 12” per round, the modifier is -4, and at speeds greater than 12,” the modifier is -6. If the hit is successful, follow the same procedure as if the rider had been grappled by a mounted opponent. If the attempt is unsuccessful and the steed is moving faster than 12” per round, the steed is allowed a free set of attacks against the character on foot. For each additional footman grappling (up to 4), -1 is applied to the rider’s Proficiency Check. If the rider is pulled from his mount by more than one person, he suffers no damage, since his opponents actually cushion his fall. If the mount is surrounded by eight man-sized, or four large creatures, both the mount and rider can be pulled down. During this combat, both the mount and the rider are allowed their normal attacks. Finally, given time and material, set defenses can be prepared to dismount riders and stop horses. Most of these are simple tricks and traps, such as a rope hung between two columns at the rider’s height, a trip wire, etc. The DM determines the chance of success for these types of traps.  Stakes: For defense against mounted attackers, sharpened stakes can be set in the ground. It takes two characters one hour to prepare a 10-foot-square area with stakes of about four to five feet in length, provided that there is a supply of saplings, light wood, or spears to use as stakes. These defensive areas are easily spotted, and can be avoided if there is an alternate route. If a rider wishes his mount to enter such an area, the player must make a horsemanship Proficiency Check, just as if he were trying a jump or leap. Failure means that the mount refuses to enter the AREA, although it continues moving in another direction if possible. If the check succeeds, the mount enters the defended area and hits 0-3 (ld4-1) stakes for each 10-foot-depth of the defenses. Barding reduces the number of stakes that hit by -1 for chain mail barding, and -2 for plate barding. Each stake causes 2d6 points of damage to the mount, whether or not the steed was charging at the time. <> which firing is attempted. <> 8. At the DM's discretion, missile combat from the back of a moving land-based mount may be impossible in certain terrain conditions where the rider is forced to USE at least one hand to hold onto his mount. <(DSG: "steepness, slipperiness, or very rough ground")> <(OA: "rock slopes, thick underbrush")> <> 9. As already noted in the DMG on page 53, further penalties apply to any attempt to engage in missile combat from the back of a flying mount; short range is treated as medium range and medium range is considered long range for purposes of "to hit" modifiers unless the mount is hovering. In this case, the rider suffers no additional penalties "to hit" but still must abide by the reduction in rate of fire given above. <numbers added. This version integrates the rules from OA & DSG>   Q: Can any mounted character fire a bow weapon while riding a horse (or other mount)?  Page 33 in the DSG seems to say that he can, while page 86 in the WSG says that only a character with riding proficiency can do this. Which is correct? A: They're both correct.  Page 33 in DSG says that any character can fire a bow from a stationary mount. But the next sentence states that only a character with riding proficiency (and a bow weapon proficiency) can fire a bow weapon from a moving mount. (118.58)

Forcing Opponents to Dismount A mounted character should always anticipate the possibility that his opponent (whether also mounted or not) may try to attack his mount or do something else to cause the character to fall or jump to the ground. And, of course, this works in the other direction as well: A character should be alert for an opportunity to separate a mounted opponent from its steed. At worst, an unseated opponent is on more or less equal terms with a character who was already on the ground; at best, a foe who has lost his steed will be at a disadvantage if the character is still in the saddle. If a land-based mount is killed while a character is riding it, the character instantly falls to the ground. A character with proficiency in riding the mount will land on his feet if he makes a successful Proficiency Check, and he will be able to perform normally during the remainder of the round in which hefalls. If the character does not have proficiency or if the check fails, the rider takes a tumble, suffering ld3 points of damage, and must spend the remainder of the current round and all of the following round getting back to his feet and regaining his bearings. If a flying mount takes damage that brings it to less than half of its total hit points, the rider must immediately make a check to see if he falls (see the section on Flying Mounts). Further checks are required in every round until the mount is brought to a landing or until it regains enough hit points to put it out of danger; a cleric equipped with several cure wounds spells could keep his mount flying for quite a while, as long as the creature is among those that can be affected by such magic. If a flying mount is killed while a character is aboard, the creature will plummet to the ground and most likely also carry the rider to his death, especially if the rider is securely strapped onto the mount. If the creature is close to the ground when it dies, the Dungeon Master may allow a character with proficiency in riding the mount to leap from its back and land safely on the ground. Although this feat can usually only be performed when the mount is hovering, the DM could grant a character the chance to make the leap under other conditions, with a die-roll modifier on the Proficiency Check to account for the difficulty of the feat. A mounted character using a melee weapon of at least 3 feet in length may be able to unseat a mounted opponent by getting a natural 20 on his “to hit” roll. If the victim has riding proficiency and makes a successful Proficiency Check, he retains his seat. Otherwise (if the check fails or the rider is not proficient), he falls to the ground and takes 1d3 points of damage, with other effects as described above. A character standing on the ground can unseat a mounted opponent with a natural 20 on the die roll, if the attacker is using a weapon with a length of 5 to 9 feet. An attacker on the ground armed with a weapon of at least 10 feet in length can unseat a mounted opponent with a natural roll of 16-20 on the “to hit” die. In both of these cases, a rider with proficiency can remain in the saddle by making a successful Proficiency Check. Finally, a character (mounted or on foot) can attempt to unseat a mounted opponent by pulling him down. If the attacker moves adjacent to the mounted opponent, dives toward his foe, and makes a successful “to hit” roll (as if attacking with his bare hands), then he has managed to grapple his opponent. If the attacker is not mounted, this “to hit” roll is made at a -4 penalty. If the grapple is successful, the mounted opponent is allowed a Proficiency Check (if applicable) to see if he remains on the mount. A successful check indicates that the opponent has not been unseated, and the attacker is clinging to the opponent or the mount. If the check fails, both combatants fall to the ground and suffer 1d6 points of damage. If the original attempt to grapple fails, the attacker falls to the ground and suffers ld6 points of damage. If an attacker remains clinging to a mounted opponent, the attacker must make successful “to hit” rolls in each subsequent round to remain in that position. Failure on any of these rolls indicates that the attacker has fallen, with effects as described above. If the “to hit” roll in any round succeeds, the rider must make a Proficiency Check to prevent falling (and taking the attacker along with him). At the Dungeon Master’s discretion, a rider may be able to use his weapon to attack a grappling opponent, but if such an attack is possible it is made with a -2 penalty “to hit.”

<
Lances: A lance is a long spear carried by a mounted man.
Norman lances were about 12' in length,
but later in the Middle Ages the weapon grew to an average length of about 14' --
thus effectively giving the horseman about 10' of reach beyond the horses's head when charging.
- Unearthed Arcana, page 124
>