Everything is starting to calm down. I would like to go to sleep, and hopefully (fingers crossed nothing FUCKING ELSE happens) have time to post when I wake up, if that is cool.

You've still got Farwalker and Rhydd's turn ahead of you presently, so there's time.

I figured disengaging was the smart move. Even if I got kicked for 1 damage, I'd have to roll a DC 10 concentration roll, and that would just be annoying to fail.

Unless I'm mistaken, you don't need to spend your own Action to Disengage since you're mounted.  Mounts can only use Dash, Disengage, or Dodge under normal conditions (unless it's a creature that also has an Attack Action, as Wifni does).  When your Mount uses Disengage, that includes the rider.



The last line there about Opportunity Attacks indicates that if the Mount triggering an OA could endanger either it or the rider as the attacker chooses, then the Mount Disengaging would likewise protect them both from the OA.

Upon inspection, Mallory is correct. The Mount Disengaging does not trigger Opportunity Attacks on the rider.


I do find it a bit strange since you are actively steering the steed. It's not like you're involuntarily being dragged along, but hey, them's the rules.


Generally, Skill Checks require an Action. This is information that has been previously relayed to the party which Farwalker just happens to be unaware of since she arrived late to the scene. Still, I'll demand this kind of check consumes your Action.

Roll me Survival, Investigation, or Perception as you prefer.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:14, Wed 13 July 2022.

Weird. I’ll take it though.

Anyway, snow is white.
Today: Farwalker rolled 9 using 1d20+6.  Perception .

I get where it's coming from, both from mechanics and real life comparisons.

Mechanics-wise, assigning the Player's action economy to controlling their Mount functionally makes Mounts waste the Player's powerful and more widely useful Actions on something trivial (swapping out all a Player might do in return for a minor, situational speed boost that you have to pay and care for in perpetuity, and that can die very easily).  It would require making a whole other set of rules for Mounted Combat or classes that focus on being paired with Mounts as well, so in the end it's a lot easier both for developers and Players to just have a more simplified rule that everyone can use equally.

Real Life-wise, I've ridden on various animals before: namely horses and even an elephant once.  Animals aren't vehicles that require the rider's constant control to do anything by - the rider is basically just prompting the mount to perform a series of trained behaviors and holding on for the trip.  If the animal doesn't want to do so for whatever reason, there's not much you can really do about it.  ^^;  Even when a mount is very docile and well-trained, it's still a living creature carrying you around outside of your total voluntary control.

Not to belabor the point, but in the case of Wifni and Farwalker here, Wifni qualifies as a trained but unintelligent mount by the rule's standards (that is to say, she's not an untrained wild animal nor does she have an INT high enough to do critical thinking as Zula does).  So Farwalker issuing Wifni to use Disengage and Move to carry her around would fall under the "interacting with the environment" tier of the Action Economy.  Basically something that would be like a quick sound, gesture, or pressure nudged into Wifni's sides to indicate what she wants to be done.  Since it's just Farwalker urging Wifni to do something she's already trained to do and not requiring any unique circumstances or coercion (like an Animal Handling check for making Wifni do something she's not trained for, or is adverse to attempting normally), it doesn't warrant a full use of the Player's Action.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:45, Wed 13 July 2022.

The real life thing makes a lot of sense. I've ridden a horse once or twice in my life, so I haven't the faintest clue as to how much attention you'd need to extend it for it to be able perform something besides basic turning and locomotion.

Neither am I all that familiar with the rules for mounted combat. But the mechanical upsides to a Mount seems significant regardless of whether or not you need to expend your Action to Disengage (which you would have to do anyhow if you wished to Disengage from enemies within range if you were on foot). Being granted Advantage on melee Attacks against enemies smaller than the Mount is a pretty big deal.

Getting the Disengage, Dash, or Dodge Action for free is a massive advantage on top of that. I guess I gotta sic some mounted warriors on you from now on to even the playing field :^)

And an elephant! That must have been quite the experience.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:56, Wed 13 July 2022.

Eh. There’s more that goes into it than that, in combat anyway. Fighting on horseback, or axebeakback in this case, is a little different than just riding. Especially with a mount that has no experience with fighting. Oh, I have some stories about idiots on horses.

But, at that same time, we’re playing a game as superhuman combat monsters, so going full bore on how it works is probably a little much. ^.^

Riding into battle on a war elephant still sounds pretty awesome though. And in the forgotten realms, you can get legit dinosaurs. Because why not?

Mount Benefits
Admittedly, summarizing a Mount's boon to just a speed boost was reductive of me.  There are a lot of functional benefits to having a Mount aside from the increased movement speed, but they're broadly balanced by the fact that Mounts require care, upkeep costs, and the vast majority of Mounts are actually very easy to kill through incidental damage.  It's why mid to high level play for Mounted classes focuses onto Monsters or spells rather than mere animals, such as Griffons or magically summoned Horses.


Unexpectedly wobbly.  Elephants' size always gives the impression that they'd be a steady sort of ride, but their gait really swings you around side to side.


See, this just makes me hope someday we have to cross the half-frozen ocean at some point in the future and Streamseeker returns to give us a lift.  :3
This message was last edited by the player at 17:54, Wed 13 July 2022.

I mean, an Axe Beak is a pretty close approximation of a dinosaur!  :)

Riding an elephant is so cool! I agree that they're remarkably swingy to ride on, especially if you're in the big seat saddle they're sometimes put in. Directly on the spine (which is something only kids were being allowed to do, and I was fortunate to be a kid at the time) is more stable, but I believe it's unhealthier for the animal because the weight isn't properly distributed.

It's always interesting to think about how unlikely and perfect the design of a horse is for carrying hundreds of pounds in the middle of its back at speed. Even the elephants, massive and mighty, start to experience negative health repercussions from frequently being ridden and used as pack animals long before horses will, even carrying a similar amount of weight. They just aren't built to bear the weight of a human and their all their junk like a horse is.

Now that raises the question of whether birds evolved from dinosaurs in the Forgotten Realms, or if they're concurrently-existing cousin species.

Riding Animals Gaits and Carry
Horses, donkeys, camels, elephants and the like - the biggest hurdle to get over is honestly figuring out that the rider has to help the animal do their thing.  Moving with the rhythm of their stride, shifting balance with them, and so forth rather than just sitting still like a bunch of dead weight.  I was honestly surprised how much of a core workout riding is when I first did it; one gets the incorrect impression that you can just kick back and be lazy while the animal totes you along, but you really have to work your abs and hips to ensure you don't get swung right off the saddle.


I do wonder just how much of that is attributed to human intervention with selective breeding.  Equine husbandry has been a huge part of our species' history across the globe, so I'm uncertain how unaffected wild horses are in terms of genetic cross contamination.  Or how well-suited for the task ancient wild horses really were in the long run, as opposed to those that descended in tribal rearing.

Waiting on you, Rhydd. I'll have the chance to post for you tomorrow afternoon. My time.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:49, Thu 14 July 2022.

In reply to Mallory Bonheur (msg # 28):

I imagine a lot of it is due to human intervention, but the horse still had to get to a good place evolutionarily for husbandry and intervention to carry it the rest of the way.

Question, DM: Is there time for Astre and Mallory to communicate the presence of the incoming Beastman nearby before the turn order resets?

Answer, Mallory: Yes, this was my intention.

How you doing, Khulekani? Up for posting or should I post for you?

I'll post in the next hour. Just putting my client to bed.

Or not. Emergency emotional spouse support needed. If you can wait until the morning, yay. If not, I understand, and go ahead and post.

Yay! I did a post!

Farwalker; next turn you will get moved up above the Werewolverines in the initiative order.

Ooh, shiny.

Waiting on Rhydd. I figure I can post for him later this evening if he doesn't let hear from himself. As it stands he doesn't have too much to contribute aside from some Battle Maneuvers.

If nothing else, there's always the Ol' Reliable: disengage and run.