Mounting and Mounted Combat

Sometimes hitting the dirt that be a slow, arduous task. Well, this page will cover all the rules for mounts, as well as all the various items and mounts one can acquire in order to make their travel time more efficient. This page will also go over mounted combat and how you can fight while on your mount's back.

It's worth noting that, unless a mount is trained for combat, the rider must succeed a DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check whenever the mount they are riding takes damage. On a failed save, the mount must spend its turns trying to move as far away from the source of danger as it can. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the mount can use the Dodge action.

## General Rules

This section will cover the general rules of mounting and mounted travel.

### Mount Up!

* Once during your move, you can mount a creature that is within 5 Feet of you or dismount. Doing so costs an amount of movement equal to half your speed. For example, if your speed is 30 Feet, you must spend 15 Feet of movement to mount a horse. Therefore, you can’t mount it if you don’t have 15 Feet of movement left or if your speed is 0.
* If an effect moves your mount against its will while you’re on it, you must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall off the mount, landing prone in a space within 5 Feet of it. If you’re knocked prone while mounted, you must make the same saving throw. If your mount is knocked prone, you can use your reaction to dismount it as it falls and land on your feet. Otherwise, you are dismounted and fall prone in a space within 5 Feet it.
* Being mounted does not change your character's size. Your reach extends from your character, not your mount. If your mount is a large creature occupying a 10 foot square, and you are a medium creature occupying a 5 foot square, then you must choose one of the four 5 foot spaces within your mounts 20 foot square to occupy while mounted. You can use your movement to move to a different location on your mount.

### Controlling a Mount

* While you’re mounted, you have two options. You can either control the mount or allow it to act independently.
* You can control a mount only if it has been trained to accept a rider. Domesticated horses, donkeys, and similar creatures are assumed to have such training.
* Creatures with an Intelligence of 6 or greater, such as dragons, act independently.

#### Controlled Mount

* The initiative of a controlled mount changes to match yours when you mount it.
* It moves as you direct it, and it has only three action options: Dash, Disengage, and Dodge.
* A controlled mount does not have the option to take the Attack or Help actions.
* A controlled mount can move and act even on the turn that you mount it.

#### Independent Mounts

* An independent mount retains its place in the initiative order.
* Bearing a rider puts no restrictions on the actions the mount can take, and it moves and acts as it wishes. It might flee from combat, rush to attack and devour a badly injured foe, or otherwise act against your wishes.
* If the mount provokes an opportunity attack while you’re on it, the attacker can target you or the mount.
* An independent mount can take any action on its turn, but acts in its own interest.