I'm currently playing a level 6 Drakewarden, and have gotten to the point of asking if I'd need a Saddle to ride the Drake Companion as a mount. Dm says no, but I can use one if I want. So I go looking through the 5 different kinds of saddle, 4 mundane and one magical.
The wording of the mundane Saddles is;
A military saddle braces the rider, helping you keep your seat on an active mount in battle. It gives you advantage on any check you make to remain mounted. An exotic saddle is required for riding any aquatic or flying mount.
While in this saddle on a mount, you can't be dismounted against your will if you're conscious, and attack rolls against the mount have disadvantage.
RAW I would not be able to fly with my Drake Companion Mount if I used the Cavalier, and would need to use an Exotic Saddle. However, magic items are known to resize themselves, like armor changing to fit the wearer. I don't see how this is any different, if a Saddle could be used to mount a flying creature and retain the fly speed, why must a Cavalier be a land mount saddle? I s there any sort of official ruling on this that I haven't been able to find? I won't use this to say my DM is wrong, when it comes to his world he is always right, I just want to know for me
The way I'd interpret it is that RAI is that you can't just yank a saddle off of a horse and plonk it on your drake. That makes sense because the shape and construction would be radically different. That's not saying that no saddles other than ones called "exotic saddle" can be used, just that you can't use saddles made for horses, and generally all saddles that you'll come across are made for horses. Likewise, if you kill a flying mount, then you can't take that saddle an plonk it on Bill the Pony.
So therefore, when you find the saddle of the cavalier, it's up to the DM whether what you're finding is a magic standard saddle or a magic exotic saddle. I'd say that if you found it on a horse, then no, you can't use it on your drake and vice versa. If you found it in a shop or as loot, then the DM decides which it is. Or he can declare that I'm wrong and that it works regardless.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
It will be your DM’s call, but I’d say it will magically fit to your mount. If a halfling can take off a suit of +1plate mail, and a moment later a Goliath can put it on, I’m going to allow a magic saddle to stretch an twist how it needs to.
So in my game flying is "no joke." Putting yourself on a conventional ground mount has a modest risk of injury, flying is a much more perilous feat. So given that my leaning is to require a Dragonsaddle iteration of the item and leave the saddle of the cavalier for the ground cavalry. Would probably make the saddle a tier up in rarity; but since this is something that you're sort of working on with your DM, presumably a party or side quest for a dragon saddle, I think it's just a matter of giving you the appropriate challenge to "earn" it.
Presumably all this magical flight tact stays bonded to the drake spirit when you summon it and it dissipates, another property that makes it sound like something beyond a traditional saddle of the cavalier.
So in my game flying is "no joke." Putting yourself on a conventional ground mount has a modest risk of injury, flying is a much more perilous feat. So given that my leaning is to require a Dragonsaddle iteration of the item and leave the saddle of the cavalier for the ground cavalry. Would probably make the saddle a tier up in rarity; but since this is something that you're sort of working on with your DM, presumably a party or side quest for a dragon saddle, I think it's just a matter of giving you the appropriate challenge to "earn" it.
Presumably all this magical flight tact stays bonded to the drake spirit when you summon it and it dissipates, another property that makes it sound like something beyond a traditional saddle of the cavalier.
To me, the bigger deals by far are (1) finding a flying mount, (2) capturing it rather than killing or maiming it, and (3) training it to the point it accepts you and lets you ride it.
If you can get past those steps, I would say you have earned a saddle, even if not necessarily a magical one.
And if mine was the only character in the group who rides, or if the entire group has flying mounts and the DM gave us magical saddle that they insisted only works with non-flying mounts, I would really wonder about that DM. By that point, they had already allowed us all the rest so if they chose it deliberately as a reward, why?
Suspicion is often a combined failure of knowledge and imagination.
Read up on Drake Wardens, which is what the OP is talking about. At seventh level a flying mount is granted and bound to the PC as part of their class progression. They want to nerf risks associated with their aerial gift by seeking a Saddle of the Cavalier. There's nothing wrong with doing that, but aerial/dragon saddles are exotic/different from ground mount saddles in my world, are less common, and would have to be sought after through different channels than one would seek for a ground bound saddle. It also underscores aerial work isn't as simple as ground movement in my game, having adopted the "Aces High" aerial combat system from Arcadia, and fleshing it out further to include air to ground action as well. So, if target fixation leads you and your drake to explode into the treeline, and you somehow survive that, and a party member comes with a ground mount for you, and you're skittish about falling off the horsey after pancaking your drake, no, your dragon tack is not going magic morph onto your rescue horsey.
So to get the benefits of the Saddle of the Cavalier for a flying mount in my game, players will just have to seek a little higher, so to speak, than where they'd find a regular Saddle of the Cavalier.
So in my game flying is "no joke." Putting yourself on a conventional ground mount has a modest risk of injury, flying is a much more perilous feat. So given that my leaning is to require a Dragonsaddle iteration of the item and leave the saddle of the cavalier for the ground cavalry. Would probably make the saddle a tier up in rarity; but since this is something that you're sort of working on with your DM, presumably a party or side quest for a dragon saddle, I think it's just a matter of giving you the appropriate challenge to "earn" it.
Presumably all this magical flight tact stays bonded to the drake spirit when you summon it and it dissipates, another property that makes it sound like something beyond a traditional saddle of the cavalier.
To me, the bigger deals by far are (1) finding a flying mount, (2) capturing it rather than killing or maiming it, and (3) training it to the point it accepts you and lets you ride it.
If you can get past those steps, I would say you have earned a saddle, even if not necessarily a magical one.
And if mine was the only character in the group who rides, or if the entire group has flying mounts and the DM gave us magical saddle that they insisted only works with non-flying mounts, I would really wonder about that DM. By that point, they had already allowed us all the rest so if they chose it deliberately as a reward, why?
Suspicion is often a combined failure of knowledge and imagination.
Read up on Drake Wardens, which is what the OP is talking about. At seventh level a flying mount is granted and bound to the PC as part of their class progression. They want to nerf risks associated with their aerial gift by seeking a Saddle of the Cavalier. There's nothing wrong with doing that, but aerial/dragon saddles are exotic/different from ground mount saddles in my world, are less common, and would have to be sought after through different channels than one would seek for a ground bound saddle. It also underscores aerial work isn't as simple as ground movement in my game, having adopted the "Aces High" aerial combat system from Arcadia, and fleshing it out further to include air to ground action as well. So, if target fixation leads you and your drake to explode into the treeline, and you somehow survive that, and a party member comes with a ground mount for you, and you're skittish about falling off the horsey after pancaking your drake, no, your dragon tack is not going magic morph onto your rescue horsey.
So to get the benefits of the Saddle of the Cavalier for a flying mount in my game, players will just have to seek a little higher, so to speak, than where they'd find a regular Saddle of the Cavalier.
Drakewardens can't fly while mounted till level 15 as per their class features.
So in my game flying is "no joke." Putting yourself on a conventional ground mount has a modest risk of injury, flying is a much more perilous feat. So given that my leaning is to require a Dragonsaddle iteration of the item and leave the saddle of the cavalier for the ground cavalry. Would probably make the saddle a tier up in rarity; but since this is something that you're sort of working on with your DM, presumably a party or side quest for a dragon saddle, I think it's just a matter of giving you the appropriate challenge to "earn" it.
Presumably all this magical flight tact stays bonded to the drake spirit when you summon it and it dissipates, another property that makes it sound like something beyond a traditional saddle of the cavalier.
To me, the bigger deals by far are (1) finding a flying mount, (2) capturing it rather than killing or maiming it, and (3) training it to the point it accepts you and lets you ride it.
If you can get past those steps, I would say you have earned a saddle, even if not necessarily a magical one.
And if mine was the only character in the group who rides, or if the entire group has flying mounts and the DM gave us magical saddle that they insisted only works with non-flying mounts, I would really wonder about that DM. By that point, they had already allowed us all the rest so if they chose it deliberately as a reward, why?
Suspicion is often a combined failure of knowledge and imagination.
Read up on Drake Wardens, which is what the OP is talking about. At seventh level a flying mount is granted and bound to the PC as part of their class progression. They want to nerf risks associated with their aerial gift by seeking a Saddle of the Cavalier. There's nothing wrong with doing that, but aerial/dragon saddles are exotic/different from ground mount saddles in my world, are less common, and would have to be sought after through different channels than one would seek for a ground bound saddle. It also underscores aerial work isn't as simple as ground movement in my game, having adopted the "Aces High" aerial combat system from Arcadia, and fleshing it out further to include air to ground action as well. So, if target fixation leads you and your drake to explode into the treeline, and you somehow survive that, and a party member comes with a ground mount for you, and you're skittish about falling off the horsey after pancaking your drake, no, your dragon tack is not going magic morph onto your rescue horsey.
So to get the benefits of the Saddle of the Cavalier for a flying mount in my game, players will just have to seek a little higher, so to speak, than where they'd find a regular Saddle of the Cavalier.
As the prior poster says, they cannot fly on their drake until 15th and they are still only 6th.
So either it is moot until then, or they are wanting the saddle to allow them to fly if they make it that far
In fact, this is a strange question in that the character cannot ride their drake at all until one level higher, at 7th, nor can their drake fly yet even on its own.
So has the DM given an item that would only be useful to them one level later but might not work at all, since, even though they will not be able to fly while riding their drake, their drake is a flying creature that can fly when not being ridden? - If so, then I really do question the DM.
Or do they figure that the DM is just handing them this item simply because they asked about a saddle? If so, I also wonder about any DM who would simply do so, since it is implied the issue is whether it would work, rather than whether it is available.
And if Drakewardens are a normal thing, then wouldn't exotic saddles be just as available? And wouldn't enchanted saddles take them into account?
As for the practicality of Drakewardens and flight at all, more than a little off topic.
I have not yet been given/handed anything right now, and neither has a saddle been made available. Just because I haven't gotten that high a level yet, doesn't mean I shouldn't think forwards. I must admit, I don't know if the campaign would last that long or if my character would survive until then, I'd still like to get a ruling from my DM as soon as he can give me one. His stance on classfeats or spells is that you don't need specific equipment to actually use said feats or spells, unless specifically stated in the description. So if I do get to level 15, I would be able to fly with my Drake. All I want to know if an official ruling has been made concerning flying mounts and the saddle of the cavalier. I am not complaining that he's wrong for saying no
Remember, when your drake dies, it drops everything it’s wearing, including saddles.
1) This is a rather old thread... why now?
2) Worn things are worn, not carried. Saddles do not simply fall off mounts any more than anything or anyone else you kill sheds all armour and clothing on death. This is likely a good thing for most campaigns.
Just to chime in on that last point, it's a bit different for Drake Warden dragons, as they're technically a spirit that you summon and the rule text does state that 'Anything the drake was wearing or carrying is left behind when the drake vanishes'.
It 'poofing' out of existence upon reaching 0 hp with the warden on a saddle carried by momentum and falling from the sky does look kind of comical in my imagination. How you rule that as DM of course is up to you.
Remember, when your drake dies, it drops everything it’s wearing, including saddles.
1) This is a rather old thread... why now?
2) Worn things are worn, not carried. Saddles do not simply fall off mounts any more than anything or anyone else you kill sheds all armour and clothing on death. This is likely a good thing for most campaigns.
Just to chime in on that last point, it's a bit different for Drake Warden dragons, as they're technically a spirit that you summon and the rule text does state that 'Anything the drake was wearing or carrying is left behind when the drake vanishes'.
It 'poofing' out of existence upon reaching 0 hp with the warden on a saddle carried by momentum and falling from the sky does look kind of comical in my imagination. How you rule that as DM of course is up to you.
Cue the Ranger flapping their hands like mad for the 6 seconds it takes for gravity to remember that things are meant to call.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
We used it as magical saddle adapts to mount. But then we went a little crazy. Second level Circle of the Moon Druid turns into a Dire Wolf. Second level halfling thief uses the saddle to mount the wolf. Attacks against the Druid were at a disadvantage and the thief always had advantage on their attacks for sneak attack.
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I'm currently playing a level 6 Drakewarden, and have gotten to the point of asking if I'd need a Saddle to ride the Drake Companion as a mount. Dm says no, but I can use one if I want. So I go looking through the 5 different kinds of saddle, 4 mundane and one magical.
The wording of the mundane Saddles is;
The Saddle of the Cavalier says;
RAW I would not be able to fly with my Drake Companion Mount if I used the Cavalier, and would need to use an Exotic Saddle. However, magic items are known to resize themselves, like armor changing to fit the wearer. I don't see how this is any different, if a Saddle could be used to mount a flying creature and retain the fly speed, why must a Cavalier be a land mount saddle? I s there any sort of official ruling on this that I haven't been able to find? I won't use this to say my DM is wrong, when it comes to his world he is always right, I just want to know for me
The way I'd interpret it is that RAI is that you can't just yank a saddle off of a horse and plonk it on your drake. That makes sense because the shape and construction would be radically different. That's not saying that no saddles other than ones called "exotic saddle" can be used, just that you can't use saddles made for horses, and generally all saddles that you'll come across are made for horses. Likewise, if you kill a flying mount, then you can't take that saddle an plonk it on Bill the Pony.
So therefore, when you find the saddle of the cavalier, it's up to the DM whether what you're finding is a magic standard saddle or a magic exotic saddle. I'd say that if you found it on a horse, then no, you can't use it on your drake and vice versa. If you found it in a shop or as loot, then the DM decides which it is. Or he can declare that I'm wrong and that it works regardless.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
It will be your DM’s call, but I’d say it will magically fit to your mount. If a halfling can take off a suit of +1plate mail, and a moment later a Goliath can put it on, I’m going to allow a magic saddle to stretch an twist how it needs to.
So in my game flying is "no joke." Putting yourself on a conventional ground mount has a modest risk of injury, flying is a much more perilous feat. So given that my leaning is to require a Dragonsaddle iteration of the item and leave the saddle of the cavalier for the ground cavalry. Would probably make the saddle a tier up in rarity; but since this is something that you're sort of working on with your DM, presumably a party or side quest for a dragon saddle, I think it's just a matter of giving you the appropriate challenge to "earn" it.
Presumably all this magical flight tact stays bonded to the drake spirit when you summon it and it dissipates, another property that makes it sound like something beyond a traditional saddle of the cavalier.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Suspicion is often a combined failure of knowledge and imagination.
Read up on Drake Wardens, which is what the OP is talking about. At seventh level a flying mount is granted and bound to the PC as part of their class progression. They want to nerf risks associated with their aerial gift by seeking a Saddle of the Cavalier. There's nothing wrong with doing that, but aerial/dragon saddles are exotic/different from ground mount saddles in my world, are less common, and would have to be sought after through different channels than one would seek for a ground bound saddle. It also underscores aerial work isn't as simple as ground movement in my game, having adopted the "Aces High" aerial combat system from Arcadia, and fleshing it out further to include air to ground action as well. So, if target fixation leads you and your drake to explode into the treeline, and you somehow survive that, and a party member comes with a ground mount for you, and you're skittish about falling off the horsey after pancaking your drake, no, your dragon tack is not going magic morph onto your rescue horsey.
So to get the benefits of the Saddle of the Cavalier for a flying mount in my game, players will just have to seek a little higher, so to speak, than where they'd find a regular Saddle of the Cavalier.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Drakewardens can't fly while mounted till level 15 as per their class features.
That's mainly my argument, but DM is a very RAW kind of guy
I have not yet been given/handed anything right now, and neither has a saddle been made available. Just because I haven't gotten that high a level yet, doesn't mean I shouldn't think forwards. I must admit, I don't know if the campaign would last that long or if my character would survive until then, I'd still like to get a ruling from my DM as soon as he can give me one. His stance on classfeats or spells is that you don't need specific equipment to actually use said feats or spells, unless specifically stated in the description. So if I do get to level 15, I would be able to fly with my Drake. All I want to know if an official ruling has been made concerning flying mounts and the saddle of the cavalier. I am not complaining that he's wrong for saying no
Yeah, fair enough
Remember, when your drake dies, it drops everything it’s wearing, including saddles.
Just to chime in on that last point, it's a bit different for Drake Warden dragons, as they're technically a spirit that you summon and the rule text does state that 'Anything the drake was wearing or carrying is left behind when the drake vanishes'.
It 'poofing' out of existence upon reaching 0 hp with the warden on a saddle carried by momentum and falling from the sky does look kind of comical in my imagination. How you rule that as DM of course is up to you.
Cue the Ranger flapping their hands like mad for the 6 seconds it takes for gravity to remember that things are meant to call.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
We used it as magical saddle adapts to mount. But then we went a little crazy. Second level Circle of the Moon Druid turns into a Dire Wolf. Second level halfling thief uses the saddle to mount the wolf. Attacks against the Druid were at a disadvantage and the thief always had advantage on their attacks for sneak attack.