Does the Otherworldy Steed take it's turn and attack our enemies during combat if the paladin isn't riding it? Our group is trying to figure out how this is supposed to work and the phb isn't entirely clear. Answers on other sites haven't really been able to clarify this. I've created a poll that basically has all the different solutions suggested but I'd appreciate anyone willing to explain how they think it is supposed to work.
Yes. It does. When unmounted, it gets its full actions, including the attack action, which, in ‘24, means otherworldly slam.
I’ve always thought it was unclear who would be in charge of its actions, however. It might be an “uncontrolled” mount, but someone at the table has to make choices and control it. In a meta game sense, it makes more sense to me if the DM does it. But in practical terms, the DM already has a lot going on in a combat, so we’ve let the player control it. And it does have a telepathic link with the character, so it’s easy to imagine thinking a command to the steed. Though at that point, is it back to the character controlling it even though they are not riding it? So I think it’s best for each table to just work out who will make decisions for what the unmounted steed will do.
And to be thorough, if you do mount it, it becomes controlled and now it can only dash, dodge and disengage for actions. But it still has a bonus action.
Just to note, a Paladin has a full telepathic bond to their steed, which would indicate that a Paladin can tell the steed what to do in combat with no action requirement. So the steed should follow the Paladin's orders. If the Paladin is knocked unconscious then it'll fall back to the behaviour as described and fall under the DMs control but I'd say while the Paladin is conscious then the telepathic link gives full control.
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Does the Otherworldy Steed take it's turn and attack our enemies during combat if the paladin isn't riding it? Our group is trying to figure out how this is supposed to work and the phb isn't entirely clear. Answers on other sites haven't really been able to clarify this. I've created a poll that basically has all the different solutions suggested but I'd appreciate anyone willing to explain how they think it is supposed to work.
Yes. It does. When unmounted, it gets its full actions, including the attack action, which, in ‘24, means otherworldly slam.
I’ve always thought it was unclear who would be in charge of its actions, however. It might be an “uncontrolled” mount, but someone at the table has to make choices and control it. In a meta game sense, it makes more sense to me if the DM does it. But in practical terms, the DM already has a lot going on in a combat, so we’ve let the player control it. And it does have a telepathic link with the character, so it’s easy to imagine thinking a command to the steed. Though at that point, is it back to the character controlling it even though they are not riding it? So I think it’s best for each table to just work out who will make decisions for what the unmounted steed will do.
And to be thorough, if you do mount it, it becomes controlled and now it can only dash, dodge and disengage for actions. But it still has a bonus action.
Just to note, a Paladin has a full telepathic bond to their steed, which would indicate that a Paladin can tell the steed what to do in combat with no action requirement. So the steed should follow the Paladin's orders. If the Paladin is knocked unconscious then it'll fall back to the behaviour as described and fall under the DMs control but I'd say while the Paladin is conscious then the telepathic link gives full control.