If it was an organised rodeo, so the PC has time to settle into a rodeo saddle, then maybe advantage. Otherwise just regular Strength (Athletic) checks.
Something as big as a Tarrasque wouldn't count as you "riding a mount" since you would clearly standing on a very large platform.
The rules talk a bit about riding mounts - but the mechanics I've found seem to assume it's a (mostly) friendly mount.
What about the case where the mount does not want a rider? I'm thinking perhaps opposed STR checks to see if the mount "bucks" the rider.
And, of course, it also matters whether the mount is equipped for a rider. Maybe advantage to the rider if the mount has a saddle?
Thoughts?
P.S.: Bonus points if you consider mounts other than horses. Tarrasque rodeo, anyone?
If it's just a quick check to see whether you can stay on an uncooperative mount, Strength or Athletics seems fine
If you're actually doing something like a rodeo and turning it into a sport or competition, then I'd make it a little more involved. Say, do a straight Animal Handling check first to see if you can anticipate how the mount is going to move, then whether you succeed or fail on that gives you advantage/disadvantage on the subsequent Athletics check to remain in the saddle, and then your score (how many seconds you stay on or whatever) is determined by how much to exceed the DC on the ATH check
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
The only listed example we have of falling off a mount accidentally is in response to forced movement on the mount, which is a DC 10 Dexterity save (military saddles are useless for this).
The first thing you do is word salad: you have to "make any ability checks necessary to get onto the larger creature", then you make the listed ability check to get onto the creature. I have no productive guidance for you here beyond suggesting you literally ignore this first step, as there's no indication of what the DMG is smoking.
Mounter rolls its choice of Athletics or Acrobatics, defender rolls Acrobatics. If the mounter rolls higher, they successfully mount - they're in the target's space, clinging onto their body.
The mounter stays mounted until they choose to dismount or the mount rolls higher on Athletics vs mounter's choice of Athletics or Acrobatics.
There are some extra bits for handling the mounter moving about on the mount and attacking the mount, and explicitly no guidance on the mount attacking the mounter.
So for a horse, I would say the mounter can't be attacked once they get onto its back. For another creature, like a tarrasque, it depends on the creature's physiology. At my table, you could get onto the Tarrasque's back to hide from its horns, bite, and swallow, but the claws, tail, and presence would work on you regardless of location (my tarrasque is very flexible). Climbing onto the Tarrasque means beating its Acrobatics check of usually 10 and when it throws you, it needs to beat your roll and it will usually roll 20. That's with a stock Tarrasque, of course - you shouldn't assume my Int3- creatures have ignored proficiency in the skills they need to live, like Athletics.
Yeah, I would say animal handling covers this. Specifically for a rodeo I'd offer STR animal handling or DEX animal handling depending on the char.
If animal handling didn't cover this situation, I would really have to wonder what the purpose of animal handling was :)
As I noted above, animal handling is, RAW, only for keeping the bronco from bucking, not while staying on it when it does buck. I am personally 100% on board with using Dexterity (Animal Handling) in this circumstance, but I gave the generic rules for doing it, and it's acrobatics/athletics.
Athletics/acrobatics would be fine. I feel like animal handling is the better ability, but STR or DEX are the better attributes for this particular task. So whatever gets you to the right place and satisfies the DM works. I guess you could say a WIS check to intuit the animal's actions, but that doesn't feel as natural to me. Or as much fun.
I think quindraco's answer comes closest to what I need.
When I asked the question, I was thinking more about riding creatures that weren't designed for riding. But I used a rodeo analogy to ask the question, so I think that pushed the conversation toward Animal Handling. Of course, that skill is useless when climbing on the back of something like an Owlbear - so that's where Strength (Athletics) would come into play.
And the joke about Tarrasque rodeo is what started this whole thing. I've got a group of PCs on the back of a Tarrasque floating in a Reverse Gravity field. It's going to be bucking to get them off and they'll be holding on for dear life. But as Farling pointed out, that situation is hardly "riding a mount"...
The first thing you do is word salad: you have to "make any ability checks necessary to get onto the larger creature", then you make the listed ability check to get onto the creature. I have no productive guidance for you here beyond suggesting you literally ignore this first step, as there's no indication of what the DMG is smoking.
I always read this as basically approach and/or positioning. Climbing or leaping (in some cases) to get yourself on during combat or something like Animal Handling outside of combat to approach without being trampled. Then the listed check is basically a grapple to "cling" to the creature rather than getting into position.
At any rate, this is what I'd use for a bucking bronco as well.
The rules talk a bit about riding mounts - but the mechanics I've found seem to assume it's a (mostly) friendly mount.
What about the case where the mount does not want a rider? I'm thinking perhaps opposed STR checks to see if the mount "bucks" the rider.
And, of course, it also matters whether the mount is equipped for a rider. Maybe advantage to the rider if the mount has a saddle?
Thoughts?
P.S.: Bonus points if you consider mounts other than horses. Tarrasque rodeo, anyone?
If it was an organised rodeo, so the PC has time to settle into a rodeo saddle, then maybe advantage. Otherwise just regular Strength (Athletic) checks.
Something as big as a Tarrasque wouldn't count as you "riding a mount" since you would clearly standing on a very large platform.
If it's just a quick check to see whether you can stay on an uncooperative mount, Strength or Athletics seems fine
If you're actually doing something like a rodeo and turning it into a sport or competition, then I'd make it a little more involved. Say, do a straight Animal Handling check first to see if you can anticipate how the mount is going to move, then whether you succeed or fail on that gives you advantage/disadvantage on the subsequent Athletics check to remain in the saddle, and then your score (how many seconds you stay on or whatever) is determined by how much to exceed the DC on the ATH check
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Yeah, I would say animal handling covers this. Specifically for a rodeo I'd offer STR animal handling or DEX animal handling depending on the char.
We have the following rules, such as they are:
So for a horse, I would say the mounter can't be attacked once they get onto its back. For another creature, like a tarrasque, it depends on the creature's physiology. At my table, you could get onto the Tarrasque's back to hide from its horns, bite, and swallow, but the claws, tail, and presence would work on you regardless of location (my tarrasque is very flexible). Climbing onto the Tarrasque means beating its Acrobatics check of usually 10 and when it throws you, it needs to beat your roll and it will usually roll 20. That's with a stock Tarrasque, of course - you shouldn't assume my Int3- creatures have ignored proficiency in the skills they need to live, like Athletics.
If animal handling didn't cover this situation, I would really have to wonder what the purpose of animal handling was :)
"Not all those who wander are lost"
As I noted above, animal handling is, RAW, only for keeping the bronco from bucking, not while staying on it when it does buck. I am personally 100% on board with using Dexterity (Animal Handling) in this circumstance, but I gave the generic rules for doing it, and it's acrobatics/athletics.
Athletics/acrobatics would be fine. I feel like animal handling is the better ability, but STR or DEX are the better attributes for this particular task. So whatever gets you to the right place and satisfies the DM works. I guess you could say a WIS check to intuit the animal's actions, but that doesn't feel as natural to me. Or as much fun.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Thanks for the discussion, all.
I think quindraco's answer comes closest to what I need.
When I asked the question, I was thinking more about riding creatures that weren't designed for riding. But I used a rodeo analogy to ask the question, so I think that pushed the conversation toward Animal Handling. Of course, that skill is useless when climbing on the back of something like an Owlbear - so that's where Strength (Athletics) would come into play.
And the joke about Tarrasque rodeo is what started this whole thing. I've got a group of PCs on the back of a Tarrasque floating in a Reverse Gravity field. It's going to be bucking to get them off and they'll be holding on for dear life. But as Farling pointed out, that situation is hardly "riding a mount"...
I always read this as basically approach and/or positioning. Climbing or leaping (in some cases) to get yourself on during combat or something like Animal Handling outside of combat to approach without being trampled. Then the listed check is basically a grapple to "cling" to the creature rather than getting into position.
At any rate, this is what I'd use for a bucking bronco as well.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm