Ride Skill

The Ride Skill allows a character the ability to ride a tame creature of sufficient size. The mount at least 2 size categories greater than the rider: a Medium creature such as a human or elf could ride a horse, however a troll could not. Small animals such as dogs could be ridden by a faerie. Doing such may require specialized equipment, such as a saddle and bridle. Mounts can be bought with coin or occasionally acquired through gameplay with Storyteller approval, and may be trained with the Handle Animal Skill or by spending gold. In order to properly control a Trained Mount, the character's Ride Skill must be at a rank equal to or greater than that of their mount's Training. Otherwise, all Ride and Handle Animal checks involving the mount take a -2 Proficiency penalty.

Riders may additionally augment their own ability by investing in the Mounted Combat benefit.

Combat Encounters

During Combat, the rider can her mount's actions with a successful Ride skill check: a static roll with a target number based on difficulty determined by the Storyteller. Doing so consumes a Move Action on the rider's turn, and one hand must be kept on the reins when directing the mount's Movement, unless the mount is already Trained or otherwise able to be ridden without a bridle with Storyteller approval.

• Difficult actions or maneuvers while astride - for example, attacking, casting spells, charging or jumping on the mount, attempting to avoid collision or being unseated - require successful Ride skill checks.
• Unless otherwise specified, mounts are generally unable to attack while carrying a rider. Some mounts may be trained or otherwise capable of attacking. For example, a shaman with an appropriate Animal Mount may be able to have their mount launch an attack on the shaman’s turn.
• Riders may not utilize the Stealth skill as a maneuver on an untrained mount, and moving out of Concealment while astride will immediately break Stealth, but not magical Concealment (e.g. Invisibility). Stealth while astride a Trained Mount uses the rider's Stealth dice with a -2 Proficiency penalty unless sufficiently Trained.
• If a mount takes damage while being ridden, an additional Ride check is required to control the animal. A failure may result in the mount fleeing in an unpredictable direction, while a critical failure would result in throwing the rider.
• Dropping the reins on a bridled mount is a Free Action; picking them up is a Fast Action. While reins are in hand, a rider gains +1 Proficiency to Ride skill checks attempting to calm or control her panicked or injured mount.

Example

The young noble Freddy is astride his horse, concealed in the trees at the edge of the forest as he hunts for deer. When one comes into range, Freddy drops the reins as a Free Action to ready his longbow as a Move action, and then attacks with a Standard Action. The arrow hits the deer, and it takes off running in an attempt to flee. On his next turn, Freddy uses a Fast Action to pick up the reins once more in one hand and then uses a Move Action to direct his horse to pursue the deer with a successful Ride check. While his horse is moving, he reduces his remaining Standard Action to a second Move Action to sling his bow safely over a shoulder as they pursue the deer. His horse cannot be directed without both hands on the reins, so he cannot shoot a bow (which requires two hands) while moving. The deer continues to flee.