Riding (Skill)

Primary Stat: Dexterity
Difficulty Modifier: x1

This Skill is used when riding domesticated beasts - be they horses, or something a little more exotic. Riding an unfamiliar species of animal applies a -3 penalty to your Riding checks.

Engaging in combat whilst riding is generally rather difficult, and applies a -3 penalty both to Riding and to whatever skill you are using to direct your attacks. When making any form of Ranged Attack while riding you suffer an additional penalty based on your mount's current speed: -2 when walking, -4 when cantering and -6 when galloping. This penalty applies to Thrown Weapons and Spells as well as to Ranged Combat checks.

For reasons that are hopefully obvious it's not possible to perform an Athletic Dodge whilst riding without leaping out of the saddle (and quite likely hurting yourself in the process), but Standing Dodges can still be used. Alternatively you can try to coax your mount into dodging for the both of you, which counts as a Standing Dodge but is based on your mount's Stats and Skills. Directing your mount in this way requires a Riding Skill Check of 15 or more and counts as a Reaction for you as well as for your mount.

Riding Abilities

• (4) Attack with Mount
• (6) Bareback Riding
• (6) Bareback Specialisation
• (6) Mounted Combat
• (6) Mounted Shooting Expertise
• (4) Rearing Strike
• (1) Riding Familiarity {Species of riding animal}

Riding-related Melee Combat Abilities

• (6) Lance Charge
• (6) Mounted Melee Specialisation
• (4) Ride-By Strike

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