Optional Rules: Mounts
A willing creature that is at least one size larger than you and that has an appropriate anatomy can serve as a mount, using the following rules.
Controlliing a Mount
While you are mounted, you can control a mount on your initiative if it has accepted you as a rider. Domesticated horses, donkeys, and similar creatures are True mounts and have such training and are best suited for mount class levels. The initiative of a mount changes to match yours when you mount it. It moves as you direct it.
| Animal | Cost | Speed | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donkey or mule | 8gp | 40ft | 420lb. |
| Elephant | 200gp | 40ft | 1320lb. |
| Horse, draft | 50gp | 40ft | 540lb. |
| Horse, riding | 75gp | 60ft | 480lb. |
| Mastiff | 25gp | 40ft | 195lb. |
| Pony | 30gp | 40ft | 225lb. |
| Warhorse | 400gp | 60ft | 540lb. |
It has only three action options (Dash, Disengage, and Dodge) at level zero. A controlled mount can move and act even on the turn that you mount it. If the mount provokes an opportunity attack while you are on it, the attacker can target you or the mount.
Mounts
The Mounts table shows each animal’s speed and base carrying Capacity. Mounts other than those listed here are available in fantasy gaming worlds, but they are rare and not normally available for purchase. These include flying Mounts (pegasi, griffons, hippogriffs, and similar animals) and even aquatic Mounts (giant sea horses, for example). Acquiring such a mount often means securing an egg and raising the creature yourself, making a bargain with a powerful entity, or negotiating with the mount itself.
Mounting and Dismounting
Once during your move, you can mount a creature that is within 5 feet of you or dismount. Doing so costs an amount of movement equal to half your speed. For example, if your speed is 30 feet, you must spend 15 feet of movement to mount a horse. Therefore, you cannot mount it if you do not have 15 feet of movement left or if your speed is 0. If an effect moves your mount against its will while you are on it, you must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall off the mount, landing prone in a space within 5 feet of it. If you are knocked prone while mounted, you must make the same saving throw. If your mount is knocked prone, you can use your reaction to dismount it as it falls and land on your feet. Otherwise, you are dismounted and fall prone in a space within 5 feet of it.
Planar aspect
When a mount gains Planar aspect they take on features of another plane, often inspired by their bond with their rider becoming a magical force. The Mount gains one of the following descriptors, the creature’s appearance may change, sprouting horns or having a mane of fire. The mount's attacks gain an extra 1D6 Magical damage. In addition, the creature gains the following benefits:
Celestial Once per long rest as an action the mount projects a spectral form of itself to guard it and the rider. The Spectre appears and hovers for the duration in an unoccupied space of the mounts choice that it can see within 30ft. The Spectre occupies that space and is indistinct except for a gleam of light. Any creature hostile to the mount or rider that moves to a space within 10 feet of the Spectre for the first time on a turn must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw DC equal to 11 + the mount’s Proficiency bonus. The creature takes 20 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The Spectre vanishes when it has dealt a total of 60 damage. Fiendish A fiendish mount gains 60ft Devil sight and once per long rest as an action the mount can summon forth a protective magical force surrounds it and a creature mounted on it. The manifested spectral force covers the creature(s) and their gear. The mount gains 20 temporary hit points for 1 hour. If a creature hits the mount or rider with a melee attack while the mount has these hit points, the attacking creature takes 20 damage that can be Fire Cold or Poison. Elemental Pick one of the four elements.- Fire: Once per long rest as an action the mount can leave fire in their wake. When the mount moves for the next 60ft of its movement a 20ft. high 1 ft. thick wall of fire springs up behind it. The wall is opaque and lasts for1 minute. One side of the wall, selected by the mount when summons the fire, deals 5d8 fire damage to each creature that ends its turn within 10 feet of that side or inside the wall. A creature takes the same damage when it enters the wall for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there. The other side of the wall deals no damage.
- Wind: Once per long rest as an action the mount can take on properties of the wind. Its movement is unaffected by difficult terrain, and spells and other magical effects can neither reduce the mount’s speed nor cause the mount to be paralyzed or restrained. The mount can also spend 5 feet of movement to automatically escape from nonmagical restraints, such as manacles or a creature that has it grappled. Finally, being underwater imposes no penalties on the mount’s movement or attacks. These effects last 1 hour.
- Earth: The mounts hide becomes hard and tough like stone, it gains resistance to non-magical piercing slashing and bludgeoning damage.
- Water: The mount gains the spell control water once per long rest. The mount does not need to use any verbal, somatic or material components, its spell DC is 11 + its proficiency bonus.
- 1 The creature uses all its movement to move in a random direction. To determine the direction, roll a d8 and assign a direction to each die face. The creature does not take an action this turn.
- 2–6 The creature does not move or take actions this turn.
- 7–8 The creature uses its action to make a melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach. If there is no creature within its reach, the creature does nothing this turn.
- 9–10 The creature can act and move normally. At the end of each of its turns, an affected target can make a Wisdom saving throw DC equal to 11 + the mounts proficiency bonus. If it succeeds, this effect ends for that target.
Mount Classes
All mounts have a maximum level of 10. A mount with a CR of 1 or higher multiplies it's CR by 1.5 (Round up) to calculate its starting level. For example, a Sabre-toothed tiger has a CR of 2 and so its effective mount level is 3, and so it can only ever be trained to be a 7th level mount. Furthermore, to tame a Sabre-toother tiger a character would need to be level 6. In fact, the highest CR a mount can be tamed is CR 6 (by a level 18 character).
| PC Level | Effective Mount Level | Creature CR |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | 3 | 2 |
| 10 | 5 | 3 |
| 12 | 6 | 4 |
| 16 | 8 | 5 |
| 18 | 9 | 6 |
Mounts and riders
Mounts have to respect their riders; these noble beasts will not let a creature they don't respect ride them. A mount cannot be more than half the level of its rider.
Encumbrance.
A mount fitted with armour or a saddle that is not proficient becomes Encumbered. (-10ft movement) (page 176 PHB)
True mounts.
True mounts are creatures below level 1, so are the only mounts able to reach level 10 with classes.
Bred to the saddle
True mounts do not take any penalties to their movement speed due to the encumbrance or carrying a single rider.
Barding
Barding is armour designed to protect an animal. Any animal proficient with armour can wear any barding. Any type of armour shown on the Armour table can be purchased as Barding. The cost for small or medium animals is the same as shown in the table but barding for large animals is four times the equivalent armour made for Humanoids, and it weighs twice as much. The cost of barding for huge animals is sixteen times the cost and weight.
Saddles.
Creatures proficient with saddles can use any type of saddle. 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.