Expanded rules for mounts Sometimes getting from one place to another can be tedious or even boring for the seasoned adventurer. Other times a noble knight may wish to find a steed with which to ride into battle. That's where mounts get involved.

Although the Dungeons & Dragons Core Rulebooks already contains rules and statistics for mounted combat and horses that can be used as mounts, there are relatively few options for players to customise their experience. This document intends to expand upon the rules laid out in the core rulebooks to make life in the saddle that bit more interesting and enjoyable.



DMing Note: Changes to Mounted Combat rules To make mounted combat more immersive and tactical, implement both of these two simple changes: Mounts are not restricted to only being able to take the Dash, Disengage, and Dodge actions whilst mounted.

When calculating the challenge rating of an encounter, the CR of a creature being used as a mount is doubled.

Thoroughbred horses Not all horses are equal, some, either through rigorous breeding programs or from living in an extreme environment, are a cut above the average stallion you can buy at the local stables. Thoroughbred horses are meant to be a step up from the horses that can be found in Appendix D of the Player's Handbook (PHB). Capable of stunning feats of speed or endurance that would likely kill a lesser member of it's kind.

All thoroughbred horses have the same basic statistics as follows:





















Thoroughbred Horse STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 12 14 2 12 7 Size: A thoroughbred horses size is large. Speed: Thoroughbred horses have a base walking speed of 60 feet. Starting Hit points: All thoroughbred horses have 26(2d10+6) Hit Points at level 1. Armour Class: All thoroughbred horses have an AC whilst unarmoured of 11. This can be increased by giving a horse Barding, which every thoroughbred horse may take. (See pages 155-157 and 310 of the PHB for more details on barding.) Trampling Charge: If the horse moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a hooves attack on the same turn, that target must succeed a Strength saving throw (The DC of which is equal to 8 + the horses proficiency bonus + the horses Strength modifier) or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the horse can make another attack with its hooves against it as a bonus action. Types of Thoroughbreds There are two main types of thoroughbreds: Riding Horses and Warhorses. Each of these thoroughbred types have 3 lineages from which the horses have been bred, making them more adept at certain things.

DMing Note: Acquiring and Leveling a Thoroughbred horse Thoroughbred horses are meant to be hard to come by and highly prized by both breeder and rider alike. Should you wish for your players to start the campaign with their own thoroughbred(s), do be sure to remember that the CR of any encounter that they face, especially at lower levels, when their mounts are present may be significantly easier to deal with than when they are not. If, alternatively, you wish to introduce your players to the option of buying a thoroughbred horse partway through a campaign, the value of a healthy thoroughbred at auction tends to range between 500 to 700 gp, with direct descendants of especially noteworthy stallions and mares selling for even higher prices. If a thoroughbred is acquired by a party of 1st-5th level characters, consider having the mounts gain a level for every two levels the PC's gain. If a thoroughbred is acquired by a party of above 5th level characters, the mounts gains levels along with the PC's. 1

Riding Horses Level Proficiency Bonus Lightly Armoured Movement Features 1st +2 +10 ft. Lightly Armoured Movement, Thoroughbred Lineage 2nd +2 +10 ft. Thoroughbred Lineage Feature 3rd +2 +15 ft. Ability Score Improvement 4th +3 +15 ft. Evasion, Thoroughbred Lineage Feature 5th +3 +20 ft. Thoroughbred Lineage Feature Lightly Armoured Movement: At first level, the speed of the horse increases by 10 feet while it is not wearing Heavy Armour. This bonus increases by an additional 5 feet at 3rd and 5th level. Thoroughbred Lineage: At first level, choose a Thoroughbred Lineage. Each lineage is detailed below. Your choice grants the horse additional features at this and later levels. Ability Score Improvement: At third level, the horse can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Evasion: At fourth level, the horses instinctive agility lets it dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a fireball spell. When it is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead take no damage if it succeeded on the saving throw, and only half damage if it failed. Thoroughbred Lineages: Cross-country Thoroughbred: These horses are hardy creatures taken from wild stock that live in rugged environs far from the touch of civilization. At first level, the horse has advantage on Strength(athletics) and Dexterity(acrobatics) checks for climbing slopes of a 45 degree incline or less, as well as advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone.

Hardy Survivor: At second level, while travelling for an hour or more outside of urban environments, the horse gains the following benefits: The party is always able to find safe paths to travel on meaning that difficult terrain doesn't slow the group's travel.

The horse is capable of foraging enough food for itself as to not need feeding. Natural Awareness: At fourth level, the horse gains proficiency with Wisdom(perception) checks. Natural Swimmer: At fifth level, the horse gains a Swim speed of 50 feet. Racing Thoroughbred: These fine specimens are bred for one purpose and one purpose only: speed. They are regularly pitted against each other in tournaments both informal, and with large amounts of coin at stake. Equine Agility: At first level, when the horse moves on it's turn in combat, it can double it's speed until the end of the turn. Once the horse use this trait, it can't use it again until they move 0 feet on one of their turns. Fast Recovery: At second level, if the horse suffers levels of exhaustion, it may reduce it's exhaustion level by one after taking a short rest rather than a long rest. Lightning Fast Escape: At fourth level, hostile creatures have disadvantage on opportunity attacks made against either the horse or it's rider. Multi-hoof Drifting: At fifth level, the horse only needs to have moved at least 20 feet to use it's Trampling Charge ability, ignoring the straight line movement requirement. 2

Caravan Thoroughbred: These horses are from long and distinguished lines of mercantile pack-horses, capable of carrying high value cargo from location to location at a remarkable pace. Heavy hauler: At first level, the horses carrying capacity is doubled. Additionally, the horse is capable of travelling for twice as long before it begins acquire levels of exhaustion. Soft Hoofed: At second level, the horse is capable of using Dexterity(stealth) checks whilst travelling at a normal pace. Smooth Ride: At fourth level, whilst riding on this horse, a rider is capable of taking a short or long rest, provided that nothing interferes with them. Blessed Traveller: At fifth level, the horse and all friendly creatures that travel with it may gain 2d10+3 temporary hitpoints whenever they finish a long rest together.

Warhorses Level Proficiency Bonus Features 1st +2 Vicious Bite, Thoroughbred Lineage 2nd +2 Thoroughbred Lineage Feature 3rd +2 Ability Score Improvement 4th +3 Extra Attack, Thoroughbred Lineage Feature 5th +3 Thoroughbred Lineage Feature Vicious Bite: At first level, this horse has been trained to be as deadly in combat as it's potential rider. The horse can use it's bite as a natural weapon, in which it is proficient. As a bonus action it may make a melee weapon attack with it's bite against a creature of its choosing within 5 feet, using it's Strength modifier, and dealing piercing damage to the target on a hit equal to 2d4 + the horses Strength modifier. Thoroughbred Lineage: At first level, choose a Thoroughbred Lineage. Each lineage is detailed below. Your choice grants the horse additional features at this and later levels.









Ability Score Improvement: At third level, the horse can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. Extra attack: At fourth level, the horse can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on it's turn. Thoroughbred Lineages: Bulwark Thoroughbred: These steeds have come from a long line of warhorses bred for combat in the thick of the swirling melee. Superior Vitality: At first level, whilst this horse is armoured it gains Temporary Hit Points equal to it's armour class + proficiency bonus. Any lost Temporary Hit Points are regained at the end of a short or long rest. Enduring Resistance: At second level, when the horse or it's rider are hit by a melee weapon attack, the horse may use it's reaction to reduce the amount of damage by an amount equal to it's constitution modifier. This feature may be used a number of times equal to the horses level with expended uses being regained at the end of a long rest. Defending Mount: At fourth level, if the horse is being ridden, the rider gains a bonus to AC equal to half of the horses constitution modifier, rounded up. Second Wind: At fifth level, on the horses turn, it can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + it's level. Once the horse uses this feature, it must finish a short or long rest before it can use it again. Charger Thoroughbred: Fine warhorses worthy of only the most skilled of knights, able to strike hard and fast into combat like bottled lightning. Improved Charge: At first level, when the horse moves at least 20 feet on it's turn, if it's rider makes a melee weapon attack whilst mounted on it, the first melee weapon attack that the rider makes gains a bonus to the attack and damage roll equal to the horses proficiency bonus. At second level, the horse may use the disengage action as a bonus action. 3