Ride (Draw Steel)
Skills
Definition
Ride covers controlling a mount at speed, staying on through a jump or stumble, fighting from the saddle, and coaxing a frightened animal past danger. Balance and timing matter more than strength once the animal is trained. It appears in overland travel, mounted chases, and battles with cavalry or exotic mounts. A rider who fails at the wrong moment ends up prone in the road, so it matters most when the ground or the animal is unfamiliar.
How it works
**Characteristic**: Agility. **Skill group**: Agility skills. **Test**: 2d10 + Agility; 11 or lower is tier 1, 12 to 16 tier 2, 17 or higher tier 3. Training grants a benefit and unlocks attempts untrained heroes cannot make. **How it is used**: Tier 3 keeps you mounted and in control, often gaining speed or position. Tier 2 succeeds with a stumble or lost distance. Tier 1 means you are thrown or the mount bolts. **Edges and banes**: A trained mount, a saddle, and open ground grant an edge (+2). Panicked or exotic animals, rough terrain, or riding wounded imposes a bane (-2).
Tips
**Best for**: Heroes in mounted campaigns, and anyone who wants a mobile role on open battlefields. **Character concepts**: Nomadic culture rider, noble raised in the saddle, Tactician cavalry officer. **Synergies**: Handle Animals for training and calming the mount, Drive for vehicles, Alertness for seeing terrain hazards before the animal does.
Frequently asked questions
Do I roll Ride every time I travel on horseback?
No. Routine riding is automatic. Tests are for speed, danger, jumps, combat, or an animal that does not trust you.
Can I ride something other than a horse?
Yes, if the creature is trained to carry riders. Expect a bane on an unfamiliar or half-wild mount.