in combat in an MMORPG? Especially when using (riding) an animal to fight another on an animal as well.

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Original post by sereal_killa in combat in an MMORPG? Especially when using (riding) an animal to fight another on an animal as well.

Sounds a little too specific to really be a question about "freedom."

But to answer the spirit of your question, allow me to state the following.

We know from surviving records of Napoleonic cavalry that a mounted swordsman must take certain precautions to protect his steed. The horse has a large body that's easy to hit and injure and believe me, you don't want to be strapped on top of a large, powerful, and angry animal.

I would imagine, for play-balance reasons, you might want to introduce a risk into riding a "mount" while in combat -- in that a wounded steed runs the risk of galloping out of control, or falling over on top of you (which would really suck). Though to some players/parties, the benefit of mobility and sheer speed (which is not the same as quickness or maneuverability) may be pervasive enough to accept that risk.