How does a mount interact with its rider in regards to Reflex saves?

Question

In this episode of 'Wasting Time with Phill', we take a look at how mounts and riders interact with their saving throws.

How does a mount interact with its rider in regards to Reflex saves?

• If a mount has a better Reflex saving throw, can the rider use its save instead of his own?
• If a mount has evasion and the rider does not, does the rider gain the benefit of it?
• The opposite: If a mount doesn't have evasion and the rider does, does the mount gain the benefit?
• Is the relationship between rider and mount important? E.g., animal companion, special mount, familiar, 'bought the mount with gold', 'raised him from a pup', etc.

Have you thought of something I haven't? Let me know!

Edit: After some insightful words from Jonathan Hobbs, I rephrased my main question and included subpoints as specific examples of the kind of things I am questioning.

Answer 1

There's nothing in the rules that mentions any sharing of reflex saves between mount and rider. Each rolls a separate reflex save. Unless it's stated specifically, a mount and rider do not share any abilities such as Evasion with each other, either.

To address the issue of realism clashing with the game rules, I don't think this is out of bounds with realism, either. While a reflex save is described as "moving out of the way", the act of rolling a reflex save doesn't grant any actual movement. Any movement that's used to describe the reflex save would be within your own space.

I can think of a lot of descriptive reasons why a mount that occupies a 10 foot square (such as a horse) would have a different save result as the rider, despite the mount moving the rider with it. Perhaps while the horse was moving to avoid a fireball, it left the rider more exposed? Perhaps part of the rider's successful save was using the horse for cover?

The relationship between the mount and rider also only applies to reflex saves if something specifically states it. If your character has a special mount that has an ability that allows its rider to use its reflex save, or its evasion ability, then it would apply.