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MisterSaturnine
2009-06-14, 02:00 AM
So, I've searched all over the internet for this information, but still haven't really found an answer--how do you determine what mount a paladin can use? Is it based on HD or what? In the class ability entry, it just says that a paladin usually has a Warhorse or a Warpony and such, but seems to give no information pertaining to how to determine if you can use something else.

AslanCross
2009-06-14, 02:12 AM
DMG Page 204 has general guidelines on what mounts may or may not be allowable. Ultimately this is subject to the DM, of course. I suggest either a Dire Wolf or Dire Lion. :D

Dire Wolf gets trip, the lion gets pounce.

MisterSaturnine
2009-06-14, 02:22 AM
DMG Page 204 has general guidelines on what mounts may or may not be allowable. Ultimately this is subject to the DM, of course. I suggest either a Dire Wolf or Dire Lion. :D

Dire Wolf gets trip, the lion gets pounce.

Ah, thank you very much.

It's monstrous spider time.

Renegade Paladin
2009-06-14, 02:25 AM
I tend to go with griffons, myself. Sure, you wait until 8th level, but they're stylin'. :smallbiggrin:

Tsotha-lanti
2009-06-14, 06:15 AM
For monsters not on the list, I suggest finding the closest equivalent in HD and CR that is on the list, and assigning the same level.

sofawall
2009-06-14, 06:23 AM
But remember, like LA/CR, it may not be the same for you as for the enemy.

Unicorns come to mind as useful for the spell-likes.

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-06-14, 10:18 AM
Awakened Horse Paladin, with a Human mount. :smallbiggrin:

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-06-14, 10:25 AM
Awakened Horse Paladin, with a Human mount. :smallbiggrin:

Disclaimer: Not legal in most states of the Union...

archon_huskie
2009-06-14, 10:41 AM
I usually have the Paladin's go a a spirit quest to achieve their mount. This is a not a rules thing, but something I do for roleplay. I give the player a description of traveling to a sacred place to enter a deep meditative state. Then the paladin recieves a vision, usually it is a conversation of sorts with their diety.

I'll ask the character a couple of question. "Do you value strength over speed (Heavy verses Light war horse)? Where's your ideal place to live (IF it is exotic, odd, or unusual then this opens the possibility of non-horsey mount and fits the campaign of course)? favorite color? (Color of the animal)?

Serrae
2009-06-14, 11:43 AM
favorite color? (Color of the animal)?

Okay now I have a very monty python-esque image of a booming voice of *insert deity here* going

"Whaaaat is your favorite color?"

Some discretion comes into it, but usually anything CR 2 or below that can be sensible ridden (I think one of the books (MM?) talks about being both willing and able to be a mount). Theme it with the player though, a drow paladin might well drool over a gigantic spider, but an arachnophobic halfling might not be best pleased if their gods gifted them with the same mount.

I know it seems strange but also sometimes do just give out a standard warhorse, and maybe have a quest to change their mount later, non-standard mounts stop being non-standard if you give them out all the time.

Oh and I don't recommend giving out unicorns, apart form anything else they are always chaotic good, If I see unicorns I prefer to see them go as (temporary) mounts for druids/rangers/worshiper of a nature god and even then they aren't meant to leave their own forest without a very very good reason, make it more than a handle animal check

Trodon
2009-06-14, 11:48 AM
"Whaaaat is your favorite color?"

"blue, no yell aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" lol

anyway i like tigers myself wait untill level 7, but its a tiger

Origomar
2009-06-14, 11:49 AM
If only i could ride a giant squirrel into battle, alas a scouting companian as ranger will have to do :(

Babale
2009-06-14, 12:24 PM
But you CAN do that! Dire Squirrel, advanced to large size, and given the Warbeast template!

Flickerdart
2009-06-14, 01:03 PM
You generally want something with mobility, like a Dire Eagle.

Babale
2009-06-14, 01:24 PM
Or a dire squirrel. Can't underestimate those racial bonuses to climb checks.

And although the DC to climb on open air is infinity, if he rolls a natural twenty...

TheThan
2009-06-14, 01:37 PM
Personally I think it depends greatly upon race.

Dwarf: griffin
Elf half/elf: giant eagle
Human: Pegasus
Orc, half/orc: Razor boar
Halfing: blink dog
Gnome: wolverine
Goblin: spider eater

Dragonborn: Pterosaur
Tiefling: nightmare

archon_huskie
2009-06-14, 01:41 PM
In a game called Hackmaster, a friend of mine played a pixie fairy paladin with a regular Squirrel mount. . .

Poil
2009-06-14, 04:52 PM
Dwarf: griffin

I object! Dwarves would ride things closer to the ground. Strong, stable and hairy creatures such as bears or mammoths. :smalltongue:

SSGoW
2009-06-14, 05:01 PM
a friend of mine had a giant kitty (yes kitten) that was large or huge but i dont suggest that .... about 100 kobolds killed >.>

TheThan
2009-06-14, 05:02 PM
I object! Dwarves would ride things closer to the ground. Strong, stable and hairy creatures such as bears or mammoths. :smalltongue:

I know, but I always like the idea of dwarves training griffins for patrolling the high mountain passes that go dangerously close to their mountain strongholds.

That and you know… warcraft. :smallcool:

mistformsquirrl
2009-06-14, 05:21 PM
<^_^> I prefer Warhammer dwarfs.

Gyrocopters <^.^>

Though now that I think of it... <o.@> how would a Celestial Gyrocopter work. *think*

Thurbane
2009-06-14, 09:43 PM
I object! Dwarves would ride things closer to the ground. Strong, stable and hairy creatures such as bears or mammoths. :smalltongue:
I always think of Dwarves associated with Griffons as mounts - I think it's from playing Warlords on the PC. :smalltongue:

Callista
2009-06-14, 09:53 PM
I had a rogue/paladin with a Blink Dog mount. Yes, free instant flanking. Requires a Small rider, and a higher level; and the blink dog is intelligent, not a regular animal, so it has a mind of its own. The low HP requires that you get the dog some protection so it's never killed before you can dismiss it.

Frosty
2009-06-14, 11:33 PM
What would a Centaur Paladin call down? It's not like they can mount another horse...

MisterSaturnine
2009-06-14, 11:41 PM
What would a Centaur Paladin call down? It's not like they can mount another horse...

Well...when two centaurs love each other very, very much...

Aneantir
2009-06-14, 11:41 PM
What would a Centaur Paladin call down? It's not like they can mount another horse...

The ideal male centaur paladin mount is, in fact, a female centaur. Don't tell me it's not legal, and don't even try to argue that he can't "mount that"...

RTGoodman
2009-06-14, 11:42 PM
What would a Centaur Paladin call down? It's not like they can mount another horse...

He'd say screw a mount and take the Charging Smite ACF from PHB2.

Mr.Moron
2009-06-14, 11:44 PM
Another thing to keep in mind is the way the progression works. Low-Availability mounts (like the standard horse) really miss out because they're weak to begin with and stop getting new stuff in the mid-levels. If you aim for something that becomes available ~10, you get the most bang for your class feature buck.

Oh, and be wary. The paladin mount feature does nothing to make animals proficient with barding. If you want to get armor for that puppy, I'd suggest applying the Warbeast template (MM2). It delays availability, but also gives some nice minor stat bonuses .. more importantly it lends proficiency with all types of armor.

I'll second a previous poster's suggestion for the Dire Lion, just for the sheer awesome. Though the lack of mobility might hurt if you're using the standard paladin class (the suggestions for flying mounts & the like are very good ones). If you're using Prestige Paladin, your faster casting progression should net a way around that in a timely manner.

Frosty
2009-06-14, 11:46 PM
He'd say screw a mount and take the Charging Smite ACF from PHB2.

Hmm...so if a Centaur Paladin does Smiting Charge with a Spirited Charge Smite Evil against an evil target...

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-06-14, 11:47 PM
What would a Centaur Paladin call down? It's not like they can mount another horse...See my earlier post. If the mount must be unintelligent, they instead get a Baboon or similar that rides them, wields a Lance, and in general is just more dangerous.
He'd say screw a mount and take the Charging Smite ACF from PHB2. But if he takes Charging Smite, he doesn't get a mount...

Frosty
2009-06-14, 11:54 PM
See my earlier post. If the mount must be unintelligent, they instead get a Baboon or similar that rides them, wields a Lance, and in general is just more dangerous.But if he takes Charging Smite, he doesn't get a mount...

Maybe he can take Leadership and have a Paladin Cohort who wields a lance and rides him? They can be the Lances that Smite Evil together and invent a new attack called the Tornado Lance. :smallbiggrin: