Forcing enemies to attack my mount

[Gan The Grey]

I was wondering...I'm building a druid/wizard/arcane heirophant that uses a riding dog as his companion familiar. My build design is that of a buffing charger. I buff both myself and my mount then charge into combat with my lance. As a goblin and druid, I already have at least a +6 bonus to my ride skill from race and Handle Animal synergy, allowing me to regularly prevent damage to my mount using my ride skill.

Unfortunately, I can find no logic reason for why any enemy would attack my mount over me, and I can't really have my dog take Goad with a 6 charisma. Does anyone know of any other ways or logical arguments for why an enemy would attack my mount over me?

Oh, this is an E6 game. We are converting the Arcane Heirophant prestige class into a series of prestige feats that I can take after level 6. My build is Druid 3/Wizard 3.

[drengnikrafe]

If you roleplay your character as extraordinarily dangerous, but act like you rely on your mount greatly, and then get your mount to roleplay like it is a major weakness to you. Intelligent enemies will take the more feeble part of your character.

In theory.

I don't know, offhand, of any mechanical ways to do it.

[Grumman]

Does it have to be a riding dog? Something bigger and nastier might make it easier to convince your enemies that it, rather than you, is the main threat.

[Lapak]

Hmm. Use the mount-as-cover option with a Ride check? Not the most efficient way to go about it, since you can't attack while doing it, but it certainly gives them an incentive to go after the mount.

[Gan The Grey]

Hey, riding dogs are scary as hell! And it was either that or a heavy horse. :smallbiggrin: Isn't there a feat that allows you to redirect an attack from you to another character within 5 feet?

[Dimers]

Hey, riding dogs are scary as hell! And it was either that or a heavy horse. :smallbiggrin: Isn't there a feat that allows you to redirect an attack from you to another character within 5 feet?

I've seen such a feat in a third-party book on playing evil characters; it required high Bluff to work well. Redirecting attacks is also possible with some powers in 4e. I haven't seen a spell or feat in 3.X other than that third-party one.