mounted combat build 3.5

[nysisobli]

Im playing in a knight it a 3.5 dnd group, and i recently found out that i wanted to go mounted combat. I was wondering the best ways to go about this. For my third level feat i was thinking mounted archery, but i wasn't sure. Also we are nly allowed to multiclass once, and have to finish a prc once we start it.

[Eldan]

You need a way to make your animal either an animal companion or a Paladin mount, since a normal horse will go down to a single lucky arrow. There are a few prestige classes which can do that.

As a knight, I wouldn't go with archery, to be honest. You have a few good melee abilities, also relating to shields, so I'd get a shield and lance. Spirited charge, I think, is the feat which multiplies your damage on a charge with a lance.

[Eldariel]

Im playing in a knight it a 3.5 dnd group, and i recently found out that i wanted to go mounted combat. I was wondering the best ways to go about this. For my third level feat i was thinking mounted archery, but i wasn't sure. Also we are nly allowed to multiclass once, and have to finish a prc once we start it.

Generally, if going mounted you'll need:
- Mount
Best way to acquire a Mount that's cheap and doesn't die on you is class features or feats.
Knight lacks Mount-class feature so consider: Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a), Leadership, Dragon Cohort - every one of those gets you a scaling, reasonably useful mount. Exact choice depends on level and you, of course. Wild Cohort is the only one available yet.
Mounts can be purchased but they'll be AoE fodder later on putting a strain on your purse and disabling you in combat when you rely too much on them, while character ability-based mounts tend to keep up when properly equipped.
- Feat Strategy
Mounted combat lends itself best to charging, due to the sick damage bonuses from Mounted Charge. Fighting together with your mount is also a reasonable option.
Mounted Archery requires some reliable source of bonus damage, which is hard to come by in your chassis. It tends to require class levels and feats, neither of which Knight gets in abundance especially since Mounted Combat itself is feat intensive (especially if you need Tunnel Riding to get your large mount into dungeons).

Source of Mount doesn't really matter as long as you aren't paying gold for them, but your strategy does. Damage is really hard to come by with Archery unless you have Precision Damage, spells or a nice feat stack. Knights have none of those making unimpressive Archers.

[nysisobli]

I don't think the dm will allow the animal companion, its based on a specific world, there is very little arcane magic, and no gods. Paladins are unheard of, the most i have horse wise is a ring that lets me cast mount as a spell, using my level, as the rings caster level

[senrath]

Grab Spirited Charge and use a Valorous Lance. 4x damage on a charge, 6x if you crit as well.

[gdiddy]

Feats for mounted combat:

Consider the Cavalier class. It's ten levels that really help knightly horsemen types. Has 1/day charges that multiply lance damage by x4 or x5 on a charge.

Ride-by-Attack (Situationally useful.)

Sprited Charge (x3 with a lance, x2 with anything else)

Powerful Charge (+1d8 on every charge, multiplied by your mounted charge multiplier)

Power Attack (Subtract to hit, and multiply the difference by 2, on a mounted charge, multiply this with everything else.)

Shocktrooper (This let's you subtract from AC for power attack, so you don't sacrifice the ability to hit things)

Anything else is just flavor.

[Human Paragon 3]

And get to know your ride skill. There are a lot of neat tricks buried within the skill description, such as gaining extra speed out of your mount and dropping down to use the mount as cover (+4AC and requires NO ACTION).

The power of spirited charge cannot be understated, but beyond that, don't invest too heavily in the mount. It can be killed, or you could need to go someplace the mount can't follow, then your feats will be useless.

[MonarchAnarch]

I've played a high power mounted charger before. You have two options. Go all out charge for high damage, 1 attack a round no matter what level you are, or fight with the mount. Have the mount move you to target then you full attack with weapon.

I suggest having a lance for charges and a sword/mace/etc for when your moving from target to target. Use ride-by-attack to get you positioned for your next round. First round charge in and hit the lead mob, then use ride by to position yourself at the back of the pack, and pull your sword. Meet your party in the middle.

[gdiddy]

Absolutely. Many DMs often won't even let you use your lance after your first attack with it.

So make it count. Definitely invest a little in your sword, so you're not useless after the charge. Cavalier helps this, by adding +3 to hit with every sword in the game. Also remember, you can withdraw and charge again with a x2 multiplier on your sword attacks. Use that to your advantage.

[Person_Man]

Knight Handbook (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109429).


Assuming your DM doesn't let you get a cohort through a Feat and no one in your party has an Animal Companion or Familiar, here are a few more options:

Amber Amulet of Vermin: Summon a flying mount once per day. Dirt cheap, so there's no reason you can't buy several of them. Magic Item Compendium p 68.
Amulet of Aberrant Empathy: You can use a Handle Animal check in place of a Diplomacy check to influence the attitude of aberrations with low Int. Find an aberration you like and concince it to be Helpful. Comp Adventurer pg 132.
Effigy Creatures: Construct animals that do whatever you tell them to do. Although they tend not to have a lot of hit points (Constructs have no Con score) they have a ton of immunities, DR, and they’re relatively cheap. Just make sure someone in your party has access to Repair spells (or buy them a Wand). Complete Arcane pg 152.
Figurine of Wondrous Power, Gold Beetle or Ivory Camel. Good as mounts if you don't want to be bothered with Handle Animal. Sandstorm p. 133.
Pendant of Dragon Empathy: You can use a Handle Animal check in place of a Diplomacy check to influence the attitude of dragons with low Int. Same deal as the Amulet of Aberrant Empathy - find a dragon, convince him to help you. Comp Adventurer pg 134.
Handle Animal: Core use of the Skill let's you train animals as mounts. At low levels regular riding dogs will do. At higher levels just buy or find your favorite dinosaurs.


Tactics for a mounted Knight:

Play a Small race, so that you can ride your Medium mount anywhere.
Use your lance two-handed and buy an animated shield. You'll get much more damage that way.
Use Test of Mettle to draw your enemies to you. Charge through and past them repeatedly, drawing them as far away as you can from the rest of your party. Divide and conquer. Have the rest of the party gang up on whoever passed their Test of Mettle Save, and once they're dead, have them kill whoever is following you around - one at a time - vastly increasing your party's effectiveness.
Take Knock-Down or Stand Still (which doesn't require an opposed check) to prevent enemy counter attacks.
At the start of your round if you're too close to enemies to Charge, use an Anklet of Translocation (Magic Item Compendium) to Dimension Door 10 ft away as a Swift Action. Then rinse and repeat on your Ride-By Attack combo. Only usable twice a day, but no reason you can't buy several of them.
Buy a couple of offensive magic items that have nothing to do with melee combat that also effect creatures immune to your Challenge abilities (undead, constructs, etc). Your DM is going to get sick of your Aggro/Charge combo, so have something useful to do that is completely different.


The Handbook also has a level by level guide to PrC and multi-class options.



Absolutely. Many DMs often won't even let you use your lance after your first attack with it.

Wait, what? I've never encountered a DM who did that. It's nowhere in the rules. Why would they do that?

Also, Cavalier is a very mediocre PrC. It's Pounce ability option specifically does not work on a Charge attack (it lets you move and then make a full attack, but not Charge), and thus doesn't work with Spirited Charge or Ride By Attack.

And the bonus damage from the Powerful Charge feat or any other source of bonus dice of damage (such as Sneak Attack) are NOT multiplied under any circumstance. Only the base damage of a weapon and non-dice bonuses (Power Attack, Smite, etc) are multiplied.

[Torvon]

No matter where you look, Person Man has answered patiently and extensively.

You rock, dude. Thanks :smallredface: