Handle Animal, Ride and Mounted Combat

[Frozen_Feet]

I'm wondering about spending points on Hanlde Animal, to get myself a nice ride for a Paladin character who doesn't get such otherwise. What would be good animals to train for a mount? How many ranks in ride are necessary for being effective mounted combatant? If someone has a link to good handbook on the subject, I'd appreciate it. :smallsmile:

[Daftendirekt]

Well, if you want to build the character around mounted combat, you probably want to max your ranks in Ride. That said, there are a lot of mounted combat classes:


Ashworm Dragoon, Sandstorm 66 (ride a big worm a la Dune.)
Aglarondan Griffonrider, Unapproachable East 18 (Ride a Griffon. Duh.)
Halfling Outrider, Complete Warrior 38 (halfling on a war dog/pony)
Hospitaler, Complete Divine 48 (mounted combat + healing mix)
Wild Plains Outrider, Complete Adventurer 93 (looks like a ranger/paladin mix? never played this, hardly heard of it)
Skylord, BoED71 (choose giant eagle/giant owl/pegasus for mount. Elf and half-elf only, better mounted ranged combat)
DRAGONRIDER, Draconomicon 124 (YOU GET TO RIDE A GORRAMN DRAGON!)


I'll add more as I find them...

[Cieyrin]

The important ride checks go up to 15, though the key is getting an automatic 10 so you can always Guide with Your Knees and Fight with Warhorse.

If you have Mounted Combat, it becomes a matter of getting your Ride modifier as high as possible, since your check becomes your mount's AC, which is important to keep it alive.

If you want to still have a dependable mount, I'd consider a Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) if you don't want to have to worry about it being Paladin level dependent. If you'd rather save feats, you basically want to go for the biggest toughest creature you can get your hands on, which is possible thanks to the Warbeast template (MM2), which lets you turn any animal into a wartrained mount, which also provides a cost for buying one. I'm personally a fan of the example War Rhino but I just find lulz in riding a Rhino into battle. :smallcool:

[Coidzor]

Mount Handbook has a bit about this. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=7414.0) Not as much as it could though.

[dextercorvia]

Wild Cohort and mounts in general get quite a bit of support, in the Wild Life series.

Silverwood Outrider (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031202a)

Feats (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031125a)

[Coidzor]

If warbeasting is on the table for negotiations at least, Rhinoceros is one I've always been partial to.

Though riding a giant raptor that's wearing armor is also pretty sweet.

[Greenish]

Ashworm Dragoon, Sandstorm 66 (ride a big worm a la Dune.)Well, not quite so big.

Wild Plains Outrider, Complete Adventurer 93 (looks like a ranger/paladin mix? never played this, hardly heard of it)It's not a mix, it's ranger or paladin, since it requires/progresses special mount or animal companion. It even specifically says you can only advance one or the other.

With easy entrance and only three levels, it's a decent filler, though the abilities aren't stellar. Move and full attack is nifty if you're not doing a charger or getting it from anywhere else, though.

[Coidzor]

With easy entrance and only three levels, it's a decent filler, though the abilities aren't stellar. Move and full attack is nifty if you're not doing a charger or getting it from anywhere else, though.

And would be even better for a mounted skirmisher if they hadn't decided to make horse archers verboten. :smallsigh:

[Daftendirekt]

Well, not quite so big.

Well, I said big, not colossal. Large, big, rather interchangeable.

[Greenish]

Well, I said big, not colossal. Large, big, rather interchangeable.I meant it's not quite as large as the sandworms of Dune. :smalltongue:

[Keld Denar]

Don't forget Zhentarum Sky...ma...ge...gah...sorry, I can't bring myself to say it. Its too broken. Having a Pit Fiend for a mount (yes, it is legal) by like, ECL13, is rediculously rediculous.

[Coidzor]

Don't forget Zhentarum Sky...ma...ge...gah...sorry, I can't bring myself to say it. Its too broken. Having a Pit Fiend for a mount (yes, it is legal) by like, ECL13, is rediculously rediculous.

I do have to wonder if there's a way to fix it so that one can both have the thing and eat it too in that it's not so ridiculous it's unplayable.

[Greenish]

I do have to wonder if there's a way to fix it so that one can both have the thing and eat it too in that it's not so ridiculous it's unplayable.You get to pick your mount, no?

Take something that's not so strong and pretend you can't do better.

[Keld Denar]

What? Expect a D&D player to exercise restraint? Inconcievable!

[dob]

If you get the Saddleback feat from PgtF, not only can you take 10 on ride checks, you can use your ride modifier in place of your reflex save once per round for you and your mount.

Ride scales linearly with level. Saving throws do not. Win.