Best Way To Do Mounted Combat [3.P]

[Otherworld Odd]

I'm going to be playing a small race.


My question is which path would be best?: Paladin, Cavalier, Fighter, or even Druid?

[gorfnab]

LG Strongheart Halfling
1. Paladin - Mounted Combat, Track
2. Paladin
3. Paladin - Skill Focus: Handle Animal (prereq for Beast Master)
4. Paladin
5. Paladin
6. Beastmaster - Devoted Tracker
7. Beastmaster
8. Wild Plains Outrider
9. Wild Plains Outrider - Mounted Archery
10. Wild Plains Outrider
11. Halfling Outrider
12. Halfling Outrider - Natural Bond
13. Halfling Outrider
14. Halfling Outrider
15. Halfling Outrider - Ride By Attack (or some other feat)
16. Halfling Outrider
17. Halfling Outrider
18. Halfling Outrider - Spirited Charge (or some other feat)
19. Halfling Outrider
20. Halfling Outrider

Special Mount at Level 20: 18th level Paladin = Paladin 5 + Wild Plains 3 + Half-Out 10
Animal Companion at Level 20: 18th level Druid = Beast Master 5 + Natural Bond 3 + Half-Out 10

For a weapon go with a Precise (MIC) Force (MIC) Splitting (CoR, if your DM allows it to mesh with Precise) and/or Collision (MIC, if your DM doesn't allo the Splitting/Precise trick to mesh) Serren Wood (BoED) Composite Longbow.

If flaws are available take Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot at first level and go with a Force Splitting Collision Serren Wood Composite Longbow

[Valairn]

The strongest mounted combat character you can play is actually a summoner in Pathfinder. Pick a small race, gnome or halfling, get a lance. Charge everything on your pouncing mount of doom. So your mount charges with you and gets three natural attacks, plus your double damage, power attacking lance attack. Also you get amazing buffs for you and your mount and your group.

Additionally your mount can take a climb speed, which you can ride while they climb, meaning pesky things like climb checks are just straight ignored. Also since you are small, your mount is medium, which makes you able to ride your mount even in the tight dungeon lands.