[E6] Mounted build

[Kaeso]

Hey there playground,

My question is pretty simple and the title says it all: what would be a good and effective build for a mounted warrior in E6 without using extremely obscure sources (ie. Core, PHB II, the Completes and perhaps even the Races of X books. Spell Compendium too if spells are used).

I'd prefer a classic 'knight in shining armor' build, but your suggestions can include any other mounted E6 build.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Go Warblade 1/ Fighter 2/ Warblade 3 and use Battle Leader's Charge with Spirited Charge.

You should probably get Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) and give your mount the Warbeast template (MM2). That will give you a mount with the following stats:
Warhorse, Heavy; Warbeast; Wild Cohort (6th level)
Size/Type: Large Animal
Hit Dice: 8d8+40 (76 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 60 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+15
Attack: Hoof +11 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: 2 hooves +11 melee (1d6+6) and bite +6 melee (1d4+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Evasion, low-light vision, scent, combative mount
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +5
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +7, Spot +6, Spellcraft -2
Feats: Endurance, Run, Mage Slayer
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Domesticated
Challenge Rating: 3
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

A light load for this horse is up to 519 pounds; a medium load, 520-1,038 pounds; and a heavy load, 1,039-1,560 pounds. This horse can drag 7,800 pounds.

Combative Mount (Ex): A rider on a trained warbeast
mount gets a +2 circumstance bonus on all Ride checks. A
trained warbeast is proficient with light, medium, and heavy
armor.

[RaginChangeling]

See if you can take the Wild Cohort feat (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) from that web article if you want to be anything but a Ranger/Druid/Paladin. If you want to be any of the above,

Paladin 5/Halfling Outrider 1 is decent enough if you want to be a Halfling. Paladins get some nice first level spells in the Spell compendium to help charging.

Barbarian 5/Beast Heart Adept 1 can get you some more exotic mounts if you can wrest Dungeonscape into the picture. I personally love the Giant Eagle/Owl/Raven because they all have good movement, int 10 and the ability to speak. Ankheg for burrowing ability can also not be overlooked.

Honestly, Barbarian/Ranger/Paladin/Druid 6 with mounted combat feats and a decent mount, go for a Dire Bat or Pegasus if you can get the animal companion/ability to buy it, will do absolutely fine in e6.

Make sure to 2-hand a lance, use Spirited Charge and Power attack for massive damage.

[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
First feat after 6th level: Natural Bond

At 6th level you'll have a Mount/Animal Companion of Paladin 5/ Druid 4. First feat after 6th level bumps this to Paladin 5/ Druid 7.

[Coidzor]

Go Warblade 1/ Fighter 2/ Warblade 3 and use Battle Leader's Charge with Spirited Charge.

You should probably get Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) and give your mount the Warbeast template (MM2). That will give you a mount with the following stats:
Warhorse, Heavy; Warbeast; Wild Cohort (6th level)
Size/Type: Large Animal
Hit Dice: 8d8+40 (76 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 60 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+15
Attack: Hoof +11 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: 2 hooves +11 melee (1d6+6) and bite +6 melee (1d4+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Evasion, low-light vision, scent, combative mount
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +5
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +7, Spot +6, Spellcraft -2
Feats: Endurance, Run, Mage Slayer
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Domesticated
Challenge Rating: 3
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

A light load for this horse is up to 519 pounds; a medium load, 520-1,038 pounds; and a heavy load, 1,039-1,560 pounds. This horse can drag 7,800 pounds.

Combative Mount (Ex): A rider on a trained warbeast
mount gets a +2 circumstance bonus on all Ride checks. A
trained warbeast is proficient with light, medium, and heavy
armor.

Can't Warbeast a Warhorse by the write-up of the template itself, IIRC, so that one's not so much of a go.

I'd still see if I could use it on my Wild Cohort mount though.

[Kaeso]

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
First feat after 6th level: Natural Bond

At 6th level you'll have a Mount/Animal Companion of Paladin 5/ Druid 4. First feat after 6th level bumps this to Paladin 5/ Druid 7.

This build really interests me (except with a human instead of a strongheart halfling). If I take this build, how would you recommend me to distribute my skill points for the first six levels, assuming I have 10 int and the human bonus skill points?

Furthermore, the game is a 28 point buy game, I've distributed my stats as following:
STR 16
DEX 12
CON 14
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 12
Is this good our would you recommend a different distribution?

[gorfnab]

This build really interests me (except with a human instead of a strongheart halfling). If I take this build, how would you recommend me to distribute my skill points for the first six levels, assuming I have 10 int and the human bonus skill points?

Furthermore, the game is a 28 point buy game, I've distributed my stats as following:
STR 16
DEX 12
CON 14
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 12
Is this good our would you recommend a different distribution?
For skills you're kind of stuck because of the prereqs for Beastmaster. Handle Animal 8 ranks, Ride 8 ranks, Survival 4 ranks (costing 8 because of cross class) is pretty much it for levels 1 through 5. There is a way around this if you really don't mind substitution levels. The Noble Heart (Champions of Valor p46) Paladin substitution levels would give you Survival as a class skill (netting you 4 ranks to be placed somewhere else) and Track as a feat (netting you a feat, possibly Ride By Attack).