Halfling Knight Needs A Mount!

[Dralnu]

I want to play a Halfling Knight (PHB2) from level 1 to around level 10. I want to get him a paladin-ish mount, aka something that's hard to kill and easy to replace if it dies.

Are there any simple solutions to get this? Maybe a feat?

[Lateral]

Wild Cohort. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) It's a lot like (but not quite the same as) a Druid's Animal Companion, only in a feat. It's hard to kill- it gets plenty of bonus HD and can wear armor- and you have it all day.

[Stormageddon]

Riding dog.

[Zaq]

Clockwork steed! Clockwork steed!

OK, maybe it's not THAT easy to replace if it dies, but c'mon, clockwork steed! Yes, they do make a pony version, so you'll fit. Clockwork is magic!

[Darrin]

I want to play a Halfling Knight (PHB2) from level 1 to around level 10. I want to get him a paladin-ish mount, aka something that's hard to kill and easy to replace if it dies.


I've always been fond of the Brixashulty (Races of the Wild p. 187). You can pick it up as an animal companion via the previously mentioned Wild Cohort, or dip one level of Beastmaster. Or you can just buy a fully-trained adult for 150 GP. Oddly enough, a Warbeast version (MMII template, 3HD) also costs only 150 GP.

Clawfoot dinosaurs (Eberron Campaign Setting) cost the same, 150 GP (both the 2HD and 3HD warbeast version). But the "Lamborghini" of the medium-sized animals is the ever-popular Fleshraker dinosaur (MMIII). A Warbeast version (5HD) only costs 400 GP. Four attacks, pounce, rake, and a poison attack.

[Darth Stabber]

Solution: Dip druid. There are multiple animals on that list that could serve as a mount for a halfling. And they are replaceable within 24 hours.

[Xuc Xac]

What's wrong with a horse?

[WinWin]

Hippogriff. Fairly cheap.

[Iamtheend]

Dire Pug is all you need

[Darth Stabber]

What's wrong with a horse?


Hippogriff. Fairly cheap.

It's a halfling, which is small, therefore it would use a medium mount. My personal recomendation would be a wolf, unless you are evil, then I recommend skeletal wolf.

[TroubleBrewing]

Wolf has useful combat abilities.

Until I read the whole "1-10 Knight" thing, I was going to recommend Fleshraker. Halflings riding dinosaurs for the win.

[Hand_of_Vecna]

Blink Dog FTW

[Xuc Xac]

It's a halfling, which is small, therefore it would use a medium mount.

That's a stupid rule based on one misquoted line from Tolkien. It completely ignores the fact that jockeys in the real world are all little guys. Children can ride horses with no problem. Humans of all sizes ride elephants. And in the game, there are medium-sized creatures like Humans and Githyanki that ride dragons. Halflings can ride a horse.

[TroubleBrewing]

Blink Dog FTW

How do you plan on getting a Blink Dog pre-10 with no Paladin levels? :smallconfused:


. Halflings can ride a horse.

Sure, but being Small-sized is actually a good thing for a mounted character. Medium-sized mounts traditionally have useful combat abilities, as well as being able to fit in dungeons, taverns, towns, etc.

Large-sized mounts tend to get left behind as soon as the DM says "subterranean dungeon with submerged portions".

[Gwendol]

Wartrained riding dog. It's a little slower than the wolf, but is stronger, has more HP, better NA, and can trip just as the wolf does.
Depending on the setting other animals could be used: lizards, cats, dinos, dire birds.

Take the Wild Cohort feat to advance HD etc, or dip for Druid and take the Natural Bond feat to increase the power of the beast a little (+3 druid levels max).

At level 9 you will add 5 HD, +5 NA, +2 STR/DEX, plus the BAB adjustment from the HD, and feats. Not bad.

[Darrin]

How do you plan on getting a Blink Dog pre-10 with no Paladin levels? :smallconfused:


Leadership. DMG p. 199 says it has an ECL of 6, so you could pick one up as a cohort with your 9th level feat.

Also, since Blink Dogs have average intelligence, you could just walk up to one and ask it nicely: Diplomacy check + guidance of the avatar (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20010504a).

Beast Heart Adept (Dungeonscape) can get a blink dog as a monstrous companion.

And I've seen rules somewhere for a mounted character synchronizing a ring of blinking with his blink dog mount, but I can't recall where...

[Draconi Redfir]

Obviously the best mount for a small-sized creature is a Cloker. (Hatchling if you wanna be balanced, full grown if you wanna be awsome.)

Might require an aberrition feat however.

[Leon]

Wartrained riding dog. It's a little slower than the wolf, but is stronger, has more HP, better NA, and can trip just as the wolf do.

A Magebred Wartrained Riding dog



It's a halfling, which is small, therefore it would use a medium mount.

Dungeonbred template from Dungeonscape will shrink a Large rideable monster down nicely to size

[DiBastet]

Deynonichus for extra style-points from eberron.

[Johel]

A Dwarf.

What ? It IS medium-sized... :smallsmile:

[ExemplarofAvg]

Giraffe, Who wouldn't fear a Halfling riding a Giraffe. Shield your Giraffe and you as a halfling can reach foes with a 1d6 weapon, and the cookies on the top shelf, on the second floor of a Half-Giants house.

[Vizzerdrix]

Get a watchspider. Ride across the ceiling.

[Darth Stabber]

Giraffe, Who wouldn't fear a Halfling riding a Giraffe. Shield your Giraffe and you as a halfling can reach foes with a 1d6 weapon, and the cookies on the top shelf, on the second floor of a Half-Giants house.

I cast giraffe's endurance.

[gorfnab]

And I've seen rules somewhere for a mounted character synchronizing a ring of blinking with his blink dog mount, but I can't recall where...
Arms & Equipment Guide page 82.

Just remember to pick up the feat Pierce Magical Concealment (CArc) if you want to ignore the 20% miss chance from attacking while Blinking.

[JaronK]

Warbeast Desmoderu Hunting Bat (MMII for both the bat and the Warbeast template). It's reasonably cheap, has great detection abilities, and can fight somewhat well. When you can afford it, upgrade to a Magebreed version (ECS) for improved stats at doubled cost.

JaronK

[dob]

I believe small creatures can use large creatures as mounts without any problem, RAW. The only drawback is that they can't make a ride check to fast mount or dismount as a free action.

I myself am playing a halfling knight with a wild cohort riding dog. When he goes to the proverbial farm upstate, I really want to see about riding a cheetah. Fairly generic combat stats, but the sprint ability:

"Once per hour, a cheetah can move ten times its normal speed (500 feet) when it makes a charge."

That's just too hilarious to ignore.

[Xyk]

I think there was a super-awesome riding lizard in some book. Maybe Races of the Wild? They seemed nice. I think Brixashulty (or whatever than goat thing is called) are from the same book. Maybe ride a cheetah? That would be fun.

Edit: Shoot, this nefarious "dob" character beat me to the cheetah idea and cleverly tricked me into not reading their post.

[marcielle]

A Dwarf.

What ? It IS medium-sized... :smallsmile:

OMG YES!
Take leadership at level six and call yourself the BEARDRIDER.
And wear a fake beard.

Barbarian so your steed isn't actually slower than you.

Cheetahs are good too.
I can imagine the halfling just bouncing like crazy and laughing like a madman as he gets a surprise round by charging guys from beyond the effective range of even mages.
NOONE expects a random cheetah out of the horizon. Especially not one with a halfling riding on it.

[ExemplarofAvg]

I cast giraffe's endurance.
I think that should be
Giraffe's Reach
Transmutation
Level: Clr 2, Drd 2, Rgr 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature Touched
Duration:1 mon./level
Saving Throw: Will Negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes
The affected creature gaims greater length and reach. The spell grants the subject an extra 5ft to their reach. And are treated as large for the purpose of grappling, hiding and carrying capacity.

Arcane Material Component: A Giraffe Bone



And IIRC, the Riding Lizards are in Drow of the Underdark (DOT.U) Not sure if the page number though, sorry.

[Malimar]

Arcane Material Component: A Giraffe Bone

To fit with the other "<Animal>'s <Attribute>", it should be giraffe poop. And/or fur, but that's not as funny.

[McSmack]

Deynonichus for extra style-points from eberron.

I second this. Dinosaur riding halfling is the bomb.

[Socratov]

I second this. Dinosaur riding halfling is the bomb.

I still vote for the cheetah, it would have it's soundtrack all ready :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCihv0WA54Y&feature=related

wear flashy clothing and make weird noises :smallbiggrin::smallamused:

[CTrees]

If 1) you're only tied to the idea of a knight, not the exact class and 2) you can pull in things from Pathfinder, you might want to take a look at the Cavalier (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/cavalier). You get a mount from level one, which advances based on your level to stay even with you and relevant. Some nice, knightly abilities, too. Link to the list of PF animal companions, which yes, includes a lot of dinosaurs. Also a moose. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/druid/animal-companions)

My favorite character I've ever played was a halfling cavalier (order of the cockatrice). Egotistical jerk who insisted on taking trophies from everything the party killed and who had ZERO sense of his own, inherent ridiculousness. He insisted on always being mounted, because "walking is so pedestrian." He was going to get a velociraptor mount when he hit level seven (for the medium size advancement and pounce). The other fun thing about him was that, despite having full ranks in ride, bonuses to ride, and being a class explicitly designed to be good at riding, he never once in his life succeeded at a single ride check. A few times that nearly killed both him and another party member. (he was retired mostly because we kept fighting in really cramped quarters, where his mobility was completely useless)