toapat
2012-07-17, 07:22 PM
OOC MaterialHere is a Paladin Non-Homebrew Homebrew made using only two tweeks, one homebrewed ability, and 3 modifications. The rest is all from printed material. as such, i do not feel that it could justifyably be called a full homebrew, nor am I entirely sure it belongs in Homebrew design instead of Role Playing Games.
Those who seek to fight tyranny, to heal the sick, Those who fight darkness and help the fearful. They are the Paladins, and they fight for the good of others. They hope for peace, but fight an endless war against evil.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg529/scaled.php?server=529&filename=celestialhflipvu4.jpg&res=landing
"Where Tyranny rules, Justice shall revolt
Who Fear holds, Hope shall free
Which Cruelty torments, Mercy shall reach
When Suffering spreads, I bring Release
Where Darkness Reigns, Light shall Conquer
Paladin"
~ Oath of the True Lightbringer Paladin order.
Gameplay Information:
Attributes: A paladin Favors strength, as it allows them better accuracy, spell DCs, and spellcasting. Constitution for health and fortitude saves, and Charisma for saves, smite bonuses, and spells. Dexterity improves the paladin's reflex saves, AC, and Innitive.
Alignment: Any Good
Hit Die: 1d10
Starting Age: Moderate
Starting Gold: 150gp
Paladin
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |1st|2nd|3rd|4th
1st|+1|+2|+0|+2|Detect Evil, Aura of Good, Smite Evil 1/day|—|—|—|—
2nd|+2|+3|+0|+3|Lay on Hands, Divine Grace|—|—|—|—
3rd|+3|+3|+1|+3|Divine Health, Aura of Resolve|—|—|—|—
4th|+4|+4|+1|+4|Mettle, Battle Blessing, Turn Undead|0|—|—|—
5th|+5|+4|+1|+4|Special Mount, Smite Evil 2/day|0|—|—|—
6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+5|Haste (Self) 1/day|0|—|—|—
7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+5|Bonus Feat|0|—|—|—
8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+6|Celestial Mount|0|0|—|—
9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+6|Spellshatter 1/day|0|0|—|—
10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+7|Bonus Feat, Smite Evil 3/day|0|1|—|—
11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+7|Divine Persistance|0|1|0|—
12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+8|Spellshatter 2/day|0|1|1|—
13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+8|Bonus Feat|0|1|1|—
14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+9|Improved Mettle|1|1|1|0
15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+9|Spellshatter 3/day, Smite Evil 4/day|1|1|1|1
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+10|Bonus Feat|1|2|1|1
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+10||2|2|2|1
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+11|Spellshatter 4/day|2|2|2|1
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+11|Bonus Feat|2|3|3|2
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+12|Smite Evil 5/day|2|3|3|3[/table]
Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier
Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).
Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.
Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.
Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a paladin may attempt to smite evil with one normal attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, and is not used up for the day.
At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.
In addition to the normal effect, beginning at 5th level, whenever a creature is struck by the paladin's smite evil, that creature finds it difficult to cast spells or use magical items. For one round, any attempt to complete one of these actions requires a sucessful concentration check against a DC of (10+paladin level+charisma modifier); Failure means that the action fails. If a spell was being cast, the spell or spell slot is lost. If a magic item was being activated, the attempt mearly fails. Multiple Smite Evil attempts on the same creature do not have cumulative effect.
Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.
Lay on Hands (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to five times her paladin level × her Charisma bonus. A paladin may choose to divide her healing among multiple recipients, and she doesn’t have to use it all at once. Using lay on hands is a standard action.
Alternatively, a paladin can use any or all of this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The paladin decides how many of her daily allotment of points to use as damage after successfully touching an undead creature.
Aura of Resolve (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin is immune to compulsion effects. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against compulsion effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.
Divine Health (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.
Battle Blessing (Ex): A Paladin can cast most of her paladin spells faster than normal. If the spell normally requires a standard action, she can cast it as a swift action. If it normally requires a full round to cast, she can cast it as a standard action. Spells with longer or shorter casting times are not affected.
Mettle (Su): The Paladin's conviction is so strong, that she is able to shrug off magical effects that would harm her. If a Paladin makes a successful Will or Fortitude saving throw that would normally reduce the spell's effect, she suffers no effect from the spell at all. Only those spells with a Saving Throw entry of "Will partial," "Fortitude half," or similar entries can be negated through this ability.
Improved Mettle (Su):As with Mettle, but the paladin also receives half damage on a failed Fortitude save, or partial damage on a failed Will save.
Turn Undead (Su): When a paladin reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to turn undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. She turns undead as a cleric of three levels lower would.
Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin spell list*. A paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, a paladin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Strength modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Strength score.
A paladin can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time, and a Paladin knows all spells on the Paladin Spell list.
Through 3rd level, a paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is three less then her paladin level.
*Add the following spells to the paladin's spell list: 1st—protection from law; 3rd—magic circle against law; 4th—dispel law, freedom of movement.
Special Mount (Sp): Upon reaching 5th level, a paladin gains the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against evil (see below). This mount is usually a Griffon (for a Medium paladin) or a Medium Griffon (for a Small paladin).
Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin and remains for 2 hours per paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.
Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.
Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Haste (Sp): A paladin may cast Haste (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-v35--6/haste--2823/) targeting herself once per day starting at sixth level.
Bonus Feat: Beginning at 7th level, and every fourth level, a paladin gains a bonus feat. A paladin is treated as a Fighter of her level for feat Prerequisites.
Celestial Mount (Ex): The Paladin's mount is a mighty divine being. Beginning at eighth level, the Paladin's Special Mount gains the Half Celestial template.
Spellshatter (Su): Once per day, beginning at 9th level, a Paladin can choose to deliver a targeted Greater Dispel Magic (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-v35--6/dispel-magic-greater--2316/) with a Melee attack. The decision to use this ability must be made before the attack is rolled. If the attack misses, the ability is wasted.
if the attack hits, treat this as if the paladin had cast Greater Dispel Magic on the creature struck, using her paladin level as her caster level.
A paladin may use this ability an additional time each day every third level afterwards.
Divine Persistance (Su): Beginning at level 11, a paladin may weave positive energy into her spellcasting. Whenever a paladin casts a spell with a duration other then instant that targets herself, she may expend two uses of Turn undead for the day. If she does, treat the spell as though it was affected by Metamagic: Persist.
Code of Conduct: A paladin must be of a good alignment. A paladin should act with honor and respect, help those in need, and to punish those who threaten or harm the innocent. A paladin who is not of good alignment looses all Supernatural abilities until she atones.
Paladin Afterlife: In death, a Paladin does not travel to the celestial plane of her alignment, but instead arrives at the Demiplane known as the Bastion of Righteous Hope. Here, paladins tend to their mounts, dine in magnificent mead halls, debate the best ways to fight evil, and prepare for raids on the infernal and Abyssal realms.
Paladin's Mount:
Paladin Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj.|Str Adj|Int|Special
5th-7th|+2|+4|+1|8|Empathic Link, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Share Saving Throws
8th-10th|+4|+6|+2|9|Improved Speed
11th-14th|+6|+8|+3|10|Command Creatures of Its Kind
15th-20th|+8|+10|+4|11|Spell Resistance
Paladin’s Mount Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the mount’s kind, but make changes to take into account the attributes and characteristics summarized on the table and described below.
Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Consitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the mount’s base attack and base save bonuses. A special mount’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a cleric of a level equal to the mount’s HD. A mount has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). The mount gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.
Natural Armor Adj.: The number on the table is an improvement to the mount’s existing natural armor bonus.
Str Adj.: Add this figure to the mount’s Strength score.
Int: The mount’s Intelligence score.
Empathic Link (Su): The paladin has an empathic link with her mount out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The paladin cannot see through the mount’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically.
Note that even intelligent mounts see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible.
Because of this empathic link, the paladin has the same connection to an item or place that her mount does, just as with a master and his familiar (see Familiars).
Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a mount takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.
Share Spells: At the paladin’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts on herself also affect her mount.
The mount must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the mount if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the mount again even if it returns to the paladin before the duration expires. Additionally, the paladin may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her mount (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A paladin and her mount can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the mount’s type (magical beast).
Share Saving Throws: For each of its saving throws, the mount uses its own base save bonus or the paladin’s, whichever is higher. The mount applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the master might have.
Improved Speed (Ex): The mount’s speed increases by 10 feet.
Command (Sp): Once per day per two paladin levels of its master, a mount can use this ability to command other any normal animal of approximately the same kind as itself (for warhorses and warponies, this category includes donkeys, mules, and ponies), as long as the target creature has fewer Hit Dice than the mount. This ability functions like the command spell, but the mount must make a DC 21 Concentration check to succeed if it’s being ridden at the time. If the check fails, the ability does not work that time, but it still counts against the mount’s daily uses. Each target may attempt a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin’s level + paladin’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect.
Spell Resistance (Ex): A mount’s spell resistance equals its master’s paladin level + 5. To affect the mount with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the mount’s spell resistance.
Those who seek to fight tyranny, to heal the sick, Those who fight darkness and help the fearful. They are the Paladins, and they fight for the good of others. They hope for peace, but fight an endless war against evil.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg529/scaled.php?server=529&filename=celestialhflipvu4.jpg&res=landing
"Where Tyranny rules, Justice shall revolt
Who Fear holds, Hope shall free
Which Cruelty torments, Mercy shall reach
When Suffering spreads, I bring Release
Where Darkness Reigns, Light shall Conquer
Paladin"
~ Oath of the True Lightbringer Paladin order.
Gameplay Information:
Attributes: A paladin Favors strength, as it allows them better accuracy, spell DCs, and spellcasting. Constitution for health and fortitude saves, and Charisma for saves, smite bonuses, and spells. Dexterity improves the paladin's reflex saves, AC, and Innitive.
Alignment: Any Good
Hit Die: 1d10
Starting Age: Moderate
Starting Gold: 150gp
Paladin
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |1st|2nd|3rd|4th
1st|+1|+2|+0|+2|Detect Evil, Aura of Good, Smite Evil 1/day|—|—|—|—
2nd|+2|+3|+0|+3|Lay on Hands, Divine Grace|—|—|—|—
3rd|+3|+3|+1|+3|Divine Health, Aura of Resolve|—|—|—|—
4th|+4|+4|+1|+4|Mettle, Battle Blessing, Turn Undead|0|—|—|—
5th|+5|+4|+1|+4|Special Mount, Smite Evil 2/day|0|—|—|—
6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+5|Haste (Self) 1/day|0|—|—|—
7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+5|Bonus Feat|0|—|—|—
8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+6|Celestial Mount|0|0|—|—
9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+6|Spellshatter 1/day|0|0|—|—
10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+7|Bonus Feat, Smite Evil 3/day|0|1|—|—
11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+7|Divine Persistance|0|1|0|—
12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+8|Spellshatter 2/day|0|1|1|—
13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+8|Bonus Feat|0|1|1|—
14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+9|Improved Mettle|1|1|1|0
15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+9|Spellshatter 3/day, Smite Evil 4/day|1|1|1|1
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+10|Bonus Feat|1|2|1|1
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+10||2|2|2|1
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+11|Spellshatter 4/day|2|2|2|1
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+11|Bonus Feat|2|3|3|2
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+12|Smite Evil 5/day|2|3|3|3[/table]
Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier
Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).
Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.
Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.
Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a paladin may attempt to smite evil with one normal attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, and is not used up for the day.
At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.
In addition to the normal effect, beginning at 5th level, whenever a creature is struck by the paladin's smite evil, that creature finds it difficult to cast spells or use magical items. For one round, any attempt to complete one of these actions requires a sucessful concentration check against a DC of (10+paladin level+charisma modifier); Failure means that the action fails. If a spell was being cast, the spell or spell slot is lost. If a magic item was being activated, the attempt mearly fails. Multiple Smite Evil attempts on the same creature do not have cumulative effect.
Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.
Lay on Hands (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to five times her paladin level × her Charisma bonus. A paladin may choose to divide her healing among multiple recipients, and she doesn’t have to use it all at once. Using lay on hands is a standard action.
Alternatively, a paladin can use any or all of this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The paladin decides how many of her daily allotment of points to use as damage after successfully touching an undead creature.
Aura of Resolve (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin is immune to compulsion effects. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against compulsion effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.
Divine Health (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.
Battle Blessing (Ex): A Paladin can cast most of her paladin spells faster than normal. If the spell normally requires a standard action, she can cast it as a swift action. If it normally requires a full round to cast, she can cast it as a standard action. Spells with longer or shorter casting times are not affected.
Mettle (Su): The Paladin's conviction is so strong, that she is able to shrug off magical effects that would harm her. If a Paladin makes a successful Will or Fortitude saving throw that would normally reduce the spell's effect, she suffers no effect from the spell at all. Only those spells with a Saving Throw entry of "Will partial," "Fortitude half," or similar entries can be negated through this ability.
Improved Mettle (Su):As with Mettle, but the paladin also receives half damage on a failed Fortitude save, or partial damage on a failed Will save.
Turn Undead (Su): When a paladin reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to turn undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. She turns undead as a cleric of three levels lower would.
Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin spell list*. A paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, a paladin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Strength modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Strength score.
A paladin can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time, and a Paladin knows all spells on the Paladin Spell list.
Through 3rd level, a paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is three less then her paladin level.
*Add the following spells to the paladin's spell list: 1st—protection from law; 3rd—magic circle against law; 4th—dispel law, freedom of movement.
Special Mount (Sp): Upon reaching 5th level, a paladin gains the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against evil (see below). This mount is usually a Griffon (for a Medium paladin) or a Medium Griffon (for a Small paladin).
Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin and remains for 2 hours per paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.
Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.
Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Haste (Sp): A paladin may cast Haste (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-v35--6/haste--2823/) targeting herself once per day starting at sixth level.
Bonus Feat: Beginning at 7th level, and every fourth level, a paladin gains a bonus feat. A paladin is treated as a Fighter of her level for feat Prerequisites.
Celestial Mount (Ex): The Paladin's mount is a mighty divine being. Beginning at eighth level, the Paladin's Special Mount gains the Half Celestial template.
Spellshatter (Su): Once per day, beginning at 9th level, a Paladin can choose to deliver a targeted Greater Dispel Magic (http://dndtools.eu/spells/players-handbook-v35--6/dispel-magic-greater--2316/) with a Melee attack. The decision to use this ability must be made before the attack is rolled. If the attack misses, the ability is wasted.
if the attack hits, treat this as if the paladin had cast Greater Dispel Magic on the creature struck, using her paladin level as her caster level.
A paladin may use this ability an additional time each day every third level afterwards.
Divine Persistance (Su): Beginning at level 11, a paladin may weave positive energy into her spellcasting. Whenever a paladin casts a spell with a duration other then instant that targets herself, she may expend two uses of Turn undead for the day. If she does, treat the spell as though it was affected by Metamagic: Persist.
Code of Conduct: A paladin must be of a good alignment. A paladin should act with honor and respect, help those in need, and to punish those who threaten or harm the innocent. A paladin who is not of good alignment looses all Supernatural abilities until she atones.
Paladin Afterlife: In death, a Paladin does not travel to the celestial plane of her alignment, but instead arrives at the Demiplane known as the Bastion of Righteous Hope. Here, paladins tend to their mounts, dine in magnificent mead halls, debate the best ways to fight evil, and prepare for raids on the infernal and Abyssal realms.
Paladin's Mount:
Paladin Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj.|Str Adj|Int|Special
5th-7th|+2|+4|+1|8|Empathic Link, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Share Saving Throws
8th-10th|+4|+6|+2|9|Improved Speed
11th-14th|+6|+8|+3|10|Command Creatures of Its Kind
15th-20th|+8|+10|+4|11|Spell Resistance
Paladin’s Mount Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the mount’s kind, but make changes to take into account the attributes and characteristics summarized on the table and described below.
Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Consitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the mount’s base attack and base save bonuses. A special mount’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a cleric of a level equal to the mount’s HD. A mount has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). The mount gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.
Natural Armor Adj.: The number on the table is an improvement to the mount’s existing natural armor bonus.
Str Adj.: Add this figure to the mount’s Strength score.
Int: The mount’s Intelligence score.
Empathic Link (Su): The paladin has an empathic link with her mount out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The paladin cannot see through the mount’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically.
Note that even intelligent mounts see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible.
Because of this empathic link, the paladin has the same connection to an item or place that her mount does, just as with a master and his familiar (see Familiars).
Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a mount takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.
Share Spells: At the paladin’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts on herself also affect her mount.
The mount must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the mount if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the mount again even if it returns to the paladin before the duration expires. Additionally, the paladin may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her mount (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A paladin and her mount can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the mount’s type (magical beast).
Share Saving Throws: For each of its saving throws, the mount uses its own base save bonus or the paladin’s, whichever is higher. The mount applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the master might have.
Improved Speed (Ex): The mount’s speed increases by 10 feet.
Command (Sp): Once per day per two paladin levels of its master, a mount can use this ability to command other any normal animal of approximately the same kind as itself (for warhorses and warponies, this category includes donkeys, mules, and ponies), as long as the target creature has fewer Hit Dice than the mount. This ability functions like the command spell, but the mount must make a DC 21 Concentration check to succeed if it’s being ridden at the time. If the check fails, the ability does not work that time, but it still counts against the mount’s daily uses. Each target may attempt a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin’s level + paladin’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect.
Spell Resistance (Ex): A mount’s spell resistance equals its master’s paladin level + 5. To affect the mount with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the mount’s spell resistance.