Yet More Mount Questions

[GutterFace]

Quickie:

i know how cohorts and companions work. so i know as you progress they progress.

lets say your just a L20 fighter and you buy a warhorse. when you purchase it, is it at the same level as you are? how is this determined?

will it gain XP as you do?

[Khedrac]

If you buy a regular warhorse it is exactly that - a regular warhorse as per the monster manual (light or heavy).
It does not have any levels (just the 3 or 4 hit die of animal) and as a non-intelligent creature it does not gain xp or further levels or hit dice (note the lack of an advancement section for horses).

[GutterFace]

so your saying that even at level 20 (me); my horse is going to have terribad everything and die almost as soon as i ride it out of the stables?

[ahenobarbi]

If you buy a regular horse for a few gold pieces then yes. Of course if you are level 20 you should be able to afford a better mount.

[GutterFace]

interesting i see.....hmmm

anyone have a sweet mount list lying around?

[Vaz]

Yes. That's why you buy a level appropriate mount, if possible, or you take a Class that advances An Animal Companion.

Or, take Leadership and get a Druid Cohort.

[GutterFace]

hooray 9 Charisma hahahaha

[Vaz]

Assuming 20th Level, you can get a leadership score of 19, so a 13th Level Druid Cohort. With a few magic items, like an Cloak of Charisma, Admiral's Bicorne and a Breastplate of Leadership, with a few fluffy background bits, you can get that Higher, so that it's up to 17th Level.

All you need is a Leadership Score of 24 - a +6 Cloak gets you +3, so you're at 22, and then a Breastplate gets you a further +2, bang. Cohort, ECL 17 Druid.

Take a Dragon Cohort, and you can get a Dragon as ECL 20 Dragon Cohort for the cost of 2 Feats. Of course, background to find and raise a Dragon. if you're going this route, might want to have a look at ubermount builds.

http://dnd-wiki.org/wiki/Ubermount_(3.5e_Optimized_Character_Build)

[GutterFace]

excellent info, thank you!