PF or 3.5: How to obtain a Dire Paladin Mount or a Dire Animal Companion?

[Oryan77]

I have a player using a Dwarf Paladin PC that wants to eventually own a Dire Boar Paladin Mount. Out of curiosity, I'm also wondering if this can be accomplished with Animal Companions? Is there an official way of handling this in Pathfinder?

I can also use 3.5 sources if I need it. If there is no official way, I can settle on house rules if anyone has created a feat that does this.

He mainly just wants a large sized boar so he can ride it. But the boar animal companion only becomes a medium size animal at Druid level 4. So I'm wondering if there is an official way to advance it similar to a dire boar at maybe level 7 via a feat or something? I see that a lot of other animals become large size at level 7.

[Fouredged Sword]

In 3.5
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A druid can get a Dire Boar as an animal companion at 7th level, no feats needed.

I think there is a list for improved mounts for a paladin as well, somewhere.

[BowStreetRunner]

In 3.5
-
A druid can get a Dire Boar as an animal companion at 7th level, no feats needed.

I think there is a list for improved mounts for a paladin as well, somewhere.

Just offhand, would the Devoted Tracker feat from CA help? It allows you to combine your Animal Companion and Special Mount class features.

[Jeff the Green]

Animal Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) would work, starting at Level 10.

Paladins can natively get a Dire Boar at level 7, according to the 3.5 DMG, p. 204.

[Oryan77]

Paladins can natively get a Dire Boar at level 7, according to the 3.5 DMG, p. 204.

That's the kind of thing I'm looking for, thanks.

So if I wanted to apply this sort of advancement to a Pathfinder Paladin mount or Druid Animal Companion, is it going to make a Paladin Boar mount overpowered if I added a 7th level advancement that makes it large size and adds another +2 Str to simulate a "dire" boar?

I'm kind of comparing the Pathfinder boar animal companion to a Pathfinder Lion animal companion and those changes don't appear to make the boar any better than a normal advanced lion.

[Oryan77]

I'm wondering if it is game breaking to simulate "dire" & "giant" versions of some animals in the Pathfinder Animal Companion Starting Statistics by simply giving them the large size & maybe a boost to Str & Con at 7th Level Advancement?

Some animals like the Lion get that. So for these other animals that get a 4th level advancement, will it suck for a Druid during 4th-6th level if he doesn't get those perks at 4th level and instead gets them at 7th level along with large size and higher ability score boosts like he would if he owned a lion?