[PF] Ways to advance "Companion"

[Spore]

Hi playground,


so I am playing a Halfling Cavalier (Beast Rider) with an Snow Leopard (small cat, no pounce but sprint) mount. I plan on crossclassing into Paladin (most likely shining knight, but the immunity to disease is also tempting) to up my saves (Cha 16 is nifty) and to circumvent the DR of demons (since we start fighting very evil stuff, facing a lich BBEG, a demonic sorcerer and the four horsemen and their daemons).

I need ways beyond Boon Companion to keep the mount's level up to par (e.g. to not die in a nasty attack and to still be useful while I am not mounted. It is very likely that the DM allows me to take the bond with the companion regardless of rules and up the level of the steed to effective druid level = HD but if there is an easier (and more legal way) I will gladly take it.

I quite like my cat and do not want to have several mounts nor the weapon bond. If my mount dies I will have no time to pick a special new one and would've to either settle for a boring horse or to ressurrect the cat (for 5k gold because we lack a Druid in the vicinity).

[avr]

See if the DM will let you take horse master (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/horse-master-combat) despite having traded away the relevant class feature. Refluffed, of course. It might sound better than just handwaving the whole thing.

[Spore]

See if the DM will let you take horse master (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/horse-master-combat) despite having traded away the relevant class feature. Refluffed, of course. It might sound better than just handwaving the whole thing.

Thanks, that's spot on. Since I will offer a feat slot plus the divine bond on the animal anyways, I think this might be a nice trade. Perhaps even two feats.

If retraining is in order to ensure being a lancer paladin, where do I find the rules for that? Ultimate campaign?

[Baroncognito]

Thanks, that's spot on. Since I will offer a feat slot plus the divine bond on the animal anyways, I think this might be a nice trade. Perhaps even two feats.

If retraining is in order to ensure being a lancer paladin, where do I find the rules for that? Ultimate campaign?

Yes, the retraining rules are in Ultimate Campaign.

You know, if you take five levels of paladin, your Cavalier levels stack with your paladin levels for your mount. So you could get by with just Boon Companion until you hit 5th level paladin and then you wouldn't need Boon Companion at all, so you could retrain it. (this would also make your companion much smarter)

There's also Huntmaster (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/arg-feats/huntmaster-human) which is human-only for some reason, but you might as well ask your DM about it. Your companion is a small cat, no?

[Spore]

You know, if you take five levels of paladin, your Cavalier levels stack with your paladin levels for your mount. So you could get by with just Boon Companion until you hit 5th level paladin and then you wouldn't need Boon Companion at all, so you could retrain it. (this would also make your companion much smarter)


Do they legally stack without any feats? Were is that mentioned?

e: Ok, found it. (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2qdmt?Effective-Druid-levels-stacking) So how do I get a small cat to be eligible for a halfling paladin.

[Baroncognito]

DM permission.

[Spore]

DM permission.

Anything other than that? I think the DM will allow it because the small cat as mount was also permissioned. Thanks for helping ^_^

[avr]

This mount is usually a heavy horse (for a Medium paladin) or a pony (for a Small paladin), although more exotic mounts, such as a boar, camel, or dog are also suitable. This mount functions as a druid's animal companion, using the paladin's level as her effective druid level.
There's wiggle room there if desired, I don't think there's anything more definitive. Where it says "more exotic mounts, such as ..." you could read it as inclusive or exclusive.