Mounts and Such

[GhengisConrad]

mmmkay. Looking at that *other* shadowpounce class. *You* know the one I mean.

So, as is with my builds, looking for a way for my character to 'natively' have a mount.

Class features, feats, but NOT purchased. It can be the natural outcome of a class feature, such as an improved familar, or an animal companion.

What would be the most optimized and cheap way to get something that can fly.

Flavor-wise, I have, in my mind, something like a Barghest (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG22b.jpg) with wings. That'd be pretty cool as a mount... visually....

I've considered wild-cohort... but then I'm restricted to Animals. All animals are pretty... mundane... right? That's what makes them animals? I'd settle for some kind of a riding flying animal and call it a day... but soemthing tells me there is more out htere.

What do y'all think?

[Runeclaw]

Leadership can be used to grab some things. What level are you?

For large flying animals, Desmodu Hunting Bats (MM2) and Dire Eagle (Races of Stone) are good choices and not without some flavor.

There are also some Dragon-based feats (Dragon Steed?) in, I think, Draconicon.

Ultimately Leadership gives you the most flexibility and scaling, but some of the choices you might want have LA:- meaning you'd have to work it out with your DM.

Class Feature-wise, there's obviously Paladin's mount or Druid or Ranger animal companions, but you'd have to keep taking levels to get them to keep scaling. I'm not aware of anything you can take as a dip that would get you a scaling mount. And anything that doesn't scale will quickly be not worth it.

Or use Awaken on an animal.

[(Un)Inspired]

Leadership is the way to go here, no question. Get a Druid as a cohort and have him wild shape into something clever. In fact, have him take a fleshraker as his animal companion then have him wild shape into a fleshraker, then ride around in a chariot pulled by fleshrakers.

[sleepyphoenixx]

There are various feats that allow different classes to stack for mount/familiar/animal progression in Dragon 325. They are all for casters though.
If Dragon Magazine is not allowed you're pretty much out of luck unless you already want to play a class that gets one. There's a few PrCs that stack or give their own mount progression but most of them suck.
That pretty much leaves Leadership or the Wild Cohort feat.