Ashworm Dragoon

[hemming]

I'm about to start playing in a game - desert setting, start at 12th level

I want to go Ashworm Dragoon and play a mount that happens to have a character on it

I have been planning on 5 levels of paladin into ashworm dragoon - I haven't played a paladin or a mounted character since 2nd edition

Planning to add the celestial template to ashworm

Feat progression?

Additional class suggestions?

[Raezeman]

i suggest the holy warrior variant from complete champion, which makes you lose spell casting in exchange for certain bonus feats at levels 4, 8, 11 and 14. Going out of paladin after level 5 would normally only give you access to level 1 spells, IF your casting ability is hight enough, so to me that seems like actually giving up nothing at all, + the feats you can chose from include mounted combat and ride-by attack, meaning that, for example, you can take mounted combat at level 3 and ride-by attack as bonus at level 4, so can take something you like at level, like power attack or law devotion.

As for other suggestions, i like law devotion on paladins to fuel it with your turning, and there is always good old power attack.
Also, you get the feast trample and spirited charge free as an ashworm dragoon, but i like the extra effects you get if you have the feats themselves too, so i also suggest those.
And then there is good devotion, giving out damage reduction is always welcome, and this one is rather cheap to refuel with turning (1 attempt to use again vs the 3 attempts of law devotion)


But i must ask you, is paladin what you really want as an entry for ash worm dragoon? i mean, i don't think it progresses your smite evil or lay on hands, the class has it's own mount progression and yeah, you can summon the worm as a normal mount, but you remove the poison… You cold always go 4 levels fighter for a crapload of feats, with 1 level of something else (paladin if you want to detect evil at will for example, or barbarian for some rage) and then go ash worm dragoon. This way, you don't need charisma anymore for anything and 4 levels fighter give access to melee weapon mastery feat chain (i like this one personally)

[hemming]

I was originally taking the paladin levels to bump up the mount but at this point I have a character concept worked out for the setting that I'm growing a little attached to.

I've never really tried to play a mounted unit specialist - so I was going all-in on that front

But I'm open to suggestion on class progression

Oh yeah - was going to keep things simple with either a human or an Aasimir

[Raezeman]

Ahm human, more feats!
so think about the power attack - improved bull rush - shock trooper feats. Use a two handed weapon for large boost to damage with power attack and shock trooper to change the drop in attack to AC. Ofcourse, this makes you get easy to hit, but the damage! This then does fit nice together with barbarian, as the drop in AC with rage is not going to matter anymore as your AC will be very low anyway.
And for weapon, the lance, gives triple damage when using spirited charge. you can even chose to wield it one-handed on a mount if you want a shield bonus over the power attack bonus. Speaking of lance, if you take weapon focus in it, you have fulfilled all feat requirements (there are some skills too) for the cavalier prestige class [complete warrior], which gives you some more bonuses on fighting with a mount stuff. + it's levels stack with paladins level for the sake of your mount, so this fits nicely with your paladin as well.

And if you are open to other suggestions, how about dusk blade? 5 levels duskblade give you access to +5d6 shocking grasp channeling, 1d6+2 strength damage with ray of enfeeblement, and even bull's strength, which you can quick cast once per day!

But i still prefer the 4 levels fighter for melee weapon mastery access, with a level of barbarian to top it of, but that's just me.

And as always, there might be more devotion feats out there that you might like.

[Amphetryon]

The usual recommendation for a Mounted Character is to go for one of the builds collectively known as "Supermount," taking advantage of the Halfling Outrider abilities in conjunction with the Natural Bond Feat. The default Ashworm Dragoon variant of Supermount, to my knowledge, is by Eyedol:


CL Class Feat
01 Paladin Mounted Combat,
02 Paladin
03 Paladin Ride-by Attack
04 Paladin
05 Paladin
06 Beastmaster Skill Focus Handle Animal
07 Ashworm Dragoon
08 Ashworm Dragoon Power Attack(AwD Bonus Feat)
09 Ashworm Dragoon Devoted Tracker
10 Ashworm Dragoon
11 Ashworm Dragoon
12 Ashworm Dragoon Natural Bond
13 Ashworm Dragoon
14 Ashworm Dragoon
15 Ashworm Dragoon Track+(AwD Bonus Feat)
16 Ashworm Dragoon
17 Wild Plains Outrider
18 Wild Plains Outrider (open feat)
19 Uncanny Trickster
20 Uncanny Trickster (+1 Ashworm progression)

[hemming]

Awesome!

So Beastmaster adds the animal companion traits to your mount and then devoted tracker allows those bonuses to stack? Very cool

Edit: Oh I see - devoted tracker allows you to both designate the mount as the animal companion and stack beastmaster w/ paladin

[Amphetryon]

Awesome!

So Beastmaster adds the animal companion traits to your mount and then devoted tracker allows those bonuses to stack? Very cool

Note that Halfling is essentially required for the recommended build. You could see if Strongheart Halfling is available, so you don't lose any Feats.

[hemming]

Is this because of the size issue mechanics involved in taking a regular sized mount into many settings or something else I'm missing?

[Amphetryon]

Is this because of the size issue mechanics involved in taking a regular sized mount into many settings or something else I'm missing?

Ignore me, I was mentally mixing Wild Plains Outrider with Halfling Outrider. :smallredface:

[Rethmar]

I'd probably go with a lance charger; looks like its the standard. Spirited charge will give you 3x damage on a charge.

If you want to go Cavalier after Ashworm Dragoon, they get a Deadly Charge which will give a 4x damage instead of 3x, eventually a 5x. Combine it with Power Attack, if that works. And then tack on Smite Evil.
It will also continue advancing you special Ashworm paladin mount.

I'm not sure if there is a Pounce effect you can add onto your mounted charge, but worth looking into.

Everything in the "Combat" section of the Ashworm Dragoon is good to keep in mind.

Meant to post this 3 hours ago, most of this has probably been mentioned, but oh well.