Halfling Beast Rider Cavalier Mount

[Spore]

Greetings playground,

I need some pointers because I am entirely overwhelmed by the amount of creatures capable to be a mount. A wizard disintegrated my trusty snow leopard (small cat) mount which was optimal because it has a great speed, is medium sized and fit my backstory kind of well. Now I need to pick and train a new mount.Buildwise I am a Cavalier 9/Paladin 1. I play with the ubercharger playstyle but this combat style is very pigeonholed so I want to a bit of flexibility going.

My DM is quite open about a free choice on animal companions as long as it has animal-like intelligence or is typically used as a mount (Gryphon would go, but apparently River Drakes are right out). Also evil creatures are not available (Paladin levels mostly). And I want some sort of air combat (worst case is training Airwalk as a trick and ALWAYS asking the Cleric).

Is there a feat capable of combining effective druid levels of both classes?
Which mounts could be suitable with the restriction of medium sized decent flyers with an acceptable ground speed?
Is there something quite resilient out there? I want more HP and better saves tbh.

My own ideas so far:
River Drake: It's medium, has a good fly speed but a poor ground speed. Also it's evil sadly.
Griffon: It's large (taking away from my size advantage), has decent speed and is quite bulky without overdoing it. But it's not really on the list for AC.

By definition of the class I could also take the following:

Small-sized beast riders can choose a pony or wolf mount at 1st level. At 4th level, a Small beast rider can also choose an allosaurus, ankylosaurus, arsinoitherium, aurochs, bison, boar, brachiosaurus, elephant, glyptodon, hippopotamus, mastodon, megaloceros, riding dog, snapping turtle (giant), triceratops, or tyrannosaurus. At 7th level, he can also choose a dinosaur (deinonychus or velociraptor).

Interesting choices are boldened. Boar has great defense and HP, but I can't see this thing fluffwise. Wolves hare boring, riding dogs are slower and more resilient. Dinosaurs are interesting but again the fluff is ... odd. My character has worked for years with a mammal. Changing to a reptile now seems ... weird.

Any creative and fitting ideas for animals?

[JHShadon]

Is Boon Companion (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/boon-companion) the feat you need?

I don't have any ideas on what you could use for a mount, I took a look at the Animal Companion list and found out that Druids can have a praying mantis, doubt that would help you but I thought it was neat.

[Spore]

Is Boon Companion (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/boon-companion) the feat you need?


This would be useful if I would only take a max 4 level dip into Paladin. But I want to get as many Paladin levels as I can by the end of the campaign. It turns out that a major enemy fraction is composed of dragons, devils and mostly evil outsiders. Becoming a Paladin is not only the most beneficial idea, it is also entirely in character as my NPC comrades have been slaughtered by enemy forces, an evil necromancer killed my trusty steed and up to this point, four dragons personally know our group and want to kill us (Magma Dragon, Half-Fiend Ancient Red Dragon with class levels as sorcerer, close to epic Black Dragon with Wizard levels and a Crystal Dragon). Also our enemies include Daemons (who want a catalyst to end the world), Devils (who also want the catalyst, but to rule, not to destroy), an Orcish Warlord and an continent-spanning Inquisition.

I am even thinking about trading Paladin levels for Cavalier ones. Just because I can "ubercharge" with that anyway and be more effective. Also I can support better (because my Cleric is an Evangelist and his healing is quite poor, often leaving us no choice but to begin battle with missing HP).

[grarrrg]

Is there a feat capable of combining effective druid levels of both classes?

Short answer: Levels automatically stack, if you choose the same animal for both/all classes.

Long answer (http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fn#v5748eaic9qqn): They must stack if they can stack, if they can't stack you get 2 companions.
The way I understand their long-winded example is that you choose a companion from your bigger list first (in this case, the Beast Rider). Then if that animal is also on your smaller list (the Paladin) they stack and you have one companion.
In your case the Cavalier has the 'bigger list', if you choose a Dinosaur it would not stack with Paladin because Paladin cannot choose Dinosaurs.
If you choose a Boar, then the levels do stack, because Paladins can choose Boars.

It's kind of stupidly worded, but it mostly answers the question.

Remember that your Paladin levels give you ZERO Mount advancement until level 5, when they suddenly grant full progression.


My DM is quite open about a free choice on animal companions as long as it has animal-like intelligence or is typically used as a mount

If your DM lets you have a fancy mount not even on the Cavalier list then he may just let your Paladin levels stack anyway.

[Spore]

If your DM lets you have a fancy mount not even on the Cavalier list then he may just let your Paladin levels stack anyway.

It's not a blanket freebie. I still have to come up with reasons. A main plot point will be the ascendance to an official Paladin. So if the Paladin fraction INGAME can provide a suitable mount it will be allowed. I think I will get a free combat trained mount that way I guess.

I am betting on the "more exotic mounts [...] are also suitable" clause. This has been discussed and if I find a fitting Paladin mount, this will do for my Cavalier class feature as well.

Thanks, we've settled on a Young Gryphon. I guess I will take the standard 7th level advancement for 2 Dex and 2 Con just to up its HP a bit.