[3.5 + PF] What Classes Start With Mounts?

[Palanan]

I can only think of two classes that receive a mount at first level--the Paladin and the Cavalier. Are there any others?

I'm not looking for feat combos or shenanigans, just any other classes that start with a mount as a class feature. Any official 3.0, 3.5 or Pathfinder source is good, as well as Dragon magazine.

[ranagrande]

Druids and nature Bards.

There are tons of prestige classes if you want those too.

[Troacctid]

Summoners. Wizards and Sorcerers as well with the animal companion ACF.

[ranagrande]

Do they get one at level 1 though? They get a companion as a Druid half their level and in D&D you usually round down.

[Troacctid]

It says "as druid" not "as ranger" so yeah, you get it at 1st since that's when the druid gets it. It gains no special abilities, but you have it.

[ranagrande]

But it also says "treat sorcerer or wizard as a druid of half his class level."

So at level 1, your effective Druid level is 0.

[EisenKreutzer]

The Pathfinder Cavalier class starts with a mount.

[Troacctid]

But it also says "treat sorcerer or wizard as a druid of half his class level."

So at level 1, your effective Druid level is 0.

Right, so your animal is completely typical for its kind, no exceptions, as opposed to a 1st level druid, whose animal would have a bonus trick and the Link and Share Spells abilities.

[Rubik]

Well, Mount is a first level spell and lasts 2 hours/lvl...

[Forrestfire]

All of them. (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a)

[Nihilarian]

Paladin gets a mount at 5th level.

The Sylvan bloodline gives the Sorcerer an animal companion.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Nihilarian
Paladin gets a mount at 5th level.

Yoicks, you can tell how often I look at the paladin.


Originally Posted by Troacctid
Summoners.

I gather that summoners often use their eidolons as mounts, but looking at the description in the APG that doesn't seem to be the eidolon's primary role. I can't claim to be an expert on the class, though.



So, apart from maybe the summoner, is the Cavalier the only class in 3.5 and Pathfinder that starts with a mount at first level?

Not animal companions, not ACFs, not Wild Cohort nor other feats, but a mount at first level as a dedicated class feature. I'm getting the sense there isn't, but wanted to tap the hivemind to be sure.

[Snowbluff]

I've always want to check the effectiveness of a mounted summoner build.

[Nihilarian]

Yoicks, you can tell how often I look at the paladin.



I gather that summoners often use their eidolons as mounts, but looking at the description in the APG that doesn't seem to be the eidolon's primary role. I can't claim to be an expert on the class, though.



So, apart from maybe the summoner, is the Cavalier the only class in 3.5 and Pathfinder that starts with a mount at first level?

Not animal companions, not ACFs, not Wild Cohort nor other feats, but a mount at first level as a dedicated class feature. I'm getting the sense there isn't, but wanted to tap the hivemind to be sure.If you disqualify every class that gains something that can be used as a mount and are specifically looking for something with the Mount class ability at 1st level, then yes, I believe the Cavalier (and its alternate class, Samurai) is the only class that qualifies.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Nihilarian
If you disqualify every class that gains something that can be used as a mount and are specifically looking for something with the Mount class ability at 1st level, then yes, I believe the Cavalier (and its alternate class, Samurai) is the only class that qualifies.

Not necessarily for the specific Cavalier ability, but otherwise you've got the idea--a class feature at first level that grants a creature intended to be used as a mount, rather than a riding dog repurposed as a mount, etc. etc.

And it does look like Cavalier is it, which is unexpected, at least to me.


Originally Posted by Snowbluff
I've always want to check the effectiveness of a mounted summoner build.

In a game this past summer we had a dragon-mounted gnome summoner, and he was certainly effective. Pity the player only showed up for half the sessions.

If you'd like an up-close and detailed perspective, here's the campaign journal (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?358714-The-Magnificent-6%BD-A-Pathfinder-Campaign) I wrote up from the few sessions we played. The gnome summoner did make a welcome reappearance as the avenging cavalry in the last session.

[Extra Anchovies]

Hunter gets a companion at first level. Inquisitors and Clerics with the Animal domain can nab one by third level. The Brawler's Wild Child archetype trades away its feat progression for an animal companion at first level.

[Troacctid]

Not necessarily for the specific Cavalier ability, but otherwise you've got the idea--a class feature at first level that grants a creature intended to be used as a mount, rather than a riding dog repurposed as a mount, etc. etc.

Well I mean you can get, like, an actual horse as your animal companion too.

[Nihilarian]

Not necessarily for the specific Cavalier ability, but otherwise you've got the idea--a class feature at first level that grants a creature intended to be used as a mount, rather than a riding dog repurposed as a mount, etc. etc. A) riding dogs are literally dogs breed and trained to be mounts (riding dogs) so using them as a mount is not repurposing them, and B) you can just straight up select a horse or pony.

[grarrrg]

Nature Oracle (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle/mysteries/paizo---oracle-mysteries/nature) gets a Mount (not a Companion, a full-on Mount) at 1st level (if they so choose).

[LTwerewolf]

Not animal companions, not ACFs, not Wild Cohort nor other feats, but a mount at first level as a dedicated class feature. I'm getting the sense there isn't, but wanted to tap the hivemind to be sure.

The uber mount build includes druid, fyi. There's no specific purpose for an animal companion.

[eggynack]

Right, so your animal is completely typical for its kind, no exceptions, as opposed to a 1st level druid, whose animal would have a bonus trick and the Link and Share Spells abilities.
I don't think it works like that. You have the same animal companion that a 0th level druid would have, which is no animal companion.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by grarrrg
Nature Oracle gets a Mount (not a Companion, a full-on Mount) at 1st level (if they so choose).

Thank you. This is exactly what I was looking for.

Other examples like this would be very welcome--if they exist.

[avr]

PF might have a few (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2rf9u?Seriously-who-DOESNT-want-a-pet#1) ways to do this.

Edit: besides those listed in the first post, inquisitors with the chivalry inquisition, lunar oracles and inquisitors with the sacred huntsmaster archetype.

[Kudaku]

I think part of the problem is that the game itself does not distinguish between "mount" companions and normal companions the way you do - many archetypes are obviously and specifically meant to use a mount, but gain an animal companion. Think of the animal companion as the "mount plus" - you can pick a mount companion if that's what you want, if you don't want that then just pick a different animal. :smallsmile:

That said, if you consider archetypes there are quite a lot of options that haven't been mentioned. For example, the barbarian:
The Mad Dog archetype gets an animal companion at level 1.
The Mounted Fury archetype gets a "feral mount" on level 5, which is functionally identical to an animal companion.
The Burn Rider archetype gets "a loyal mount" at level 4, which is functionally identical to an animal companion.

I'm guessing that if you went through the archetypes and keep in mind that the animal domain gives you a companion, you can find mount options for most classes. It's also worth noting that there is an animal companion archetype (the Charger) which makes the companion more "mount"-like.

Finally, I believe the Divine Commander archetype for the Warpriest meets your requirements - he gets a 'mount' as the cavalier at level 1.

[Snowbluff]

In a game this past summer we had a dragon-mounted gnome summoner, and he was certainly effective. Pity the player only showed up for half the sessions.

If you'd like an up-close and detailed perspective, here's the campaign journal (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?358714-The-Magnificent-6%BD-A-Pathfinder-Campaign) I wrote up from the few sessions we played. The gnome summoner did make a welcome reappearance as the avenging cavalry in the last session.

This is definitely something I'll look into.