Mounted spell casters - the good, the bad and the other stuff

[Hexilim]

Looking through all books, classes, spells etc I keep finding my focus lands on wanting a spell caster with a mount or rideable pet.
The idea appeals so much to me that I'm now trying to figure out the best way to build a spell flinging, mounted character with a heavy base in animals and pets.

However, I have no idea what I'm doing here and thought to ask for some help:

* Find Steed + Mounted Combat feat seems like the best foundation to build upon. This means that it seems that a lore bard could give me the potentially best set-up at level 6 + also giving me conjure animals spell for extra flavor / utility.
Would there be a better option?

* Going with a Forest Gnome seems to help enable more potential creatures for mounts (Wolf Spider for example) due to sizes.
Could I achieve this another way?

* Since I have virtually no interest at all in melee combat and rather ignore weapons all-together in favor of spells or support actions, are there other things I could do to help this character concept out?

* Ideally being a small character riding on a spider with a small spider familiar at my side (warlock dip?) is super appealing. I imagine him half-insane, thinking he is the one-true spider god - obviously taking pity / offense at the Drow and their "false" gods.
Druid seems to offer a lot of nice utility long with ranger for spider-focused spells, but I wouldn't want to play just a druid as the class just doesn't feel right to me, is it insane to dip into say a druid or ranger for 2-3 levels as well?

TLDR; Want to play a small spell slinger mounted on a versatile and cool mount - but have no idea about potential drawbacks this could create or cool concepts/ideas I could add to it. Any and all discussion welcome :)

[MrConsideration]

You would get very little for your Ranger dip if you're not interested in weapon proficiencies or melee combat. The Druid level packs more spells, too.

[Pyon]

This inspired me to change up my current campaign. I'm going to play a spellcasting mounted bard. Currently only level 2, but at level 4 I'll pick up mounted combatant and at 6 I'll have find steed. I'm pretty sure I can afford a riding horse until I reach 6 for find steed.

[tieren]

You would get very little for your Ranger dip if you're not interested in weapon proficiencies or melee combat. The Druid level packs more spells, too.

I disagree, if he wants to play a small creature on a medium beast mount, thats the niche case where beast master rangers actually make the most sense mechanically.

OP: I think you need to figure out what kind of spells you want to be slinging.

Some options:
If you dip ranger for beast master, you'll have decent wisdom and dexterity, you would be well placed to MC into druid or cleric. If you went druid land circle underdark as one of those deep gnomes from the EEPC I think you would find you get a lot of what you would need to be a cool spider-godling (including the ability to turn into one). You could always take ritual caster or magic initiate to pick up find familiar.

If you want to be more martial you could go ranger/EK, with mounted combatant feat and the shield spell you could keep your mount/beast companion alive pretty well.

If you want to just blast stuff from the back of the spider mount ranger/warlock would be neat, if a little MAD with the need to get your charisma up too. With pact of the chain for a spider familiar, may be the closest to what you were thinking.

A paladin/warlock could also work well and be less MAD if you can work out the right approach to both your oaths and your patron.

[MaxWilson]

You don't need to have Find Steed in order to be a mounted spellcaster. Mounted Combatant is worthwhile to protect your mount, but instead of a paladin's steed you can either cast Phantom Steed (3rd level wizard ritual) which gives you a super-fast steed with 1 HP (doesn't matter due to Mounted), or just spend 60 gp on a horse.

Either way, mounted combat is actually really good in 5E. You can effectively travel 120' per round (can make your mount Dash without spending your own action), and if you buy a warhorse it can potentially attack too. Either way you are an extremely mobile wizard who can move in from 90' to 30', cast Otto's Irresistable Dance, and then be right back out at 90' before your turn ends. It's a good thing to keep in mind if you're fighting dragons...

-Max

[Ardantis]

Which begs the question:

Should DnD parties just be mounted overland default?

Here comes the cavalry.

[MaxWilson]

Which begs the question:

Should DnD parties just be mounted overland default?

Here comes the cavalry.

Aren't they? Mine are, or they were before they acquired a spelljamming ship. So are my humanoid bad guys--hobgoblins in my game are kind of like Mongols: heavily-armored mounted horse-archers by default. They engage in melee only when they have a reason.

[Naanomi]

Svirfneblin instead of forest gnome for spider theme Id say

[Slipperychicken]

Which begs the question:

Should DnD parties just be mounted overland default?

Pretty much. They really have nothing to lose from riding.

[Naanomi]

Or riding a wagon/carriage, like most real preindustrial long distance land travelers

[Hexilim]

Thanks for all the great info!

I hadn't looked into the Svirfneblin actually, could be a good pick indeed.
None of the Drow drawbacks etiher - odd...

The paladin/warlock combo sounds pretty interesting, I suppose it could be an OotA who mistakenly believes the archfey that always whispers in his ears to be his god, constantly casting the illusion in front of his eyes that it is a war horse he is riding, when in fact it's a spider. Might cause some panic when said "horse" suddenly starts climbing the walls, or why there's always so much cobweb around his bed in the morning.

I'm a little confused about the suggestion for Phantom Steed - I imagined the character to always be mounted pretty much, and preferably on a spider. Wouldn't the phantom steed force it to be a horse (needing houserules) as well as requiring a constant re-summoning? Also, with 1 minute casting time it means no mount during surprise attacks etc, or am I missing something?
Also, Find Steed and Phantom Steed would both require a Lore Bard lvl 6 to acquire, where Find Steed seems to be the superior spell, no?

In terms of spells, the Bard seems to offer the biggest diversity as well as biggest collection of them, sharing so many with druid.
How much would I "gimp" my character by delaying level 4 and 5 spells by about 3-4 levels? If my focus was to be party support and CC, would I manage just fine with the level 1-3 spell library well into character level 10?

[MaxWilson]

I'm a little confused about the suggestion for Phantom Steed - I imagined the character to always be mounted pretty much, and preferably on a spider. Wouldn't the phantom steed force it to be a horse (needing houserules) as well as requiring a constant re-summoning? Also, with 1 minute casting time it means no mount during surprise attacks etc, or am I missing something?
Also, Find Steed and Phantom Steed would both require a Lore Bard lvl 6 to acquire, where Find Steed seems to be the superior spell, no?

Sorry, the Phantom Steed comments weren't directed specifically at your character concept. Phantom Steed is something that any wizard can do, so it's cheap for them, but if you're sold on being a lore bard then you have no reason to pick Phantom Steed over Find Steed as your Magical Secret--for you they're both equally expensive.


In terms of spells, the Bard seems to offer the biggest diversity as well as biggest collection of them, sharing so many with druid. How much would I "gimp" my character by delaying level 4 and 5 spells by about 3-4 levels? If my focus was to be party support and CC, would I manage just fine with the level 1-3 spell library well into character level 10?

As far as the level 3 spells question goes: I have a Lore Bard 9/Warlock 2 in my party. The two spells he casts most often are Eldritch Blast and Conjure Animals, with Faerie Fire a runner-up. The main thing you miss out on by not having full 5th level spells are healing spells like Raise Dead and Greater Restoration. If you're okay not having those, or if someone else can cover it, I'd say you'll be fine.

[Hexilim]

Sorry, the Phantom Steed comments weren't directed specifically at your character concept. Phantom Steed is something that any wizard can do, so it's cheap for them, but if you're sold on being a lore bard then you have no reason to pick Phantom Steed over Find Steed as your Magical Secret--for you they're both equally expensive.

Oh right, I see. My bad then.
I guess from a "just need to get from point A to point B" POV phantom would make more sense?

Would you say a beastmaster pet could compete with find steed or is the overhead cost too great?



As far as the level 3 spells question goes: I have a Lore Bard 9/Warlock 2 in my party. The two spells he casts most often are Eldritch Blast and Conjure Animals, with Faerie Fire a runner-up. The main thing you miss out on by not having full 5th level spells are healing spells like Raise Dead and Greater Restoration. If you're okay not having those, or if someone else can cover it, I'd say you'll be fine.

Hm, I have no urges to be powerful or do the most damage, utility is the main thing I'm looking for to complement the concept with so what you are writing is very helpful - thank you!