Pathfinder Mounted Paladin

[carrdrivesyou]

I had an idea for a character concept for an upcoming game and wanted to run it through the playground before it gets played.
My idea was to use the following feats, but I am unsure if they work together:

H: Skill Focus – Sense Motive
1st: Mounted Combat
3rd: Undersized Mount
6th: Ride-By Attack
9th: Spirited Charge
12th: Vital Strike
15th: Improved Vital Strike
18th: Greater Vital Strike

The idea here is that he is the party face, although he is quite...clueless about the world around him. 15 point buy-in, Human Paladin. Starting level is 2.

I am curious if he rode like a riding dog (medium creature) he oculd do so in dungeons, and could use spirited charge on a vital strike, to have (4d8 + STR) *3?? That would make for some rather nice damage.

Skills are in Diplomacy (party face), Ride (obvious reasons), and Sense Motive (character fluff)

Base stats are (at starting level):
STR. 15
DEX. 11
CON. 16 (+2 from human added here)
INT. 7
WIS. 7
CHA. 16

[Sayt]

The whole Vital Strike line can't be activated on a charge, unfortunately. Maybe pick up Wheeling Charge instead, and then...stuff?

Ride-by and Spirited Charge are both exactly what you want. SF(Sense Motive) is... Bizarre, considering that it's in the place most people reserve for Power Attack, and you've described the character as clueless. Mounted Chargers also get decent work from Furious Focus

Also, from your feat selection, you've missed something: Pathfinder Characters get a feat at every odd level.

[Extra Anchovies]

The whole Vital Strike line can't be activated on a charge, unfortunately. Maybe pick up Wheeling Charge instead, and then...stuff?

Ride-by and Spirited Charge are both exactly what you want. SF(Sense Motive) is... Bizarre, considering that it's in the place most people reserve for Power Attack, and you've described the character as clueless. Mounted Chargers also get decent work from Furious Focus

Also, from your feat selection, you've missed something: Pathfinder Characters get a feat at every odd level.

All of this is good advice.

Suggested revision:
H Power Attack
1 Mounted Combat
3 Undersized Mount
5 Ride-by Attack
7 Spirited Charge
9 Wheeling Charge
11 Furious Focus
13 Trick Riding
15 Mounted Skirmisher
17 [free]
19 [free]

Also, make sure your mount takes Improved Unarmed Strike and Dragon Style, so they can charge over difficult terrain.

[carrdrivesyou]

The whole Vital Strike line can't be activated on a charge, unfortunately. Maybe pick up Wheeling Charge instead, and then...stuff?

Ride-by and Spirited Charge are both exactly what you want. SF(Sense Motive) is... Bizarre, considering that it's in the place most people reserve for Power Attack, and you've described the character as clueless. Mounted Chargers also get decent work from Furious Focus

Also, from your feat selection, you've missed something: Pathfinder Characters get a feat at every odd level.

Ah, I must have overlooked the skill focus bit. I am used to 3.5, to be entirely honest.
Thanks.

[Psyren]

I think you're overdoing it on the Con. You have a d10, 14 Con is plenty. Move some of those points to Str.

Also, I know it kinda fits your concept, but I hate negative-Int characters with a passion. Maybe it was from my formative Neverwinter Nights days when having even 9 Int made your character go "me am Krunk."

[carrdrivesyou]

I think you're overdoing it on the Con. You have a d10, 14 Con is plenty. Move some of those points to Str.

Also, I know it kinda fits your concept, but I hate negative-Int characters with a passion. Maybe it was from my formative Neverwinter Nights days when having even 9 Int made your character go "me am Krunk."

Well, the way I have played them in the past has been they are not exactly stupid, just uneducated, and typically have a bad memory. :/

[Spore]

If your DM is like me, he forces a skilled rider on foot some of his encounters. Be prepared for that eventuality. With your remaining ressources secure your mount and increase your maneuverability.

[Ssalarn]

I think you're overdoing it on the Con. You have a d10, 14 Con is plenty. Move some of those points to Str.


Is this a character starting at 1st level? If not, forget about pumping Con past 10 or 12 altogether. That's what Lay on Hands is for.

[carrdrivesyou]

Is this a character starting at 1st level? If not, forget about pumping Con past 10 or 12 altogether. That's what Lay on Hands is for.

We'll be starting at 2nd level. I have absolutely no idea how long this campaign is supposed to go. :/

[Killer Angel]

15 point buy-in, Human Paladin.
I am curious if he rode like a riding dog (medium creature)

Can you?
I thought you can ride a medium steed, only with a small race character (gnome and similar). Do I remember incorrectly?

[Ravens_cry]

Channelling Force is a humdinger of a feat once you can take it once get 2nd level spells, because Instant Armour is a Force spell on the paladin list, and, since the damage is a definite number, it multiplies on a charge and on crits. Some nice spells include Litany of Righteousness which lets you do double damage for one round, wonderful on a charge, as is Saddle Surge (up to your CL in bonus damage, 1 for every 5 ft you and your mount move that round).
Edit to reply to above: Undersized Mount lets you have a mount the same size as you. I wouldn't do it. I'd go as a Small sized Aasimar, especially the variant that gives both +2 to strength and charisma.

[Psyren]

Can you?
I thought you can ride a medium steed, only with a small race character (gnome and similar). Do I remember incorrectly?

Normally yes, but he could go with Undersized Mount. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/undersized-mount-combat) A paladin in full armor on a dog though would probably be causing it undue suffering and fall however, assuming it could carry him at all.

[Killer Angel]

Normally yes, but he could go with Undersized Mount. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/undersized-mount-combat) A paladin in full armor on a dog though would probably be causing it undue suffering and fall however, assuming it could carry him at all.

Ah, right.
Eh, indeed I don't envy the poor beast... :smalltongue: