What would the effective paladin level be to have a Winter Wolf as your mount?

[sage20500]

What the title says, in the DMG it lists that a paladin can have a dire wolf at Paladin 6. Would a Winter Wolf be the same level since it also has 6 HD? Or would it be sometime between Paladin 7-9?

[Doc_Maynot]

The rule with alternative Pally mounts is "if your paladin level -3 (or -4 if the mount flies) is higher than the mount's CR, you can pick it."
So, it being CR 5 (Dire Wolf is CR 3), and a non-flier. You're looking at Paladin 8.

[sage20500]

Ok cool, other question, dm in the campaign is having us being in control of a growing army over the course of the campaign, and because its thematic with my characters backstory, ill be picking up leadership so that we actually can control said army. In the interests of less overall book keeping can i make my paladin mount also be my cohort(and just take straight levels of fighter), and if so how does it mechanically work out?

[MisterKaws]

It would be Paladin Level -3, but Winter Wolves are inherently evil, so I don't see how you could make one your mount, unless DM Fiat, of course.

[ExLibrisMortis]

Ok cool, other question, dm in the campaign is having us being in control of a growing army over the course of the campaign, and because its thematic with my characters backstory, ill be picking up leadership so that we actually can control said army. In the interests of less overall book keeping can i make my paladin mount also be my cohort(and just take straight levels of fighter), and if so how does it mechanically work out?
It wouldn't really help. Leadership and paladin mount don't stack. If you want a powerful wolf as your mount, you're better off getting a cohort who can provide magic items and buff spells, like an artificer or wizard. Just add buffs and items to your mount, and you'll be fine.

[Mr Adventurer]

Ok cool, other question, dm in the campaign is having us being in control of a growing army over the course of the campaign, and because its thematic with my characters backstory, ill be picking up leadership so that we actually can control said army. In the interests of less overall book keeping can i make my paladin mount also be my cohort(and just take straight levels of fighter), and if so how does it mechanically work out?

Don't bother with Leadership: your DM is giving you an army and you'll have a decent Charisma. Work your way into the command structure if you want, but don't waste character resources.


Winter Wolves are inherently evil

No they aren't.

[MisterKaws]

No they aren't.

Not Outsider-like "Entirely made of the very essence of evil", but they're still inherently evil as in "Evil by nature". Unless you can give enough reason for a race that is normally wretched to turn into a paragon of good, you won't be able to ride a Winter Wolf, and honestly, it's like trying to convince Goblins not to kill and pillage defenseless villages.

[sage20500]

Not Outsider-like "Entirely made of the very essence of evil", but they're still inherently evil as in "Evil by nature". Unless you can give enough reason for a race that is normally wretched to turn into a paragon of good, you won't be able to ride a Winter Wolf, and honestly, it's like trying to convince Goblins not to kill and pillage defenseless villages.

I thought i mentiined it, im playing a paladin of tyranny

[Âmesang]

There is this little bit from the DUNGEON MASTER'S Guide, p.200:

LEADERSHIP AND MOUNTS

A character may use the Leadership feat to attract a cohort that can serve as a mount. This feat cannot attract a mount with an Intelligence of less than 4. If such a character already has a special mount, familiar, or animal companion, he takes a –2 penalty to his Leadership score.

PALADIN COHORT MOUNTS

At the DM's option, she may allow a paladin or other character with a special mount class feature to combine the special mount with the cohort feat. The special qualities such as the empathic link and shared spells make this quite potent and worth a minimum of a +2 level adjustment to the cohort mount ECL.

[MisterKaws]

I thought i mentiined it, im playing a paladin of tyranny

You didn't.

Anyway, in that case, just go for it. I could think of better options for that level, but if you want to go for that, feel free. A nightmare would still obviously be a thousand times better, and only one level higher, at minimum 9, effective -4.

[the_david]

You wouldn't be able to turn him into your cohort, but if you take:

8 levels of Paladin (of tyranny)
8 ranks in Handle Animal, 4 ranks in Survival
Skill Focus (Handle Animal)
Track
1 level of Beastmaster (prestige class from Complete Adventurer)
Devoted Tracker (feat from Complete Adventurer)

Your Special Mount now also counts as your Animal Companion. Your effective Druid level is 4, though you could take:

3 more levels of Beast Master.
Natural Bond (feat from Complete Adventurer)

You now count as an 8th level Paladin for the Special Mount, and as an 10th level Druid for your Animal Companion. You could also try Halfling Outrider shenanigans, but that would just be cheesy.

[Mr Adventurer]

Not Outsider-like "Entirely made of the very essence of evil", but they're still inherently evil as in "Evil by nature".

No they aren't.

Their entry says 'usually Neutral Evil'.


Unless you can give enough reason for a race that is normally wretched to turn into a paragon of good, you won't be able to ride a Winter Wolf, and honestly, it's like trying to convince Goblins not to kill and pillage defenseless villages.

Trivial.

[Doc_Maynot]

(Mount Advice)

Did something similar with Wild Plains Outrider and Ashworm Dragoon, pretty fun.