What are some optional mounts for find steed that aren't overpowered?

[Bobbito]

After my next session I'll probably hit 5th level paladin, unlocking 2nd level spell slots, including Find Steed. I looked through the list and while a horse seems like a pretty typical choice for a medium character (dragonborn) I was interested in something more interesting. What are some other mounts you would suggest, and what would you say of the following questions?

-What CR should be allowed for the 2nd level spell? I assume 1/2, then max CR 2 for Find Greater Steed.

-What additional functionalities would you say are okay, ie not overpowered? A giant lizard with spider climb? Anything with a swimming speed? A giant owl, or other flying mount? I think a druid gets flight at 8th level, would you say I shouldn't get a flying mount until at least then?

-Can I summon a mount that is too small for me to ride if I'm in a cave or similar?

-Would a dragon wyrmling or other mount with additional abilities be overpowered as a greater steed?

-If I get spell levels above 5th, through multiclassing sorcerer, would you say CR 3 or greater would be okay?

[KorvinStarmast]

After my next session I'll probably hit 5th level paladin, unlocking 2nd level spell slots, including Find Steed. I looked through the list and while a horse seems like a pretty typical choice for a medium character (dragonborn) I was interested in something more interesting. What are some other mounts you would suggest, and what would you say of the following questions?

-What CR should be allowed for the 2nd level spell? I assume 1/2, then max CR 2 for Find Greater Steed.

-What additional functionalities would you say are okay, ie not overpowered? A giant lizard with spider climb? Anything with a swimming speed? A giant owl, or other flying mount? I think a druid gets flight at 8th level, would you say I shouldn't get a flying mount until at least then?

-Can I summon a mount that is too small for me to ride if I'm in a cave or similar?

-Would a dragon wyrmling or other mount with additional abilities be overpowered as a greater steed?

-If I get spell levels above 5th, through multiclassing sorcerer, would you say CR 3 or greater would be okay?

My first DM and I worked together to create a War Boar for our party's dwarf paladin. We mixed in a bit of Giant Boar, Boar, and Warhorse to try and get the CR/stats right.
-----------------
War Boar (Large(-) beast/sprit) (Dwarf paladin Summoned Steed)
Armor Class 11 (natural)
Hit Points 22 (3d10 + 6)
Speed: 50 or 60 ft (IIRC, we went with 50)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 6 (−2) 10 (0) 6 (−2)
Senses: passive Perception 10; Languages - Special
Charge. If the boar moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a tusk attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Relentless (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). If the boar takes 8 damage or less that would reduce it to 0 hit points, it is reduced to 1 hit point instead.
Actions. Tusk. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing dmg.
Special on languages: per the Find Steed Spell.

[noob]

After my next session I'll probably hit 5th level paladin, unlocking 2nd level spell slots, including Find Steed. I looked through the list and while a horse seems like a pretty typical choice for a medium character (dragonborn) I was interested in something more interesting. What are some other mounts you would suggest, and what would you say of the following questions?

-What CR should be allowed for the 2nd level spell? I assume 1/2, then max CR 2 for Find Greater Steed.

-What additional functionalities would you say are okay, ie not overpowered? A giant lizard with spider climb? Anything with a swimming speed? A giant owl, or other flying mount? I think a druid gets flight at 8th level, would you say I shouldn't get a flying mount until at least then?

-Can I summon a mount that is too small for me to ride if I'm in a cave or similar?

-Would a dragon wyrmling or other mount with additional abilities be overpowered as a greater steed?

-If I get spell levels above 5th, through multiclassing sorcerer, would you say CR 3 or greater would be okay?

Use find steed to find a horse.
Then anyway buy 50 horses because magic shops are not guaranteed and you need to buy stuff with your money.
Then zerg swarm things with horses therefore confusing people.
And nobody can know which horse is your summoned horse and so nobody knows which horse to kill to annoy you

[DarkKnightJin]

I'm getting access to Find Steed through a customized Domain Spell list for my Cleric. Also a Dragonborn, funnily enough.

Since he is a priest for the God of Death and the Underworld, the DM figured we'd fluff it as a great cat-like beast. But probably use the Riding/War Horse statblock. Maybe toss in some Panther for the attack(s).

I would suggest talking with your DM for something that would make the most sense for your character.
Perhaps an oversized Guard Drake is something that would fit for your paladin. A majestic Steed, it's form granted to you by your deity.

Of course, this kinda falls apart if your Paladin hasn't subscribed to any divine newsletters..

[rbstr]

I just re-fluff the Warhorse statblock.

As far as "when can I get a flying mount":
With Greater Find Steed now a 4th level spell I'm not sure I'd allow any kind of scaling with the original spell. I certainly wouldn't let it upgrade with character level. It'd have to be upcast to get a better steed. I'd probably also limit it to stuff not as good as Greater Find Steed.

[Zanthy1]

Find Steed was anything CR 1 or below, Find Greater was CR 2 or below, with fly speed optional. This was what my campaign used.

[Sindeloke]

Get a moose.

Nobody smart ****s with a moose.

[HolyAvenger7]

A Guard Drake from Volo's might fit thematically with your Dragonborn rider.

[sambojin]

If CR2 is an option, get a Giant Elk. They're a huge creature, so movement might be a problem, but they're absolute meat blenders in combat. You prone the enemy, the elk stomps them to death. It makes the loss of the attack for proning them feel like far less of a problem. A hasted Elk is a like that, but better. Has a 10' reach(!) DC14 charge for proning anyway though, for when you're feeling smite-happy in big fights. Can even talk (although, only in Elk). 1140lb carry capacity too, for moving pianos, or carrying several party members when needed. They're really good :)

If huge creatures aren't a problem, then Giant Constrictor Snakes are pretty ace too. 10' reach and the potential for grappled/restrained while in close as well. Restrained is very nice.

Otherwise, anything with a charge/ram attack for proning is all you need. Rhinos have a 15DC on that (as well as +7 to-hit) as do Aurochs, which is pretty good.

Direwolves are nice for the advantage and proning. Very nice actually.

If you can wrangle it on last-hits, a Giant Hyena's rampage might come up more often than you think. Or it might not. Cool ability, but pretty random.

Giant Spiders and Female Steeders are pretty awesome for free spider climb (although you might have to make an athletics check to stay on). Steeder jumping/climbing is often functionally equivalent to always having flight at low levels, at least for where you can and can't get to. Very nice for CR1.

If a Crag Cat's spell turning carries over to you, then you just broke the system. Your DM probably won't be silly enough to allow this. Ever.

Warhorsies are good though. Never look down on a thing that can DC14 prone and potentially bonus action attack for you. And they can get some armour "normally" (no fetch quest needed), so you can chuck some cash at it to make it better. A 540lb carry capacity can come in handy for looting as well.


Anyway, this was just a little list of stuff you probably *can* have, for an idea of what's good, and what's too good (only Female Steeders and works-on-you-spell-turning Crag Cats are "too good", and the Steeder is debatable). So go wild. As you said, flying pets might be considered too good at lower levels, but remember that the same druid can call up two Giant Eagles with Conjure Animals for an hour at lvl5, so too good might just mean "a little bit too good due to no concentration needed". Getting your arse knocked off an Eagle, or having it mid-air proned, is also "too bad" for you, and DMs delight in doing this if they feel your Owl/Eagle/Quetzalcoatlus is getting out of hand.

[ATHATH]

Why would a Crag Cat's Spell Turning ability extend to you?

[coyote_sly]

Why would a Crag Cat's Spell Turning ability extend to you?

Agreed. My character has a crag cat mount. It's never once come up that it might apply to me (although to be fair, I really use the mount for flavor/transport and don't really do mounted combat).

[strangebloke]

Apologies if people see this as a necro, but this thread's only been 'dead' for under two weeks.


Find Steed was anything CR 1 or below, Find Greater was CR 2 or below, with fly speed optional. This was what my campaign used.

Do other people think this is reasonable? A Giant Owl is CR 1/4, which is lower than some of the suggested mounts (warhorse being CR 1/2) but obviously it's an absolutely superior mount, with skills, flight, better mental stats, and Darkvision. The only reason that the warhorse has a higher CR is that it has higher damage, which will become irrelevant pretty fast.

...Wondering if my paladin with an owl familiar can also have a giant owl mount, and deciding how to present it to my DM.

[tieren]

I had a fun gnome paladin that used it to summon a giant frog as a mount lots of fun.

[silvertree]

I think a druid gets flight at 8th level, would you say I shouldn't get a flying mount until at least then?

Just wanted to point out a Druid can summon 2 Giant Eagles to be used as mounts as early as level 5. Or 8 Giant Owls. So if your DM is allowing a variant mount, pointing out what a Druid could summon as early as level 5 would be more effective than pointing out what they can wildshape into at level 8.

In order for you to be able to ride a creature as a mount, it has to be at least Large. Large Dragon-like creatures start at CR 6, with Wyverns and Young Brass/White Dragons. Find Greater Steed doesn't pull anything in beyond CR 2, so I'd reckon most DMs wouldn't permit dragon-like mounts via that spell.

If a dragon-like mount is important, however, you might be able to work with your DM on trimming down a Wyvern using the Creating a Monster/Modifying a Monster rules in the DMG to make a special type of domesticated Wyvern variant.

[Finback]

Get a moose.

Nobody smart ****s with a moose.

Iunno, our mystic had Vladislav, the Fatass Elk. Noone took him seriously.

[CircleOfTheRock]

A Guard Drake from Volo's might fit thematically with your Dragonborn rider.
Wasn’t the Guard Drakes’ fluff that they were horrible experiments made from pure awfulness and dragons’ scales, or something...?