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Blackhawk748
2019-06-02, 12:32 AM
This is just a bit of a thought exercise and a bit of fun.

So, we all know that the mundane mounts aren't terribly interesting, but we all want to know which one is the best. Now, price will clearly screw with this so we're going to toss it away and assume that this is going to be gotten for free (either from Wild Cohort or Animal Companion) and that a Medium character wants to use it for a mount.

Our contestants:
Camel (one Humped)
Camel (Two Humped)
Heavy Horse
Light Horse
Mule

I'm aware that the Mule isn't available as an Animal Companion, but that just feels odd to me, so I added it. Here are the categories that we are deciding on:

Best Charger mount
Best Archer mount
Best Caster mount
Best explorer mount
Zaq
2019-06-02, 12:32 PM
What’s the goal? Keeping a caster away from the action? Spirited Charge stuff? Obnoxious action economy stuff? Keeping an archer at kiting range? I get that we’re a Medium dude with a mount, but there’s still plenty of variety there.

Are we concerned with any sort of cost associated with replacing the mount if it dies?
Blackhawk748
2019-06-02, 12:36 PM
What’s the goal? Keeping a caster away from the action? Spirited Charge stuff? Obnoxious action economy stuff? Keeping an archer at kiting range? I get that we’re a Medium dude with a mount, but there’s still plenty of variety there.

Are we concerned with any sort of cost associated with replacing the mount if it dies?

Hmmm, let's break it into categories to keep things interesting.

Best Charger mount
Best Archer mount
Best Caster mount
Best explorer mount

As for replacing, it's an animal companion so that shouldn't be an issue
Malphegor
2019-06-02, 03:01 PM
Do Giant Monstrous Centipedes count? Nothing like turning up to a prince’s ball on this horrific totally natural insect, whose legs are many, whose mandibbly bits drip with ichor, its body stained with the dirt it passed through on the way.
Blackhawk748
2019-06-02, 03:28 PM
Do Giant Monstrous Centipedes count? Nothing like turning up to a prince’s ball on this horrific totally natural insect, whose legs are many, whose mandibbly bits drip with ichor, its body stained with the dirt it passed through on the way.

Nope. Not only is a Large Centipede much higher than a Level 1 Animal Companion (and only available via a feat) Its not one of our contestants in th OP
Vizzerdrix
2019-06-02, 04:55 PM
Riding dog is best.
Tvtyrant
2019-06-02, 07:07 PM
This is just a bit of a thought exercise and a bit of fun.

So, we all know that the mundane mounts aren't terribly interesting, but we all want to know which one is the best. Now, price will clearly screw with this so we're going to toss it away and assume that this is going to be gotten for free (either from Wild Cohort or Animal Companion) and that a Medium character wants to use it for a mount.

Our contestants:
Camel (one Humped)
Camel (Two Humped)
Heavy Horse
Light Horse
Mule

I'm aware that the Mule isn't available as an Animal Companion, but that just feels odd to me, so I added it. So, which one of these is "the best"?

Two humped Camel. It makes for a better grappler than a level 1-2 fighter, carries a lot if weight and has decent HP. A heavy horse is weaker and has less HP, nothing else in the running.
Blackhawk748
2019-06-02, 07:18 PM
Riding dog is best.

To bad that it isn't an option and that its for a Meduim Character


Two humped Camel. It makes for a better grappler than a level 1-2 fighter, carries a lot if weight and has decent HP. A heavy horse is weaker and has less HP, nothing else in the running.

I'm trying to imagine what a Camel grappling looks like. Its amusing.
Malphegor
2019-06-03, 01:48 AM
To bad that it isn't an option and that its for a Meduim Character



I'm trying to imagine what a Camel grappling looks like. Its amusing.

They do have longish necks sometimes so maybe they wrestle like giraffes do.
Jay R
2019-06-03, 02:08 PM
I'm trying to imagine what a Camel grappling looks like. Its amusing.

Oh, please. You're already on the internet.

Camel grappling images (https://www.google.com/search?biw=1331&bih=671&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=yW_1XJueGtC4sgWqzaHYCw&q=camel+grappling&oq=camel+grappling&gs_l=img.3..35i39.3924.7324..8420...0.0..0.102.138 0.12j3......0....1..gws-wiz-img.......0j0i67j0i24.n55By2jA-sg")
TheCount
2019-06-03, 02:51 PM
Supporting the camel, after all, most mount can kick (even a mule can break your bones) but a camel? they can even THROW YOU!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pnqqJB2n98

also, i nominate mule for explorer, they can go in caves as such without training, and i just like them for some reason......

but definitely go camel if its about battle, maybe horse for speed?
Segev
2019-06-03, 03:22 PM
I don't know about as a mount, since mules are Medium sized and thus can't carry Medium characters, but I know my new PC who is warded against nature (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/drawbacks/warded-against-nature/) has a mule named Carrie that he'll be spending about 20 minutes each morning chasing around (taking 20 on Handle Animal) to convince to let him load her up with his gear and travel with him for the day. It should be great fun. :smallsmile:
Blackhawk748
2019-06-03, 04:35 PM
Oh, please. You're already on the internet.

Camel grappling images (https://www.google.com/search?biw=1331&bih=671&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=yW_1XJueGtC4sgWqzaHYCw&q=camel+grappling&oq=camel+grappling&gs_l=img.3..35i39.3924.7324..8420...0.0..0.102.138 0.12j3......0....1..gws-wiz-img.......0j0i67j0i24.n55By2jA-sg")

I...I didn't know that this was a thing. Its wonderful


Supporting the camel, after all, most mount can kick (even a mule can break your bones) but a camel? they can even THROW YOU!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pnqqJB2n98

also, i nominate mule for explorer, they can go in caves as such without training, and i just like them for some reason......

but definitely go camel if its about battle, maybe horse for speed?

I already favored Camel, but this clinches it for me

Light Horses outrun the Single Hump camel, but its only by 10ft. Never quite realized how close they all were to each other.


I don't know about as a mount, since mules are Medium sized and thus can't carry Medium characters, but I know my new PC who is warded against nature (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/drawbacks/warded-against-nature/) has a mule named Carrie that he'll be spending about 20 minutes each morning chasing around (taking 20 on Handle Animal) to convince to let him load her up with his gear and travel with him for the day. It should be great fun. :smallsmile:

Donkies are Medium, Mules are Large.
Segev
2019-06-03, 04:49 PM
Donkies are Medium, Mules are Large.

Huh; that seems to be something that's changed between 3.5 and PF, then; PF tells us to use Pony stats for both donkeys and mules.
Blackhawk748
2019-06-03, 05:13 PM
Huh; that seems to be something that's changed between 3.5 and PF, then; PF tells us to use Pony stats for both donkeys and mules.

That...that is very strange. A mule is a cross between a donkey and a horse and it gets its size from the horse. I've never seen a Mule short as a donkey, all of them are horse size.
upho
2019-06-04, 12:53 AM
Uhm... Judging by the contestants listed in the OP, I assume this is limited to early levels and single-classed characters?

Otherwise, if you want to do as much of your adventuring as possible while staying in the saddle, I wouldn't recommend any of the above beyond the early levels. They tend to quickly become more detrimental than beneficial. If you wanna stay in the saddle, as a general rule you should stay away from anything with four hooves, and instead befriend something better adapted to the life of an adventurer/monster-slayer/murder-hobo. Like an allosaurus, roc, elasmotherium or warcat.

EDIT: Oh, and yes, the camel rules. For sure. /EDIT