Mounted ranger build

[Soranar]

So I'm working on making a mounted ranger

The way I see it rangers make decent mounted combatant since they have access to the rhino's rush spell, skillpoints and lance proficiency.

Since I'll be using a lance, I'm trading away my combat style for wildshape (that way the legendary ape wildshape gives me one hell of a fighting form at level 14)

Until then wildshape will mostly be utility unless I drop my physical stats to fight in baboon form (medium sized 15 STR 14 DEX tool user is not a horrible option). But my game is starting at level 3 so it'd be rough for a while.

I'm still debating a few things though, first my race

-do I go human (for the extra feat + skillpoints) and aim at finding a large mount
-do I go small (strongheart halfling maybe) and ride a riding dog or the like
-or do I go really small (kobold for slight build to count as tiny)

2nd my mount

-Strongest choice early on is definitely a wild cohort, a ranger's animal companion is too nerfed to be useful
-Or I trade my animal companion for a urban companion (which counts as a familiar but with more hitpoints) and eventually I take the improved familiar to get something big enough to ride
-Or I take a small familiar (like the albatross) and I play a kobold so I can ride it

For now I'm thinking strongheart haflling + wild cohort to get a mount right away. And I can always get a bigger mount by the time I reach legendary ape levels.

Anyway if you guys have suggestions or ideas let me know.

[Rebel7284]

I typically see Rhino Rush on Paladin chargers, but yes, it works for Ranger too!

Some thoughts:
- There is a Fangshields Druid sub-level that allows you to add hands to any form. Technically you do not qualify, but worth asking about.
- Master of Many forms is something you DO qualify for and can give you better forms for mounted combat and utility.
- If you stay in the Ranger class, Mystic Ranger boosts your casting significantly allowing you to Rhino Rush from level 1.
- If you stay in Ranger (Mystic or otherwise), Sword of the Arcane Order is an amazing feat.
- Fleshraker dinosaurs are great for mounts/animal companions/wildshape forms/etc.
- If you wildshape into a centaur with Master of Many forms, can you use feats for mounted combat even if your mount isn't around?
- Make sure your Lance has a wand chamber for a wand of Rhino Rush, assuming your DM accepts the most common interpretation that wands of swift action spells take a swift action to activate (it's not 100% clear)

[Darg]

- If you stay in the Ranger class, Mystic Ranger boosts your casting significantly allowing you to Rhino Rush from level 1.

Level 2 is when you get access to 1st level spells. You get level 0 spells at 1 though.

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3 levels of Wild Plains Outrider gives +3 levels to your companion and gives you an option to full attack charge (single move distance only) by level 9 among other really useful abilities.

Half-elf ranger substitution levels 4 and 13 can be really interesting giving useful spells and skill mastery respectively (combines with the 1st level WPOutrider very nicely).

Golarion ranger gives up the ability to get upgraded companions to use the basic level list at ranger level -2.

[liquidformat]

Some answers and some food for thought.

• Urban companion doesn't qualify you to take improved familiar since you don't have an arcane caster level. You need Sword of Arcane Order with either Magical Training or a level of wizard. Shooting star and Mystic Ranger are pretty great for this too. I would suggest going with Shooting Star Mystic Ranger take magical training, obtain familiar and improved familiar if you wish to go this route.
• Wild Shape frankly is the wrong way to go if you want to go mounted. You are better off going Ranger 6 with the mounted-combat style & Champion of the Wild ACF/Beastmaster 1/Wild Plains Outrider 3/Vadalis Beastkeeper 10 in conjunction with Natural Bond you are treated as a level 23 druid for your animal companion and get magebred added on to it.
• Note ranger qualifies for Vadalis Beastkeeper at level 4.
• I will also mention the Gnome Ranger substitution levels. Specifically 'Burrowing Animal Companion' gives you a +3 to your druid level for determining your animal companion for burrowing animals. This is great because it allows you to get a warbeast dire badger or warbeast wolverine both of which increase to large with the single hd gained from warbeast template which is awesome.

[Zarvistic]

You might like the ranger knight of furyondy prestige class from dragon 317. It goes well with devoted tracker and it gives a bunch of nice stuff for mounted combat. I would recommend the tremendous charge feat instead of trying to increase your own strength if you mean to use a powerful mount anyway.

[Soranar]

Urban companion doesn't qualify you to take improved familiar

It does, it's in the online webpage description that says something like : this is identical to a sorcerer's class feature, treat yourself as a sorcerer of x-level

Wild Shape frankly is the wrong way to go if you want to go mounted. You are better off going Ranger 6 with the mounted-combat style & Champion of the Wild ACF/Beastmaster 1/Wild Plains Outrider 3/Vadalis Beastkeeper 10 in conjunction with Natural Bond you are treated as a level 23 druid for your animal companion and get magebred added on to it.

This is weaker than a wildshape ranger taking wild cohort:

-you lose rhino's rush (and ranger spellcasting)
-you lose your 30 STR from legendary ape wildshape
-your animal companion is only mildly superior to a wild cohort
-also mounted combat style is dragon material as far as I know, I'm making a 3.5 build

I will also mention the Gnome Ranger substitution levels. Specifically 'Burrowing Animal Companion' gives you a +3 to your druid level for determining your animal companion for burrowing animals. This is great because it allows you to get a warbeast dire badger or warbeast wolverine both of which increase to large with the single hd gained from warbeast template which is awesome.


again, just a wild cohort horse is about on par with this and you don't have to be a gnome

[Soranar]

- Master of Many forms is something you DO qualify for and can give you better forms for mounted combat and utility.
- If you stay in the Ranger class, Mystic Ranger boosts your casting significantly allowing you to Rhino Rush from level 1.
- If you wildshape into a centaur with Master of Many forms, can you use feats for mounted combat even if your mount isn't around?

-you can use a wand from your spell list even if you can't cast the spell yet so I could always invest in that until I can cast rhino's rush
-Mystic ranger is dragon material which is a no go
-centaur are always considered mounted so yeah it works, not sure about it though as a centaur wildshape is worth the trouble, if I'm playing a master of many forms I wouldn't bother with mounted combat

[Gruftzwerg]

-or do I go really small (kobold for slight build to count as tiny)

Have a look at slight build again:

Slight Build: The physical stature of kobolds lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category smaller. Whenever a kobold is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as Hide), the kobold is treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous to the character. A kobold is also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. A kobold can use weapons designed for a creature one size smaller without penalty. However, the space and reach of a kobold remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category

The Kobold is not tiny and only counts as tiny for opposed checks and squeezing through restricted space.
Riding a mount is neither of em. So the Kobold still is a small rider and not tiny.

Urban companion doesn't qualify you to take improved familiar

It does, it's in the online webpage description that says something like : this is identical to a sorcerer's class feature, treat yourself as a sorcerer of x-level

IIRC Urban Companion (e.g. from Urban Druid) works like Wild Shape and your levels count as druid lvls. So pls recheck your source.

If you want to combine familiar + animal/urban companion, Arcane Hierophant is the way to go.

And if you are looking for an optimized mounted wild shape build, maybe have a look at my Papa Smurf build for some inspiration.

[Darg]

Urban Companion

The fearsome animal companions who accompany some casters in the wild are indeed a boon in combat, but a hulking wolf or creeping tiger is out of place in an urban environment. Some characters believe that small and subtle is of greater value than massive and mighty.

Class: Druid or ranger.

Level: 1st (druid) or 4th (ranger).

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain an animal companion.

Benefit: The character gains the companionship of a smaller but far more intelligent creature than she otherwise would have. This is identical to the sorcerer's ability to summon a familiar (PH 52), including all benefits granted and gained by the familiar, except as noted below. Her functional level for determining the abilities of the companion is equal to her druid level or one-half her ranger level.

She does not lose experience points if her urban companion is slain, and she requires only 24 hours to replace one who is lost.

Her urban companion has total hit points equal to 3/4 her own hit points, rather than half as per a familiar.

The urban companion gains the ability to speak with other animals of its kind when she has an effective master level of 1st, rather than 7th.

When she reaches an effective master level of 7th, she can speak with animals of her companion's kind, as per speak with animals. This is a supernatural ability that functions constantly, and it requires only a free action to reactivate if somehow dispelled.

There is an argument that it qualifies for improved familiar, but it is still a reach. Urban Companion still refers to the creature as a companion, not a familiar and the prerequisite for improved familiar requires "the ability to acquire a new familiar."

[Maat Mons]

My usual mounted idea is a Jermlaine Druid riding on a Vulture. Jermlaine (Monster Manual II, p131 & 3.5 Update Booklet) is a Tiny +0 LA race. Vulture (Sandstorm, p48 & p195) is a Small flyer available as an Animal Companion to 1st-level Druids.

My slightly-less-usual mounted combat idea is a Muckdweller Wizard riding on an Albatross. Muckdweller (Serpent Kingdoms, p71) is a Tiny +0 LA race. Albatross (Stormwrack, p52 & p165) is a Small flyer available as a Familiar (not requiring the Improved Familiar Feat).

In either case, I'd normally recommend a crossbow build to mitigate the abysmal Strength score.

If you want to play a lancer, you could be Small while avoiding a Strength penalty by going Gully Dwarf (Dragonlance Campaign Setting, p15), Wild Dwarf (Races of Faerun, p23), or Korobokuru (Oriental Adventures, p12).

[Gruftzwerg]

There is an argument that it qualifies for improved familiar, but it is still a reach. Urban Companion still refers to the creature as a companion, not a familiar and the prerequisite for improved familiar requires "the ability to acquire a new familiar."

Interesting, I was only aware of the Urban Druid's "Urban Companion" and they work different. Nice to know.

Seeing thing, I would say it should work by RAW. The ability is obviously keyed to Familiars and not Animal Companions. Thus it should qualify for Familiar related stuff, while being excluded for Animal Companion stuff. (unless there is any ERRATA?^^)

edit: the ability to acquire a new familiar is given with the "works identical"-line, since that is part of that ability.

[Seward]

-do I go human (for the extra feat + skillpoints) and aim at finding a large mount
-do I go small (strongheart halfling maybe) and ride a riding dog or the like
-or do I go really small (kobold for slight build to count as tiny)

Medium mounts with small chargers work better in baby levels than medium size riders with large mounts.

If, however, you can somehow get a flying mount that doesn't need spell support to carry a rider, that's way superior. You fly above heads of your party and have clear charge lanes to most enemies. (I did this in Pathfinder Society with a gnome and a baby Roc companion, in 3.5 not as easy to do, but I kinda like the kobold riding a small bird, especially if said bird is good enough at flying to hover...and assuming you can somehow do meaningful damage...3x nothing is still nothing....)

Without such a mount, you kind have to get air walk or always take point to be sure of your charge lanes.

[Anthrowhale]

Wraithstrike would allow you to use a touch attack, which becomes increasingly valuable at higher levels in conjunction with power attack. It consumes a swift action, so this only seems compatible with Rhino's Rush if you can use persistent spell. A DMM route may be the easiest approach for that.

[liquidformat]

There is an argument that it qualifies for improved familiar, but it is still a reach. Urban Companion still refers to the creature as a companion, not a familiar and the prerequisite for improved familiar requires "the ability to acquire a new familiar."

The issue I have been looking at is that you don't have an Arcane Spellcaster Level and no urban companion doesn't give you one and I see no argument that it does. If you go into the Familiar entry in the PHB its all based on 'Master Class Level' and nowhere does it talk about Arcane Spellcaster Level. So sure you can take the Improved Familiar feat; however, without an Arcane Spellcaster Level you don't qualify for any improved familiars since they all have an Arcane Spellcaster Level requirement.

[Darg]

The issue I have been looking at is that you don't have an Arcane Spellcaster Level and no urban companion doesn't give you one and I see no argument that it does. If you go into the Familiar entry in the PHB its all based on 'Master Class Level' and nowhere does it talk about Arcane Spellcaster Level. So sure you can take the Improved Familiar feat; however, without an Arcane Spellcaster Level you don't qualify for any improved familiars since they all have an Arcane Spellcaster Level requirement.

The ones from complete scoundrel only require a caster level. It's only an argument though. As always it's up to the DM.

[Soranar]

The issue I have been looking at is that you don't have an Arcane Spellcaster Level and no urban companion doesn't give you one and I see no argument that it does. If you go into the Familiar entry in the PHB its all based on 'Master Class Level' and nowhere does it talk about Arcane Spellcaster Level. So sure you can take the Improved Familiar feat; however, without an Arcane Spellcaster Level you don't qualify for any improved familiars since they all have an Arcane Spellcaster Level requirement.

This is identical to the sorcerer's ability to summon a familiar (PH 52), including all benefits granted and gained by the familiar, except as noted below. Her functional level for determining the abilities of the companion is equal to her druid level or one-half her ranger level.

Seems pretty clear to me, honestly not that powerful since you waste a feat on it.

but even if that's an issue there are 2 basic familiars that are big enough for a mount

The albatross is a flying 50 ft flying speed average maneuverability, 10 STR and 13 DEX or
The artic fox is a small mount with 40 ft speed, 6 STR and 17 DEX, weapon finesse and scent. If you want something that can contribute in combat you'll need the feat or a shared spell to morph it into something useful but the main appeal is that it gets 2/3 of your hitpoints, your skillpoints and your BAB.

or you just take wild cohort and progress a horse or a riding dog but, through share spells and sword of the arcane order, you can morph that familiar into some fairly impressive mounts via alter self (can increase size 1 step) and eventually polymorph.

[liquidformat]

This is identical to the sorcerer's ability to summon a familiar (PH 52), including all benefits granted and gained by the familiar, except as noted below. Her functional level for determining the abilities of the companion is equal to her druid level or one-half her ranger level.

And again nowhere does it give you an arcane caster level, you can point at the text as much as you want but that doesn't change the fact that it doesn't give you one.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

If you're going halfling anyway, I'd consider throwing in a Paladin mount and going Halfling Outrider for an ubermount. Something like:

Cleric 1/ Ranger 4/ Prestige Paladin 2

Gives you both an animal companion and Paladin mount. Grab the Devoted Tracker feat at 9th level to combine the two. Then when you go into Halfling Outrider, that one creature will be getting doubly progressed.

Maybe throw in a level of Barbarian for Pounce and pick up Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting to dual-wield lances.