Are paladin's strictly limited to the list of mounts in their class description, or can they use a suitable creature from the list of all animal companions? (By suitable, I mean at least a size category larger than the paladin and able to carry his weight)?

The class description says the mount is "usually" a heavy horse or pony. But then it goes on to say that the mount functions as a druid animal companion using the Paladin's level as the effective druid level. This immediately gives you access to a companion from that list.

For the sake of riding, however, I'd say that to be a "suitable mount for riding" (as loosely defined in the Ride skill) the mount generally has to be a quadruped one size category or more larger than your character. It would be pretty silly if your medium-sized human paladin rode a medium-sized boar, for example. :-)

The class description says the mount is "usually" a heavy horse or pony. But then it goes on to say that the mount functions as a druid animal companion using the Paladin's level as the effective druid level. This immediately gives you access to a companion from that list.

For the sake of riding, however, I'd say that to be a "suitable mount for riding" (as loosely defined in the Ride skill) the mount generally has to be a quadruped one size category or more larger than your character. It would be pretty silly if your medium-sized human paladin rode a medium-sized boar, for example. :-)

The 7th level advancement for a dinosaur is to make it medium instead of small.

The 7th level advancement for a dinosaur is to make it medium instead of small.

Then a new question: will the animal companions from the Bestiary be available for PCs after the upcoming campaign update? :)

I will include some of them in 2.1 of the guide book, yes.

A quick read of page 54 of the Core Rulebook reveals that the dinosaur in the druid animal companion entry is either a deinonychus or velociraptor.

The OP initially appeared to be addressing that dinosaur entry, not the specific animal companion entry for the tyrannosaurus on page 86 of the bestiary.

Edit: this post was a response to a post that appears to have been deleted expressing confusion between dinosaur entries.

Yeah, I posted my confusion, but then realized that the thread was specifically discussing for Pathfinder Society play, not PF play in general. Thanks for the clarification, though.

I will include some of them in 2.1 of the guide book, yes.

When will the 2.1 guide book be ready?

Joshua J. Frost wrote:

I will include some of them in 2.1 of the guide book, yes.

When will the 2.1 guide book be ready?

ShadowDax wrote:

Joshua J. Frost wrote:

I will include some of them in 2.1 of the guide book, yes.

When will the 2.1 guide book be ready?

The moment this one man show can get to it. :-) After the November scenarios, it's next on my to-do list.

It would be pretty silly if your medium-sized human paladin rode a medium-sized boar, for example. :-)

Any thoughts or ideas?

He takes a -5 on all Ride checks since a boar isn't a suitable mount for a dwarf (it's the same size category).

The 7th level advancement for a dinosaur is to make it medium instead of small.

I would also like to know whether an Ape is a viable option for a medium paladin.

This is a bit of a gray area and I'm currently creating a paladin charger for organized play, so a little guidance as to what is allowed would be nice.

Would a gnome paladin be able to ride a large tiger with -5 penalty for size?

Paladins specifically receive a mount as part of their divine bond. Because it repeatedly uses the word "mount," I'm ruling for Pathfinder Society that you can't take a companion that can't function as a mount. It comes down to common sense and GM purview in home games, but since I'm effectively the GM for Pathfinder Society, here's how it works:

As a paladin, your divine bond mount must be at least one size category larger than you starting at 1st level. If you're a Medium PC, your mount must be large. If you're a Small PC, your mount must be at least medium. Your mount must have four legs and be viewed from a common sense perspective as suitable as a mount.

I'll add this specific language to the next guide update.

Your mount must have four legs

Not for paladins, no.

Paladins specifically receive a mount as part of their divine bond. Because it repeatedly uses the word "mount," I'm ruling for Pathfinder Society that you can't take a companion that can't function as a mount. It comes down to common sense and GM purview in home games, but since I'm effectively the GM for Pathfinder Society, here's how it works:

As a paladin, your divine bond mount must be at least one size category larger than you starting at 1st level. If you're a Medium PC, your mount must be large. If you're a Small PC, your mount must be at least medium. Your mount must have four legs and be viewed from a common sense perspective as suitable as a mount.

I'll add this specific language to the next guide update.

Paladins specifically receive a mount as part of their divine bond. Because it repeatedly uses the word "mount," I'm ruling for Pathfinder Society that you can't take a companion that can't function as a mount. It comes down to common sense and GM purview in home games, but since I'm effectively the GM for Pathfinder Society, here's how it works:

As a paladin, your divine bond mount must be at least one size category larger than you starting at 1st level. If you're a Medium PC, your mount must be large. If you're a Small PC, your mount must be at least medium. Your mount must have four legs and be viewed from a common sense perspective as suitable as a mount.

I'll add this specific language to the next guide update.

Thank you for your quick answer though, and I will be looking forward to the precise wording.