Like the title says, can a paladin's mount speak? They all have at least 6 Intelligence.
Yar.
RAW doesn't say much on this, however, I always rule like this: Regardless of their intelligence, they still need the proper vocal chords to be able to speak. Because at 11th level, it changes from an unusually intelligent animal into a magical beast with the celestial template, I'd say that at that point it could speak common (if it has ranks in linguistics to learn common or any language that it has linguistics ranks in). Before then, so long as it has an Int above 3 (auto for paladin mounts, and not until 4th level for regular animal companions if you increase it's Int at that point) it might be able to speak Aklo/Draconic/Sylvan or some other animal/beast appropriate language IF your mount first puts skill ranks into Linguistics to learn those languages. It could learn common at that point as well, but it would only be able to read and understand common, not speak it (until it becomes a magical beast, simply because of how it's vocal chords are constructed, which has not mention in RAW, it's simply my assumption).
This is mostly just my opinion. However, a few things are by RAW: Animals (as well as any creature with an Int of 1-2) cannot speak or even understand language beyond natural instincts (which is why we have the Handle Animal skill and Wild Empathy). Animals (and animal companions) do not have racial languages, and so regardless of their Int they do not know any language unless they put a skill rank into Linguistics to learn a language. Magical beast as listed in the bestiary may know a language but still may not necessarily be able to speak it. (Bestiary, page 308)
So really, it will be up to the DM... but at the very least (I think that) you should have to put ranks into linguistics before even considering a mount being able to talk, regardless of it's Int score. Once that happens, it's really up to the DM.
~P
[--] as long as it has an Int above 3 it might be able to speak [--] some animal/beast appropriate language IF your mount first puts skill ranks into Linguistics to learn those languages. It could learn common at that point as well, but it would only be able to read and understand common, not speak it [--]
A few things are by RAW: Animals (as well as any creature with an Int of 1-2) cannot speak or even understand language beyond natural instincts [--] Animals (and animal companions) do not have racial languages, and so regardless of their Int they do not know any language unless they put a skill rank into Linguistics to learn a language. Magical beast as listed in the bestiary may know a language but still may not necessarily be able to speak it. (Bestiary, page 308)
So really, it will be up to the DM... but at the very least (I think that) you should have to put ranks into linguistics before even considering a mount being able to talk, regardless of it's Int score. Once that happens, it's really up to the DM.
This. Few things omitted and edited for grammar (or at least attempted).
Speaking and understanding language require minimum of 3 intelligence, but animals do not have a "native language", so they'll need to take ranks in linguistics to be able to understand that language - I would also rule that (at least most) animals cannot speak said languages, lacking vocal cords that are sophisticated enough - but they would understand what is being said, read the language and possibly even write it.
If the animal somehow turns into a magical beast, possibility of speech is up to the GM.
Animal Companions (which a Paladin's Mount counts as) with an Int of at least 3 can take ranks any skill. Linguistics allows you to speak and read a new language whenever you put a rank into the skill. So, by RAW, yes, mounts can speak.
However, I wouldn't be surprised if James cleared this up somewhere stating that companions with ranks in Linguistics could understand, but not speak a language.
Don't be silly.
A horse is a horse!
Yar.
RAW doesn't say much on this, however, I always rule like this: Regardless of their intelligence, they still need the proper vocal chords to be able to speak.
That would be my ruling, too.
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Before then, so long as it has an Int above 3 (auto for paladin mounts....
It's worth pointing out that this rule is buried in the text for paladins' Divine Bond, and isn't referred to again at all in the text for Animal Companions, which assume by default that the master is a Druid. It could be easy for some to miss.
The paladin text states that the horse is 'an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed... ...using the paladin's level as her effective druid level. Bonded mounts have an Intelligence of at least 6.'.
Does this mean that a paladin's mount automatically starts play as a Magical Beast?
And are there any implications for this (ie being eligible/ineligible for skills/feats/spells that would appear to be intended for use by them)?
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The higher than normal Int would appear to be an exception, to keep the stats similar to those from 3.5. Though in 3.5, the Int stat increased automatically.
I can't see any other way to increase this except via the normal upgrades every 4HD. Does this mean that we simply add a one-time bonus of +4 Int to any of the mount options, and it can rise from there (ie Int 7 at 4HD, Int 8 at 8HD)?
The reason I ask, is that our 3.5 group has an in-joke that our paladin's horse is more intelligent than he is, and should have a veto over his ideas. And we'd like to keep that running gag, if we port our game over to PF!