Campaign Guidance Required for Expert Trainer (Ex) ability [APG, Cavalier]

[Purple Dragon Knight]

For ease of reference here is the ability in question:

Quote:

Expert Trainer (Ex): At 4th level, a cavalier learns to

train mounts with speed and unsurpassed expertise.
The cavalier receives a bonus equal to 1/2 his cavalier
level whenever he uses Handle Animal on an animal that
serves as a mount. In addition, he can reduce the time
needed to teach a mount a new trick or train a mount for a
general purpose to 1 day per 1 week required by increasing
the DC by +5. He can also train more than one
mount at once, although each mount after the first adds
+2 to the DC.

Questions:

1) Does this ability in effect remove the 1 trick per scenario cap? (I believe it should, as the ability lets you train a critter 7 times faster)

2) Can a cavalier that has this ability train mounts purchased by other players (i.e. make a plain old light horse bought for 75gp on page 159 of the Core rules into a combat trained mount worth 110gp) I could see this being done easily (3 additional mounts ups the DC by 6; if the cavalier rolls good then everybody's riding horse is now combat trained) The DM could just put a note on the Chronicle Sheet (Pathfinder Character, Faction, Character Number) that did the training... that would actually be a cool bragging right for cavaliers ("My steed has been trained by Chaine Alazario, Andoran Faction, # 4456-3")

:)

[teribithia9]

Purple Dragon Knight wrote:

For ease of reference here is the ability in question:

Quote:

Expert Trainer (Ex): At 4th level, a cavalier learns to

train mounts with speed and unsurpassed expertise.
The cavalier receives a bonus equal to 1/2 his cavalier
level whenever he uses Handle Animal on an animal that
serves as a mount. In addition, he can reduce the time
needed to teach a mount a new trick or train a mount for a
general purpose to 1 day per 1 week required by increasing
the DC by +5. He can also train more than one
mount at once, although each mount after the first adds
+2 to the DC.

Questions:

1) Does this ability in effect remove the 1 trick per scenario cap? (I believe it should, as the ability lets you train a critter 7 times faster)

2) Can a cavalier that has this ability train mounts purchased by other players (i.e. make a plain old light horse bought for 75gp on page 159 of the Core rules into a combat trained mount worth 110gp) I could see this being done easily (3 additional mounts ups the DC by 6; if the cavalier rolls good then everybody's riding horse is now combat trained) The DM could just put a note on the Chronicle Sheet (Pathfinder Character, Faction, Character Number) that did the training... that would actually be a cool bragging right for cavaliers ("My steed has been trained by Chaine Alazario, Andoran Faction, # 4456-3")

:)

No--because that ability isn't allowed in PFS. (see below from the additional resources pdf you get skill focus handle animal instead):

The following parts of the Advanced Player’s Guide are NOT legal for play: Craftsman
alternate Dwarven racial trait, Practicality alternate Halfling racial trait, Heart
of the Fields alternate Human racial trait, Alchemist’s Brew Potion class ability
(he receives Extra Bombs instead as a bonus feat), Cavalier’s Expert Trainer class
ability (he receives Skill Focus [Handle Animal] instead as a bonus feat), Witch’s
Cauldron hex, Antipaladin alternate class, Cooperative Crafting feat, all cursed
magic items and artifacts, the Hero Point new rule and associated feats, spells,
and magic items, the Hedge Magician, Magical Knack, Natural Born Leader, and
Rich Parents traits, and all of the Campaign Traits. The Master Alchemist feat may
only be selected by Alchemists and Poisoners.

[Purple Dragon Knight]

God bless the Pathfinder Society staff: take a controversial ability out and replace it by a feat. You won't see a lot of people argue against a free feat!

Tim and Eric Awesome Show - Great Job! :)