PFS - Hugantical Mount

[Revolving Door Alternate]

Friend wants a ‘big brute of mount’ for a new PFS character. He’s going for the WTF factor. “You’re riding what?!?” Along the lines of a rhino or mastodon.

He knows perfectly well it won’t be useful in a lot of PFS scenarios. But when it can it will command attention.
So what is the largest PFS legal mount and how do I best build a character to use it for him?

[Damanta]

Purchasable mount: biggest size you can get is large.

However, if he's willing to sit it out for a while:
Level 9 hunter/druid/sylvan sorcerer can cast Animal Growth on their (large) animal companion to have a huge companion for a while.

The other route is going with hunter or druid 9/mammoth rider 1.
Then you have a permanent huge animal companion drawn from a (small) selective list. You also can use Animal Growth to make it gargantuan for a while (though for the hunter that requires him to be level 10)

Edit: as for legal mounts: hunter and druid both can use the entire list, which includes mastodons and triceratops, however he'll need undersized mount until level 7. Mammoth Rider opens up the mastodon and triceratops for cavalier / ranger.

Edit 2: Sample build

hunter/mammoth rider:

Human (max out ride, handle animal and at least 5 points into survival, also minimum 13 int for combat expertise/pack tactics)
Hunter 1: Mounted Combat, Undersized Mount
Hunter 2: Outflank
Hunter 3: Combat Expertise, Pack Tactics
Hunter 4: -
Hunter 5: Ride By Attack
Hunter 6: -bonus teamwork feat-
Hunter 7: Spirited Charge, retrain Undersized mount into Wheeling Charge
Hunter 8: -
Hunter 9: ? -bonus teamwork feat-
Mammoth Rider 1: -
Hunter 10: ?

[Revolving Door Alternate]

Mammoth Rider sounds like what he's looking for. I will try to look it up when I get home tonight.

[Hmm]

If you're a half-orc, you can take the Beast-Rider Feat at seventh level.

Unfortunately, Mammoth Shamans don't get a mammoth companion until 16th level.
Hmm

PS If you choose a huge companion, try to take a class that can cast the "Carry Companion" spell so that you can take your buddy with you in tight spaces.

[ohako]

you can also take the feat 'Monstrous Mount', to get access to some different critters, and you can pile that on with Mammoth Rider

So, riding a Huge griffon say, or a Huge worg if you're true neutral

[Rodinia]

Cleric with the Plant (Growth) domain and an Animal domain can have a Large animal companion (all types) at 5th level. Share Spells feature causes Enlarge Person (a 1st level domain spell) to work on the pet, making it Huge. Thus, pet can be huge for minutes per day from 5th level on. This gives you the (in)convenience of a merely Large pet that becomes Huge when desired. Rodinia has done this a few times, and got a very considerable 'WTF!!!!!' reaction.

If you intend to use a Large+ pet in PFS, make sure it has the Narrow Frame feat. This feat is vital in the small, crowded spaces common in PFS adventures. This feat makes the difference between bringing the pet with you into the dungeon/building/lair , versus leaving it at home.

[Dhenn]

Nope, Mammoth Rider explicitly limits the options for Steeds. Anything beyond their list requires GM approval, which isn't an option for PFS. The monstrous mount would give you something fun to use while you wait to qualify for Mammoth Rider, though, especially if you do it through a class with limited options (like Ranger or Cavalier), if you don't mind the retraining cost once it's no longer valuable to you.

[Damanta]

I am very curious about the shenanigans used to get the full list of companions large at level 5 with a class that has animal companions at -3 characterlevel to start with.

The only animal companions that I'm aware off that are large before level 7 (not counting those that never go past medium):
Ape (level 4)
Axe Beak (level 4)
Camel (level 1)
Dinosaur (Elasmosaurus) (level 4)
Horse (level 1)
Lizard (Giant Chameleon) (level 4)
Manta Ray (level 4)
Snake (Constrictor) (level 4)

Granted, yes I forgot that with share spells a wildblooded sylvan sorcerer or growth/strength + animal domain cleric they can increase the size a lot earlier ;)

[blackbloodtroll]

Monstrous Mount gives you access to a Griffon, and Worg.

It may override the restrictions of Mammoth Rider.

[Malag]

There is a figurine that let's you summon a an elephant completely under your command. That seems like a best take to me, but it's costly.

Adam

[Revolving Door Alternate]

Ok, I think he has decide on a hunter 9 / mammoth rider 2, with a triceratops for animal companion mount. He also wants me to build it as a cavalier to compare, but I think he is going to go with the hunter.

Thanks folks.

[Devo]

Don't forget the Dire Collar, which, at only 1000gp, is available early on.

[Serisan]

And here I'm just happy to have a character that can go up to Huge size at level 7 for a minute at a time.

An alternative to the Hunter is actually the Summoner. At 8th level, you can move the base size of the Eidolon to Large and cast Enlarge on it. At 13th, you can move the base size to Huge and still Enlarge, going to Gargantuan (!!!!). The Mount evolution is only 1 pt.

[Magda Luckbender]

Here's a do-the-math comparison of pathfinder animal companions. It's nicely sorted into companions with 4 HD and 7 HD growth spurts. The given number is CR rating at that growth stage.

My personal favorite animal companion is the not-quite-optimal axe beak. My too-clever-by-half vote goes to the wall-walking giant gecko lizard.

[Avoron]

Mounted fury barbarian is a great alternative, if your friend isn't completely set on hunter or cavalier. Boon Companion can raise your effective druid level up to normal. The Greater Ferocious Beast rage power is really nice, especially if you get Amplified Rage and a Horsemaster's Saddle. And I think that's all PFS legal.

[Hmm]

There are so many fun animals. I'm really enjoying the giant vulture my winged marauder goblin alchemist is riding. Some of them are cool because of their intelligence, or the fact that they are good in combat. Some are cool because of mobility. Some have awesome roleplay flavor.

I think... go for fun. If riding a mastodon is fun, go for it.

The do-the-math comparison is interesting, but don't let it dissuade you from picking an animal that you really love.

Hmm

[Revolving Door Alternate]

Avoron wrote:

Mounted fury barbarian is a great alternative, if your friend isn't completely set on hunter or cavalier. Boon Companion can raise your effective druid level up to normal. The Greater Ferocious Beast rage power is really nice, especially if you get Amplified Rage and a Horsemaster's Saddle. And I think that's all PFS legal.

No, he's not set on anything except a great big mount at this time. I never thought of the mounted fury. That actually might fit his planned personality better. Though he will hate giving up spells.

[Just a Mort]

Huge mount = get extra item slot (belt of the weasel) + narrow frame on mr humongus.

Now he can squeeze anywhere and make his attacks without penalties!