velociraptor mount question.

[jonhl1986]

does it gain the leaping charge or is that only for the monster version and not the animal companion

[DM_Blake]

Velociraptors are the size of turkeys. Which race can ride something so small?

I suppose if you're small enough (specifically, you would need to be Tiny), or wait until level 7 when your velociraptor magically turns into a deinonychus* (and even then you need to be Small), then you could ride it.

As for the question of Leaping Charge, the animal companion version doesn't seem to have this feature, but it does gain Pounce which is nearly as good. I don't think it's intended or balanced to have Pounce and Leaping Charge - a single charge attack that lets it attack 3 times at the end of a charge AND do double claw damage (twice) seems a bit over the top.

So I guess Leaping Charge is just for the monster, not the AC.

* It doesn't really; it's still called a velociraptor, but it is now the size of a deinonychus and bigger than any velociraptor ever was.

[jonhl1986]

well im getting it as an animal mount for my beast rider cavalier which goes to medium and im small so makes perfect sense to grab a raptor and give it nothing but speed increase feats and i grabed a trait for increasing speed while charging. but yeah guess leaping charge and pounce would be to strong.

[Casual Viking]

Animal Companions get nothing from the corresponding bestiary entry, unless specifically called out.

[Scott Wilhelm]

Here's a thought: Instead of being a Cavalier with a Mount Companion, try being a Wildshaped Druid with a Human Companion.

Be a Druid or take enough levels in Druid so that you can take Wildshape and Shaping Focus and develop as a Martial Character, but take a Domain instead of an Animal Companion, and then take the Leadership Feat. Make your Cohort a Cavalier or Paladin or something. You wanted a Cavalier on a Velociraptor, how much cooler would it be to put him on a Megaraptor? Or how about a Triceratops with Great Cleave and Greater Bull Rush for his Gore Attack? Under the influence of a Strong Jaw Spell, the Gore Attack will do 5d8 base damage, your Cavalier Cohort will get double damage with his lance, triple damage if you have him take Spirited Charge. Then he takes a level in Cavalier and gets Paired Opportunist, both he and the Cavalier Cohort get Attacks of Opportunity with every successful Bull Rush. There is a Size limit on Bull Rushing, but now your are a Freakin' Dinosaur! It's an idea I developed and can link to if you want.

What could be cooler than having a Cavalier riding into battle on top of Triceratops? How about riding into battle on the back of a Giant Eagle--a Huge Roc, or a Pteradactyl? Or on the back of a Killer Whale? As a wildshaping Druid, you can manage all 3!

[Scott Wilhelm]

Casual Viking wrote:

Animal Companions get nothing from the corresponding bestiary entry, unless specifically called out.

Reviewing the Animal Companion rules, I'm pretty sure Casual Viking is right. Animal Companions mostly get Animal Companion powers, not Animal Powers. Some of the stuff you are talking about your Animal Companion can get in the form of Feats.

[jonhl1986]

yeah so only possible way of getting anything remotely similar would be taking gorgon belt which im too broke for now so ill have to wait.