Question on stats of a level 6 paladin mount


Rules Questions


This should be easier then I am making it. I just need the stat block for a level 6 human paladin's mount. He has the bonded mount ability, and it should be a horse. I am not sure if I should be using the druid's animal companion horse and bump up that horse's stats based on the animal companion chart, or if I should be using the heavy horse stat block for a paladin's mount and then bumping up that stat block with the druid's animal companion chart. This is more confusing to me then the actual character's build.


With animal companions or things that act like them you always ignore the bestiary completely and go with the druid's table and creature descriptions. (Don't feel bad, everyone gets thrown off by this.)


This is what I came up with, if you see any issues, please tell me :)

Bad Horse (Thoroughbred of Sin)
Starting Statistics
Size Large; Speed 50 ft.; AC +4 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4), 2 hooves* (1d6); Ability Scores Str 16, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6; Special Qualities low-light vision, scent.
* This is a secondary natural attack, see Combat for more information on how secondary attacks work.
4th-Level Advancement
Ability Scores Str +2, Con +2; Special Qualities combat trained.
ENDING STATS
Size Large; Speed 50 ft.; AC +8 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4), 2 hooves* (1d6); Ability Scores Str 20, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 6; Special Qualities low-light vision, scent.
Hit points 8+25+18=51
6 ranks of intimidate+3 for focus, +4 for size, -2 cha, +5 strength, +2 persuasive, +3 for trained=+21 on intimidate skill
Intimidating Prowess (Combat)
Your physical might is intimidating to others.
Benefit: Add your Strength modifier to Intimidate skill checks in addition to your Charisma modifier.
Skill Focus (intimidate)
Benefit: You get a +3 bonus on all checks involving the chosen skill. If you have 10 or more ranks in that skill, this bonus increases to +6.
Persuasive feat, you gain a +2 bonus on Intimidate skill checks. If you have 10 or more ranks in Intimidate, the bonus increases to +4.
Tricks
Track (DC 20) The animal tracks the scent presented to it. (This requires the animal to have the scent ability)
Break Out (DC 20): On command, the animal attempts to break or gnaw through any bars or bindings restricting itself, its handler, or a person indicated by the handler. If not effective on its own, this trick can grant the target character a +4 circumstance bonus on Escape Artist checks. The animal can also take certain basic actions like lifting a latch or bringing its master an unattended key. Weight and Strength restrictions still apply, and pickpocketing a key or picking any sort of lock is still far beyond the animal's ability.
Seek (DC 15) The animal moves into an area and looks around for anything that is obviously alive or animate.
Combat Training (DC 20) An animal trained to bear a rider into combat knows the tricks attack, come, defend, down, guard, and heel. Training an animal for combat riding takes 6 weeks. You may also “upgrade” an animal trained for riding to one trained for combat by spending 3 weeks and making a successful DC 20 Handle Animal check. The new general purpose and tricks completely replace the animal's previous purpose and any tricks it once knew. Many horses and riding dogs are trained in this way.
Table: Animal Companion Base Statistics
Class Level HD BAB Fort Ref Will Skills Feats Natural Armor Bonus Str/Dex Bonus Bonus Tricks Special
1st 2 +1 +3 +3 +0 2 1 +0 +0 1 Link, share spells

2nd 3 +2 +3 +3 +1 3 2 +0 +0 1 —
3rd 3 +2 +3 +3 +1 3 2 +2 +1 2 Evasion

4th 4 +3 +4 +4 +1 4 2 +2 +1 2 Ability score increase

5th 5 +3 +4 +4 +1 5 3 +2 +1 2 —
6th 6 +4 +5 +5 +2 6 3 +4 +2 3 Devotion

Link (Ex)
A druid can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn’t have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill. The druid gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion.
Share Spells (Ex)
The druid may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A druid may cast spells on her animal companion even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion's type (animal). Spells cast in this way must come from a class that grants an animal companion. This ability does not allow the animal to share abilities that are not spells, even if they function like spells.
Evasion (Ex)
If an animal companion is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
Devotion
An animal companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.


I have three nits to pick.

Quote:
6 ranks of intimidate+3 for focus, +4 for size, -2 cha, +5 strength, +2 persuasive, +3 for trained=+21 on intimidate skill

First, +3 for trained only applies to class skills. Intimidate is one of the skills that Int 2 animal companions can put ranks into (doesn't matter for you, but that's why it's in the list I think you're looking at) but it is not a class skill. If you give it the charger archetype, Intimidate will become a class skill. It's a good archetype if you want to give it serious barding or a heavy load.

Second, the size modifier to Intimidate is to be applied on the fly, because it depends on the size of the other guy too. If he's Large, you get no bonus; if he's Huge, you take a penalty. So just snip that part out of your calculations and keep it in mind at game time.

Third, Intimidate aside, I believe you are missing that at when it hit 4 HD (coincidentally at owner's 4th level) it got a +1 to an ability score of your choice. I know you want to boost your Str as much as possible, but I'd consider putting this one into Con to bump up the modifier.

Otherwise, looks good!


Other than that, just remember it has the minimum 6 INT, not 2.

(And on that topic, you may want to ask your GM if you actually need the list of tricks. There's no rule specifically saying you don't, but it's also very reasonable to houserule that an animal smarter than some PCs can follow normal instructions. Not that it does any harm to have it recorded in any case.)

Sovereign Court

YAPCG yields the following horse for a 6th level paladin:

(I gave it dodge, endurance and run feat, so AC will be one higher...)

STR 21, DEX 15, CON 17, INT 6, WIS 12, CHA 6

HP 56 (full at 1st HD then 6 hp for HD 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6)

1 rank in: acro +6, climb +9, stealth +6, swim +9
2 ranks in: perception +6

Combat Trained: Attack, Come, Defend, Down, Guard, Heel
Bonus Tricks: Sneak, Track, Fetch

AC 20 (touch 11, FF 17)
SPEED 50 ft (run x5)
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3
BAB 4 CMB +10 CMD 23

Light/Med/Hvy Load: 459/918/1380

Bite (Primary) +8 (1d4+5)
Hoof (Secondary) +3/+3 (1d6+2)

SQ: Low-light vision, scent

Animal Companion Features: Link, Share Spells, Evasion, Devotion


Oh, hey, Kaladin's remark reminds me---the animal companion table only shows you bonus tricks for being an animal companion; you also get the "normal" 3*Int tricks that any animal with that Int can have. So if your GM does want you to use tricks and Handle Animal with an Int 6 horse (they might not, if it's not PFS), take 18 tricks more than you have so far.

Blog post on int>2 animals you and your GM might find useful. If you're in PFS, that's all binding; otherwise, it tells your GM how Paizo does it. Personally I'm all for saying an Int 6 animal is just as intelligent/smart/sentient as a moderately retarded human; they can still understand what you say and act accordingly as long as you don't use big words/sentences/concepts, i.e. no need for Handle Animal and little use for tricks per se.

EDIT: This other blog post is where it says you keep getting 3 tricks per point of Int above 2. It's also the first place to say that you need Handle Animal just as much no matter how smart your companion gets (sigh).

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