My suggestion is that the Paladin's Special Mount be given its own stat block, which would be independent of actual shape. It'd be a celestial spirit in encased in physical form, which could look like a horse, lion, shark, lizard, etc., without affecting its abilities. The additions for higher level Paladins would already be included in the stat blocks for that level.
A Paladin could take feats (or maybe talents, or bonus feats) to alter those stats, like having a feat called "Winged Mount" (Requirement: Paladin 10th) that gives the Special Mount a fly speed, or "Steed of the Sun", which allows the Special Mount to deal fire damage with its attacks.
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I like that idea. Small paladins are already penalized for being small (weapon size, size penalty to attacks, weight carried, etc.)
I'm not sure that they should be further disadvantaged from having a Medium mount (war pony, riding dog). After all, small conjurers don't conjure smaller versions of the standard monster or animal.
A starting point may be the light warhorse. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/horse.htm)
I like that idea. Small paladins are already penalized for being small (weapon size, size penalty to attacks, weight carried, etc.)
I'm not sure that they should be further disadvantaged from having a Medium mount (war pony, riding dog). After all, small conjurers don't conjure smaller versions of the standard monster or animal.A starting point may be the light warhorse. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/horse.htm)
Yeah, I think that works. I mean, in real life we have 6-8 year-old children riding full-grown horses, even if they are of the smaller breeds, and the Mongols rode pretty small horses themselves, so the difference in size wouldn't call for different stats. A halfling or gnome paladin would ride a horse a couple of hands smaller than a human paladin, but the stats would remain the same.
Good idea.
Anyone recalls why Small characters have Medium mounts? Apart from the comic relief aspect that is.
I do believe it has to do with the principle of the mount having to be at least one size larger than the rider. It became the minimum, and often the only sized mount mentioned.