I'm in the process of building a level 5 Halfling with a mount (not sure which mount to take).
These are my scores: 16,17,14,15,15,18
I can't decide whether to build a Paladin or a Cavalier. And should I go with a wolf mount? Or maybe something different?
I can only use PF rules (no 3.5 stuff).
Here is what I was thinking of doing:
Str 14(12), Dex:15(17),Con:17, Int:16, Wis:15, Cha:18(20)
If I go with a Cavalier, the scores may very well change. Also, if Cavalier, I will either go with Order of the Dragon, or Order of the Sword.
My thoughts on feats: Mounted Combat, Ride by Attack, Spirited Charge. For starters anyway. I also get two traits (undecided).
As far as gear, I haven't gotten that far yet. But it will be standard wealth by level.
I appreciate any and all suggestions.
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Wow, what a nice bunch of stats- lucky you! However, the cavalier doesn't actually draw that strongly from charisma, especially the orders your concerned with. Also you haven't accounted for halflings +2 bonus to charisma, the final stat array you proposed would be-
Str 12, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 20.
I would propose you put your 18 in strength and come out with an incredibly strong halfling. Strengths still your bread and butter. My suggestion for cavalier stats would be (racial modifier applied).
Str- 16
Dex- 17
Con- 17
Wis- 16
Int- 15
Charisma- 16
Doesn't that look much nicer :). Obviously if you choose Paladin over cavalier i'd put the charisma much higher.
Halflings work very well both as Paladins or Cavaliers, as their damage doesn't really rely on strength as much. Order of the Sword is particularily good as you wind upadding your mounts strength modifier to the damage of your charge. Use a Boar and you have a high hp tank creature with ferocity and really good natural armourature with ferocity and really good natural armour, ferocity, lots of HP and good strength to add to your lance charge damage. I've put a halfling Boar rider on a 15 point buy through Carrion Hill (5th level) and nothing except the BBEG could hit porkchops on anything less than a 19.
Wow, what a nice bunch of stats- lucky you! However, the cavalier doesn't actually draw that strongly from charisma, especially the orders your concerned with. Also you haven't accounted for halflings +2 bonus to charisma, the final stat array you proposed would be-
Str 12, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 20.
I would propose you put your 18 in strength and come out with an incredibly strong halfling. Strengths still your bread and butter. My suggestion for cavalier stats would be (racial modifier applied).
Str- 16
Dex- 17
Con- 17
Wis- 16
Int- 15
Charisma- 16Doesn't that look much nicer :). Obviously if you choose Paladin over cavalier i'd put the charisma much higher.
Halflings work very well both as Paladins or Cavaliers, as their damage doesn't really rely on strength as much. Order of the Sword is particularily good as you wind upadding your mounts strength modifier to the damage of your charge. Use a Boar and you have a high hp tank creature with ferocity and really good natural armourature with ferocity and really good natural armour, ferocity, lots of HP and good strength to add to your lance charge damage. I've put a halfling Boar rider on a 15 point buy through Carrion Hill (5th level) and nothing except the BBEG could hit porkchops on anything less than a 19.
Thanks, AK! I totally forgot about the Halfling Charisma bump there, I will edit my original post. I was also looking at the alternate racial trait called Outrider. +2 Handle Animal and Ride, while giving up the Sure footed racial trait. That looks like a good deal.
I'm also leaning toward Order of the Dragon (if I go with Cavalier (Order of the Sword just seems a little too 'Paladin-like').
As for the mount, I've narrowed it down a little: Either a pony, wolf, boar, or some kind of big cat.
Okay, I'll use this stat array:
Str- 16
Dex- 17
Con- 17
Wis- 16
Int- 15
Charisma- 16
I'll go with a Halfling Cavalier level 5, Order of the Dragon, with a wolf mount (maybe a boar).
I'll be maxing out these skills: Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Ride, Sense Motive, Survival, and Perception.
Feats: Mounted Combat, Ride by attack, Spirited Charge
As far as gear, I'll go with some barding for the wolf, and maybe plate mail, or some kind of agile armor.
Any comments or suggestions are appreciated :)
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Okay, I'll use this stat array:
Str- 16
Dex- 17
Con- 17
Wis- 16
Int- 15
Charisma- 16I'll go with a Halfling Cavalier level 5, Order of the Dragon, with a wolf mount (maybe a boar).
I'll be maxing out these skills: Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Ride, Sense Motive, Survival, and Perception.
Feats: Mounted Combat, Ride by attack, Spirited Charge
As far as gear, I'll go with some barding for the wolf, and maybe plate mail, or some kind of agile armor.
Any comments or suggestions are appreciated :)
The feats are good.
Stat out both the boar and the wolf and compare. The only thing the wolf really has that stands out is the trip free atack. I was going to recommend Outrider in my initial post but I got sleepy :)
For armor, you may want to stick with Masterwork Chain Shirt, as your mount will be proficient with light armor (that's a Cavalier ability) and get no movement penalty.
For one of your mount's feats you could take Medium Armor Proficiency and move up to Breastplate. that would get you +2 AC, and a movement penalty. For a second feat, you could move up to Full Plate, and get another +2 AC.
Personally, I'd either save the feats and stick with light armor, or use two feats and go for heavy.
More good suggestions! Thanks :)
I like the idea of going with light armor and saving the feats for something else. Maybe Improved Natural attack and either Toughness or Improved Natural armor?
I also have two traits. Any suggestions for those?
As for the mount, I'm going with the boar because of the medium size. I'd like to take my mount into dungeons with me if possible. Large size tends to get in the way while in small rooms.
I like Roc as a Mount. Flying lance charge with Fly-by. Cavalier/ Paladian build. As Far as traits one that offset Armor Check Penaty, and Maybe one that make UMB a class skill.
Actually, RAW a combat trained animal is proficient with all forms of armour. Search the forums if you don't believe me, it really bugs me. Silly, silly rule.
If I remember correctly, it has been stated that a combat trained mount isn't proficient in any armor but since the penalty for wearing armor you aren't proficient with only affects your attacks, it isn't a big deal for standard mounts, as their attacks have little importance anyway. It does become an issue when you have a bonded mount though, and you are counting on your mount as part of your offensive power.
Also, I seem to remember one of the developers saying you could swap one of the existing feats a combat trained mount gets for Light Armor prof.
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Your not remembering correctly. Currently, any combat trained mount becomes proficient in all forms of armour, so the Cavalier "bonus" is redundant.
Note that I dislike this intensely, and would rather mounts/companions paid for their armour proficiency in feats and thus the Cavalier bonus is actually a bonus.
Edit: And now I see Jason Bulmahn has answered giving a completely different answer to the responses I got from the devs on several topics. Urgh. Herolab still gives all armour proficiencies though lol.
Yeah, like most other rules issues there has been at least a couple contradictions on this one but Jason's seems to be the most recent and makes the most sense to me currently.
For mount feats: Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack? Or something like Dodge, Toughness, Improved Initiative?
I would ignore trying to raise your mount's AC with feats- you have mounted combat for when the mount gets rayed, and it will be rare for a well armoured mount to be hit more than once a round.
Good point. I'll go with some magical light armor for barding. For feats, I'll go with Toughness, Weapon Focus, and Dodge (because I don't like any of the other choices).
My Free Teamwork Feat will be Outflank.
Working on tricks next.
Thanks for the help AK! :)
For feats, I'll go with Toughness, Weapon Focus, and Dodge (because I don't like any of the other choices).
Weapon Focus + Improved Natural Attack, you might as well take Improved Natural Attack too, and make the Gore attack do 2d6 instead of 1d8.
Toughness, Endurance, Diehard - a cool set of feats for a mount. Endurance would let you leave the barding on at night, which is convenient if nothing else, and automatically stabilizing could save you from losing mounts.
Fleet would be awesome for a mount. +5' of movement, and you can take it multiple times!
Nimble Moves + Acrobatic Steps would be cool too. Ignore difficult terrain!
Power Attack, Improved Overrun, Greater Overrun
Power Attack, Improved Bullrush, Greater Bullrush
Either of these leverages the size and strength of your mount for battlefield control. Add Improved Overrun to Nimble Moves and Acrobatic Steps, and you can get a charge just about anytime, anywhere!
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For feats, I'll go with Toughness, Weapon Focus, and Dodge (because I don't like any of the other choices).Weapon Focus + Improved Natural Attack, you might as well take Improved Natural Attack too, and make the Gore attack do 2d6 instead of 1d8.
Toughness, Endurance, Diehard - a cool set of feats for a mount. Endurance would let you leave the barding on at night, which is convenient if nothing else, and automatically stabilizing could save you from losing mounts.
Fleet would be awesome for a mount. +5' of movement, and you can take it multiple times!
Nimble Moves + Acrobatic Steps would be cool too. Ignore difficult terrain!
Power Attack, Improved Overrun, Greater Overrun
Power Attack, Improved Bullrush, Greater Bullrush
Either of these leverages the size and strength of your mount for battlefield control. Add Improved Overrun to Nimble Moves and Acrobatic Steps, and you can get a charge just about anytime, anywhere!
Generally good advice, but note that the mount won't qualify for Improved Natural Attack on any of its feats yet.
Shouldn't need fleet much if the mounts in light armour- but nimble steps and acrobatic steps will often enable charges (although many DM's don't seem to use difficult terrain much so YMMV).
For feats, I'll go with Toughness, Weapon Focus, and Dodge (because I don't like any of the other choices).Weapon Focus + Improved Natural Attack, you might as well take Improved Natural Attack too, and make the Gore attack do 2d6 instead of 1d8.
Toughness, Endurance, Diehard - a cool set of feats for a mount. Endurance would let you leave the barding on at night, which is convenient if nothing else, and automatically stabilizing could save you from losing mounts.
Fleet would be awesome for a mount. +5' of movement, and you can take it multiple times!
Nimble Moves + Acrobatic Steps would be cool too. Ignore difficult terrain!
Power Attack, Improved Overrun, Greater Overrun
Power Attack, Improved Bullrush, Greater Bullrush
Either of these leverages the size and strength of your mount for battlefield control. Add Improved Overrun to Nimble Moves and Acrobatic Steps, and you can get a charge just about anytime, anywhere!Generally good advice, but note that the mount won't qualify for Improved Natural Attack on any of its feats yet.
Shouldn't need fleet much if the mounts in light armour- but nimble steps and acrobatic steps will often enable charges (although many DM's don't seem to use difficult terrain much so YMMV).
I like Toughness, Endurance, and Diehard, I also line Power Attack, Improved and Greater Overrun.
Not sure how much of an advantage I would have with a medium mount, however....
Diehard is a waste, Boar has Ferocity ;)
The only reason I shrink away from Power Attack is because of the mount's low BAB. That's why I chose Dodge. 1 More level, and I can get Improved Natural Attack! :)
Got most of my gear done:
+1 Full Plate, +1 Hvy. Steel Shield, +1 Longsword, Lance, Javelin (4), Heavy Mace, 2 Daggers.
Handy Haversack, Ioun Torch, Cloak of Resistance +1.
For the mount: +1 Chain Shirt (barding).
That leaves me with 840gp for potions, etc...