Building a mounted archer

[Heavy_Metal_Viking]

What is the best way to build a mounted archer?

One of my players wants to create this; he has considered a ranger/cavalier multiclass. Ranger's don't get an animal companion until Lv.4, (we're starting a Lv.1), while a cavalier dip would mean his mount would lag behind as he advanced in ranger.

I think there's a feat that lets a cavalier stack his multiclass levels, but they need to have 6 levels in cavalier. Likewise, rangers mounts suffer -3 levels.

Is this as good as it gets, or is there a better way?

[MacGurcules]

There's always Boon Companion (+4 levels to your Animal Companion. Caps at your character level). Horse Master is the Cavalier feat you're thinking of. If he's just taking levels in Cavalier and Ranger, Boon Companion will work just as well.

I have to ask, though, is the whole point of the Cavalier there just to get a level 1 mount? Why not just buy a horse? It won't be completely overwhelmed in the three levels it takes to get a real animal companion through Ranger levels. At that point Boon Companion can bring the creature up to his level. No Cavalier levels necessary.

EDIT: Also, if the Ranger/Cavalier thing isn't critical to theme, perhaps consider Sohei. They're designed around mounted combat and they can make for great archers. It can also grant its mount some pretty good durability through Monastic Mount, so a full blown animal companion mount may not be necessary.

[Darigaaz the Igniter]

Boon Companion is in a specific softcover, so it might not be available for use.

You could always just go Cavalier, I'm sure they make decent archers. Make sure to give yourself and the mount the Escape Route teamwork feat.

[MC Templar]

Isn't the Samurai class perfectly suited for the mounted archer build?

Animal companion mount at full samurai level.. full BAB, gain mounted arcery for free at 4th level.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Best method would probably be ranger. Either Archery or Mounted style. The former gives you Imp. Precise Shot at 6 and Point Blank Master at 10 (technically also at 6, but compared to IPS....yeah, it's your level 10 feat :) ); the latter gives Trick Riding at 2 and Mounted Skirmisher (pretty useless to an archer, though) at 10. Your pick which is more important to you.

You deal w/ no companion till level 4 by buying your mount and hoping it doesn't die. Don't forget to give it leather barding! (cheap and no check penalty so non-proficiency doesn't matter)

Sohei Monk can work if you ignore the recent issues and can get a mount via Leadership or from another PC. Or if your DM lets you count Horse Master feat as a "mounted feat" then you could just dip Cavalier 1 level (I suggest starting in Cavalier at 1st level if doing this) and take Horse Master w/ Sohei.

Another option is Cleric of Erastil with the feather (animal) subdomain. Take the Guided Hand feat from UC to use wisdom to hit with the bow instead of dex and ride your mount. Problem with that is finding a small race w/ a wisdom bonus. You don't want to be medium usually, cause it's tough to fit your mount in some places, then.

[Quarotas]

I'd stick with samurai straight. On their mounted archer it doesn't give the frat it gives reduced penalties I do believe, in which case should go to 0 if they take the feat, correct?

[Broken Zenith]

Lasthoth came up with a good mounted archer build. He made a guide and I extrapolated a build. You can find it here