Feat suggestions for a level 5 Bonded mount

[BltzKrg242]

My newly acquired Bonded Mount gets 3 feats.

Multi-attack is a given for the secondary Hoof attacks

I'm considering Armor Proficiency, Light to be able to get Charger the +4 AC. (potentially bonus it up in the future)

But after that (or instead of that) I'd like to see what suggestions you all have?

He also gets 5 skill points... Any suggestions there as well? I was thinking Perception?

[BltzKrg242]

no advice?

[blackbloodtroll]

Linguistics, for sure.

[tonyz]

I'd wait at least a day before bumping. :)

That said, Power Attack is never bad for a strong attacker. You might want to see if you and your mount can share a teamwork feat or two. And the save feats will help keep your mount alive. Weapon Focos (hoof) and Improved Natural Attack might be handy, too.

Light armor proficiency might not be useful if you have someone in the party who can cast mage armor, but using it to go up to medium or heavy armor proficiency might be good.

What do you use remount for? Attacking, speed, taking cover behind? Work with feats that strengthen what you're already doing with it.

[BltzKrg242]

I JUST got him so I haven't had any time to build any teamwork into it. I don't have any spell casters who can afford a spell for my mount. The Chain Shirt Barding gives him a +4 AC and doesn't affect his Dex (18) but it will after a couple more levels so maybe I should skip it...

I had a heavy warhorse before but it was mostly transport with a few charges. This critter seems to have much more function.

Looks like I have to wait til next level for the Improved Natural Attack (need BAB +4)

How does the Nimble Moves>Acrobatic Steps feat line seem? It'd be handy to move over difficult terrain...

[blackbloodtroll]

Additional traits is hilarious but useful trait for mounts. You could nab adopted, and tusked for a primary bite attack.

[BltzKrg242]

Bonded mount's primary attack is already a bite (d4)

I think I'm going with Armor Proficiency, Light (to get a chain shirt Barding on him)
Multi-attack (so hoof attacks are only -2 instead of -5)
and Combat Reflexes (cause with the rider's Dex at 10, he'll never get more OOA so this might keep a few bad guys surrounding me).

That last one is still in question tho...

[blackbloodtroll]

Have you thought about Power Attack and Improved Overrun?

[YawarFiesta]

If it has such a good dex armor is irreleval. Just by a MSW Studded Leather barding, no armor check penalty = no nonproficiency penalty, it's cheaper and you could afford Mythral Chain Shirt barding in a couple of levels (2400gp). Your Mount will gain Multiattack as bonus feat soon so better skip it, unless your GM allows retraining.

Toughness is always nice, Bodyguard will help your AC, Dodge + Wind Stance + Lightning Stance is good if you are imang at high levels.

Humbly,
Yawar

[AerynTahlro]

Any of these are good...

Iron Will, Improved Natural Attack, Improved Natural Armor, Armor Proficiency

[GeneticDrift]

I know it's an old Post, has this changed? JJ FAQ
James Jacobs (Creative Director) Nov 25, 2009, 12:30 PM

War trained is actually detailed in the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook under the description of "Handle Animal," on page 98. Of course, there it's called "Combat Training." It's one of the "general purpose" trainings you can give an animal. As detailed on page 177 of the Bestiary, horses in particular gain a special benefit once they're combat trained—their hooves are from that point treated as primary weapons, not secondary ones.

In any case, once the Cavalier goes to print, the language in the class about "war trained" will be cleaned up.

Looks like hooves are primary if it's war trained. I have gone Filler feat, PA, and improved overrun. The pfsrd says you cant take PA at first.

[BltzKrg242]

Genetic Drift.. I didn't see anything in that post that showed that animal companions/bonded mounts get the benefits of the beastiary listing...

[GeneticDrift]

Under the animal type

Proficient with its natural weapons only. A noncombative herbivore treats its natural weapons as secondary attacks. Such attacks are made with a –5 penalty on the creature's attack rolls, and the animal receives only 1/2 its Strength modifier as a damage adjustment.

An animal trained for war is definitely combative therefor no -5.

[BltzKrg242]

So why would they give it Multi-attack at 9th level?
If they are already proficient with all attacks, multi-attack does nothing.

[GeneticDrift]

BltzKrg242 wrote:

So why would they give it Multi-attack at 9th level?

If they are already proficient with all attacks, multi-attack does nothing.

For the creatures that have secondary attacks or people who don't train their animal companion for war.

[BltzKrg242]

So you're saying taking the multi-attack feat is a waste since they are combative and should already treat the hoof attacks as primary attacks?

[GeneticDrift]

I think so.

The multi attack entry in the AC section says you gain a Bonus secondary attack if you don't have 3 attacks, more reason it's listed.