I am assuming that Boon Companion is legal for play (as its on the list of allowable materials) but just checking that a MOUNT is eligible for BC? Although it says This mount functions as a druid’s animal companion, using the cavalier’s level as his effective druid level I just wanted to verify it was all legit BEFORE committing pen to paper on my build.
Cavalier wrote:
Mount (Ex)
A cavalier gains the service of a loyal and trusty steed to carry him into battle. This mount functions as a druid’s animal companion, using the cavalier’s level as his effective druid level. The creature must be one that he is capable of riding and is suitable as a mount. A Medium cavalier can select a camel or a horse. A Small cavalier can select a pony or wolf, but can also select a boar or a dog if he is at least 4th level. The GM might approve other animals as suitable mounts.
and
Feat wrote:
Boon Companion [Source] Pathfinder Chronicles: Seekers of Secrets
Your bond with your animal companion or familiar is unusually close.
Prerequisites: Animal companion or familiar class ability.
Benefit: The abilities of your animal companion or familiar are calculated as though your class were four levels higher, to a maximum bonus equal to your character level*. If you have more than one animal companion or familiar, choose one to receive this benefit. If you lose or dismiss an animal companion or familiar, you may apply this feat to the replacement creature.
I don't know if Boon Companion would work but another option is
Horse Master :
You blend horsemanship skills from disparate traditions into a seamless mounted combat technique.
Prerequisite: Expert trainer class feature, Ride 6 ranks.
Benefit: Use your character level to determine your effective druid level for determining the powers and abilities of your mount.
Normal: You use your cavalier level to determine your effective druid level for determining the powers and abilities of your mount.
its out of UC and there are rules for it in the additional resources.
Just to REALLY odd, the 'Mount' in this case is an Axebeak (did the Edge of Heaven series) - it would be ironic to become a horse trainer and have ranks in ride to roll around with an (as far as I can tell) unrideable mount, but hey if I need to spread the camembert... :p
Boon companion would apply yes as it works like an animal companion but remember this will only give you 4 levels that you can freely multiclass.
Horse master has benefits it means you can multiclass more than 3 levels out of cavailer with no losses to your companion however it requires you to be a level 6 character to take it.
Boon companion would apply yes as it works like an animal companion but remember this will only give you 4 levels that you can freely multiclass.
Horse master has benefits it means you can multiclass more than 3 levels out of cavailer with no losses to your companion however it requires you to be a level 6 character to take it.
Additional Resources wrote:
A cavalier of 4th level or higher may take the Horse Master trait, ignoring the expert trainer class feature. A cavalier who trades this class feature for another as part of an archetype can not take the Horse Master feat.
I think "trait" is feat but yeah only need 4 lvls of cavalier. With hows its worded i think you could take it at 5th if you have the 4 lvls of cavalier, i could be wrong but with that wording.
For what it's worth, I always assumed that Boon Companion does not work with mounts and waited until 6th level with my multiclassed cavalier. If Boon Companion does work, it limits the usefulness of Horse Master to those edge cases where you want 4-5 levels of Cavalier (no more, no less). But I could be wrong about this.
We need a tourney where all the axe beak riding cavaliers compete in jousts. It would be ... glorious!
Perhaps something can be arranged at 'Risen Rune'! :-)
There was an unofficial First Annual Joust for PFS characters at this past PaizoCon. My Axe Beak riding cavalier took 2nd place in the 5-7 tier, and proudly carries a silver lance as a trophy (its an art object)
Oh good pick up! I knew they advanced at 4, just hadn't occured to me that they'd be Large so early on... that's awesome...more awesome than I thought!
Given how we came about getting the things it makes PERFECT sense now.
For what it's worth, I always assumed that Boon Companion does not work with mounts and waited until 6th level with my multiclassed cavalier. If Boon Companion does work, it limits the usefulness of Horse Master to those edge cases where you want 4-5 levels of Cavalier (no more, no less). But I could be wrong about this.
I know boon companion works with paladin mounts, so I assume it would work with cavalier mounts. But that's just an assumption. I know it doesn't work with eidolons but that's the only exclusion I'm aware of.
I know boon companion works with paladin mounts, so I assume it would work with cavalier mounts.
I'll agree that if it works with Paladin mounts, the wording of the abilities is similar enough that it should work with Cavalier mounts as well. But I can't see any wording in RAW or an official FAQ supporting that it does, in fact, work with Paladin mounts.
I know boon companion works with paladin mounts, so I assume it would work with cavalier mounts.
I'll agree that if it works with Paladin mounts, the wording of the abilities is similar enough that it should work with Cavalier mounts as well. But I can't see any wording in RAW or an official FAQ supporting that it does, in fact, work with Paladin mounts.
There is an old, old, old thread where this was discussed back when Joshua Frost was still head of the campaign and answers on the message board were actual rulings that Boon Companion worked with familiars, druid ACs and paladin mounts. He initially said it worked with Eidolons, too, but retracted that later. At work, sorry, do not have the link on me.
So, I never saved the link about paladin mounts because, really, the relevant information for me at the time was that it couldn't be used on the eidolon anymore. I believe the reasoning on that is that rangers, oracles of nature, paladins, clerics with the animal domain, etc., all say that their mounts/animal companions function "as a druid's animal companion" of such and such a level. They all reference the druid animal companion charts for advancement and thus boon companion applies to them. Eidolons are sentient outsiders with their very own chart and don't reference the druid animal companion ability or chart, so it doesn't apply to them.
That said, I tried to find ye olde four year old or so thread and failed utterly. I did, however, find several in the rules and pfs forums where the use of boon companion with paladin class is mentioned and paizo staff haven't said, in any of these posts, that the paladin class didn't apply. In one pfs one (one of the ones asking about eidolons), Josh stated that "paladins, rangers, druids, etc. all have animals that count as animal companions (but summoners don't)". I'll try to paste them below with links. Sometimes I can get it right and sometimes I screw the links up...apologies in advance if I screw them up.
It's not possible for there to be a main FAQ on this feat, as it's not in one of the core books. Sean Reynolds actually mentions this in one of the posts. It might be good to get it added to the society faq if the intent is still the same (anyone who has a mount or companion that "functions as a druid's animal companion" can use the feat) just to rule out confusion?
So, I am creating a Halfling Cavalier Beastmaster, can i play the last chapter of Quest for Perfection and get the boon companion Axe Beak and then use that as my Mount?
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