Mounts for traditionally non-mounted classes


Advice


Backstory you probably don't care about but may influence some of the options available. It was previously in spoilers but I ended up just repeating it.

For a PFS game yesterday, I needed to make a new level 1 character. I have been thinking of a witch for a while but holding out on a potential Wayang boon that was to be given away on those boards. As of now I have given up and the character will be medium sized unless I happen upon the boon prior to this character getting 2nd level. At any rate, I think a mount would help the cackle hex a lot.

At the same time, my wife thought she would like to play an archer for the first time, another class that would be aided by moving without using her move action. She is most likely looking at a medium sized fighter build.

The short of it
Combat trained mounts that don't level up seem like easy targets that could get expensive over time and you may be without them for periods of time when you would want them. Moving a non-combat trained mount while in battle really sucks. Do you have any suggestions to make mounted movement for traditionally non-mounted classes work well?

While looking through books and rules I saw the combat trained bison is only 75 gp, which triggered party favors in my head. I looked for any mention of errata or mistakes and couldn't find any. But when comparison shopping, I am utterly convinced that is supposed to be a 750 item.


Leadership and a cohort mount.


PFS legal needed. But thank you.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Sitri wrote:

PFS legal needed. But thank you.

PFS really doesn't make much use of mounts anyway. Since you're obviously not a Ranger,Paladin, Druid, or Cavalier/Samurai, what's the particular agenda here? Are you one of those short people trying to break out of a 20 foot movement rate? If so there are magical options for doing so.


I am one of those people who likes to make good use of action economy. If I can move, cackle, and hex, I am doing my job better. If my wife's character can move and full attack, she is doing her job better.

The agenda is to let the animal do the moving without constantly losing it in the first couple of fights.


well, why not go small sized? if you are just going to be mounted anyway, why be medium? if you are small on a medium mount, you can move faster than most medium sized characters, and still fit in the same places as your party member.

I am personally considering a halfling ranger on a wolf (faster than a dog, plus medium dogs are harder to get as companions.) as my next character.

IF you are just buying the critter anyway, why not just go for a riding dog as a halfling/gnome/wayang witch?

IF your wife is an archer, look into some sort of halfling wolf rider. Most of your damage comes from deadly aim and extra arrows, being small sized loses some damage, but you gain SO much by being mounted basically 24/7, barring sleep and fancy occasions.


I would love the wayang, but I don't have the boon to start it. From and RP point of view my wife has never liked small characters.

Even if the characters are small, I think the normal bought creatures will likely be dying a lot and that is what I am trying to avoid. We don't really need them for combat, just mobility.

I think I may have solved the problem for her. A level of cavalier and boon companion could help beef up her mount a lot, and if it dies the replacement is free. I am still looking for options on the witch.


Was just thinking about this, also with a witch. My solution was to learn and memorize mount, phantom steed eventually. And at level 7 to look into upgrading my familiar to something large that I can ride on.

But if there are other good options out there I'd love to hear about them.


Mounts (and animals trained for other purposes)are a powerful addition for any character.

If you have a Druid and someone with the animal handling skill in the party they are pretty easy to get and train, on a similar time scale to making a magic item, whilst they scale comparatively well against animal companions and special class mounts.

See Peterrco's guide to Druids section 3 on animal training.


rangerjeff wrote:

Was just thinking about this, also with a witch. My solution was to learn and memorize mount, phantom steed eventually. And at level 7 to look into upgrading my familiar to something large that I can ride on.

But if there are other good options out there I'd love to hear about them.

I checked into this but came up with a few problems. First, the mount spell just gives you a horse, it says nothing about combat trained. So while most GMs probably wouldn't think twice about it, I have never even seen someone cast this spell, by RAW it should spook in battle.

And unless I was just overlooking it, phantom steed is mysteriously not on the witch list.

peterrco wrote:

Mounts (and animals trained for other purposes)are a powerful addition for any character.

If you have a Druid and someone with the animal handling skill in the party they are pretty easy to get and train, on a similar time scale to making a magic item, whilst they scale comparatively well against animal companions and special class mounts.

See Peterrco's guide to Druids section 3 on animal training.

I am thinking for PFS, so personally training isn't really an option for me.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Advice / Mounts for traditionally non-mounted classes All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.