Cavalier / beast rider archetype question.

[Jose Suarez 916]

In addition, a 7th-level or higher Medium beast rider can select any creature whose natural size is Large or Huge, provided that creature is normally available as a Medium-sized animal companion at 7th level (like a bear).

What does this means? does it mean that I can take a hughe animal companion has long has its normally avaible as a medium sized animal companion?

[Deliverance]

Looking only at the text you quoted, yes, you can have a huge mount...however, looking at the full ability, this bit comes right after

Someone said wrote:

To generate statistics for such a mount, apply the following modifications:

Size Large
Ability Scores Str +2, Dex –2, Con +2;
Increase the damage of each of the mount’s natural attacks by one die size.

The important part here is that the modification says Size: Large. Basically, you can take an animal the is medium at level 7 (And thus cant carry you) and upgrade it so as to be able to do so.

So id say no, you cant have a huge mount.

[Jose Suarez 916]

I see, thanks :). Anyone else have to say something? :p

[Archaeik]

I was actually going to ask a very similar question...
I guess my issue is why would they mention huge at all if no AC can ever get to that size and/or immediately restrict it in the next line? (It seems to be suffering from Titan Mauler syndrome - ie. revised in editing)

My actual question would be, is there any way for a (medium) Beast Rider to acquire a Huge mount? Obviously not through his class feature? No feats that boost animal companions?

I can understand there's a certain power concern letting players have access to huge companions, but I also have a problem with the aesthetics of allowing all those large mounts for small Beast Riders, but not even one option for huge to medium. (It really seems like a bait and switch)
Further, why do medium creatures get loads more options at 7th level (just about all the druid options that are still medium -- not that any of them are better or even good), while small doesn't get those? (although most of the large options they have at 7th will be better anyway)

There is the Mammoth Rider prestige class, but its list overrides the Beast Rider one, so it's not really a good fit with this archetype.

[Claxon]

@Archaeik, it mentiones large and huge creatures because normally most of these creatures would not be available for a cavalier to choose.

A normal medium cavalier gets to select a horse or camel. A normal small cavalier can select a pony or wolf. The GM can approve other "suitable" mounts. Which is a pretty ambiguous line.

Beast rider says, no way sir! I don't want to ride a damn horse! Instead, at level 7 a beast rider can select an animal from the animal companion list for druids (which includes all animals normally available as a mounts and animal companions for all classes, IIRC) that would normally be large or huge in the bestiary, and recieve that animal as a large size mount. The mention of large and huge is to let you know what creatures are available for you to select from.

Have I explained that clearly?

You look at the animal companion list and find something you like. If it is normally large or huge in the wild (not an AC) then you can select it as an AC and it will be large size so you can ride.

[Archaeik]

There's still zero reason to mention huge as being rideable.

The only reason to print that is to catch the eye and make it seem more appealing than it actually is.

I'm not even down with an argument that says, "well potentially you could buy/tame a huge beast to ride that isn't your AC"
Possible, yes, likely, hell no

I suppose there's the Animal Growth angle, but that could catch small Beast Riders as well, whose description doesn't permit them to easily(fast mount) ride their now huge mount.

I appreciate the restriction on AC size, but not the restrictive nature of the class features overall.

[blahpers]

There's plenty of reason. The reason is so you know which animal companions are now available for the beast rider to take.

Instead of listing every allowed animal companion (which is impossible since they keep printing new ones), there's a blanket rule stating that if a creature has animal companion stats and its normal, non-animal-companion size is either Large or Huge, then a beast rider can select that creature type as a mount. This is nice, because when Paizo prints Bestiary IX: Bestiarier and it has stats for a greater crocoduck animal companion, the beast rider will be allowed to take it so long as a regular greater crocoduck's normal size is Large or Huge.

Regarding listing that a Medium beast rider must select a Large or Huge mount at first level, yes, that's redundant, as the options at that level are spelled out. It does serve as a guideline for the GM allowing additional options, though. If your GM's campaign world includes the Forest of Megaweasels, then a GM might allow a megaweasel animal companion since its natural size is, of course, Huge.