Paladin Mount Options

[Mygicmeen]

I am playing a home game of Pathfinder. The only rulebook allowed is the PHB. I am having a rather decent sized argument with my DM. I've chosen to play a mounted halfling paladin that shoots arrows. I wanted, and have wanted a wolf since the start.

But the DM has ruled, and narrowly in my mind, that the only "exotic mounts" available are as the phb listed, the camel, riding dog, or boar.

I am honestly not having fun playing a character that is limited and nerfed by arbitrary rulings ( also the action to take cover on your mount, has been transformed from just a +2ac cover bonus, to the attack now magically resolves itself against my mount, and he must have a vendetta for pets, because it feels as if he is constantly trying to kill and or separate me from my boar..which he successfully killed last night with an encounter that nearly killed us all because it was to high level, and had a nice grapple for free attack.)

I would really love to see a developer to respond with their opinion on whether or not a wolf is an acceptable mount, though with my first post, I am sure that wont happen =( So does anyone have any pathfinder written material that examples other exotic mounts as useable?

And as a side note, I believe the point of contention would be the ten feet of movement between it and the other mounts, and I guess the free trip attack for the wolf. Though it would never be attacking, especially in armor its not proficient with.

[williamoak]

Well, I'm no developer, but a wolf is an acceptable mount for cavaliers (in fact, its considered more acceptable than a riding dog), so why not for paladins?

In any case, talk to your DM. I keep hearing about specific DMs that have a hearty dislike of animal companions/mounts/cohorts, and in those cases it's better not to have them. It's better to talk to the DM than to try to "one-up" him through the boards.

In any case, good luck. I've had fun with a halfling cavalier in the past, and it's entertaining to have a wolf mount.

[blahpers]

Greetings!

(Disclaimer: I am not a Paizo developer.)

I don't think you're going to be satisfied, but since your problem is with your GM's restrictions, you'll have to take it up with your GM. Yes, there are ways for paladins to get alternate mounts (well, animal companions, which are basically the same thing) in other material. That won't help you, though, if your GM has restricted you to using only the CRB.

As for whether a wolf is an acceptable mount: Again, that's up to the GM. The rules for paladin mounts explicitly empower the GM with discretion to allow other mounts:

PRD wrote:

This mount is usually a heavy horse (for a Medium paladin) or a pony (for a Small paladin), although more exotic mounts, such as a boar, camel, or dog are also suitable.

Note that there's nothing special about a boar, camel, or dog--the GM can exclude those or include others without getting into house rule territory. They are simply examples of what can constitute a suitable mount.

There are campaigns where hippogriffs are acceptable mounts. There are others where you get a horse or nothing. The GM is not obligated to allow anything you can think up to be used in a particular game; in fact, the GM is not obliged to allow even everything in the CRB. If you want to ride a wolf as your paladin mount, either convince your GM or find another.

Mechanically, a wolf is not that much better than a riding dog. (Edited for accuracy.) So there's little reason from a balance standpoint to disallow a wolf when a riding dog is a canonical example of a suitable exotic mount. However, that doesn't mean the GM can't overrule it for some other reason, or no reason at all.

[Mygicmeen]

Yeah, i mean i know it basically comes down to the dms decision. What i was looking for was a hail marry logic argument that might change his mind. I just can't figure out why he wants to limit that ten feet of movement. The cavalier argument might work. And the fact that a ranger and druid could do the same thing i am but with a wolf might do the trick. I mean the only difference in damage between i and a ranger is on certain enemies.

My only other long shot hope was that a Dev would say we totally intended for you to be able to use applicable animal mounts from the druid companion list for your paladin. =/

[Clectabled]

Find out why the GM has a problem with the wolf and work from there. If it's a matter of the movement and trip attack, ask if you can start without those, and as you level the mount, add the movement and trip.

If the sole reason you want the wolf is for the trip and movement, give something up to gain that for the mount, or use ask to use one of your feat slots to add it to the mount.

[blahpers]

Yup. Work with your GM on it. If your desire is flavor rather than mechanics, ask if you can use the wolf without the extra movement and trip, instead adding an extra feat slot or a couple of ability score points. Most (but not all) GMs I've played with love the opportunity to help players create new content for the game while maintaining what they see as a balanced experience. If not, ask if you can just leave those abilities off, or else use a different animal "reskinned" as a wolf. If not even those work, accept the ruling and move on.

Good luck and have fun!

[ArmouredMonk13]

I have a solution for your halfling palladin. What you need to do is attempt a GM bribe combat maneuver to houserule (preferably with the feat "Platter of Cookies and GM's Favorite Drink" so not to provoke nerf attacks of opportunity) :)