Ranger / Cavalier class legitmacy

[LordHelmet]

I am doing a test run on a this build. I would like to know if there is a reason it would not be legal.
Ranger: Hippogriff Rider Archetype (Sable Company Marine) 4 Levels
Cavalier: Order of the Sword 4 Levels

The Cavalier could use the hippogriff as his Cavalier mount according to Hero Lab because it is his companion already. This was mainly taken to be aerial ranged support with a bow. +19 to hit challenged foes from up to 220 ft away with compound long bow.
Any thoughts? Why would this not work? I had one fellow DM that said that the Beast Rider archetype prohibits flying mounts so no Cavalier should get them. The book says nothing about if you have a bonded mount already from another class and why that could not be used instead.

[PrinceDogWaterIII]

http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fn#v5748eaic9qqn

No.

You have a Cavalier mount and an Animal Companion. They do not stack.

[LazarX]

Your cavalier levels will not help in advancing your ranger mount. (even if Herolab says otherwise.) Otherwise it's legal.

[Dave Justus]

faq wrote:

If the animal is on the cavalier mount list and on the list of animal companions for your other class, your cavalier and druid levels stack

Mount Class Feature wrote:

The GM might approve other animals as suitable mounts.

So a GM can certainly add the hippogriff to the cavalier mount list for your character, and if so, they would stack.

Personally since a hippogriff can be ridden, I would have no problem with that.

[LordHelmet]

Guenhwyvar wrote:

I am doing a test run on a this build. I would like to know if there is a reason it would not be legal.

Ranger: Hippogriff Rider Archetype (Sable Company Marine) 4 Levels
Cavalier: Order of the Sword 4 Levels

The Cavalier could use the hippogriff as his Cavalier mount according to Hero Lab because it is his companion already. This was mainly taken to be aerial ranged support with a bow. +19 to hit challenged foes from up to 220 ft away with compound long bow.
Any thoughts? Why would this not work? I had one fellow DM that said that the Beast Rider archetype prohibits flying mounts so no Cavalier should get them. The book says nothing about if you have a bonded mount already from another class and why that could not be used instead.

Well I am guess I am not really applying the cavalier levels for the mount anyway. I took the HorseLord feat to compensate for that and all I want the cavalier levels for is my riding and challenges. And since riding is not specific to a mount per say it works. Thanks for the input.

Currently I have a Cavalier Beast Rider that does 21d6+120 on a critical hit charge. Love this class. :) Take down the boss quick easy and messy.

[Krodjin]

If all your doing is archery from horse (or hippogriff) back you don't need to advance your riding ability beyond putting ranks in the skill.

[lemeres]

well, if you are dead set on having a flying mount as a cavalier, then you could go half orc and take the beast rider feat (yes, confusing since it has the same name as that one archetype)

This feat can be taken at level 7 by orcs and half orcs, and it provides additional options for your animal companion/mount. These include normal large animals (elephant, rhino), some dinosaurs (triceratops, stegosaurus) as well as a pteranodon. There are other details (basically works like half a boon companion), but nothing really worth mentioning.

Admittedly, a pteranodon is a rather poor substitute for a hippogriff. Only one natural attack (maybe not too much of a problem, with the special rules for single attack AC's, but still; maybe not a problem if you are only sniping), only 50 foot fly speed compared to the hippogriff's 80/100, and it also has a a clumsy flight (-8 to fly) while the other has average (+0). Plus the simple fact that you have to go through 6 levels with just the base horse/camel.

[blahpers]

Dave Justus wrote:

faq wrote:

If the animal is on the cavalier mount list and on the list of animal companions for your other class, your cavalier and druid levels stack

Mount Class Feature wrote:

The GM might approve other animals as suitable mounts.

So a GM can certainly add the hippogriff to the cavalier mount list for your character, and if so, they would stack.

Personally since a hippogriff can be ridden, I would have no problem with that.

This. If you're doing this for PFS then you're out of luck, as the GMs there aren't allowed to use their brains, but in another case your GM has explicit discretion to allow it.

[Zahir ibn Mahmoud ibn Jothan]

If he's doing this for PFS he's really hosed, as Sable Company Marine isn't legal for PFS play.

[lemeres]

Beast rider (the feat) is PFS legal though. So unless they have some exception to having as pteranodon in some fine print somewhere, it is pretty much the way for a cavalier to get a flying mount.

And blaphers, I doubt that they are that bad. They have to remain conservative so that they can remain consistent across thousands of games. More liberal interpretations could give some players unfair advantages. There is also the rather troubling possibility of seeing a character you created crippled when you go to a different GM with a different interpretation, and that would be a rather huge disappointment that would be better to avoid.

[LordHelmet]

Thanks for the replies, no this is not a PFS character. Home game.
But I rethought the concept of my character and am just going to go straight 8 ranger. I can still take the mounted feats and I am going to go the Ride by/Fly By attack tree and joust from the flying mount. Figuring about 8d6 + 120 ish on a charge when I am done.