Paladin's special mount advancement (animal companion)


Rules Questions


My Paladin recieved a Griffon as his mount and I was wondering what it's level advancment, if any, might look like? (example; a Druid's animal companion would get an advancement at 4th or 7th level depending on the animal) DM's not sure either. Hopefully I didn't confuse everyone. Anyone know? Thanks.


Is this intended to be the mount for the paladin's divine bond feature? If so, there are no animal companion stats for a griffon, so you'll have to ask your GM. If not, it's a griffon per the Bestiary.


While a Griffon can be a level 8 Cohort, it cannot be an Animal Companion. Because of that it does not get any advancement as an animal companion.

However, your GM could houserule something up if he wanted to treat it as an animal companion.


I used the stats for the Roc companion. See if you can get Pounce and Rake in place of Grab, to better match the bestiary griffon. There's a ranger archetype that gets a hippogrif companion.


Gauss is totally correct there: some Beasts (griffons and dragons for example) are in the table at the end of the Bestiary telling what 'charachter level' some of the Monsters have when you want them for cohort/companion replacement.

Sczarni

Intelligent creatures (Int >= 3) cannot be animal companions. They have to be cohorts with the Leadership feat. You also can't use push with handle animal to get them to do something they don't want to do; you have to use Diplomacy.

Liberty's Edge

Did this for my spell-less Ranger in RotRL.

I extrapolated it from the component animals entries : the Lion (AC and Bestiary), the Eagle (AC and Bestiary) and the Griffon (Bestiary). I later compared it to the Roc (AC and Bestiary) and it seems on par.

Griffon

Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 30 ft., fly 80 ft. (average); AC +4 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4), 2 talons (1d4); Ability Scores Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 8; Special Attacks rake (1d4); Special Qualities darkvision (60 ft), low-light vision, scent.

7th-Level Advancement: Size Large; AC +2 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), 2 talons (1d6); Ability Scores Str +8, Dex –2, Con +4; Special Attacks pounce, rake (1d6) (see the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary for more details for these attacks).

Also note that, as a Magical Beast, the Griffon has d10 HD instead of the d8 that Animals get.


Gauss wrote:

While a Griffon can be a level 8 Cohort, it cannot be an Animal Companion. Because of that it does not get any advancement as an animal companion.

However, your GM could houserule something up if he wanted to treat it as an animal companion.

Yes, We'll have to figure something out. It being my Paladins mount is important to the story line aparantly. The setting is a world full of Dragon riders lol


Argent Snow wrote:
Gauss is totally correct there: some Beasts (griffons and dragons for example) are in the table at the end of the Bestiary telling what 'charachter level' some of the Monsters have when you want them for cohort/companion replacement.

I'll bring this to his attention. It's important that my Paladin's mount be a griffon apparantly. thanks


Pupsocket wrote:
I used the stats for the Roc companion. See if you can get Pounce and Rake in place of Grab, to better match the bestiary griffon. There's a ranger archetype that gets a hippogrif companion.

I'll look into that, thanks. Where do you find them? The Roc and Hippogriff companions?


Is this griffon your divine bond? The rules don't cover that, but you could use divine bond for a weapon instead and use the leadership feat to advance a griffon cohort.


Having a look at the hippogriff companion as a guideline may be worthwhile


Grimmy wrote:
Is this griffon your divine bond? The rules don't cover that, but you could use divine bond for a weapon instead and use the leadership feat to advance a griffon cohort.

Yes, the Griffon is the Divine Bond. Your idea sounds interesting though


Isil-zha wrote:
Having a look at the hippogriff companion as a guideline may be worthwhile

I can't seem to find that. Could you point me in the right direction?


http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lbqy?Golarion-Day-Return-of-the-Sable- Company

Liberty's Edge

I like the thing about Dragon riders. If you truly wish to compete with those, I think you NEED to take the Shining Knight archetype. I greatly advise the Bodyguard archetype for your Mount too (from Animal Archive). These two will enhance the life expectancy of your Mount.

If you are an archer, the Lookout teamwork feat for both you and your mount is just great. Hover is very useful for a flier and Wingover might be needed for aerial chases (not sure about this last one though : no experience yet).

BTW : did you have a look at my homebrew "Griffon as an AC" above ? Does it answer your need ?


The black raven wrote:

I like the thing about Dragon riders. If you truly wish to compete with those, I think you NEED to take the Shining Knight archetype. I greatly advise the Bodyguard archetype for your Mount too (from Animal Archive). These two will enhance the life expectancy of your Mount.

If you are an archer, the Lookout teamwork feat for both you and your mount is just great. Hover is very useful for a flier and Wingover might be needed for aerial chases (not sure about this last one though : no experience yet).

BTW : did you have a look at my homebrew "Griffon as an AC" above ? Does it answer your need ?

Yes' its pretty cool. I'll have to look at the Shining knight archtype. Was already considering "Bodyguard" lol. Your homebrew looks good! I'll show it to my GM as an option. Luckily most of the Dragon riders are the good guys but, they've got their hands full. There are "sepratist" Dragon riders that have just singled us out though lol. I appreciate your help. Thank you.

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