Sable Company Marine Advice

[Hmm]

I was looking at the Sable Company archetype of rangers. I see that you can get the monstrous mount feat at level 2, but when do you actually get your hippogriff? Does it come in at level 2, or does it come in at level 4, like other animal companions?

Hmm

[ShroudedInLight]

I believe it activates at level 2, however by choosing it at level 2 you cannot select an animal companion at level 4.

[Hmm]

But isn't your hippogriff an animal companion? Or are you just able to ride and own a random hippogriff who is not bonded to you?

If it is an animal companion, it seems that you are not giving up much with this ranger archetype. You lose your choice of the ranger standard animal companions for a flying mount, and you get earlier access to it?

Hmm

[Aido_Hwedo]

The hippogriff's level is your effective druid level -1 plus you can ride it but can't fly on it till you get monstrous mount mastery which you can get at lvl 6 for a combat feat or 7 for a reg feat but cause its level is -1 you still can't fly it till its level 7 which for a full ranger would be level 8.

[Hmm]

Okay, thanks for the clarifications, Aido. I do find it odd how some of these were written. It seems not even a small race can take off on a hippogriff before level 7.

Hmm

[Eldarion Telcontar]

Hmm wrote:

But isn't your hippogriff an animal companion? Or are you just able to ride and own a random hippogriff who is not bonded to you?

If it is an animal companion, it seems that you are not giving up much with this ranger archetype. You lose your choice of the ranger standard animal companions for a flying mount, and you get earlier access to it?

Hmm

Yes, but is it worth giving up two feats for?

[Grokk_Bloodfist]

Can you select the Monstrous Mount feat after you qualify at 2nd level or can you only select them using the Ranger style feats? The book is very confusing on this point. I doubt getting a hippogriff beats getting Improved Precise Shot at 10th.

[Captain K.]

Posting here simply to upvote.

I love the odd and specific Archetypes and PrCs, even when they are not super powerful. As a GM I throw in the occasional campaign bonus for anyone who fleshes out their PC like this.

[lemeres]

Eldarion Telcontar wrote:

Hmm wrote:

But isn't your hippogriff an animal companion? Or are you just able to ride and own a random hippogriff who is not bonded to you?

If it is an animal companion, it seems that you are not giving up much with this ranger archetype. You lose your choice of the ranger standard animal companions for a flying mount, and you get earlier access to it?

Hmm

Yes, but is it worth giving up two feats for?

Well, the fact that it comes in 2 levels early and increases your effective druid level by 2 helps. It means that you could possibly skip the boon companion feat completely. That saves 1 feat.

But yes, this might not be the best path for a build that is in love with the combat style feats, like archery. It works well enough for a mounted melee attacker though, since they are likely to simply go with a nice lance for a 2 handed style. Maybe add in combat reflexes for reach. Simple enough.

[Eldarion Telcontar]

Grokk_Bloodfist wrote:

Can you select the Monstrous Mount feat after you qualify at 2nd level or can you only select them using the Ranger style feats? The book is very confusing on this point. I doubt getting a hippogriff beats getting Improved Precise Shot at 10th.

You can select it at 2nd level and it counts as your 1st combat style feat. It is only available as a combat style feat unless you choose to wait until you fulfill the feats prereqs. I think getting an animal companion at lvl 2 and a hippogriff to boot could be better than taking a "normal" combat feat. This of course depends entirely upon your campaign and your play style.