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More to the point, for a paladin and very much like the image here.
You see for the longest time I've considered the imagery invoked and the mounts made available in other fantasy series. Whether giant wolves, lions, or birds all the way to more monstrous mounts such as griffons, pegasus, or unicorns and even dragons.
Now there some support for a few of these ideas, though notably not for all of them. Dragons especially seem difficult to balance though this is largely for the fact that D&D and other settings making them so powerful, though a few resources gave done a fairly decent job of such... Especially third party. The Dragon Knight archetype from Final Fantasy d20 setting being my favorite.
Back on track though I am looking for a way of getting a large dire animal, though particularly a dire lion, as a mount or perhaps animal companion that is then turned into a mount by other feats. Any suggestions that could allow a medium sized humanoid Cavalier or Paladin the means of acquiring a Dire Lion mount?
More to the point, for a paladin and very much like the image here.
You see for the longest time I've considered the imagery invoked and the mounts made available in other fantasy series. Whether giant wolves, lions, or birds all the way to more monstrous mounts such as griffons, pegasus, or unicorns and even dragons.
Now there some support for a few of these ideas, though notably not for all of them. Dragons especially seem difficult to balance though this is largely for the fact that D&D and other settings making them so powerful, though a few resources gave done a fairly decent job of such... Especially third party. The dragon knight archetype from Final Fantasy d20 being my favorite.
Back on track though I am looking for a way of getting a large dire animal, though particularly a dire lion, as a mount or perhaps animal companion that is then turned into a mount by other feats. Any suggestions that could allow a medium sized humanoid Cavalier or Paladin the means of acquiring a Dire Lion mount?
If this is for a homegame then simply ask your GM/DM if you can take it.
The Cav has a Archetype called Beast Rider you can get a lion with.
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Actually in the mount ability for paladin, they even do say that Paladin can elect to choose more exotic mounts simply citing other creatures types as examples.
So yeah if your GM approves, a Lion is alright.
Wolf and dire wolf, both uses the wolf animal companion, same goes for the large cat and dire versions.
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Actually I noticed that myself when it comes to the Paladin Mount. More, that for big cats and wolves they seem to grow to large size, with stat boosts and other bonuses, at 7th level. I guess I could simply have it that I either take the Undersized Mount feat or it could be that I need to let them "grow a bit" before riding them.
Did the changes at 7th level of animal companion count is them equivalently becoming dire versions of the regular animal? Especially confusing because there are a few that are specifically called out as being dire versions of an animal, like dire bats and dire rats. I will say though they gained an impressive amount of strength 7th level.
Also a few other details I noticed is that since a paladin gets their mount at 4th level, I'd only have to wait three levels before my character can actually ride their lion or wolf companion. Again, unless I take the Undersized Mount feat.
All in all, this with the Beast Rider archetype for the Cavalier, it seems I'm covered if I can get my DM's agreement.
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And now, to kind of expand on my question, what feat recommendations could be offered to help improve overall mounted combat ability and using large wolf or lion mounts in battle? Or other such Feats that could allow them to be more useful.
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Not a lot of choices to be quite honest.
The best feat to get for your character: Spirit's Gift, you get to choose a shaman spirit everyday, and give your animal companion or familiar, the spirit animal ability as a standard action for 1 minute per level of the class giving you an animal companion.
Animal companion Feats to give proficiency in light armor, so they can wear barding without penalties on attack rolls and everything else.
Everything else it varies a lot: Power attack is not very useful on the animal companion as his HD progress slowly, so it doesn't scale very well...but still you can use it.
weapon focus is a decent choice.
Improved natural attack/natural armor: You don't gain a lot out of it...but well your choices when it comes to feat is limited, just don't need to rush for it.
Toughness, Dodge, Iron Will: Mostly for survival.
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I will note, since I can't see any rule but says I can't take an animal companion archetype, I probably definitely pick making the mount a Charger. This feel appropriate.
Now one thing that can be remembered, is that a Paladin's bonded mounts have an Intelligence of at least 6. This making it so that despite being an animal they qualify for many more feats.
This could possibly open things up when it comes to what feats can be taken, and if one were to take the boost from the Eye for Talent alternate racial trait for human characters even more so. Oh, a 4th level animal companion adds +1 to any one of its ability scores.
If I'm not mistaken that would come up to 9 intelligence correct? With 6 base intelligence, +2 Eye for Talent, +1 for 4th level animal companion.
Mammoth Rider can grant a HUGE dire cat, but it's a long wait....
My first thought of a paladin riding a lion was this.
Your picture is much cooler looking :)
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Mammoth Rider can grant a HUGE dire cat, but it's a long wait....
Given how the prestige class is called the "Mammoth" Rider, I'd am almost scared to imagine a big cat that is huge size. Many say even a large mount can be an issue during a campaign, I wonder how much more trouble a huge one is.
My first thought of a paladin riding a lion was this.
Your picture is much cooler looking :)
Heh, that could work though the mechanics are off as a whole. I'd even offer a vigilante/paladin might be closer. Thanks though.
Wolves get automatic trip with their bite, which is pretty ruthless if exploited. Dirty Fighting allows the trip feats without needing Combat Expertise. Even if they don't have a strong trip chance, they apply it over and over and over. And with at least Dirty Fighting and Pack Flanking, they're probably going to have at least decent CMB.
One interesting thing to note is that any character can use the Animal Ally feat to get a companion; it's not class limited. You could, for example, have a righteous Slayer who rides/fights beside a wolf, and uses Pack Flanking to run their Sneak damage.
"Ways of Getting a Dire Lion Mount?" Cash... 1000gp for the mount and the cost for combat training is @x1.5 so 1500gp for your mount. Ride it until you can get a large cat from your paladin feature, treating it as a normal animal companion until then.
I love the picture. Your lion mount appears to have hooves though. Is this an artistic quirk, or is this a statted creature from some RPG?
I love the picture. Your lion mount appears to have hooves though. Is this an artistic quirk, or is this a statted creature from some RPG?
Looks like a Magic the Gathering Artwork from the Bant faction I believe. Its been years since I've played MTG.
I love the picture. Your lion mount appears to have hooves though. Is this an artistic quirk, or is this a statted creature from some RPG?
LOL Didn't notice that but they DO look like hooves. It looks like a world of warcraft mount, Golden King, so I'd guess artistic licence.
Dip druid and sohei monk. Get horse master as monk bonus feat.
Horse Master may be a combat feat that relates to mounts, but it is not a "Mounted Combat"-chain feat. (Unless your GM lets it be in his campaign, and he probably shouldn't because sohei are broke enough as they are without getting a full-level mount off a single dip out).
Mammoth Rider can grant a HUGE dire cat, but it's a long wait....Given how the prestige class is called the "Mammoth" Rider, I'd am almost scared to imagine a big cat that is huge size. Many say even a large mount can be an issue during a campaign, I wonder how much more trouble a huge one is.
This is me, Enlarged on my huge sabertooth, coming after the GM who starts putting squeeze holes everywhere. And you better believe we got Paired Opportunists and Pack Flanking.
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I honestly didn't notice the hooves myself, so this detail is a surprise to me
Also I can confirm that images from a card of Magic the Gathering, of the Alara Shard called Bant. The card is the Sigiled Paladin, hence why I felt it appropriate.
the details involving a wolf's ability to trip an opponant and using dirty tricks does hold interest. Something I could considerfor perhaps an elf or half elf character, though I may go more a Druid or an Oracle of nature.
Also, Horsemaster is worth considering... especially since it seems to not specifically require the mount to be a horse otherwise the feat