Well, if you want to keep it simple, you could just take levels in Paladin (CRB) or Cavalier (APG), bolster up your strength to compensate for that racial penalty, and start charging. As a halfling your mount will be medium-sized, so it's easy to use indoors.
If you want to get trickier, you could use various options to apply your dexterity score to damage. It means forsaking the lance, but it means you hit much harder when you're not charging. The simplest approach is the Bladed Brush feat to utilize a glaive, but you could also use the Elven Branch Spear or Elven Curve Blade and take 3 levels in the Unchained Rogue class. This multiclassing can hurt you if you want an animal companion as your mount (and you do) so use the Boon Companion feat.
Goblin Bomber is also really nice; there's a really awesome goblin-specific archetype called Winged Marauder.
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So what you have right now is a cool concept: halfling knight.
Pf fortunately has made mounted combat very accessible for pretty much everyone.
You can take 3 feats with any class in order to get an animal Companion.
Mounted combat also requires 0 feats and a token skill investment (3-4 points in ride) so you're not bound to the Lance charge build anymore.
That being said, a charge build is potent on a halfling, although I wouldn't go for a lancé I'd go for a decent weapon.
Mount builds are also very good for archers, as it gives them a lot of mobility, and your mount can prevent you from being cornered if it takes the overrun line of feats.
If you haven't played in a while I'd stay in a single class if I were you. An unchained rogue dip could be good but it complicates things for a marginal increase over an agile weapon.
If I were you I'd go for paladin if you can wait till level 5 for the mount (although you can just use a run of the mill riding dog in the meantime), or cavalier if you want it right now.
As for damage gimmick either a reach build with an elven branched spear or a glaive as was pointed out by my esteemed collègue above, or an archery build with 12 str 18 Dex 16 Cha.
As a side note, fighters are extremely potent, and a mounted fighter build would probably be your best mathematically superior build, but they tend to be much less flavorful than say a order of the hero cavalier build that challenges big bosses.
Let me know if any of what I said is unclear
Cavaliers get mounts at 1st level, and their class skills synergize well with the Charisma bonus from being a Halfling. There is an Order of the Paws option that might be interesting.
Paladins can get mounts at 5th level, and have A LOT of synergy with the Charisma bonus from being a Halfling.
Rangers can get an animal companion at 4th level, and can boost its effectiveness at 5th level with the Boon Companion feat.
Druids can get an animal companion at 1st level, and can greatly benefit from a dip in a martial class to get Martial Weapon Proficiency and Heavy Armor Proficiency, such as cavalier or fighter.
Clerics with the Animal Domain and Oracles with Nature Mystery can get animal companions. Oracles are Charisma-based casters, so that works with halflings too.
I think there is a way to make a Bloodrager that gets a familiar it can ride, but that would be kind of complicated, I'm sure.
The Hunter class is a ranger/druid hybrid class that gets an animal companion at 1st level and a bunch of Teamwork feats.
The Summoner class is a Charisma-based 6/9 caster that has a special companion called an eidolon that you can ride.
The Sacred Huntmaster archetype of the Inquisitor grants an animal companion.
* * *
Lance charging is great if you're strong, but mounted archery can be extremely potent too! You can still full attack while mounted AND have your mount move, so you can do tricky things like move 20 feet from full cover, shoot a bunch of times, and go back behind full cover. Also, ranged attacks can affect targets out of your reach, like flying opponent or opponents on the other side of a chasm or river.
Small-sized characters mounted on Medium-sized mounts are great! It mitigates the slow speed most Small-sized have, and they can still operate on 99% of dungeon crawls. There are even some exotic mounts that can provide some additional movement modes, such as climb, swim, fly, and even burrow (?)!
For high-level chargers, is Vital Strike worth taking after Power Attack, Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, and Spirited Charge? How does it interact with lead blades?
To gain your mount, I like the Eldritch Guardian Fighter Archetype. You get a Familiar that also learns all your Combat Feats, including Teamwork Feats that are also Combat Feats.
I like the Flying Fox (a kind of Bat) Familiar. I also like the Mauler Familiar. Mauler Familiars Grow to Size Medium in Combat, so then you can ride it. I'm pretty sure that since Familiars are very intelligent, you don't even need to use the Ride Skill: you just tell it what to do.
How to equip with Feats and Weapons? Well, mounted archers are everything they are cracked up to be. I guess you know what that will look like: Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Manyshot, Clustered Shots, Opening Volley. What are some other tricks? Take levels in Alchemist and shoot exploding arrows. Take levels in Ninja, Vanish, and do Sneak Attack Damage with your Arrows. I have an Human Archer Ranger who uses a Wand of Gravity Bow, but that wouldn't be nearly as impressive for a Size Small character.
Levelling you Lance and Charging for Double Damage seems like a solid choice even for a Size Small Character. There are also those Bull Rushing and Overrun Feats that go with Charging. The problem with Bullrushing and Overrunning is that there is a Size limit. The way to fix that is withthe Harder they Fall Feat, a Combat and Teamwork Feat that your Familiar-mount will have as soon as you do. As I write, I seem to recall that HTF won't work for Overrun, but it will work Bull Rushing. Broken Wing Gambit is an awesome choice: Both you and your mount will get an Attack of Opportunity whenever either of you is attacked. I also like the idea of Panther Style Feats, gaining a Free Action Unarmed Strike whenever you provoke an Attack of Opportunity by Moving out of a Threatened Square. They won't be particularly impressive, but your mount will get those Free Action Attacks as well.
Figuring out a way to inflict Sneak Attack Damage seems essential for a Size Small Melee Character. But I have a notion that Riskey Striker and Power Attack...
Just a small mention that if it's your first time playing PF in a while, I'd stay way from multi class.
It's entirely possible to make a superior build by taking various dips, especially for mounted builds, but you end up with a character that is very complex and loses a bit of flavor IMHO.
I'd go for a homogenous one class progression rather than an Heterogenous multiclass amalgam if I were you, it'll feel cleaner.
But this is just an opinion.
Builder a halfling charger is actually pretty good.
The lance is designed to be the best weapon for this, you just have to understand where the damage comes from. You're gonna want flat bonuses, so a paladin or a cavalier would be ideal. I would'nt worry too much over STR being the highest it could possibly be, so long as you get enough for Power Attack. Investing into a 14 would probably be the sweet spot.
Building for the lance can give you some of the best consistent damage in the game, but I would make sure you take a mount that is maneuverable. I would focus on the Spirited Charge chain for that sweet triple damage. Ultimately, you'll want one of these, as it saves you money from having to invest in your own STR, and you can instead focus on your mount's.
Make sure to have your mount grab power attack and greater overrun while you have combat reflexes in order to let loose some free AoO's on mooks while your dog takes you all the way to the boss.
That's a good doggy!
I usually suggest a new(ish) player start with the ranger (they introduce a ton of sub-systems), but if you're gungho on starting out at level 1 with a mount, Cavalier is probably the way to go. You don't have to worry about learning spells; you'll be good at fighting: mounted, unmounted, melee, and ranged; and you'll be great at what you specialize in.
I think I'm definitely going to try and figure this out. I'm confused as hell by the mount, and they get bigger at certain levels so I need something else for my guy to ride at level 4
Most animal companions being large enough for a Halfling to mount. So long as they begin medium-sized, you are okay. Medium-sized races like humans are a bit more limited, and need to use large-sized mounts so they usually need to wait until later or ride a horse.
I don't see much of a way to be pure cavalier and have a ranged weapon
One of the nice things about the longbow is that you don't actually need any class features to make it work, you just need feats. You'll need Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and Rapid Shot. As a mounted character you'll also want the mounted archery feat, which requires Mounted Combat. That's five feats and then you're good to go.
If you just want a backup weapon, then a bow is perfectly usable without any feats or class features.
Now, if you want to get some limited flight for your companion, there is the Flight Mastery feat which can be taken by a Cavalier at the 9th level, or with a little tricky multiclassing you could take it at the 7th. The magic item requirement of the feat can be satisfied with a belt of incredible dexterity, which is an item you are almost certain to have by that level.
Not sure how swapping a shield to go 2h on the lance, then back to shield works, but we'll see if I can figure that.
Equipping and unequipping a light shield is a move action. If you use a quickdraw shield you can use a swift action to equip or unequip it whenever you take a move action. This should be sufficient for your needs.
Changing your grip on your lance is a free action and you can do it whenever you want however many times you want.
Not sure the interaction between the mount's attack and something like ride by or even what all the hubbub about attacks of opportunity is
There are some rules ambiguities with mounted combat; just ask your GM about how he'll be dealing with them.
I think I have the Core Rules, Advanced Players guide and I think..Ultimate Combat in my cart, will that cover whatever I do with this Cavalier?
For a basic build that changes with a lance, that should be completely sufficient.
You could, but why? -- Four levels in Cavalier get you the Expert Trainer class feature, which qualifies you for Horse Master (which, despite its name, works with any animal companion) and a character-level equivalent mount/companion from that point. (Not to mention gaining two Challenges per day and upwards of +10 points of damage with both Vambraces of the Tactician and Champion's Banner, both moderately priced at 8kpg apiece.)So what you have right now is a cool concept: halfling knight. Pf fortunately has made mounted combat very accessible for pretty much everyone.
You can take 3 feats with any class in order to get an animal Companion.
Mounted combat also requires 0 feats and a token skill investment (3-4 points in ride) so you're not bound to the Lance charge build anymore.It may not "require" them per se in air-quotes, but your mount will have a tough time surviving without them. Mounted Combat and Indomitable Mount both keep it in the game in your intention is to use it for anything beyond out-of-combat basic transportation.
That being said, a charge build is potent on a halfling, although I wouldn't go for a lancé I'd go for a decent weapon. Mount builds are also very good for archers, as it gives them a lot of mobility, and your mount can prevent you from being cornered if it takes the overrun line of feats.
Mounted Combat also leads to Ride-by Attack, which also is a free get-out-of-being-trapped-in-a-corner ticket. (Although the rider might still eat an AoO.)
Ride-by Attack then leads to Spirited Charge, which makes any melee weapon jawdroppingly destructive when paired with a class generating tons of numeric bonus damage.
A cavalier triple-dipping Challenge + Str + Power-Attack bonuses with a lance will out-damage most archers. It is not difficult at all to easily exceed 100pts damage with a single hit by mid-levels,
- - -
Builds:
1. Straight Cavalier: Strong offensively versus any opponent, but saving throws are among the poorest of the full-BAB martial classic (fighters at least get Bravery). A cloak will be a priority item.
2. Straight-class Samurai: better than straight cavalier, IMO, if taken with the base Order of the Warrior. The ability to generate rerolls is incredibly strong. Save your pennies up for a Daikyu of Commanding Presence in the mid-level game.
3. Straight-class Paladin: very good saving-throws in a halfling, and very flexible if given the Dangerously Curious trait. A level of Bloodrager + Extra Rage feat is a solid dip.
4. Rogue(unchained or not)/Paladin multiclass: even more flexible in a halfling. Typically does not take more than four levels of rogue. Ninja instead of rogue also works, with an eye on exploiting a halfling's innate charisma for fueling Ki; recommended for those not interested in melee finesse TWF tactics. Either requires a good GM lacking a hard-on for making paladins "fall". If your GM is Fireball happy, go with rogue over ninja (they don't get Evasion).
5. Cavalier4/Barbarian(1or2)/(other classes): -- A "3M" (massively-multiclassed mutt) build utilizing the Horse Master feat for a full-level mount. Requires system-mastery culling appropriate archetypes and obscure magical items to yield the most power. Can be a shared-Teamwork feat specialist capable of insane damage in melee.
...I think new players would have the most fun with #2, #3, or #4.
- - -
str- 12
dex+ 17 ...halfling 20pt array (15,14,14,14,12,7 array)
con: 14
int: 12
wis: 7
cha+ 16
1 bloodrager1, Extra Rage
2 rogue1 [unchained][SA+1d6][Weapon Finesse]
3 samurai1 [Challenge][Resolve], Accomplished Sneak Attacker[SA+2d6]
4 rogue2 [Evasion][combat trick: Mounted Combat], Dex>18, buy belt
5 rogue3 [SA+3d6][finesse kukri], Boon Companion
* You have the sneak-attack of a 5th-level rogue
* You have the mount of a 5th-level cavalier
* You're as strong (or dextrous) as a 5th-level barbarian
* You can trigger arcane wands of Bloodrager spells
* You don't need the Dangerously Curious trait because UMD is class
...at 6th, go Paladin. At 9th, as you level, retrain the Samurai level to Paladin while taking another level of paladin (becoming 5th in the class and acquiring Divine Bond, for which you will take Mount). Alternatively, leave in the samurai level and continue enjoying the Resolve and exotic weapon proficiencies. The other choice at 6th is to continue in Samurai (in which case the bloodrager level at 1st could be barbarian [savage technologist] without alignment problems down the road).
You could, but why? -- Four levels in Cavalier get you the Expert Trainer class feature, which qualifies you for Horse Master (which, despite its name, works with any animal companion) and a character-level equivalent mount/companion from that point. (Not to mention gaining two Challenges per day and upwards of +10 points of damage with both Vambraces of the Tactician and Champion's Banner, both moderately priced at 8kpg apiece.)So what you have right now is a cool concept: halfling knight. Pf fortunately has made mounted combat very accessible for pretty much everyone.
You can take 3 feats with any class in order to get an animal Companion.
Mounted combat also requires 0 feats and a token skill investment (3-4 points in ride) so you're not bound to the Lance charge build anymore.It may not "require" them per se in air-quotes, but your mount will have a tough time surviving without them. Mounted Combat and Indomitable Mount both keep it in the game in your intention is to use it for anything beyond out-of-combat basic transportation.That being said, a charge build is potent on a halfling, although I wouldn't go for a lancé I'd go for a decent weapon. Mount builds are also very good for archers, as it gives them a lot of mobility, and your mount can prevent you from being cornered if it takes the overrun line of feats.Mounted Combat also leads to Ride-by Attack, which also is a free get-out-of-being-trapped-in-a-corner ticket. (Although the rider might still eat an AoO.)
Ride-by Attack then leads to Spirited Charge, which makes any melee weapon jawdroppingly destructive when paired with a class generating tons of numeric bonus damage.
A cavalier triple-dipping Challenge + Str + Power-Attack bonuses with a lance will out-damage most archers. It is not difficult at all to easily exceed 100pts damage with a single hit by mid-levels,
To answer your first point: Because sometimes dipping four levels in a class is a bad call, it delays smite, it delays weapon training, it delays every class feature. So if you wanted to make, say a fighter charger, you could instead of dipping cavalier for 4 levels and screw up your progression put those 4 feats in fighter, have 2 bonus feats, and be at exactly the same spot.
To answer your second: Because mounted combat is a horrible feat for some classes, namely the paladin or a charisma fighter, since it takes your next rounds swift action, which means you can't smite, you can't arcane strike, you can't lay on hands, you can't cast swift action paladin spells, which are all valid things to do. Perhaps you'd realize how swift action starved these classes are if you weren't dipping all the time? And an on level Animal companion is not a mewling beast, it will often have a lot of HP (Most start at 15-16 cons that then goes up when they advance, if they take toughness on top of that and the charger archetype, you can slap on a full plate on them) and lots of AC. So if the ennemy wants to waste attacks on your mounts, have fun, thank him for the wasted attack on your class feature!! Heck, you could even go for combat reflexes+bodyguard for both you and your mount. You give bonuses to AC to your mount if it gets hit, and your mount does the same for you. As an added bonus, you can both do the same to an adjacent ally!! And you didn't even need to pay a feat tax like mounted combat, and it's not a swift action it's an AoO, a much less solicited pool.
Ride by attack is a way to avoid AoO's, it doesnt allow you to go through ennemies. Overrun does. Also overrun can be taken by your mount very easily, so it saves you the feats. A spirited charge build CAN be potent, but using your mount as a mobility and attack tool with a martial or exotic reach or melee weapon is often just as effective, more because if you can maneuver to full attack position (a relatively easy feat) you'll do more damage, and if you rmount has greater overrun and bullette rush it will give you a lot of AoO's that you wouldn't have otherwise.
What I'm saying isn't that he SOULDN'T make a charger build, it's that if he wants a mounted rider feel, he doesn't have to go spirited charge, he could just go melee on horse. And 100+ damage on a single hit at middling levels is not something uncommon, our groups paladin has a mounted but not charging build and she commonly did 100+ damage on one hit at levels 9-10.
P.S: Mounted archer is a trash feat never take it.
To answer your first point: Because sometimes dipping four levels in a class is a bad call, it delays smite, it delays weapon training, it delays every class feature.
He's playing in PFS, so different considerations apply in contrast to your "make a 10th-level character" type campaigns, or even adventure-paths:
* It takes a long time to level up (and you may desire the "slow-leveling" rate anyway, because see below)
* Play opportunities for higher-level characters steadily diminish
If you're a martial, you can squeeze a lot more fun out of a low/mid-level concept that front-loads goodies.
So if you wanted to make, say a fighter charger, you could instead of dipping cavalier for 4 levels and screw up your progression put those 4 feats in fighter, have 2 bonus feats, and be at exactly the same spot.
You earlier wrote: "You can take 3 feats with any class in order to get an animal Companion." -- Let's say he wants an animal companion, or at least a mount (which I'm guessing a halfling knight concept probably does). Expending three general feats for a companion (the Nature Soul, Animal Ally route) means he doesn't get the mount until 5th, and it won't be full-level until Boon Companion at 7th --
which could easily be a year's real-world playtime in PFS. In contrast, cavalier or samurai gets him the mount right away.Similarly fighter Weapon Training: -- What's it get him? +1/+1 att/dmg with a group of similar weapons. +3/+3 if he springs for Gloves of Dueling*, which also isn't going to happen until around 6th or 7th. But if he could rage at 1st level, he's +2/+2 with anything he picks up, and isn't stuck playing a class with absolute junk for skills. (If there's one thing PFS loves to do, it's throw skill-checks at you.)
Rage and Challenge classes multiclass very well in mobile mounted concepts that avoid significant rebound via Ride-by Attack.
(*Gloves of Dueling cost 15,000gp and require 31 Fame in PFS to be eligible for purchase. Vambraces of the Tactician and Champion's Banner, otoh, are both 8k on-the-dot and can be picked up at 22 Fame. Together, they'll add +6 damage to Challenge, and will provide an extra Challenge per day earlier than normal half the time. With these, a barbarian/cavalier is picking up +2/+8 att/dmg off his combination of rage + items and is sharing a Teamwork feat out to 60'. This compares quite favorably to a straight fighter's +3/+3 with Weapon Training and Gloves of Dueling. The fighter's advantage is in armor training, not weapons. He is the one designed for toe-to-toe slugging.)
To answer your second: Because mounted combat is a horrible feat for some classes, namely the paladin or a charisma fighter, since it takes your next rounds swift action, which means you can't smite, you can't arcane strike, you can't lay on hands, you can't cast swift action paladin spells,
Mounted Combat keeps your absolutely free four-legged "boots of x2.5 move" in the game. -- What's more important to a mounted halfling? The welfare of his ride versus any opponent, or a combat bonus versus one opponent? I'll save the dog every time.
A nimble PFS halfling's AC is often UMD'd Mage Armor off a 2pp-bought wand (while he saves up for MBP or Celestial), meaning there's no check-penalty to Ride; therefore his score can easily top enemy attack-bonus through the low/mid-level game. Or he wears full-plate anyway as a cavalier and ignores check-penalties, because they get to do that.
And, it's not like your always spending a swift action every round to smite or challenge or LoH. Even if your mount is never targeted by the enemy, Mounted Combat is also a necessary prerequisite to a slew of others that are tactically OP. Ride is also a Dex skill, so the synergy is quite good in a halfling who's 20 in the stat with a belt by 4th or 5th.
-- I played a mounted halfling rogue/paladin for two years in PFS, and not once did I ever run into a situation where I was looking to Smite the round after I used Mounted Combat to negate a hit. (You have so few uses of Smite that you generally aren't using more than one of them per encounter anyway, and your mount isn't typically nailed before you've declared a Smite.) The character started as an infantry TWF and segued into mounted lance + archery, tending to avoid damage and thereby using LoH less frequently.
which are all valid things to do. Perhaps you'd realize how swift action starved these classes are if you weren't dipping all the time?Arcane Strikers and panache/grit/style classes are Swift-action pigs; other classes typically aren't. -- That being said, I'd rather occasionally face dilemmas in Swift-action options than have no Swift-action options at all. (It's irksome as an unwounded paladin to have to use a standard action to LoH your mount whose wound could have been negated with an immediate action on the enemy's turn.)
And an on level Animal companion is not a mewling beast, it will often have a lot of HP (Most start at 15-16 cons that then goes up when they advance,"A lot of HP" makes a significant difference if you're a barbarian with con 20 and raging for more; an extra 10 points at 5th level in a large creature with mediocre AC doesn't. It just means a 50% chance of a one-hit-more cushion before you dismount and send it off to Hammerspace on the sidelines until the encounter is over. (The major annoyance in PFS isn't that the mount dies -- if that happens, it likely would have anyway -- it's that its every wound is a drain on your healing. Mounted Combat saves you crap-tons of gold and/or 2pp-bought wand-charges in low-level PFS.)
if they take toughness on top of that and the charger archetype, you can slap on a full plate on them)
Full-plate masterwork barding is 6150gp (3150gp for medium mounts, and it won't resize if your companion gains a growth-spurt), and seriously nerfs its speed. Adding Toughness and armor proficiencies soak up the mount's early feats, and are a poorer alternative to the rider just taking [i]one feat that can negate an already-confirmed hit once a round.
The Halfling Outrider racial trait, a Turquoise Sphere ioun stone, and the Jousting armor upgrade, together jack +12 into Ride. Aside from the usual defensive usages via Mounted Combat and Indomitable Mount, they'll get the skill up enough to permit galloping across slippery rooftops, wild leaps, and other wacky hijinks.
No low-level and lots of AC. So if the ennemy wants to waste attacks on your mounts, have fun, thank him for the wasted attack on your class feature!!If you're a small character threatening triple damage atop a mount, your mount will be a priority target. Your mount is therefore your weakness, and any competent opponent will know it.
Heck, you could even go for combat reflexes+bodyguard for both you and your mount. You give bonuses to AC to your mount if it gets hit, and your mount does the same for you. As an added bonus, you can both do the same to an adjacent ally!! And you didn't even need to pay a feat tax like mounted combat, and it's not a swift action it's an AoO, a much less solicited pool.
Well, you've built a mounted fireplug, but it comes at the cost of ending your turn next to the enemy and eating its entire full-attack in a concept that has to divide its defense money in two for attending to the needs of both a rider and a mount. The Mounted Combat/Ride-by Attacker who avoids monster-adjacency situations has less of an issue.
It's an attrition game; you avoid damage whenever and wherever you can, especially when there never being a straight-class healer at the table is a more-often-than-not scenario.
Ride by attack is a way to avoid AoO's, it doesnt allow you to go through ennemies. Overrun does. Also overrun can be taken by your mount very easily, so it saves you the feats.The primary job of Ride-by Attack is to end your turn NOT within the monster's move-and-full-attack zone. Per above, it's all about staying on top side of attrition. Make the enemy waste time chasing you and stick 'em with your own AoOs.
A spirited charge build CAN be potent, but using your mount as a mobility and attack tool with a martial or exotic reach or melee weapon is often just as effective, more because if you can maneuver to full attack position (a relatively easy feat) you'll do more damage, and if you rmount has greater overrun and bullette rush it will give you a lot of AoO's that you wouldn't have otherwise.
I had a mounted TWF samurai that could really dish out insane damage with his wakizashis (usually on the 2nd round after charging with a lance for x2 damage sans Spirited), but he ate tons of damage too, and that sucked. Attrition, attrition, how deep is thy wallet for healing?
Greater Overrun or Greater Bull Rush are very nice (and are an indispensable part of a Paired Opportunist type AoO-exploiter build), but they are glacially slow to come on-line in PFS because the mount won't reach BAB6 until 9th and won't have a new feat-slot until 10th. -- Your character may never get that far in PFS, and you certainly won't like waiting that long in any case.
If charge lanes are a problem, Wheeling Charge can be taken as early as 5th.
P.S: Mounted archer is a trash feat never take it.
Agreed. It's especially worthless in a halfling with an occasional Smite bonus who is usually wielding a reach weapon.
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Hey slim,
Just wanted to let you know I read your post and generally agree so it's not gone to waste.
I'll try to answer in detail later
Maybe invest in scrolls of mount for your friendly neighborhood wizard to cast for you when the BBEG is mean and kills your dog.
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As the player of a Halfling Cavalier I will tell you that you can start with a wolf for a mount (move 50'!). He doesn't grow to large size until 7th level, and you don't actually have to grow him if you don't want to. Instead of taking a +8 Str, -2 Dex and the size increase, you can take a +2 Str and a +2 Dex increase and stay medium. There are a few extra details involved, but that's the meat and potatoes. So... your mount can stay medium and go everywhere your party goes.
I took the 16, 14, 13, 12, 10, 10 stat array (I don't like dump stats)
Str = 16 -2 /14
Dex = 13 +2 /15 (-> 16 at 4th level)
Con = 12
Int = 10
Wis = 10
Cha = 14 +2 /16
Breastplate, buckler, lance & cold iron morningstar.
Note that some people will say Con=14 and Cha=12+2/14. But the Cha adds to Handle Animal (which you will need to make 20/25 rolls on occasionally). High Con also helps with Diplomacy and other 'face' skills the class has. (Adorable Halfling for me!)
Halfling racial trait Outrider +2 to Ride and Handle Animal. Practically a must on a Halfling Cavalier. Use the other trait to season to taste. Base Cavalier does not come with Perception or any Knowledge skills. You can acquire some of these via your Order, but not all of them give the same extra skills, so Seeker for PER or any of a number of traits for Knowledge skills [Civilized (Soc) is excellent].
Feats
1 Mounted Combat (Cav bonus)
1 Ride By Attack
3 Phalanx Formation (Lance attack past a party member, no -4 soft cover)
5 Wheeling Attack
5 Power Attack (Cav bonus)
7 Vital Strike
8 Spirited Charge (Cav bonus)
Some people will say that Spirited Charge should have come earlier, as it changes the 2x lance to 3x damage. But Wheeling Charge & Phalanx Formation are about getting your charge in when you might otherwise not (charge through party members, make turns while charging, reach past a PC in the way all help a lot!). And Vital Stike is about maxing out your attack when you can't charge.
Edit: I forgot to mention that if you have Animal Companion book/pdf, then your mount can have anumber of additioanl feats to choose from, as well as archtypes. This is where Charger comes from (mentioned above, your mount can wear heavier armor and carry a more heavily armored rider). Instead, I chose Racer, as it allowed acces to Nimble Moves and Acrobatic steps. These two feats allow your mount to move through as much as 20' of difficult terrain as if they were normal. Once again, it's about enabling the charge, as you can't charge through difficult terrain...
Do you know by chance what book it says I don't have to let the wolf grow?
Instead of taking the listed benefit at 4th or 7th level, you can instead choose to increase the companion’s Dexterity and Constitution by 2.
Is this what you wanted?
Do you know by chance what book it says I don't have to let the wolf grow?
It's in the druid class description. The Cavalier's mount class feature functions like the Druid's animal companion class feature, and you can find details on how animal companions advance under the druid rules. A Wolf grows to large size when his master reaches 7th level. The entire attraction of using a wolf is that it can comfortably fit through tight indoors areas, allowing you to use mounted combat in situations where larger characters could not. Letting your wolf grow to large size takes away this advantage, so it's definitely more advantageous to choose to keep it as medium-sized and take the alternative upgrade (+2 dex and con) instead.
I still feel this build is a bit of a one trick build
Cavaliers really are, although you can supplement that with different equipment and utility items to deal with unusual circumstances.
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At the risk of repeating myself, Vital Strike and Phalanx Formation are really there to help you when you can't charge. Inside, in restricted terrain, Phal F means you ride up, and poke the foe around your allies (and use them as meat shields! :p). Vital Strike means you can move through allies/difficult terrain, do a Ride-by Attack and still get extra damage.
Note that if you don't like to charge with a lance you can use a scimitar. 1d6 damage 18-20 crit -> 1d4 damage 18-20 crit for a small weapon. The advantage here is that you charge to a position adjacent to the enemy, then get 2x damage. _Then_ the mount (wolf! go wolf!) gets to attack, which it doesn't if you use the lance. Wolf gets an a bite for 1d6+1 and a Trip attack. (Wolf Str = 13/+1 at first level, but it goes up.) Make the guy go prone, then you and your wolf both get AOOs when he stands up...
Note: technically, you need to command your mount to attack, which is a Handle animal roll of 20. But the build I showed above is already +14 on the Handle Animal roll, so all you need is a 6. If the target is particularly noisome, you may need to push it to attack, which requires a Handle Animal of 25... If you do use the lance, the mount doesn't attack and these rolls don't come up.
Str = 16 -2 /14
Dex = 13 +2 /15 (-> 16 at 4th level)
Con = 12
Int = 10
Wis = 10
Cha = 14 +2 /16Feats
1 Mounted Combat (Cav bonus)
1 Ride By Attack
3 Phalanx Formation (Lance attack past a party member, no -4 soft cover)
5 Wheeling Attack
5 Power Attack (Cav bonus)
7 Vital Strike
8 Spirited Charge (Cav bonus)
Q. Are you in a hack-n-slash home campaign? ...I ask because I cannot fathom how on earth this straight cavalier is making will-saves, and get the impression that he is not being asked to make them.
A halfling's +1 bonus and a halfway-upgraded cloak will only get you so far with Wis10 in class that poorly advances the relevant save.
So, we've settled on an Order of the Sword Gendarme, correct?
Just FYI, although you can choose to not have the wolf grow, there's no reason to unless you specifically want it not to for flavor. A small PC can ride a large mount.
The entire point of a small-sized Cavalier is that your mount can be medium-sized and thus can fit through doors and narrow passages easily, allowing you to charge and use mounted combat indoors. If you allow your mount to grow to large-size, you are giving up the defining advantage of being a halfling cavalier. So no, you absolutely do not want it to get bigger.
Narrow Frame is a feat that exists.
That doesn't actually solve the problem, since squeezing still slows your movement and any terrain obstacle that slows your movement also prevents charging.
Narrow Frame is a feat that exists.
The creature is still size large.
You do not take penalties on your attack rolls or to your AC for squeezing through a narrow space that is at least half as wide as your normal space, though each move into or through a narrow space still counts as if it were 2 squares.
Narrow Frame is a feat that exists.That doesn't actually solve the problem, since squeezing still slows your movement and any terrain obstacle that slows your movement also prevents charging.
This is untrue. Here are the rules for Squeezing:
In some cases, you may have to squeeze into or through an area that isn’t as wide as the space you take up. You can squeeze through or into a space that is at least half as wide as your normal space. Each move into or through a narrow space counts as if it were 2 squares, and while squeezed in a narrow space, you take a –4 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to AC.
When a Large creature (which normally takes up 4 squares) squeezes into a space that’s 1 square wide, the creature’s miniature figure occupies 2 squares, centered on the line between the 2 squares. For a bigger creature, center the creature likewise in the area it squeezes into.
A creature can squeeze past a creature while moving but it can’t end its movement in an occupied square.
To squeeze through or into a space less than half your space’s width, you must use the Escape Artist skill. You can’t attack while using Escape Artist to squeeze through or into a narrow space, you take a –4 penalty to AC, and you lose any Dexterity bonus to AC.
Charging is also not a problem if you have your mount get Int 3 and Dragon Style which I would highly recommend for any charge based build. Being large isn't much of an impediment with this considered but if you are still nervous about it I would recommend going with Hunter as the option and taking both Reduce Animal and Carry Companion as spells known.
Also want to chime in on the before mentioned Mounted Combat. It is a trap. Don't do it (unless you are getting it as a prereq for other feats). Animal Companion AC is easy to increase and scales on it's own. Don't spend a feat for your Animal Companion on Light Armor Proficiency either. Just get it Mithral Chain Shirt Barding as it has 0 Armor Check Penalty. Your ride check with your Mounted Combat will not scale as well as your Animal Companion's AC.
*editted accordingly. That is the only time it isn't a trap.
This is untrue. Here are the rules for Squeezing:
It's not in the rules for squeezing, but the rules for charging:
If any line from your starting space to the ending space passes through a square that blocks movement, slows movement, or contains a creature (even an ally), you can’t charge. Helpless creatures don’t stop a charge.
Moving through a tight space that requires squeezing slows movement, therefor you can't charge through it.
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Meh, narrow frame solves the issue of being able to bring your mount most places without a big penalty on AC and attack rolls which is the biggest issue.
Not being able to charge occasionally isn't a huge deal considering if you keep your wolf medium you lose 8 str and 2 con comparatively.
If the idea is to move about unimpeded indoors, having the mount stay medium-sized is a must. The lost(sic) Str bump only matters if you take the Cavalier Order that allows you to use the mounts Str on charge. Though I have advised a Cav, I don't think the OP has said he was definately going that route.
Did I miss something, SmiloDan?
Dasrak: Which is why I suggested Dragon Style and Reduce Animal obtained via Hunter.
There is also Corset of the Vishkanya (via Extra Item Slot) and Morlock Hide armor (outside of PFS only for Animal Companions).
I like Order of the Dragon. It gives Perception and Survival as class skills, and gives a bonus on Aid Another checks, which might synergize well with the Halfling only trait Helpful. It might not be super helpful in combat because you'll be doing other things, but it will help you help everyone else during Exploration and Social encounters.
And if you're good at Aid Another, there are some feats that use it, like Bodyguard, which requires Combat Reflexes, which is nice to have if you use a reach weapon and have an above average Dex. There are also some good Teamwork feats that also work well with Combat Reflexes, like Paired Opportunist or something.
EDIT:
Alternatively, maybe find a way to make shield slams with your off hand when your on hand is wielding a lance.
Aasimar can be of any race and the Angelkin gives a str bonus rather than a halfling's negative str.
The Titan Mauler Barbarian Archetype gives a +1 attack and dodge bonus against creatures larger than you, everything, though this doesn't scale. If you're using unchained rage rules then barbarian could help any melee build not just str based.
As mentioned by others, the Horse Master feat opens up after four levels of Cavalier though it requires 6 ranks in ride so it's a 7th level feat.
Finally, if you don't want to be an Aasimar or can't, there's the Small But Deadly feat which if you're using ruling no. 2 "2) This feat lets you ignore racial penalties to your Strength when calculating your damage, irregardless of your current Strength score. For example, a halfling with a Strength score of 12 (after applying his racial penalty of -2 to Strength) normally gets a +1 to damage with melee or thrown weapons. This feat would allow him to treat his Strength as a 14 for calculating damage with the listed types of weapons, giving him a +2 bonus to damage."
If dex is your thing, three levels in unchained rogue can get you dex to dmg or get agile on your weapon. The scout archetype lets you deliver some sneak attack damage if you stick around another level.
So an Angelkin Aasimar Halfing Knight could be
Cavalier 4/Titan Mauler 16
Stats- Str>Con>Dex=Wis>Int>Cha
Feats-
1 Mounted Combat
3 Ride by attack
5 Spirited Charge
7 Horse Master
9 Extra Rage Power?
Jotungrip lets you hold a medium longsword in one hand and with an effortless lace you can reduce to oversized penalty by 2. Massive weapons lets you use medium lances though at huge negatives but you'll be charging when you employ your lance. Rage for some bonuses and you're golden. Plus Aasimars are Knight af, you can actually be golden or radiant.
If you or your GM don't do celestial then your basic Halfling Knight could be
Cavalier 4/Titan Mauler 16 or Cavalier 4/Scout Rogue 16
Stats- Dex>Con>Wis=Cha>Int>Str
Feats-
1 Mounted Combat
3 Ride by Attack
5 Spirited Charge
7 Horse Master or Weapon Finesse if going Barbarian
9 Extra Rogue Talent? or horse master if going barbarian
Your rogue talents can also get you feats
Unchained Barbarians in PFS cannot have archetypes.
Aasimar is by boon only in PFS.
Small but Deadly is intended for Kobolds and is not PFS legal.