So I'm looking for the best way (or a way) to basically have a Cavalier that rides an Eidolon. I've come to terms with being a small character but I'm also realizing feats could be a small problem. I'm attempting to get it online as quick as possible due to the game I'm in atm is a slow progression game and we're still at level one. This character is going to be a back up if mine were to perish, I went down in the 1st combat so I want to be prepared.
So I'm basically looking to be a Cavalier mounted on an Eidolon, if there was an archtype that swapped it out I'd take that in a heartbeat but I found no such thing so multiclassing is the best option I believe.
How necessary is the Cavalier part of the equation ? Also, why an eidolon?
You could just be a summoner fighting from the back of his eidolon mount. Not as good a fighter as a Cavalier, but not terrible at all, and with spellcasting if that's your thing.
Or one with the VMC of the other, though that's a slow and not very efficient way to do it.
But keeping with Cavalier while depending an a other class entirely for your mount is not ideal, to say the least.
Pet classes don't multiclass well, aside from the ones around animal companions.
Other possibilities include the feat that grants evolutions to your animal mount - possibly your best bet - or the phantom based archetype, if you just do not want a normal animal companion.
If there was a martial class with an eidolon, you'd be set, but that's about the one single pet option that martials don't get.
So I'm looking for the best way (or a way) to basically have a Cavalier that rides an Eidolon. I've come to terms with being a small character but I'm also realizing feats could be a small problem. I'm attempting to get it online as quick as possible due to the game I'm in atm is a slow progression game and we're still at level one. This character is going to be a back up if mine were to perish, I went down in the 1st combat so I want to be prepared.
So I'm basically looking to be a Cavalier mounted on an Eidolon, if there was an archtype that swapped it out I'd take that in a heartbeat but I found no such thing so multiclassing is the best option I believe.
It's 3rd party but Order of the Chimera seems to do what you're looking for.
If you want to avoid 3rd party, then what is it about cavalier that you want/like? and what parts of the eidolon do you want/like?
It's possible to be a summoner that gets some of the stuff a cavalier gets or be a cavalier and have your mount get some eidolon features. It really depends on what you're after specifically.
So I want to be a Cavalier with a build your own type of mount, I would even settle for like an exotic mount but the Beast rider archtype just seems not to function well with mounted combat.
From the Cavalier end I see a the following options. Of course I've probably overlooked some.
Order of the Beast isn't a build your own companion, but you can transform your animal companion mount into any other kind of animal companion at 15th level you can even turn it into a dragon. The downside is it's very limited in terms of how many times per day you can use this ability, but it's hours per level meaning it basically lasts all day.
The following feats expand your options in terms of what you can have as a mount.
Monstrous Mount
Beast Rider
Wolf Rider
Celestial Servant
There are also the feats
Curious Companion
Evolved Companion
Companion Figurine
however, in looking at them closer I noticed that their wording is different from the previous feats. The feats in the 1st list state "animal companion or mount class feature" for the pre-reqs. Where as these only state "animal companion" which suggests that having the mount class feature doesn't actually qualify you for those feats. I only mention them since they may be allowed with DM approval.
There are also a few archetypes you could take with your mount that alter the nature of it giving you some customization. Elemental Companion for example doesn't require share spells and lets you effectively have an elemental version of your mount.
Finally, there is the Mammoth Rider prestige class, which not only expands your options for mounts but is designed around mounted combat. Unfortunately, you have to be 9th level to qualify for it, meaning it likely won't come on till pretty late in your build even if you were only planning a 1 level dip.