Help me choose the best mount

[Targutai Minyatur]

I want to roleplay a small and weak character that only relies on his mount and later his shadow (via shadowdancer 3 dip)

The idea is to rise constitution as much as polible for the shadow (half hp) and picking a full bab class to give it to the shadow.
Thing is i cant decide between mounted fury, mad dog (with drunken brute) and mounstrous mount feat or beast rider cavalier (order of the beast)
Wich one do you think is better? A raging wolf or some of the beast rider choices? I also noted that most beast rider mounts are unsurprisingly huge so they cant fit in most places.
The mount and the shadow are the ones making the dirty job so i can spend most of my money on items for the mount

Thank you!

[avr]

If you're relying heavily on the mount then it'd help if it was halfway smart IMO. I got some decent mileage out of a nature oracle's wolf mount once (Int 6) and a paladin with a divine bond with their mount has the same Int 6 on the mount (the paladin doesn't have the same min'm, Int 5 suli paladins can be dumber than their horse). Once you get monstrous mount that isn't a problem of course. What level are you starting at?

[Targutai Minyatur]

Lvl 1, 15 point build

[avr]

Right, so you need something which works early on. And as many HP as possible for the shadow. I'd suggest a Sable Company marine ranger then - at L2 they can get monstrous mount (hippogriff) at level-1, and at L6 monstrous mount mastery. Boon companion can just cover the level-1 and a 3 level dip in shadowdancer.

Edit: huh, hippogriffs are just dumb animals. Well, they're still a useful choice, and halflings or humans have other ways to raise their pets' Int.

[Targutai Minyatur]

Thats so cool!! Thank you!

[Scott Wilhelm]

I recommend your mount be a Druid. Create a Druidzila character, and take the Leadership Feat as soon as you can.

Then you will be an Animal with a Person Companion!

[Derek Dalton]

Cavalier the base class offers something called Expert Trainer at fourth level. You get it at fourth level. Then at sixth level you can get the feat Horse Master, Now your mount goes up by your Hit Die. Cavalier is a solid martial class D10 Hit points nice Fort Saves.
Shadow Dancer is a nice Prestige class but it's feat expensive to get into three feats. So consider that. Hide in plain sight,darkvision, a rogue talent and then a shadow are all very nice reasons to take the prestige class. If it's just for the shadow it's not worth it really. Our ninja is a shadow dancer and he has lost his shadow twice. Depending on the alignment of the group most healer cleric types won't be having Inflict wounds or channel negative energy to heal the shadow. The shadow is nice but by the time you get it, it can be a liability.
Just my two cents. One last thing, mounts. Most mounts are not sized for dungeons or are meant for the city. Picking the right size mount and good for city is a challenge. If your character can't survive without his mount that could be a very bad thing.

[Melkiador]

The flavor of your concept sounds a lot like a summoner. There is an evolution to make your eidolon a mount. You can even use an evolution to make your eidolon shadow-like. If you are using the unchained summoner, there is a shadow subtype, which matches your flavor too.

[LordKailas]

It really depends on how you envision your animal companion attacking. Below is a short list of recommended animal companions based on their combat style/role

Trampler: Arsinoitherium
Striker: Dimetrodon, Ankylosaurus, Mokele-Mbembe, Spinosaurus, Dragonfly, Yolubilis Heron, Deinonychus
Tripper: Ceratosaurus, Stegosaurus, Mokele-Mbembe, Wolf
Grabber: Warcat, Slithering Sundew
Large Flyer: Roc, Giant Owl
Small Flyer: Falcon, Whisper Vulture
Swallower: Gulper Plant

If you're just looking for damage output some of the higher outputs I've seen have used one of the following: Arsinoitherium, Warcat, Roc.

IMO I think both the dragonfly and anklosaurus would make interesting choices because they provide unique options not found elsewhere. For the plant and insect companions any character that gets an animal companion can pick them up the feat curious companion to gain access to them.

[Mark Hoover 330]

Another thing about Mounts and Size changes: saddles are considered Belt item slot wondrous items for these creatures. As such, if you can find a magic item as a Belt, you can get it made as a saddle.

There are 2 belts right off the bat that might make sense for Large or larger size mounts to have: the Belt of the Weasel or the Tightfit Belt

The weasel belt is more expensive, 10,000 GP, but gives your mount a +2 Dex enhancement and a permanent Compression ability, so long as they're wearing the saddle, so your Large sized Mount can normally fit into Medium sized spaces and use the Squeeze action to fit through Small sized spaces.

The Tightfit belt is only 2,000 GP but gives the mount 10 rounds/day during which as a Free action it can move through spaces 1 size category smaller than it with no penalty or Squeeze through spaces 2 size categories smaller with the normal Squeeze penalties.

A Medium sized AC generally hits Large size at either 4th or 7th level. Based on WBL, by level 4 you might have enough cash to spare on a Tightfit Belt; by level 7 you can definitely afford that but if you scrimp on your own gear you could afford to get the weasel belt instead.

I feel the larger problem (pardon the pun) with mounts isn't size, but mobility. Most creatures only have a base land speed. Some that eventually hit Medium or even Large size have a Fly speed, and some specialized mounts or Vermin have a Climb or a Swim speed, but I don't think there are any with multiple types.

I don't know what campaign setting or AP you might be playing through, but I can tell you that I often have adventures in my own Homebrew campaigns that are set in multiple environments. I favor megadungeons so a Mount will be called upon for vertical as well as horizontal movement; I also run a lot of swamps, massive lakes or sea-faring scenes so also having a mount that can negotiate water easily or even underwater is highly suggested.

Because of this, I'd suggest either taking levels of a spellcaster or, since you've got more of a Martial focus for your character partnering with a spellcaster in the party. You pay for that character to have scrolls on hand or craft potions you can give to your mount that give it the different mobility types it needs, until such time as you can afford some kind of permanent magic item to fill in the blanks. Even just a scroll of Monkeyfish can get an earthbound mount moving slowly through some very challenging environments that would otherwise have it stymied.

[Melkiador]

The benefit of going with summoner or unchained summoner for this is that your mount could work in all terrains with the right evolutions. And there's the evolution surge spell to gain the movement types you need for your eidolon mount.

[Java Man]

My favorite animals for mobiity are the giant mantis (flight and climb) or constrictor snake (climb and swim, but slow at 20'). Convincing your GM that a giant python is a valid mount is an exercise I leave to the reader.