The wording of the cavalier Dedication confuses me. When choosing a non-standard mount (with GM approval) does the young version of it need to be one size larger, or does the standard (non companion version) animal need to be one size larger, or can it be an animal companion that will eventually be one size larger?
If the animal companion has to be one size larger at the moment I choose it, can I select a horse then change the animal type/get a different one when I get the mature/savage templates and the resulting companions would be the appropriate size?
For context I'm wanting to make the lion riding taldan cavalier that's used as the example picture of a regional cavalier on the cavalier page of the pathfinder wiki, which means being a medium sized human, but I'm not sure if the cavalier archetype would even let me play that example cavalier if I were playing a medium sized character.
Cavalier dedication text:
"You gain a young animal companion that serves as your mount. You can choose from animal companions with the mount special ability, as well as any additional options from your pledge, as determined by your GM. You must choose an animal companion that's at least one size larger than you, but if the animal usually starts as Small, you can begin with a Medium version of that animal (changing no statistics other than its size)."
Isn't the Lion ok since it's already "large"?
https://2e.aonprd.com/Monsters.aspx?ID=68
Anyway, to simplify things, I'd go with a reskinned version of a horse ( replacing hooves with claws ).
The bestiary version is large, yes. But this dedication gives you an animal companion, not a bestiary creature, which would be the cat companion, which starts as small but becomes large and ridable for a medium character when it becomes mature and savage - that's why I'm asking the questions in my first post.
I'm not interested in reskinning and home brewing things, that's why I'm asking in the rules discussion forum.
I'm just curious if the cavalier archetype feats can actually provide the mount shown in the example regional cavalier picture from the wiki, because that's a cool picture.
Then I think the feat description says everything.
You gain a young animal companion that serves as your mount ( which means you must be able to ride it ). As a medium character, the only possibility is to be given a large lion from the beginning.
I doubt the feat could be exploited granting the character a companion the character can't ride the moment it unlocks the dedication ( the last part would be for small character, whose choice would be larger than medium ones ).
If you later get the savage and mature feats are you able to trade in the horse for a cat as it would be large enough to ride by then, or are you still limited to horse/camel because they are the only "base" large companions?
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You can spend a week of downtime to replace your animal companion. Just do it when you gain the Mature companion and you're good. If you REALLY want to follow the rules just "accidentally" kill the horse then get a lion later. Or just ask your GM for a Large Lion to start off with with the same stats. Sounds like they're already okay with you picking a mount without the mount trait so it shouldn't be that much of a stretch.
You must choose an animal companion that's at least one size larger than you, but if the animal usually starts as Small, you can begin with a Medium version of that animal (changing no statistics other than its size)."
Yes its a silly rule. Cavaliers should be on their mounts from day zero.
Whatever their culturally appropriate mount is.
It's on my list of rules that I ignore. You need to be able to start on the right size mount and it needs to be able to keep its size as you gain levels.
Technically you have to take Camel/Horse/Riding Drake or get an exception from your GM till level 4 when you can take a feat to right size your mount. At which point all those that didn't want size large mounts get annoyed and have to swap to something else
An incredible annoying and petty section of rules that constantly gets in the way of what players want.