So I am putting together a new character for a campaign in a few months. The character is a bit modeled after Marvel's Ghost Rider in style. I don't really want to go overboard in the character except for that he has two levels in paladin and the rest in oracle for various 'chain' themed spells as well as the occult mystery to use the awesome Phantom Touch as well as the Ectoplasmic Armor revelations.
To go with this aesthetic I also really want to use Flame Steed, which is the cleric/oracle version of Phantom Steed but with a few more bonuses, namely:
* Immune to fire
* Acid, cold, and electricity resistance 10
* Exhales smoke in 15' cone if it or the character is attacked, potentially sickening and obscuring the attacker.
Now, I get that Phantom Steed lacks a lot with regard to being anything beyond a mode of transportation. It's HP (7 + CL) and AC (18) are crap and I'm not even sure what to use for it's saves. But it does have a few interesting features, namely...
* At level l2 (where my caster level will be at) it can move 100' per round and ignore just about any terrain related issues during combat.
* Immunity to fire take a lot of concern out of fireballs or the many other fire based attacks. The resistance to the other types helps soften a blow enough so it might not die with one hit.
* It's a conjuration (creation) spell. So it can't be affected by poisons, gasses, diseases, or really anything that requires it to be flesh-and-blood.
Moreover, I can think of a few feats and magical items that can keep it's survivability at reasonable levels:
* Mounted Combat feat gives me a way to negate an attack each round.
* Indomitable Mount feat does the same for a save.
* War Saddle (5000 GP) makes it a combat trained mount and boosts the Ride skill (helping both the above two feats)
* +1 Studded Leather barding (1000 GP) will raise it's AC to 22. Still not good but might block secondary attacks.
The last part of this is kind of key. It's just a 4th level spell! If it does die I keep a ring of feather fall on me to land on my feet and stay in combat without any loss to action economy. At worst, it dies quickly by taking an attack meant for one of the PCs and I lose my ability to move anywhere across the battlefield easily. And I'm not sinking lots of feats or money into extras like one does for animal companions to keep them alive. If it dies it ides and I move on. And if it does survive after an attack, (or I am attacked) then smoke cloud kicks in as a free action from the steed. I am planning on having the spell Ashen Path (see through and unaffected by smoke, 10 min/lvl) active a lot of the time in active danger situations. This will give me some time (1d6 rounds) where the target might be at disadvantage against me.
So that's it. Riding the Flame Steed is not the only thing he'll do, but it might be worth the above investments of feats (1-2) and gear (10% of net wealth) to make it work out on a regular basis. It is most certainly not optimal, but I think it has a fair amount of usefulness. Anyone want to talk me out of it? Or add some better suggestions?
I'd reconsider the barding because if it dies you have to lug that around. If you were crossing water or using air walk or something when it dies you'll need to retrieve anything the steed was wearing.
It's a conjuration (creation) spell. So it can't be affected by poisons, gasses, diseases, or really anything that requires it to be flesh-and-blood.
This doesn't follow. Conjuration (creation) has no such advantage and can create flesh etc.
There are some serious advantages to your plan over, say, spending 3 feats and an air walk spell on a real animal companion, but it will go pop repeatedly over your career if this is for more than a one-shot.
I'd reconsider the barding because if it dies you have to lug that around. If you were crossing water or using air walk or something when it dies you'll need to retrieve anything the steed was wearing.
Fair, but I typically carry around a bag of holding for loot. The barding and the saddle can easily go in there most of the time.
This doesn't follow. Conjuration (creation) has no such advantage and can create flesh etc.
That's a reasonable assumption. I would argue that since the spell says "quasi-real, horse-like creature" with "smoke-colored, insubstantial hooves that make no sound." it doesn't sound much like flesh-and-blood. I can't tell if it gets tired, eats, drinks or even breathes. I didn't see anything obvious in the rules forums on this either. I'll check with my DM, as that seems like something we should agree on.
There are some serious advantages to your plan over, say, spending 3 feats and an air walk spell on a real animal companion, but it will go pop repeatedly over your career if this is for more than a one-shot.
True, but three feats gets you one animal companion at your level. And I certainly could ride a tiger into combat for more damage. I know it's more optimal. But it also costs a lot more in player resources (feats, gold, spells, etc) because I'd still want Mounted Combat, need to equip Battle Cat with more gear, heal him up when he's damaged, hostel him when we are going someplace I can't ride him, etc.
That's kind of why I like this - it works out of combat as well some situational in combat stuff. But even if it dies quickly, I'm not out a lot, and I have other feats, gear and spells to fall back on. Thus it's not horrible, and may be regularly useful and would be fun to use. I mean, it's literally modeled after a Nightmare! That's a cool aesthetic!