The Commander has a feat Chain for an Animal Companions.
It starts at level 1 Commanders Steed which is unusual as every other one starts at level 2. Then it matures with a level 6 feat, but does get the free stride or strike most other companions get level level 10. The unshakeable reliability in the level 6 feat is going to come up maybe once in a campaign unless your GM loves the Confusion spell - so I tend to discount that.
So my initial thoughs were this is terrible as you want the free stride more than anything from a mount. People are just going to take Beastmaster and ignore these feats.
However a Commmanders mount is almost certainly going to be a squadmate. This means it will benefit from tactics. This means that things like Pincer Attack will give the Commander a Step that he wouldn't normally get.
So the level 1 mount feat all by itself is very useful. You don't need the extra feats.
I think we will even see more Sprites on Corgi's again.
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I guess they pushed back the mature AC free action bc they didn't want the commander generating yet more action economy ....but that point seems moot when I can just go to beast master or cavalier and do that anyway. HOWEVER, idk the shape these dedications will take in PC2 (maybe they'll change or won't show up at all) so it's slightly possible this take could change for me. Regardless, my hobgobo WILL be riding a riding drake sporting a fearsome banner and two taiko drums that he'll play using his maces
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A mount to the Commander is like an Imaginary Weapon to the Magus. The synergy with your Mobility Tactics is so high it's a no-brainer.
It even opens up some nasty combo, like Form Up! being used not only for repositioning but also for mobility, opening a strategy that I think is overpowered in PF2: Kiting.
And Mount is the easiest way to create a lazylord as Command Animal easily replace your attack and is nearly competitive.
I'll personally combine Commander Steed and Beastmaster Dedication with my Human Commander, as the ability to switch from a mount (for most fights) to a Medium AC (for situations where I can't bring a large AC) is rather useful.
A mount to the Commander is like an Imaginary Weapon to the Magus. The synergy with your Mobility Tactics is so high it's a no-brainer.
Agreed though I din't playtest it - I wanted to try the more unique abilitites
pening a strategy that I think is overpowered in PF2: Kiting.
It requires the whole party to think about it. But yes if the situation allows it is can be extremely strong. Most premade adventure aren't really suitable for it. I also find I need to go theatre of the mind and track relative distances as it doesn't work so well online or even using physical maps. It really requires the GM to be on board and to be capable of adjusting difficulty to keep the game challenging.
And Mount is the easiest way to create a lazylord as Command Animal easily replace your attack and is nearly competitive.
I have an Investigator build like this too that can sack Strength and Dexterity. So it can get high Intelligence and Charisma. Could be fun.
I'll personally combine Commander Steed and Beastmaster Dedication with my Human Commander, as the ability to switch from a mount (for most fights) to a Medium AC (for situations where I can't bring a large AC) is rather useful.
Seems like a good option.
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opening a strategy that I think is overpowered in PF2: Kiting.It requires the whole party to think about it. But yes if the situation allows it is can be extremely strong. Most premade adventure aren't really suitable for it. I also find I need to go theatre of the mind and track relative distances as it doesn't work so well online or even using physical maps. It really requires the GM to be on board and to be capable of adjusting difficulty to keep the game challenging.
And that's where I disagree and why I think the Commander brings it. Just grab Form Up! and Ready it for "when the enemy gets next to an ally". Even with just that you are removing an action to the enemy. If the enemy is 5ft. slower than the ally you entirely skipped their turn (or force them to range combat which is very close to turn skipping for a lot of enemies). And you don't need much "space" to do that as you are actually kiting the enemy in real time, so 30 ft of space is enough to make your move.
Also, it raises for real the conversation about using a Stride as a reaction to an enemy's attack, conversation that was purely theoretical in the past as kiting was not a thing and that becomes central if you have a Commander because if you allow it you can now entirely shut down melee enemies in absolutely any environment as long as your allies don't end their turn adjacent to the enemy.
I'm wondering if I shouldn't create a discussion about that as it's a major point and strict RAW shuts down the enemy's turn.
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I find it very hard to justify taking a mount via the Commander feats as opposed to Beastmaster. You spend level 2, 4, and 8 feats instead of 1, 6, and 10 - which means you come out ahead on feats used I feel, you get the power bumps earlier... and you can get specialized for high level (I have to assume it's an oversight that they didn't copy/paste Champion's version of it like the rest, but still)
You have to take the level 1 feat (Commander Steed) to get your Mount if you want to be able to attach your Banner to your Mount, because that ability is from the Feat, not a default part of using Banners.
But you can certainly use archetype feats to advance your Mount -- although if you aren't using Free Archetype the Dedication Feat is pretty much a wasted feat.
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I find it very hard to justify taking a mount via the Commander feats as opposed to Beastmaster. You spend level 2, 4, and 8 feats instead of 1, 6, and 10 - which means you come out ahead on feats used I feel, you get the power bumps earlier... and you can get specialized for high level (I have to assume it's an oversight that they didn't copy/paste Champion's version of it like the rest, but still)You have to take the level 1 feat (Commander Steed) to get your Mount if you want to be able to attach your Banner to your Mount, because that ability is from the Feat, not a default part of using Banners.
But you can certainly use archetype feats to advance your Mount -- although if you aren't using Free Archetype the Dedication Feat is pretty much a wasted feat.
Maybe not entirely wasted. Beastmaster Dedication explicitly allows you to gain a second companion. Would be highly appropriate to flavour this as your Commander gaining a falcon companion (for ferrying messages, perhaps?) or possibly a hunting dog. You'd be using your main steed companion as a mount, so you'd be free to pick a companion that can fill a specific niche, even if that's "this dungeon is down a 3' wide hole, my horse can't fit; time to bring out the badger"
[Qust grab Form Up! and Ready it for "when the enemy gets next to an ally". Even with just that you are removing an action to the enemy. If the enemy is 5ft. slower than the ally you entirely skipped their turn (or force them to range combat which is very close to turn skipping for a lot of enemies). And you don't need much "space" to do that as you are actually kiting the enemy in real time, so 30 ft of space is enough to make your move.
Ah this is about local kiting.
It costs the commander 2 actions and a reaction to ready an action so he can waste an enemy action. That is only going to be worthwhile sometime.
But it reminds me we probably should talk about the best uses for each tactic....