Cohorts as Mounts

[Dei]

I'm trying to work out precisely how the cohort as mount rules work. I've got a general idea but wanted to post them here to be sure I had a decent handle on them. I've got a Fighter1/Paladin5 with 16Cha and I've worked out that along with his in game bonuses he's got a Leadership score that would grant him a 6th level cohort though, of course, there's a limit of 4th. Now, I wanted to fill this slot with an exotic mount like a pegasus or griffon.

A glance into the DMG told me that these are apparently considered 8th and 10th level characters for the purposes of cohorts so I looked at the Hippogryph. Far weaker than the other two it's only a three HD critter it seemed legal but I can't be sure. So, am I reading the rules correctly? Can I use the hippogryph, griffon or pegasus? If so, what, if any bonuses does it get from being my special mount?

Thanks in Advance

 

[Elethiomel]

1. The Hippogriff has an INT of 2 and thus can't be a cohort.
2. A cohort and the Paladin's special mount are two different creatures. One (the cohort) is a creature drawn to you by your charisma but travelling by its own means. The other (the special mount) is summoned from the celestial realms at the behest of your Paladin's powers.
[Edit: Also, the presence of such a special mount (or an animal companion ... or a familiar, for some reason) gives you a -2 to your leadership score to attract a "mount-cohort".]

 

[Dei]

I was aware of the -2 and had accounted for it but I'd heard of people using their cohorts as more powerful replacements for their special mounts and animal companions. Also, his special mount is granted an intelligence of 6 and thus would be elligible for cohort status though I can see that the base creature would have to have a high int to be attracted as a cohort in the first place. But if I made his normal special mount his cohort would this mean I could add 4HD to it? Or apply a 4HD template of some sort?

 

[Herobizkit]

Basic answer: Ask your DM.

My answer: I never pay attention to "rules", so I'd allow it. I mean, if you want to give up cohorts for a better mount, who am I to argue?

RAW answer: see above.

 

[Elethiomel]

I was aware of the -2 and had accounted for it but I'd heard of people using their cohorts as more powerful replacements for their special mounts and animal companions. Also, his special mount is granted an intelligence of 6 and thus would be elligible for cohort status though I can see that the base creature would have to have a high int to be attracted as a cohort in the first place. But if I made his normal special mount his cohort would this mean I could add 4HD to it? Or apply a 4HD template of some sort?

Well, unless your special mount (or you) have access to a Gate or other reliable means of interplanar travel, I think it's hard to make the special mount into a cohort. This would be entirely dependent on campaign and GM, too.

 

[irdeggman]

Pg 200 of the DMG

"Paladin Cohort Mounts

At the DM's option, she may allow a paladin or other character with a special mount class feature to combine the special mount with the cohort feat. The special qualities such as the empathic link and shared spells make this quite potent and worth a minimum of a +2 level adjustment to the cohort mount ECL."

 

[Elethiomel]

Pg 200 of the DMG

"Paladin Cohort Mounts

At the DM's option, she may allow a paladin or other character with a special mount class feature to combine the special mount with the cohort feat. The special qualities such as the empathic link and shared spells make this quite potent and worth a minimum of a +2 level adjustment to the cohort mount ECL."

DOH! How did I miss that? Sorry.