Mounted Fighter

[Captain NeMo]

Making a warrior for a game with a definite preference for mounted combat (I haven't decided whether it should be mounted archery or mounted melee). I'm starting at 4th level and I'm thinking two levels of fighter and two of barbarian. What are your thoughts here...I know human is the race but I'm uncertain about just about everything else. It doesn't have to be super-twinked out...but I would like some suggestions to help it be capable of defending itself.

 

[Artoomis]

The most effective mounted combatant I ever had was a halfling paladin on a celestial war dog with celestial armor (barding). Even without the armor (it allows FLY once per day), he was very effective both indoors and out. The normal two problems with a mounted combatant are (1) if the campaign does not allow enough opportunities to use your mount in combat and (2) survivability of the mount. A small paladin helps to solve those two problems.

Anyway, for a human, I'd probably focus on mounted archery, because at least some of the focus put into archery would still be effective even when dismounted because of the situation or because the mount has been killed.

Good luck with you character-building!

 

[kjenks]

Consider the Leadership feat to get yourself a good mount. A heavy warhorse is okay at level 6, but by level 12 it will die in the first couple of rounds of combat about half the time.

 

[irdeggman]

Consider the Leadership feat to get yourself a good mount. A heavy warhorse is okay at level 6, but by level 12 it will die in the first couple of rounds of combat about half the time.

He's starting at 4th level so Leadership is out (for now) - requisite 6th level character.

I'd stick with 4 levels of fighter and none of barbarian. Reason being the increased movement of the barbarian doesn't do you any good when mounted and the extra feats you can get as a fighter more than make up for it if you want to focus on mounted combat.

Plus 4th level fighter can get weapon specialization (requires 4 levels of fighter class).

A fourth level human fighter gets 6 feats (if I've counted correctly, 1st level - 1, plus 1 (human), plus 1 (fighter), 2nd level - 1 (fighter), 3rd level feat, 4th level (fighter))

You can do a lot of tweaking with that number.

With 6 feats you can pretty much cover both the mounted archery and melee combat styles.

Mounted combat, mounted archery, ride by attack, weapon focus, weapon specialization, power attack. Although point blank shot and far shot are both viable options (drop power attack for point blank shot and pick up far shot later. At 6th level you'd get 2 feats if you went up straight as a fighter.

Battleaxe is pretty good weapon (x3 critical) - nothing says it can't be used when mounted with a shield

 

[Corsair]

Of course what you REALLY need is a Supermount(tm)!

Halfing Paladin 5 / Beastmaster 1 / Halfling Outrider +

(Edit: Requires strongheart halfling)

 

[Scion]

Straight ranger or straigh druid will do it as well. (grabbing the feat which boosts your animal companion is effectively a must if your dm allows it, a single level of beast master will boost the animal companion while effecting your other abilities but it is possible if you can spare the feats).

With druid you have spells to buff yourself and your mount, but are sorely lacking in feats and so pretty much have to be either human or the halfling which gives you a feat. You in some sort of ape form riding your mount and animal growthing both of you then doing various mounted charges and such.. scary!

With ranger you are looking at good BAB, a decent animal companion (with the feat to help out), a lot of skill points, and a feat tree to get you mounted archery pretty easily

This feat is likely a must if you do not want to go either of those two routes: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a

Of course if you want to go for really crazy I did see a build somewhere that had a psychic warrior riding his psicrystal as a mount You cant do it effectively until level 10 or so I believe, but it was funny!

 

[PrinceZane]

what ever happened to the old paladin on horseback w/ lance and spirited charge and all that? wasn't it like 4 or 5x crit or something nuts?