Paladin's Mount Summoning

[Quasqueton]

So a 5th-level paladin can summon his mount to stay with him for 10 hours per day. For 14 hours of the day, the mount is in "heaven".

Isn't this a bit of a weakening of the special mount ability of the paladin? In 3.0, my paladin would ride his warhorse all day, then have it stand a watch during the night's rest.

What I'm trying to figure out: is this new summoning rule supposed to be an improvement for the paladin, or a restriction on the paladin?

I wonder if the rule that it is a free action to send the mount back to heaven will be abused. Because when the paladin summons it again, it is fully healed. Plus it could be used as a special bag of holding if it comes and goes with any equipment.

Has anyone seen this paladin ability used yet?

Quasqueton

 

[Spatzimaus]

It's a minor drawback. If you're the kind of Paladin who rides all over the world by himself, righting wrongs, then yes, it's weakening you, although only for about 3 levels (at level 8, it lasts 16 hours, and since you need 8 hours of sleep, it's effectively "all day" at that point)

On the other hand, it's a HUGE bonus: when you go into a dungeon, or Plane Shift with the party to somewhere else, or Teleport somewhere, you don't have to worry about how to take a large horse along. Go where you need to, and summon it there.
I don't know how many campaigns I've seen where the Paladin ended up having to leave the mount in a stable for the entire adventure. Kinda makes those mounted combat feats a waste, doesn't it?

Incidentally, minor point:
"In 3.0, my paladin would ride his warhorse all day, then have it stand a watch during the night's rest."
You rode that horse all day long (something horses aren't really capable of, incidentally), and YOU get to rest over the night? The horse needs rest far more than you do, and it has to stand watch? If anything the horse should be the only member of the group that never has to stand watch.

 

[Quasqueton]

Incidentally, minor point:
"In 3.0, my paladin would ride his warhorse all day, then have it stand a watch during the night's rest."
You rode that horse all day long (something horses aren't really capable of, incidentally), and YOU get to rest over the night? The horse needs rest far more than you do, and it has to stand watch? If anything the horse should be the only member of the group that never has to stand watch.

For the record:

The horse took one watch (out of 6). The paladin took a watch also. If I remember correctly, my paladin (with armor and weapons) was a medium load for the horse, so it was no more tiring or difficult for the mount to carry me all day than it would be for me to walk in the armor all day. In game rules/mechanics.

Quasqueton

 

[Otterscrubber]

I havent read the rules for 3.5 pallys yet but do they take into account any options for summoning things other than horses? In the campaign I was in my paladin held off getting his mount so that he could get a griffon instead at a later level. Is the option to do that even presented in 3.5 or are paladins restricted to horse mounts no matter what?

 

[Artoomis]

I havent read the rules for 3.5 pallys yet but do they take into account any options for summoning things other than horses? In the campaign I was in my paladin held off getting his mount so that he could get a griffon instead at a later level. Is the option to do that even presented in 3.5 or are paladins restricted to horse mounts no matter what?

The DMG has rules for unusual mounts. Also, if you mount is killed, you can get a new one after one month, or when you get your next level, if sooner.

 

[Otterscrubber]

As I dont have the 3.5 DMG just yet is there anyone who is willing to post those rules or a link to them?

 

[Waldo]

I wonder if the rule that it is a free action to send the mount back to heaven will be abused. Because when the paladin summons it again, it is fully healed. Plus it could be used as a special bag of holding if it comes and goes with any equipment.

It's hard to abuse it too much, because you can only summon it once per day. So if you summon it late in the day, or you're at higher levels, your mount may be 'around' even though you haven't summoned him today. In that situation, yes, I suppose you could dismiss him as a free action and call him back at full hp with a fullround action.

It is definately a bag of holding, but with an alloted once per day withdrawal.

Edit: added this link
Paly rules:
http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/v35/ClassesII.rtf

 

[Cedric]

You rode that horse all day long (something horses aren't really capable of, incidentally)

Not to quibble...but riding a horse all day is entirely possible. Running a horse all day is not possible.

And if you are doing something that requires work and occassional speed (working cattle), you'll need to switch horses every day rotating among 3-4 horses in order to keep them rested and healthy.

 

[Brekke]

I see some advantages and disadvantages to the new rule. It is great to send the mount some where safe if you are in a place not to use it. But at lower levels it can be a problem. I have played in many a game where our sleep was interrupted and we had to get out of somewhere fast. Which is a disadvantage for the paladin now. Also you need to be careful what you store on the mount in case you might need it.