Question about a spell - Phantom Steed

[Greenfield]

The subject is the Phantom Steed spell, which I'll include below:

Phantom Steed
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: 0 ft.
Effect: One quasi-real, horselike creature
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You conjure a Large, quasi-real, horselike creature. The steed can be ridden only by you or by the one person for whom you specifically created the mount. A phantom steed has a black head and body, gray mane and tail, and smoke-colored, insubstantial hooves that make no sound. It has what seems to be a saddle, bit, and bridle. It does not fight, but animals shun it and refuse to attack it.
The mount has an AC of 18 (–1 size, +4 natural armor, +5 Dex) and 7 hit points +1 hit point per caster level. If it loses all its hit points, the phantom steed disappears. A phantom steed has a speed of 20 feet per caster level, to a maximum of 240 feet.
It can bear its rider’s weight plus up to 10 pounds per caster level.
These mounts gain certain powers according to caster level. A mount’s abilities include those of mounts of lower caster levels.
8th Level: The mount can ride over sandy, muddy, or even swampy ground without difficulty or decrease in speed.
10th Level: The mount can use water walk at will (as the spell, no action required to activate this ability).
12th Level: The mount can use air walk at will (as the spell, no action required to activate this ability) for up to 1 round at a time, after which it falls to the ground.
14th Level: The mount can fly at its speed (average maneuverability).

Looking at this, my group had some questions, mostly based on whether this is a real creature or simply a spell effect.

It has no CON score listed. Do we use Horse stats, except where listed?

The reason for that one is whether or not it can Run (quad move), and what its endurance is.

If it's merely a spell effect, or operates by the rules for other creatures with no CON score, it can quad move forever, when terrain and circumstance permits.

If it's a creature, do we follow the hint that it's "horse like", and give it the Horse's CON and other abilities? What about Saving throws? Does it have the Run feat, the way a Horse does? Does the rider need to make Ride checks to control it or make it advance in combat?

Advice and reasons would be nice, something definitive in the rules would be better.

Help?

 

[delericho]

I'm pretty sure it's just a spell effect - so it can quad move (effectively) forever. No attacks, tricks, or other horse-like benefits, though.

 

[Greenfield]

Here's a good one: What happens when it dies, or the spell expires?

It's a Conjuration/Creation spell, not a Summoning. Is there a dead body of an unnatural horse-like creature?

By the way, my group has already voted on how this is handled, so this is just me trying to get a little insight, or maybe a rules reference. Lacking that reference, their vote will stand, no matter what.

As an explanation: My character gained the ability to summon a Phantom Steed, as a divine gift, at my character's level. He can do it as often as he likes, but loses hit points every time he does.

I don't think the DM thought this out very well though. In our games, there is an established precedent regarding death: We "Raise Dead" by going to the land of the dead, specific to the fallen character's religion, and bring them back. The way to the Gaelic afterlife involves the Wild Hunt, and includes the option of challenging the Master of the Hunt to an actual hunt. Dead PC runs, in spirit form (no magic items or gear), with a head start, and the Hunt pursues. If the PC can avoid them until dawn, they live. If not, they become Sluagh, the hounds of the Hunt, and never see the afterlife. No method of Raise or Ressurect will work on them after that.

The Sluagh we use are based on the4 Shadow Mastiff. They can move at a base of 50, and can Shadow Walk, as the spell, three times a night. If they catch you, you're done.

The problem is, with that spell-like ability (that takes a Standard Action instead of the normal 10 minute casting time), my character could outrun the Hunt. Even in Shadow Walk, the pack can only move at 500 (50 miles an hour). At 10th level the Phantom Steed can quad-move at 800, or about 80 miles an hour. If my character plays no tricks, employs no distractions, no ploys or obstructions at all, and simply moves in a straight line as fast as he can, he's pretty much guaranteed to win the contest.

From my character's view, the challenge has always been a win/win. He's a Scout/Ranger, and his patron deity is Vandos, the Master of the Hunt. If he wins the challenge he gets to live again. And if he loses he gets to spend eternity hunting by his god's side.

Like I said, it's a win/win, no down side.

We need to do something about this though. The PS is an abuse waiting to happen.

 

[dhedderwick]

It's a conjuration creation spell with a duration. According to the Pathfinder rules at the end of the spell it disappears. The description in the spell also says it vanishes if it loses all of its hit points.

 

[ksbsnowowl]

It's a conjuration creation spell with a duration. According to the Pathfinder rules at the end of the spell it disappears.

The same is true of D&D 3.5; if it has a duration, magic is holding it together. When the duration ends, the spell effect does, too.

I agree with the above, the phantom steed can quad-run.

The problem is, with that spell-like ability (that takes a Standard Action instead of the normal 10 minute casting time)...

Why does it only take a standard action?

A spell-like ability takes the same amount of time to complete as the spell that it mimics (usually 1 standard action) unless otherwise stated.

Unless the DM specifically shortened the casting time, it should still take 10 minutes.

If he did specifically shorten the casting time, then he created this "mess." Advantage: player.

(It should be noted that there is one published monster that specifically gets Phantom Steed as an SLA as a standard action; the Master of the Hunt from the MM4 [or is it MM5?])

 

[Greenfield]

The DM said it was a standard action to activate.

I may petition for him to change that, but I think he envisioned soeme sort of instant gratification, like a Mount spell.