A Paladin without a mount

[atomn]

Hi all,
Would taking away the Paladin's Mount and replace it with an Animal Companion like the Ranger or Druid be balanced? If yes, should the Animal Companion follow the Druid's progression or the Ranger's? Instead of being the normal, mounted knight type of Paladin, I thought it would be cool to have a big mastiff or wolfhound instead. Thanks for the opinions!

 

[smootrk]

Seems ok. I would use Druid progression -3 levels, which is the House Rule I use for Rangers' companions as well.

I have always hated the summoning a horse idea... don't make it summonable/dismissable the way the rules are written.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Seems ok. I would use Druid progression -3 levels, which is the House Rule I use for Rangers' companions as well.

Solid advice.

I have always hated the summoning a horse idea

Hm. Why?

 

[smootrk]

Hm. Why?

No good reason... I think it just harkens back to my pre 3.x ed preconceptions. The Paladin quested or otherwise acquired his mount, and that was that. It didn't appear and disappear on demand. The mount became part of the group and its dynamics... not a game-mechanic that is only called upon when circumstances warrant the use.

 

[Aus_Snow]

No good reason... I think it just harkens back to my pre 3.x ed preconceptions. The Paladin quested or otherwise acquired his mount, and that was that. It didn't appear and disappear on demand. The mount became part of the group and its dynamics... not a game-mechanic that is only called upon when circumstances warrant the use.

Ah, fair enough. That's right up there among the rare sane reasons on either side of that bizarre debate(?) that seems to have sprung up post-2000. Cool.

and er. . . /threadjack

 

[atomn]

I have always hated the summoning a horse idea... don't make it summonable/dismissable the way the rules are written.

I'm the same way. Flavorwise that just never worked to me. Thanks for the input!

 

[Thurbane]

No good reason... I think it just harkens back to my pre 3.x ed preconceptions. The Paladin quested or otherwise acquired his mount, and that was that. It didn't appear and disappear on demand. The mount became part of the group and its dynamics... not a game-mechanic that is only called upon when circumstances warrant the use.

Totally agree.

The whole concept of a mount that appears and disappears at the snap of the fingers just doesn't sit that well with my mental picture of the relationship between a paladin and his special mount. Not to mention, does he always have to carry a "spare horse" for when his mount has to zip back to it's extradimensional stable?

I do like the idea of using a system similar to a druid's animal companion.