Building a Mounted Combat Fighter?

[Rackhir]

Your Mounted Combat and Ride check protect the Mount.

Yes you are correct about that. However it has nothing to do with what I was talking about in what you quoted. Your wording was somewhat ambigious and I thought you might be suggesting that your character having mobility might protect the mount. Thus my comment.

You may want Mobility to keep yourself from being whacked by AoOs when leaving threatened spaces to go charge another bad guy (depends on how combat seems to work out for you, and how your DM plays the bad guys).

In any case taking mobility for your self is probably not a good idea. If you are going any mounted combat route, your feats are pretty much spoken for until fairly high level, especially if you are not going pure fighter (wpn focus, wpn spec, mounted combat, power attack, cleave, ride by attack) and it gets worse if you go the archery route.

Making things worse is that as I mentioned in my first post, your mount is far, far more vulnerable than a fighter type is at anything past about 2nd lvl. So protecting your self at the expense of making the mount a better target is a bad idea. In my experience you actually would prefer to take as many hits as possible. At least if you have any desire to keep your mount alive. A griffon for example has about 59 hp and that's a 10th lvl cohort/mount which means most char with your typical charisma could not get it until 13-14th level. A fourteenth level Mage with a 13 con can have more HP than that.

Once you are past very low levels, the main difficulty in mounted combat is keeping the Mount alive, not yourself. You want them to be trying to kill you not your mount.

I do definitely agree with you on one thing at least, don't go for a mount unless you'll be spending most of your time travelling. Most mounts don't fit in the dungeon very well.

 

[WCrawford]

Some Feats to consider: Trample, and Animal Afinity (3.5 feat gives +2 to Handle Animal and Ride)

PrC to consider: Hospitilar. Exchange the level of Barb for 2 levels of Cleric (grab War Domain to get Weapon Focus in a weapon you will use alot). The Hospitilar offers bonus feats, full spellcasting progression, full BAB, good Fort saves and d8 hp. Not bad, IMO.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Your Mounted Combat and Ride check protect the Mount.

That won't save your mount from spells, opponents with a high attack bonus, invisible rogues who sneak attack your mount, etc...

Even with a high Ride check, damage will eventually get through, and then it dies.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Now, this is in some debate, but my DM has allowed for two weapon fighting with lances... and allows for the x1.5 str damage, as per Hypersmurf's arguments.

I'm not going to touch this one. Good lord.

-z

 

[Saeviomagy]

I'm not going to touch this one. Good lord.

-z

It's a real shame he needs to stop and execute a full attack to use them both, huh?

He'd be much better off just charging.

 

[WCrawford]

Now, this is in some debate, but my DM has allowed for two weapon fighting with lances... and allows for the x1.5 str damage, as per Hypersmurf's arguments. I saw the cavelier prc in S&F, I think I'll go for that. Since feats are at a premium, I'll go 1 Barb/ 4 Fighter and continue in fighter till I can qualify for the cavelier prc. For feats, I get 3 for Fighter +1 Human +2 levels. Extra Rage, TWF, the 3 Mounted Combat Feats, and WF: Heavy Lance are my choices. For the next few feats, I'll take WF: Longsword (required for Cavelier) and WS: Heavy Lance. At some point, I'll proabably pick up SF: Ride. I'll also be sure to get some items that boost my ride skill (some of the most underused items in the game IMHO; they're great for ride, UMD, Perform, and tumble).

Something I wanted to point out. A Cavalier must be Lawful, and a barbarian loses his ability to rage when the character becomes Lawful. So, the Extra Rage feat will be worthless to you.

 

[nimisgod]

Now, this is in some debate, but my DM has allowed for two weapon fighting with lances... and allows for the x1.5 str damage, as per Hypersmurf's arguments. I saw the cavelier prc in S&F, I think I'll go for that. Since feats are at a premium, I'll go 1 Barb/ 4 Fighter and continue in fighter till I can qualify for the cavelier prc. For feats, I get 3 for Fighter +1 Human +2 levels. Extra Rage, TWF, the 3 Mounted Combat Feats, and WF: Heavy Lance are my choices. For the next few feats, I'll take WF: Longsword (required for Cavelier) and WS: Heavy Lance. At some point, I'll proabably pick up SF: Ride. I'll also be sure to get some items that boost my ride skill (some of the most underused items in the game IMHO; they're great for ride, UMD, Perform, and tumble).

Interesting. Your character will become extremely interesting when he hits the specialty of the cavalier. I'm anxious to see how he does before then though. Power attacking with both lances will produce an interesting result... though at a big penalty (-4/-4).

Why don't you call him Gaia the Fierce Knight?

 

[Tidus4444]

Lol, I see someone else plays/ watches yugioh. And I thought I got my full attack when charging? Isn't that pretty much the whole purpose of charging is? To get a full attack while making a 30 foot move?

As for the alignment issue, my DM abohrs alignment restrictions (with the exception of the Paladin), saying that it unfairly stereotypes some classes. It's likely that he'll get rid of the alignment restriction on the Cavalier (I hate it too- since when do you have to be lawful to be a good mounted warrior?)

 

[Darklone]

Lol, I see someone else plays/ watches yugioh. And I thought I got my full attack when charging? Isn't that pretty much the whole purpose of charging is? To get a full attack while making a 30 foot move?

Nope. You get +2 to hit on a single attack after linear movement at up to twice your movement speed... which gains you a penalty of -2 to AC till your next action.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I'd certainly go for human paladin with mounted combat, ride by attack and spirited charge. The paladins warhorse is best equipped to avoid damage and grow in power with you, the summoning ability in 3.5 makes it usable when you need it. Spirited charge with any weapon and Smite Evil is excellent; it is obviously better yet with a lance.

It makes for a great all-round choice IMO (unless your DM is going to put you in narrow dungeons all the time of course)

Cheers