Druid and warhorse animal companion

[shilsen]

The druid has "horse (light or heavy)" listed among the animal companions available to it at 1st level. Would it be too unbalancing to allow the druid to have a warhorse as its animal companion?

Alternatively, if the druid uses the Handle Animal skill to train the animal companion for combat purposes, would it be appropriate to give the horse the stats or abilities which a warhorse has (for example, getting 2 hooves and a bite attack, as opposed to the horse's 2 hooves)?

 

[Steverooo]

The druid has "horse (light or heavy)" listed among the animal companions available to it at 1st level. Would it be too unbalancing to allow the druid to have a warhorse as its animal companion?

Alternatively, if the druid uses the Handle Animal skill to train the animal companion for combat purposes, would it be appropriate to give the horse the stats or abilities which a warhorse has (for example, getting 2 hooves and a bite attack, as opposed to the horse's 2 hooves)?

No.

Yes.

 

[Diirk]

The druid has "horse (light or heavy)" listed among the animal companions available to it at 1st level. Would it be too unbalancing to allow the druid to have a warhorse as its animal companion?

Alternatively, if the druid uses the Handle Animal skill to train the animal companion for combat purposes, would it be appropriate to give the horse the stats or abilities which a warhorse has (for example, getting 2 hooves and a bite attack, as opposed to the horse's 2 hooves)?

If taught the tricks necessary for the packages "Fighting" or "Combat Riding" or whatever, via handle animal or via the bonus tricks it gets for being a companion, a light or heavy horse should lose the -5 penalty to attack it has. It shouldn't however gain the extra stats, the extra attack, or the extra hit dice.

Yes, a 4HD animal companion at first level is far too overpowered. Remeber the druid is the character, not the horse.

 

[FireLance]

Going by a strict interpretation of the rules, I wouldn't allow a druid to get a warhorse as an animal companion. As for balance, a light warhorse is probably slightly more powerful than any alternative animal companion and a heavy warhorse is even more so.

I'm with Diirk on the effects of training.

 

[shilsen]

Thanks for the comments. I'll go the route Diirk suggested.