How to improve paladin's level vis-a-vis mount abilities

[blargney the second]

I have a player who wants to improve his effective paladin level with respect to mount abilities. He's got 4 levels of paladin and four levels of a prestige class that doesn't add to his mount abilities. Next level he'll be back in paladin, with access to a mount as well as a new feat.

Is there any ability (feat or magic item, ideally) that can shore up his lowered paladin mount level, similar to Practised Spellcaster or Natural Bond? If not, can anybody propose a balanced house feat?

Thanks!
-blarg

 

[shilsen]

Is there any ability (feat or magic item, ideally) that can shore up his lowered paladin mount level, similar to Practised Spellcaster or Natural Bond? If not, can anybody propose a balanced house feat?

I don't know of an applicable feat, but it's quite possible that there's one out there. As for a house rule, I'd suggest doing the equivalent of the Natural Bond feat, counting one's paladin level as 3 higher for purposes of the paladin's mount ability. As with Natural Bond, this bonus would not allow you to exceed your character level.

 

[Infiniti2000]

I don't know of an applicable feat, but it's quite possible that there's one out there. As for a house rule, I'd suggest doing the equivalent of the Natural Bond feat, counting one's paladin level as 3 higher for purposes of the paladin's mount ability. As with Natural Bond, this bonus would not allow you to exceed your character level.

I don't know of one either, but that sounds reasonable.

 

[blargney the second]

I've not yet had a player use either an animal companion or a mount in a game - are they roughly equivalent in terms of power level?

-blarg

 

[Infiniti2000]

An animal companion is usually stronger IMO, but that's because the druid (typically) can buff the animal companion. A mount enhances the paladin more than being a separate, attacking/defending creature.

 

[Sigg]

And actually if you're in a campaign that would make them feasible, there's a bunch of really fun feats related to mounted combat that would justify having a nifty mount with which to use them.

 

[FireLance]

Dragon 325 had the Holy Mount and Theurgic Mount feats that allowed levels in divine and arcane spellcasting classes to stack with paladin levels to determine the abilities of the special mount.

Complete Adventurer also has the Devoted Tracker feat which allows a multiclassed paladin/ranger to stack animal companion and special mount benefits on the same mount.

Apart from that, shilsen's suggestion of mirroring Natural Bond should work fine.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I've not yet had a player use either an animal companion or a mount in a game - are they roughly equivalent in terms of power level?

Without buffing, and without allowing alternate paladin mounts, I'd put them at roughly equal.

Still without buffing but allowing alternate paladin mounts, I'd give it to the paladin's mount.

With buffing, I'm uncertain. A paladin can share his Divine Favor with his mount. But whether a griffon with Divine Favor is the equivalent of a dire tiger with animal growth, I couldn't say.

Given several rounds to buff, definitely the animal companion. The druid simply has too many buffs he can share with his companion. Barkskin, Greater Magic Fang, Animal Growth, Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength...the list goes on and on.

 

[irdeggman]

A lot of interesting ideas here.

Personally I think that you are being far too restrictive in labeling the mount as servant in this case.

I would instead interpret it as a "partner" rather than a beast of burden. Would a character carry another if it helped both out?

The paladin's mount is always the same mount when summoned from the "plane".
It would be very logical, IMO, to have the mount give approval to the paladin to ride it. This is a sharing type of thing IMO.

Certain intelligent creatures only carry mounts when they specifically allow themselves to be ridden - IMO this is akin to carrying another creature.

Now to further emphasize the ally aspect an personal code of the paladin you could easily say the paladin refuses to place a bit and bridle on the mount or to use a saddle (although the latter could easily be interpreted as an article of clothing especially if there is no bit and bridle) or any other items normally used to "control" an animal.

Just some thoughts - it is your character. I do like the Eberron thing though - very appropriate IMO.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Methinks you have replied to the wrong paladin's mount thread.