Is there a way to improve a Skeletal Steed?

[Beckett]

I'm looking for some way to improve my character's Skeletal Mount, specifically ways to allow something with the Skeletal template to gain additional feats.

In the Eberron game I play in, I have a Paladin/Bone Knight. One aspect of the Bone Knight prestige class is I can add the levels in it to my Paladin level for determining the power level of my mount. However, the Bone Knight also replaces the standard Paladin's mount with a Skeletal Steed- a heavy warhorse with the skeletal template.

Now, this is fitting for the class, but it is kind of annoying. The DR 5/bludgeoning and immunity to cold are nice, but the +2 dex doesn't really make up for the 2 points of natural armor it loses. And the D12 hit die barely allows the steed a maximum HP higher than the D8+3 con of a living warhorse.

My biggest gripe is for the feats. A standard paladin's mount starts with two, and picks up a third feat right away thanks to the +2 HD it gets for being a paladin's mount. Meanwhile, my steed has Improved Inititive. And it looks like that is all it is ever going to have.

 

[Gestalt]

The Awaken Undead spell from Libris Mortis would give your steed an intelligence of 2 once more. The spell text explicitly states "Undead do not regain any skills or feats they had in life" but I assume that undead can select feats as normal based on their HD. You can use one of those to select Run again, and Endurance is unnecessary for a skeletal steed.

Awaken Undead has an experience cost and claims to have a duration of Permanent (D), so presumably a well-aimed Dispel Magic will destroy your horse's mind again.

 

[Shin Okada]

By taking leadership feat, a Paladin can combine his special mount with cohort. I don't know much about that bone knight but maybe you can do the same?

 

[Particle_Man]

Complete ARcane has rules for spell-stitched undead, although I don't know if that applies to skeletons.

 

[Shin Okada]

Complete ARcane has rules for spell-stitched undead, although I don't know if that applies to skeletons.

That can be applicable to skeletons. But adding tamplates onto special mount or other creatures gaind by class abilities, that is another story. Usually, those mounts must be usual one (then modified by class abilities).