Mounted Spellcasting - How to do it?

[D.Shaffer]

Lately I've been toying with the idea of a mounted spell caster, someone who can tag along with a bunch of Light Cav and provide fire support.

I know they could always just max out ride, get mounted combat to help protect the mount, and go from there, but that seems a bit boring and I'd really like to make the mount be an important part of the character's makeup and to have it be so from the very beginning. I'd also like to keep multiclassing out of this. So far, the three best options are:

1: The Wild Cohort feat from the WOTC page, (Link) with an eye to the 'Silverwoods Arcanist' also on the site.
2: The Improved Familiar feat with a bit of a tweak to let someone take a slightly bigger animal at level 1.
3: See if I can convince the DM to let me have an animal companion progression instead of familiar, possibly sacrificing something else if needed to maintain balance.

Which do you think seems preferable?

 

[Thanee]

I have chosen the Wild Cohort for my mounted caster.

With another character I used Leadership for a Dire Wolverine (which is normally not allowed, though, because cohorts should be intelligent), who automatically 'leveled' together with my character (gaining HD to always be at the maximum level allowable as a cohort).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Ruslanchik]

Does this caster have to be arcane? Why can't you just be a druid and use your animal companion as a mount? My current character is a halfling druid with a riding dog animal companion and he kills in melee and casting.

 

[szilard]

What about spells like Mount and Phantom Steed?

Polymorphing a familiar into a horse?

Use your magic.

-Stuart

 

[nittanytbone]

Be small size (halfling or gnome) and use a riding dog so you can take your animal anywhere.

Actually a goblin wolf-rider might work out nicely -- Ride will probably be cross class, so the +4 racial skill bonus is actually really handy.

 

[Zaruthustran]

I'd go the cohort route. The familiar route will result in a slightly more powerful mount, but given the high death rate of mounts it's not something I'd recommend.

Mount and Phantom Steed could also work. Or craft yourself an item that summons a long-duration horse x/day. Like a statuette of wondrous power, but not as funky as goats or a griffon.

 

[D.Shaffer]

Hmm. To all those people mentioning higher level magic, keep in mind I want to go with mounted casting right from the beginning, so higher level magics probably arent applicable quite yet. That and there's something about a living, breathing mount that spells cant emulate. Like not having to worry about the spell running out and eventual Awakens.

In any case, I think I've settled on the Wild Cohort path. Since it's for an Eberron game, I'm thinking Halfling on Clawfoot.