Mounts?

[Riveneye]

After having my Large Warhorse die twice, I was thinking about splashing out and buying something a little more... exotic than just a horse. What can people recommend? If it was able to fly, that would, of course, be an upside. My main concerns when buying a mount is its speed, AC and hit points. Although I try to dismount and keep my mount of out combat, it is sometimes unavoidable, and needs to take a bit of a beating. Also, if I'm able to control the mount perfectly, that would really be good. I tried to tell my horse to run off and wait for me in safety once, and it just blinked at me. Then I tried telling it just to run and it ran and ran and ran until it collapsed. Tooks me hours to find him. I had a look at the hippogriff at first, but then I saw that the pegasus. It seems to be my best choice so far, though I am certainly open to totally new suggestions.

 

[Black Knight Irios]

Let me suggest a griffon, it is able to fly, has as many HPs as your old warhorse and 3 attacks a round.
Should be a good deal, but would your DM allow you to take it, and are you able to tame one.
I think it is hard to get one.
And a griffon looks pretty cool.

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

The only thing better than a griffon...






...is a celestial griffon.

 

[Maldur]

Griphon would have been my suggestion as well!

You can use it as a great shield design as well.

 

[-Warlord-]

If you want a mount that can take a beating, nothing beats a war-rhinoceros.
Or what about an elephant? Did wonders for Hannibal.

Many of the dire animals would make great mounts too.

 

[Datt]

You could always try something unusual and go with a Black Raven from the Silver Marches splat. I don't remember it's AC off hand but it said that they knew fighting tactics off hand. Swoop down attack, fly up. IIRC it takes a Handle Animal of DC 23 to tame a baby and DC 28 for an adult.

 

[Neo]

Personal favourites are

1. Dragonnel (released for 3e in Tome of Horrors)
2. Amulet of Persistent Phantom Steed (homebrew magic item) basically a Phantom Steed spell that lasts indefinitely.
3. Dire Wolf (tend to eat the other guys horses and stableboys, and basically anyone else who gets too close)
4. Wooly Mammoth (finding parking can be a nightmare)
5. Modified Iron Golem (works best for smaller creatures, but the chest cavity is basically a hollowed out compartment to stand in).
6. Skeletal Horse (hey so it dies, just animate ti again <G>)

Its also worth noting Griffons are only worthwhile mounts in a group either a) without mounts or b) with all exotic mounts... WHY? you ask. Well because thier love of horseflesh is intense they WILL eat your companions horses given the slightest opportunity <g>

Though if you must have a griffon have an Axiomatic Griffon, that way at least it is a perfect example of its species.

 

[caudor]

If you want something less-cool, but pretty fast and tough... try an Axe Beak. I believe that have them stat'ed in the new Tome of Horrors.

If you can somehow tame one, a Bulette (Land Shark) might be fun as well...at least until it burrows

 

[Pagan priest]

After having my Large Warhorse die twice,

Just a thought here, do you have the feat Mounted Combat? It allows you to use your ride skill to negate a hit on your mount. Of course, if you do have it and your mount is still dieing, consider popping for some magical barding for your mount. Expensive, but worth it.

 

[Riveneye]

No, I don't have the Mounted Combat feat. As I said, I try to do all my fighting off my horse, so I didn't choose that feat.

Unfortunately, I can only use mounts mentioned in WOTC books, so any suggestions from Tome of Horrors is out of the question.

As for the Griffon suggestions, won't they eat the horses owned by other party members?