Paladin Cohort Mounts?

[Shin Okada]

DMG P.200 is suggesting this option, combining the special mount with the cohort feat. But are there more detailed rule (or guideline) for this?

Say, a 12th-level Paladin took a leadership feat. He can usually attract a cohort with ECL 10.

The entry is saying that empathic link and shared spells worth a minimum of a +2 LA.

So, shall I choose something with ECL 8 (say, unicorn), then give it empathic link and shared spell (only), and call it a ECL 10 cohort?

Or, shall ECL 8 creature (unicorn) also get other benefit such as +6 hd, +8 natural armor, +3 str, share saves, higher movement, etc, and still counted as ECL 10 (8+2) in total?

Or, shall I choose something with ECL 2 (hmm.. I can't think of any), then apply all the benefit of special mount including additional +6 HD, and call it a ECL 10 cohort (ECL 2 + 6HD + 2LA) ?

 

[FireLance]

The closest thing to an elaboration would be found in Draconomicon, page 139-141, Dragons as Special Mounts. It gives a table which lists the abilities gained by a special mount for each paladin level against the level at which the paladin can first gain the special mount.

It's not too difficult to generalize this to non-draconic mounts. I would say that a cohort that the paladin could gain at 6th level (ECL up to 4) would use the normal paladin mount progression, and a cohort that the paladin could gain at 7th-9th level would use the 9th level progression in the Draconomicon table.

I would ignore the bit about the special mount abilities adding an additional +2 to ECL. Draconomicon does, and the Dragon Cohort feat even allows the character to treat the dragon as having an ECL 3 less than normal for the purpose of attracting it as a cohort.

 

[FireLance]

To further elaborate: The ECL 10 cohort mount of a 12th-level paladin would immediately gain the benefits of the standard special mount of a 5th-level paladin (+2 HD, +4 natural armor, +1 Strength, Int 6, emphatic link, improved evasion, share spells, share saving throws).

When the paladin reaches 15th level, his mount gains the benefits of the standard special mount of an 8th-level paladin (+4 HD, +6 natural armor, +2 Strength, Int 7, improved speed).

The mount gets a final upgrade when the paladin reaches 19th level, and gains the benefits of the standard special mount of an 11th-level paladin (+6 HD, +8 natural armor, +3 Strength, Int 8, command creatures of its kind).

 

[Shin Okada]

Thanks. So, single feat "Dragon Steed" is allowing a paladin to get a mount of ECL=his level (ECL 9 Dragonnel for a 9th-level Paladin, ECL 12 Gold Wyrmling for a 12th-level Paladin) and then apply +2HD and other benefits. Sounds stronger than usual Cohort rules but could be OK if stats of the mount is average and no gear is given. Usual cohorts have elite array and gears.

 

[Legildur]

Defenders of the Faith (3.0e) from WotC has a few pages on paladin special mounts, cohorts as mounts, and finally dragon cohort mounts. No reason those rules wouldn't effectively port across to 3.5e.

 

[Storyteller01]

The Quintessential Paladin also has an optional system for summoning a special mount. SImplified, mounts and paladins are separated into 4 tiers, based on hit die and abilities. The abilites recieved and when that mount can be called are based on the Tier comparison. Amazingly enough, these tiers coincide with the levels in which a paldin's special mount improves. What a coinkidink!

The exapmple given in the book is a 12th level paladin (Tier 3). If said paladin summoned a war horse (Tier 1), it receives all the usual paladin mount bonuses. If he summons a griffon (Tier 2), it receives special mount abilites of a 10th level paladin.

It helps maintain a sense of balance.

Many publications say that a paladin has to reach some sort of agreement if they are to have an intelligent mount. I'd say taking the Leadership feat means you've done just that, as long as the critter you want doesn't exceed what your allowed, Leadership point wise.