Paladin special mount ability switch

[Lopke_Quasath]

What are some abilities or options to have for a paladin to replace special mount?

I am preferably looking for WotC book options, but since I already had a peek at most (Core and Complete series) and didn't find anything, I am asking all of you

The paladin in question is a Chaotic Good variant from Unearthed Arcana. He serves Lirr, a goddess of poetry and art from Complete Divine. He believes that using animals is a form of enslavement, even riding them. He doesn't expect others to live up to his own ideals, so farmers can still use oxen for farming, etc. Therefore, he doesn't want the special mount.

What other abilities could he could to keep him balanced? If not from the WotC books, then other ideas.
I know he could simply refuse to use special mount, but if that's the case he would go cleric. However, paladin is what is needed.

Cheers

 

[melkorspawn]

Take a look at the Vows from Book of Exalted Deeds. These (especially the big ones, Poverty and Nonviolence) show power tradeoffs for people who decide to forgo the power in which most people partake.

Perhaps you could create a Vow of Servitude, wherein your Paladin trades the ability to have other people and creatures work for him in exchanged for special abilities... increased landspeed, attack and damage bonuses, etc...

 

[Dross]

Personall thoughts only (and mayne not well thought through )

Alternative mounts (treat as an improved mount like an improved familiar)
Access to some sort of construct that acts similar to a paladin's mount. If an itelligent creature is willing to act as the mount would that get around the enslavement aspect? the summoning aspect of the mount would be removed of course.

does he consider "horse" from the spell "phantoml stead" a creature or a magical effect? he could add that to his spell list (along with other spells that provide/aid movement)

Add some appropriate spells from the Bard's list (specific to a goddess of poetry and art)

some version of the bardic Inspire Courage?

increase the turn undead check to cleric level (although the usefullness of this may depend on the DM)

A (serious) question thought, is your paladin a vegetarian?

 

[Azul]

Had a similar situation in our campaign. I replaced the usual mount with a coure (from the Book of Exalted Deeds -- the weakest of the eladrins; a small fey-like outsider with limited combat potential but several nifty abilities).

It was treated as a cohort rather than gaining the mount benefits (but a new one can be called after the usual period should it die). It would level once for every two times the paladin levelled. The coure made an excellent scout and sidekick thanks to her incorporeal form, flight and her two most useful abilities (magic missile 3/day and a permanent magic circle against evil effect around her -- that last ability was the big perk she provided). I also hammed her up a bit for comic relief. She ended up becoming a bard before sacrificing herself to save a PC.

Given how combat-worthy a usual paladin's mount is, I'd probably give the character a similarly useful (if not necessarily combat-oriented) sidekick. Not a mount, but perhaps a muse sent by Lirr to help inspire the paladin.

 

[Sejs]

A (serious) question thought, is your paladin a vegetarian?

Heh, in a world where there are intelligent, feeling plant creatures such as Treants, Dryads, etc, being a vegetarian isn't exactly the same automatically humane option as it is in the real world.

He'd have to be Breatharian. Get a Ring of Sustenance, and hope he never meets an Air Elemental.

 

[Lopke_Quasath]

He would be a vegetarian, yes. Lirr needs her starving artists and paladins.

Azul, I like your idea of a consort rather than a mount. So, it was summoned like a mount?
2 hours per class level?

Just had a look at the Book of Exalted Deeds again. Our group tends not to use it because it's said it's broken (don't really want to start a debate about it, please).
However, I see that coure's are Chaotic Good, which is perfect.
I also saw, however, they are considered 7th level for a consort. Too powerful for a 5th level paladin to summon right away?

I like the idea of having a companion for the paladin that comes from the deity. Not a servant, but an ally who can talk back, etc.

How balanced would replacing the coure's magic missile 3/day with Inspire Courage (+1) 3/day be?

Cheers, and more suggestions are welcome!

 

[Arkhandus]

In my Rhunaria homebrew, paladins can exchange the Special Mount ability, when gained, to instead get a bonus divine feat at 5th, 11th, and 17th level as a paladin. Divine feats are in Defenders of the Faith and Complete Divine. They allow expenditure of turning attempts for other effects.

 

[Klaus]

Take a peek at how Races of Eberron trades the animal companion of a Shifter Druid for a Beast Spirit, an intangible spirit that inhabits the druid. In your case, it could be an Eladrin-related spirit that infuses the paladin.

 

[Sejs]

Take a peek at how Races of Eberron trades the animal companion of a Shifter Druid for a Beast Spirit, an intangible spirit that inhabits the druid. In your case, it could be an Eladrin-related spirit that infuses the paladin.

That would actually be pretty rad. I like it much and may just steal it myself.

Go with this option!

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Azul, I like your idea of a consort rather than a mount. So, it was summoned like a mount?

Cohort, not consort, my friend. Your typo has given the above quote a rather amusing subtext.

He believes that using animals is a form of enslavement, even riding them. He doesn't expect others to live up to his own ideals, so farmers can still use oxen for farming, etc. Therefore, he doesn't want the special mount.

Interesting. Your paladin and mine could have some fascinating philosophical discussions. Sir Nathan's special mount, Dius, was heaven-sent as a boon-companion and trusted friend. They fight together, brothers-in-arms against the rising tide of Evil in the world. Nathan would find it difficult to think of Dius as an animal at all, considering that his special mount is as smart as the party druid.

Take a peek at how Races of Eberron trades the animal companion of a Shifter Druid for a Beast Spirit, an intangible spirit that inhabits the druid. In your case, it could be an Eladrin-related spirit that infuses the paladin.

In a similar vein, you might want to take a look at the Channeling rules in the BoED. My paladin took Leadership, but didn't really want a lackey to follow him around while adventuring. So instead the DM gave him a holy sword that is inhabited by a (level-adjusted) Trumpet Archon. While wielding the sword, Nathan channels the celestial, gaining some nifty abilities. In a way it's less powerful than a true cohort (only 1 action per combat round, instead of 2). But what it gives up in power, it gains in flavor.

On a side note, I chose to forgo the stat boosts that Channeling usually grants, since that felt too powerful, but even so the mechanic has proven very useful and fun.