Paladin Warhorse

[Geoff Watson]

I like the change.

At mid-high levels the PCs will be using a lot of Teleports and the like, meaning that the horse will have to be left behind most of the time if the Paladin couldn't summon it.

Geoff.

 

[Selvarin]

Criminey. How many knights/paladin-like figures in books as well as novels have had cherished mounts that would charge right in when called, or whom would show up at opportune times to help out (or ride off to save another day)? There's been a few. All this is doing is adding a little more of that to the game mechanics behind the paladin's warhorse. Sheese, it isn't heresy.

 

[Gothmog]

Its not heresy, its just lame. This whole "back to the dungeon" thing has gotten silly and out of hand. No, a mount won't be terribly useful in a dungeon, nor should it be. Mounts are of most use in the open where a rider can take advantage of their mobility and speed. I don't know about everyone else, the the paladin in my game uses his mount in outdoor combat probably once every adventure or two. What really leaves a bad taste in my mouth that paladin mounts are summoned up like Drizzt's toy cat now. Blech. Absolutely bland and uninspired. The paladin's mount ability was fine before- why did they have to go and make it ridiculously stupid now?

 

[shilsen]

Sheese, it isn't heresy.

Blasphemy! Unbeliever! Smites Selvarin with Mace of Narrowminded Holy Cow Worshipping

Seriously speaking, I think it's a great change, and am highly amused by this thread. Especially the arguments against the change, ranging from "It's never been this way in earlier editions" (apparently we're dealing with the Shakespearean canon, not playing a game) and "this isn't the way I view paladins" (using one's imagination in a roleplaying game is obviously passe), to the top of the pops - "It strains my suspension of disbelief" (whereas magic, dragons, people walking around in full plate all day, etc. is all about realism).

 

[Gothmog]

Originally posted by shilsen:

Seriously speaking, I think it's a great change, and am highly amused by this thread. Especially the arguments against the change, ranging from "It's never been this way in earlier editions" (apparently we're dealing with the Shakespearean canon, not playing a game) and "this isn't the way I view paladins" (using one's imagination in a roleplaying game is obviously passe), to the top of the pops - "It strains my suspension of disbelief" (whereas magic, dragons, people walking around in full plate all day, etc. is all about realism).

None of the reasons you gave above are invalid reasons for not liking this new ability. Those reasons are perfectly legitimate, especially in long-running campaigns where the players don't want to change. As for suspension of disbelief- this is the best reason of all. I run a low magic world, and I don't use dragons, flying invisible fireball pitching mages, and I don't allow characters to wear armor indefinitely without penalty. Saying that paladins magically gate in a mount when they need it in such a world is jarring and stupid. While the new ability might work in a high-magic world, it has no appeal for me. I'm house-ruling this one.

 

[Hikaru]

Originally posted by shilsen:


None of the reasons you gave above are invalid reasons for not liking this new ability. Those reasons are perfectly legitimate, especially in long-running campaigns where the players don't want to change. As for suspension of disbelief- this is the best reason of all. I run a low magic world, and I don't use dragons, flying invisible fireball pitching mages, and I don't allow characters to wear armor indefinitely without penalty. Saying that paladins magically gate in a mount when they need it in such a world is jarring and stupid. While the new ability might work in a high-magic world, it has no appeal for me. I'm house-ruling this one.

As is your right. But it is not a problem with the ability itself, not when you're not allowing "invisible fireball pitching mages" for the same reason. Those have been part of D&D for a long time, haven't they?

 

[Henry]

The Bonded Mount has been a class ability that NO paladin I have ever run into in 20 years of gaming has ever used. NONE.

Why does a class have an ability that no one ever uses, again?

I have played at least 4 paladins in my gaming life; I have watched about 6 other people play about 9 other paladins. (3 from the same guy.) The only one who ever called a bonded mount into play was a player who cut a deal with the DM to let a set of angelic wings that permanently grow from his back be his special high-level bonded mount. Therefore, if it's an ability that no paladin in my experience has ever rightly chosen, in our group's experience it has been a non-issue.

However, giving the paladin an ability to call a mount at will gives it the impetus that will perhaps entice more people to use it.

Assuming no one has yet and I have missed it, does anyone want to start a poll to find out just how many other players have had that experience? How many of you have seen players actually use a paladin's bonded mount? (I'm not talking any specials from a paladin-type prestige class, I'm referring to the base paladin from 1E/2E/3E.)

 

[Lord Pendragon]

The Bonded Mount has been a class ability that NO paladin I have ever run into in 20 years of gaming has ever used. NONE.

I'm playing a paladin, and am totally into him having a mount. As others have said, I like the idea of the paladin's mount as a companion creature, as a friend and comrade, rather than a spell effect. This in spite of the added usability of the spell effect approach.

Ideally, I would have preferred that 3.5 add an ability to the Paladin progression. Perhaps at level 8:

Call Mount (Su). At 8th-level, the paladin can magically call for his paladin mount. One round after the call is made, the mount is teleported to the paladin's side as per Teleport Without Error. Should the paladin wish it, he can choose to send the mount back to whence it came at any time within 1 hour after it was called. After 1 hour, the Call Mount ability is expended for the day. This ability can be used once per day.

This type of ability would give the paladin the added flexibility of leaving his mount in a safe location when traveling in the dungeon, but calling it at need. It'd also allow him to call his mount in the event that he is teleported far away without it. But it still maintains the living, breathing companion feel that I think is so important in my paladin mounts.

 

[Kai Lord]

As for suspension of disbelief- this is the best reason of all. I run a low magic world, and I don't use dragons, flying invisible fireball pitching mages, and I don't allow characters to wear armor indefinitely without penalty. Saying that paladins magically gate in a mount when they need it in such a world is jarring and stupid. While the new ability might work in a high-magic world, it has no appeal for me. I'm house-ruling this one.

In all seriousness, then why are you even contributing to the discussion? Not to be rude, but your opinion certainly begs the question. The Paladin's new mount is as jarring and stupid as dragons or wizards? Oookaaay. So in other words it fits perfectly well with the 90% of D&D that others enjoy and you house rule....

 

[Olive]

I run a low magic world, and I don't use dragons, flying invisible fireball pitching mages, and I don't allow characters to wear armor indefinitely without penalty. Saying that paladins magically gate in a mount when they need it in such a world is jarring and stupid. While the new ability might work in a high-magic world, it has no appeal for me. I'm house-ruling this one.

hy do you care then? I mean you've already house ruled most of DnD out of existence, what difference is one more minor change?