Paladin's Mount Nat Armor?

[vic20]

PHB page 43, The Paladin's Mount.

First paragraph says "The standard mount for a Medium-size paladin is a warhorse..."

Below that, under "Natural Armor", it says : "The number listed here is an improvement to the mount's AC. It represents the preternatural toughness of a paladin's mount."

For a paladin of level 5-7, the mount's Natural Armor is listed as 4.

A normal warhorse has a Natural Armor of 4 to begin with. Am I to interpret this to mean it is not until level 8 that a paladin's mount gains preternatural toughness?

Thanks for any insight,
Vic20

 

[Crothian]

The natural armor bonus from being a Pladin's steed stacks with the natural armor of the mount.

 

[vic20]

The natural armor bonus from being a Pladin's steed stacks with the natural armor of the mount.

Is this a special case? Natural armor doesn't stack, unless there's some fine print somewhere that I missed along the way.

 

[Crothian]

That's what the Sage said at any rate.

 

[vic20]

That's what the Sage said at any rate.

Thanks Crothian. I'll go along with that. The natural armor bonus of the mount is pretty weak without it...

 

[Crothian]

You are every welcome. For more info I found the following two threads about this same topic.

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17515

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4968

They seem to back me up, but either way it should help lead you to the answer you seek.

 

[RedShirtNo5]

I think this thread also has a discussion.

Note that there may even be confusion amoungst the designers. There's an example in S&F where it stacks, and an example in DotF where it overlaps (or maybe vice versa).

I agree that it should stack, although keep in mind that the natural armor of the mount isn't weak if the DM permits paladins to get special mounts as described in DotF.

-RedShirt

rats, Crothian beat me to it.

 

[The Souljourner]

I always read it as an improvement to the mount's natural natural armor (as it were). And since mounts/animal companions are so weak as an ability in the first place, I think it's fine balance-wise as well.

-The Souljourner

 

[AGGEMAM]

There's an example in S&F where it stacks, and an example in DotF where it overlaps (or maybe vice versa).

Actually, the example in S&F shows that it DOES NOT stack.

Notice the barding of the paladin's mount therein gives it the extra +4 bonus NOT the natural armor stacking.

 

[RedShirtNo5]

Actually, the example in S&F shows that it DOES NOT stack.

Notice the barding of the paladin's mount therein gives it the extra +4 bonus NOT the natural armor stacking.

Not in the version I'm reading.

S&F, p. 67
Alarion: Male human Pal 7
Alarion's Mount: Paladin's Heavy Warhorse; AC 21 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +3 masterwork studded leather barding, +8 natural)
Pal 7 is "Natural Armor 4", Heavy Warhorse is "+4 natural"
Result: stacks

In contrast,

DotF, p. 46-47
Jumdish Dour: Male human Pal 9
Heavy Warhorse Mount: AC 20
posssessions: masterwork scale mail barding
AC 20 breaks down as (-1 size, +1 dex, +4 masterwork scale maile barding, +6 natural)
Pal 8 is "Natural Armor 6", Heavy Warhorse is "+4 natural"
Result: overlaps

-RedShirt