Phantom Steed clarification needed

[Philip]

I need some things about the 3rd level wizard spell Phantom Steed clarified. From the SRD:

You conjure a Large, quasi-real, horselike creature. The steed can be ridden only by you or by the one person for whom you specifically created the mount. A phantom steed has a black head and body, gray mane and tail, and smoke-colored, insubstantial hooves that make no sound. It has what seems to be a saddle, bit, and bridle. It does not fight, but animals shun it and refuse to attack it.
The mount has an AC of 18 (–1 size, +4 natural armor, +5 Dex) and 7 hit points +1 hit point per caster level. If it loses all its hit points, the phantom steed disappears. A phantom steed has a speed of 20 feet per caster level, to a maximum of 240 feet. It can bear its rider’s weight plus up to 10 pounds per caster level.
These mounts gain certain powers according to caster level. A mount’s abilities include those of mounts of lower caster levels.

What kind of creature is this Phantom Steed? It has no Hit Dice or type.

What are its saving throws? Can it be affected by spells?

What are its ability scores? This is important for things like Bull Rushing or escaping from Web spells.

What kind of senses does it have? Normal vision, hearing, or nothing at all?

Does it have skills?

Does it have sentience, can it think independently. How does the wizard control his steed?

Any ideas? Anyone knows if there have been rulings about this?

 

[Caliban]

I need some things about the 3rd level wizard spell Phantom Steed clarified. From the SRD:



What kind of creature is this Phantom Steed? It has no Hit Dice or type.
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Normally I'd say it's a spell effect and not a creature, but it's a Conjuration (Creation) spell, and it says it conjures a creature.

It says it's a horselike creature that does not attack. I would suggest using the stats for a riding horse, except where the spell states otherwise. (i.e. +4 Natural Armor, 20 Dex).

It's type (if it has to have one) would probably be Magical Beast.

It's base Hit Points are 7+1 per caster level. This would suggest that it's either a 2HD creature with a D8 HD, or a 1HD creature with a D12 HD.

What are its saving throws? Can it be affected by spells?

It has hit points and an AC. It can be affected by spells that affect other spells (dispel magic), or by spells that cause damage.

The spell gives no guidelines for saving throws. I would suggest using Magical Beast saves, for a 2HD creature. Or for a creature with HD equal to the caster level. Or use the rider's saves. *shrug* It's a good question, and the spell doesn't give any guidelines.

What are its ability scores? This is important for things like Bull Rushing or escaping from Web spells.

I suggest using the stats for a normal riding horse, except where the spell specifies otherwise.

What kind of senses does it have? Normal vision, hearing, or nothing at all?

Normal, since it doesn't specify otherwise.

Does it have skills?

None, since it doesn't specify any.

Does it have sentience, can it think independently. How does the wizard control his steed?

Just like a normal horse, since it's a horselike creature and the spell doesn't specify otherwise.

Any ideas? Anyone knows if there have been rulings about this?

I haven't seen any official rulings. The spell isn't used very often, since it's the same level as Fly. This might change in 3.5, since Fly's duration was decreased so much.

 

[Lladnar]

None, since it doesn't specify any.

I'd say the skills were the same as a horse.

 

[Caliban]

I'd say the skills were the same as a horse.

That's also reasonable.

 

[Philip]

Thanx for the answers, but they still seem unsatisfactory. It is just a whole load of guessing and assumptions. While I'm at it;

What size of Phantom Steed do small, large or other than medium-size casters create? (I am assuming here that a Phantom Steed is large,which isn't specified as well)

Does it have a Con score? Can the magical steed become exhausted by running too long?

Does anybody have a character that has ever cast this spell? (I assume not, or else I think this would have come up a long time ago)

 

[Lladnar]

Does anybody have a character that has ever cast this spell? (I assume not, or else I think this would have come up a long time ago)

One of my characters uses this as her main form of transport. The spell says that it's a horse-like creature, so all I have done is used all the stats from a horse except where the spell gives specific difference (speed, hp, ac, etc). As to hustling, I have ridden one to non-existance in an emergency, just used the standard rules.

 

[Philip]

One of my characters uses this as her main form of transport.

Well, someone who actually uses it, great! What kind of horse did you agree upon, light or heavy, war or regular?

Have you ever been in combat with it? My Sorcerer is considering taking it, and so is probably going to cast it a lot. I rather have some logical and balanced guidelines (with appropriate arguments) ready to prevent long discussions during the game. I was planning to cast mage armor on it to improve its AC, for example.

 

[Caliban]

Actually, the spell does specify that it's a Large animal. Check out the AC breakdown.