Special paladin mounts.

[Moff_Tarkin]

I have a few questions about special paladin mounts to clear up some arguments with my DM. There are 3 things we have argued on and I would like to get some input. Thanks in advance for any help.

Question 1. Page 204 of the DMs guide explains the rules for special paladin mounts detailing specific mounts, like getting a Pegasus at 7th, which I did. My DM claims this is still part of the “Cohort” section of the book, meaning I have to take leadership to get the Pegasus. Is this correct.

Question 2. The chart on page 205 gives rules for calculating a special mounts hit dice, natural armor, strength and intelligence. Its based off your level relative to the level when the special mount becomes available. It says the mount also gets the other special abilities, like shared spells and improved speed, but they aren’t listed on that special chart. Does your special mount get those abilities and the normal level or are they reduced as well?

Question 3. Lets say I take the leadership skill and get a Pegasus as the cohort, which I can at 10th level. 4 HD, +2 level adjustment, and another +2 level adjustment for being a paladin mount put him at ECL 8, which I can get as a 10th level character with leadership. Now, when I level up does he gain levels as well? If I took a level 8 bard as my cohort he would level up with me, would a Pegasus do the same. And if so, can he gain class levels, like fighter. I still haven’t seen rules about monters/animals getting class levels.

 

[Corsair]

I have a few questions about special paladin mounts to clear up some arguments with my DM. There are 3 things we have argued on and I would like to get some input. Thanks in advance for any help.

Question 1. Page 204 of the DMs guide explains the rules for special paladin mounts detailing specific mounts, like getting a Pegasus at 7th, which I did. My DM claims this is still part of the “Cohort” section of the book, meaning I have to take leadership to get the Pegasus. Is this correct.

Question 2. The chart on page 205 gives rules for calculating a special mounts hit dice, natural armor, strength and intelligence. Its based off your level relative to the level when the special mount becomes available. It says the mount also gets the other special abilities, like shared spells and improved speed, but they aren’t listed on that special chart. Does your special mount get those abilities and the normal level or are they reduced as well?

Question 3. Lets say I take the leadership skill and get a Pegasus as the cohort, which I can at 10th level. 4 HD, +2 level adjustment, and another +2 level adjustment for being a paladin mount put him at ECL 8, which I can get as a 10th level character with leadership. Now, when I level up does he gain levels as well? If I took a level 8 bard as my cohort he would level up with me, would a Pegasus do the same. And if so, can he gain class levels, like fighter. I still haven’t seen rules about monters/animals getting class levels.

Technically the mount section is it's own heading within the "Character" chapter. It is unrelated to cohorts at all. That being said however, it is an optional rule in the DMG. It is there (rather than in the Paladin class description in the PHB) for a reason. It is up to the DM to allow it or not.

There are two sections though. Under the cohort section it talks about cohort mounts, which in would let you combine your cohort from Leadership with your paladin mount abilities (for empathic link, etc). This is completely different from the section you are referencing which talks about just having alternate mounts.

One example: If you took Leadership to get a pegasus, it would be around 24/7. If you took a pegasus as an alternate paladin mount, it would only be around for an hour per class level.

Another way they are different: You'll note the alternate mount section deals with CR exclusively, while leadership deals with ECL. Clearly they can't be referring to the same thing.

 

[Moff_Tarkin]

I know its an optional rule but this DM allows about everything as longs as there is a rule for it. One player for example is playing a dragon. A very small and worthless dragon, but still there were rules for it so he allowed it.

 

[Moff_Tarkin]

Ok, let me just ask this in a more simple way.

If I am level 10 and want to take a cohort for my special mount do a pick and ELC 6 mount like a pegasus (ECL 6 because he will get +2 La for being a special mount) and just stack all the special mount abilities on top of him?

And will he a gain class level every time I do just like a normal cohort would?