Would you allow a companion animal as a mount?

[Kzach]

If a class had a companion animal that could double as a mount, would you allow it?

 

[captainspud]

In combat? Only if a) they have a feat or whatever that allows it, or b) they're willing to accept getting no mechanical benefit from it.

Out of combat? That's a roleplaying issue. They can do anything they want that doesn't break the story.

 

[chitzk0i]

You mean like a ranger or sentinel? I'd absolutely allow it. As long as the PC is the appropriate size to ride the creature, I don't see any problems. In fact, I have an LFR character that rides his raptor animal companion as a flying mount.

 

[fba827]

at minimum i think (but i admit that i could be remembering wrong) a mount needs to be one size category than its rider

beyond that, you can ride any animal that is mountable

though you don't get any special benefit from doing so unless you have the mounted combat feat. which is easily attainable with low prerequs to begin with.

plus, if the creature isn't normally mountable and stuck in a stressful situation (such as combat) I'd probably make some sort of nature DC to maintain control of the creature trying to fight in an uncomfortable method since it isn't trained/used to/built for being ridden.

 

[Klaus]

If a class had a companion animal that could double as a mount, would you allow it?

In most cases, the PC can already use a single move action to move both himself and the companion. Just let them share a square and they're effectivelly a rider/mount unit.

But unless the rider is Small, I'd require the mount to be Large (but then again, I'd let a PC take a "make companion Large" feat).

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I would subject to the normal rules for mounts.

 

[Storminator]

Absolutely. These are both fairly underutilized options, and if combining them makes it more worthwhile that's a big plus in my book.

I don't know that there's a lot of support for Mounted powers on an animal companion, but if I had an interested player we'd probably make some up.

PS

 

[Haltherrion]

Yes, for sure.

We haven't played a ton with animal companions in 4E and while they seemed effective enough, they didn't seem the best build. Anyone going for that build seemed motivated more by a desire to add a little color to their PC then to min/max it.

So, I'd certainly let a player get a little more out of their animal companion.

Even if with further play the 4E companions were on the potent side, I don't think I'd worry much about letting them use it as a mount. It still is more of a utility thing.

 

[Xris Robin]

Not without the proper feat.

 

[On Puget Sound]

Beast Rider

Heroic Tier
Prerequisite: Beast Mastery class feature
Benefit: If your beast companion is your size or larger, and at least Medium size, you can ride it as a mount. (This is an exception to the rule that mounts must be no smaller than Large.) You can mount or dismount your beast companion as a move action.

Published in Dragon Magazine 384, page(s) 36.

Especialy useful for Talenta halfling rangers in Eberron.