Getting a dragon mount [Archive] - Wizards Community

Getting a dragon mount [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Amsacaia
09-11-07, 10:08 AM I'm planning on taking the leadership feat sometime around level 9/12 or possibly later. And for my cohort (which I was going to use to get a special mount since my DM doesnt allow none mount cohorts to stick around as it's too much to keep track of) my dm suggested that I should go with a dragon. However I wont be able to get a mountable one untill atleast level 18 (ECL 16 young gold dragon) since you can only ride something large if you're medium? now I know about the dragon mount feat in draconicom (sorry if it's spelt wrong) which lowers the level of dragons by three. Now I was wondering, is there any other way to lower this? I was thinking something along the lines of a lower ECL dragon which would usually be medium but instead making a magic item of permenant enlarge person (or the spell that applies to dragons), to make it up to large size? does anyone have any other ideas how I can do this or even if it's feasbile/how much the item will cost (money isnt much of an issue since i'm playing an anointed knight/VoB so I get free money from VoB and thanks to anointed knight I get to upgrade my weapon for half the price (most the time free I get all the useless items the party doesnt want). Thanks.
Kamin_Majere
09-11-07, 12:51 PM First you'll have to figure out why a Dragon is going to let you use it as a horse. Your going to be trying to convince a being that is superior to you and is likely more intellegent than you to be your horse.

But i believe that the Draconomicon has the rules for a dragon mount somewhere in it. As far as the rules go. The reason its such a high level to get one is for balance. You basically have a horse that could reasonably go toe to toe with any other party member you have.
Arturius1
09-11-07, 12:55 PM If you want Leadership just for the mount, I'd suggest Dragon Cohort instead of Leadership. You can get a cohort of a higher level that way.
Manus
09-11-07, 12:57 PM If you're still in the character creation phase, you can pick a small race like halfling, kobold, or gnome. Then you only need a medium dragon. Also, if memory serves, silver or other metallic dragons will attain the proper size at a lower ecl.
Amsacaia
09-11-07, 01:08 PM Hehe no, I've made my character, and I have the rp issues covered, I'm also planning on taking the dragon cohort feat. I was just wondering what the lowest ECL dragon I could ride would be. At the moment it's an ECL 13 very young gold dragon(with the dragon cohort feat adjustment, which is also the lowest ECL of a large draon) I was just wondering if I could get one lower? i.e as I was thinking a wyrmling gold dragon that would usually only be medium size but if enlarged, it'd be ridable? and only have an ECL of 9(with the feat?). It wouldnt unbalance it as the creature would still be as powerful(or as weak) as it's meant ot be just a size catagory larger, so it would be rideable.
Drag0nUL
09-11-07, 01:55 PM Unfortunately, enlarge person only works on...persons(humanoids). The only way that comes to mind to magically enlarge a dragon is the Expansion psychic warrior power.
The9Circles
09-11-07, 11:51 PM Hehe no, I've made my character, and I have the rp issues covered, I'm also planning on taking the dragon cohort feat. I was just wondering what the lowest ECL dragon I could ride would be. At the moment it's an ECL 13 very young gold dragon(with the dragon cohort feat adjustment, which is also the lowest ECL of a large draon) I was just wondering if I could get one lower? i.e as I was thinking a wyrmling gold dragon that would usually only be medium size but if enlarged, it'd be ridable? and only have an ECL of 9(with the feat?). It wouldnt unbalance it as the creature would still be as powerful(or as weak) as it's meant ot be just a size catagory larger, so it would be rideable.

You really need to include your character information beyond the level (e.g. class, alignment).

Plan A:
Pay 1200gp (RAW Cost, minimum level) for a Polymorph Any Object on yourself. The goal is to PAO into a species of size 'small' or smaller without screwing you up.
Cost: 1200gp, every time you get a successful Dispel Magic cast on/at you.

Plan B:
Wait until level 14 and take the Dragon Familiar Feat
Take 1 level of Flesh Warper and choose Size Increase for your familiar. Permanently +1 Size Category to your Wyrmling.
Cost: 1 Casting Level and an Extra Feat

Plan C:
Dragon Mount and get a Dragonnel

Plan D:
Reduce Person, Permanent on yourself.
Cost: 3050gp (assuming you have someone who can cast Reduce Person), easier to dispel than Plan A.
discipleofevil
09-14-07, 12:18 AM iirc check the heroes of battle book. i believe there was a feat in there that you could take to allow your cohort to be only 1 level below you instead of 2. there are also a fist full of other leadership type feats.
Radijs
09-14-07, 04:16 AM Thats Improved Cohort. It has a pretty steep requirement of Cha 15.
draco1119
09-14-07, 08:56 AM Actually, I have the same problem. I'm playing a CG Half-Dragon Paladin of Freedom and have a baby Purple Dragon cohort that I found when she was two days old. How can I combine the Dragon Cohort feat with the pally's Special Mount ability? I seem to recall there being a way to do so, but can't remember which book it was in. And since a baby Purple is already Medium size, I'm also looking for a way to increase her size or age.
Killdur
11-27-07, 04:40 PM Actually, I have the same problem. I'm playing a CG Half-Dragon Paladin of Freedom and have a baby Purple Dragon cohort that I found when she was two days old. How can I combine the Dragon Cohort feat with the pally's Special Mount ability? I seem to recall there being a way to do so, but can't remember which book it was in. And since a baby Purple is already Medium size, I'm also looking for a way to increase her size or age.

In 3.0 it was possible for a paladin to have a dragon mount that he found. In 3.5 they changed it from a bonded animal (such as an animal companion or familiar) to a summoned mount. Only feats I've seen that deals with different Paladin mounts are in Frostburn (Winter mount) and the Book of Exalted Deeds (Celestial mount). You'd have to have a very lenient DM to allow a dragon mount...and for the wyrmling I'm not up on purple dragons but other dragons will take years to grow large enough to be mounts (some faster then others like Gold) if they are willing to haul your lazy rear all over the place. "You want me to fly you where? What am I a storybook dragon?"
Radijs
11-28-07, 05:49 AM Actually, I have the same problem. I'm playing a CG Half-Dragon Paladin of Freedom and have a baby Purple Dragon cohort that I found when she was two days old. How can I combine the Dragon Cohort feat with the pally's Special Mount ability? I seem to recall there being a way to do so, but can't remember which book it was in. And since a baby Purple is already Medium size, I'm also looking for a way to increase her size or age.

Those rules are in the Draconomicon. But even with paladin levels its going to be a tough job to manage it.
Novem
11-28-07, 07:43 AM Option 4: Get a Power Stone of Expansion and Permanency. Since Expansion is virtually identical to Enlarge Person, your DM might allow it.
The_Shaman
11-29-07, 01:29 AM You'd have to have a very lenient DM to allow a dragon mount...and for the wyrmling I'm not up on purple dragons but other dragons will take years to grow large enough to be mounts (some faster then others like Gold) if they are willing to haul your lazy rear all over the place. "You want me to fly you where? What am I a storybook dragon?"

A lenient DM or the Draconomicon. Still, even with it the paladin level you need for a draconic mount is pretty high - AND you need an extra feat. Unfortunately, the DMG guidelines for determining the CR of creatures the paladin can call on (iirc PL-3 if nonflying, PL-4 for flying) is rather off in this case. A medium-sized paladin who wants a true dragon mount has to wait until past lvl 15 iirc.

Meh, too bad. I'm back to my idea of a paladin on a couatl mount.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Amsacaia 09-11-07, 10:08 AM	I'm planning on taking the leadership feat sometime around level 9/12 or possibly later. And for my cohort (which I was going to use to get a special mount since my DM doesnt allow none mount cohorts to stick around as it's too much to keep track of) my dm suggested that I should go with a dragon. However I wont be able to get a mountable one untill atleast level 18 (ECL 16 young gold dragon) since you can only ride something large if you're medium? now I know about the dragon mount feat in draconicom (sorry if it's spelt wrong) which lowers the level of dragons by three. Now I was wondering, is there any other way to lower this? I was thinking something along the lines of a lower ECL dragon which would usually be medium but instead making a magic item of permenant enlarge person (or the spell that applies to dragons), to make it up to large size? does anyone have any other ideas how I can do this or even if it's feasbile/how much the item will cost (money isnt much of an issue since i'm playing an anointed knight/VoB so I get free money from VoB and thanks to anointed knight I get to upgrade my weapon for half the price (most the time free I get all the useless items the party doesnt want). Thanks.
Kamin_Majere 09-11-07, 12:51 PM	First you'll have to figure out why a Dragon is going to let you use it as a horse. Your going to be trying to convince a being that is superior to you and is likely more intellegent than you to be your horse. But i believe that the Draconomicon has the rules for a dragon mount somewhere in it. As far as the rules go. The reason its such a high level to get one is for balance. You basically have a horse that could reasonably go toe to toe with any other party member you have.
Arturius1 09-11-07, 12:55 PM	If you want Leadership just for the mount, I'd suggest Dragon Cohort instead of Leadership. You can get a cohort of a higher level that way.
Manus 09-11-07, 12:57 PM	If you're still in the character creation phase, you can pick a small race like halfling, kobold, or gnome. Then you only need a medium dragon. Also, if memory serves, silver or other metallic dragons will attain the proper size at a lower ecl.
Amsacaia 09-11-07, 01:08 PM	Hehe no, I've made my character, and I have the rp issues covered, I'm also planning on taking the dragon cohort feat. I was just wondering what the lowest ECL dragon I could ride would be. At the moment it's an ECL 13 very young gold dragon(with the dragon cohort feat adjustment, which is also the lowest ECL of a large draon) I was just wondering if I could get one lower? i.e as I was thinking a wyrmling gold dragon that would usually only be medium size but if enlarged, it'd be ridable? and only have an ECL of 9(with the feat?). It wouldnt unbalance it as the creature would still be as powerful(or as weak) as it's meant ot be just a size catagory larger, so it would be rideable.
Drag0nUL 09-11-07, 01:55 PM	Unfortunately, enlarge person only works on...persons(humanoids). The only way that comes to mind to magically enlarge a dragon is the Expansion psychic warrior power.
The9Circles 09-11-07, 11:51 PM	Hehe no, I've made my character, and I have the rp issues covered, I'm also planning on taking the dragon cohort feat. I was just wondering what the lowest ECL dragon I could ride would be. At the moment it's an ECL 13 very young gold dragon(with the dragon cohort feat adjustment, which is also the lowest ECL of a large draon) I was just wondering if I could get one lower? i.e as I was thinking a wyrmling gold dragon that would usually only be medium size but if enlarged, it'd be ridable? and only have an ECL of 9(with the feat?). It wouldnt unbalance it as the creature would still be as powerful(or as weak) as it's meant ot be just a size catagory larger, so it would be rideable. You really need to include your character information beyond the level (e.g. class, alignment). Plan A: Pay 1200gp (RAW Cost, minimum level) for a Polymorph Any Object on yourself. The goal is to PAO into a species of size 'small' or smaller without screwing you up. Cost: 1200gp, every time you get a successful Dispel Magic cast on/at you. Plan B: Wait until level 14 and take the Dragon Familiar Feat Take 1 level of Flesh Warper and choose Size Increase for your familiar. Permanently +1 Size Category to your Wyrmling. Cost: 1 Casting Level and an Extra Feat Plan C: Dragon Mount and get a Dragonnel Plan D: Reduce Person, Permanent on yourself. Cost: 3050gp (assuming you have someone who can cast Reduce Person), easier to dispel than Plan A.
discipleofevil 09-14-07, 12:18 AM	iirc check the heroes of battle book. i believe there was a feat in there that you could take to allow your cohort to be only 1 level below you instead of 2. there are also a fist full of other leadership type feats.
Radijs 09-14-07, 04:16 AM	Thats Improved Cohort. It has a pretty steep requirement of Cha 15.
draco1119 09-14-07, 08:56 AM	Actually, I have the same problem. I'm playing a CG Half-Dragon Paladin of Freedom and have a baby Purple Dragon cohort that I found when she was two days old. How can I combine the Dragon Cohort feat with the pally's Special Mount ability? I seem to recall there being a way to do so, but can't remember which book it was in. And since a baby Purple is already Medium size, I'm also looking for a way to increase her size or age.
Killdur 11-27-07, 04:40 PM	Actually, I have the same problem. I'm playing a CG Half-Dragon Paladin of Freedom and have a baby Purple Dragon cohort that I found when she was two days old. How can I combine the Dragon Cohort feat with the pally's Special Mount ability? I seem to recall there being a way to do so, but can't remember which book it was in. And since a baby Purple is already Medium size, I'm also looking for a way to increase her size or age. In 3.0 it was possible for a paladin to have a dragon mount that he found. In 3.5 they changed it from a bonded animal (such as an animal companion or familiar) to a summoned mount. Only feats I've seen that deals with different Paladin mounts are in Frostburn (Winter mount) and the Book of Exalted Deeds (Celestial mount). You'd have to have a very lenient DM to allow a dragon mount...and for the wyrmling I'm not up on purple dragons but other dragons will take years to grow large enough to be mounts (some faster then others like Gold) if they are willing to haul your lazy rear all over the place. "You want me to fly you where? What am I a storybook dragon?"
Radijs 11-28-07, 05:49 AM	Actually, I have the same problem. I'm playing a CG Half-Dragon Paladin of Freedom and have a baby Purple Dragon cohort that I found when she was two days old. How can I combine the Dragon Cohort feat with the pally's Special Mount ability? I seem to recall there being a way to do so, but can't remember which book it was in. And since a baby Purple is already Medium size, I'm also looking for a way to increase her size or age. Those rules are in the Draconomicon. But even with paladin levels its going to be a tough job to manage it.
Novem 11-28-07, 07:43 AM	Option 4: Get a Power Stone of Expansion and Permanency. Since Expansion is virtually identical to Enlarge Person, your DM might allow it.
The_Shaman 11-29-07, 01:29 AM	You'd have to have a very lenient DM to allow a dragon mount...and for the wyrmling I'm not up on purple dragons but other dragons will take years to grow large enough to be mounts (some faster then others like Gold) if they are willing to haul your lazy rear all over the place. "You want me to fly you where? What am I a storybook dragon?" A lenient DM or the Draconomicon. Still, even with it the paladin level you need for a draconic mount is pretty high - AND you need an extra feat. Unfortunately, the DMG guidelines for determining the CR of creatures the paladin can call on (iirc PL-3 if nonflying, PL-4 for flying) is rather off in this case. A medium-sized paladin who wants a true dragon mount has to wait until past lvl 15 iirc. Meh, too bad. I'm back to my idea of a paladin on a couatl mount.