Special Mount
Two classes grant a special mount rather than a general-purpose animal companion: the paladin, as one of two forms her Divine Bond can take at 5th level, and the cavalier, who gains one automatically at 1st level. Both grants say the same thing — "this mount functions as a druid's animal companion, using the [class]'s level as her effective druid level" — so the mount uses the exact same Animal Companion Base Statistics table and the same animal choices as a druid's companion. What differs between the two classes is how the mount is acquired, called, and lost — covered below.
Paladin vs. Cavalier ¶
| Topic | Paladin (Divine Bond) | Cavalier (Mount) |
|---|---|---|
| Gained at | 5th level (choice of two Divine Bond forms) | 1st level (automatic) |
| Presence | Summoned — called once per day as a full-round action | Permanent companion, no calling ability |
| Calls per day | 1 at 5th level, +1 per 4 levels thereafter (4 total at 17th) | N/A — always at hand |
| Starting mounts | Heavy horse (Medium paladin) or pony (Small paladin); GM may allow boar, camel, or dog | Camel or horse (Medium cavalier); pony or wolf (Small cavalier), plus boar or dog at 4th+ |
| Share Spells | Yes | No — explicitly does not gain this ability |
| Ride checks | No special benefit | No armor check penalty on Ride checks while mounted |
| Combat training / proficiency | Not stated | Always combat trained; mount starts with Light Armor Proficiency |
| High-level upgrades | Celestial template at 11th (magical beast for spell targeting); SR = paladin level + 11 at 15th | None |
| Death / loss penalty | 30-day wait (or next level, whichever first); −1 attack/damage during wait | 1-week mourning, then a new mount; new mount lacks link/evasion/devotion/improved evasion until next level-up |
Paladin — Divine Bond (Mount) ¶
At 5th level a paladin chooses one of two permanent Divine Bond forms — a weapon bond or a mount — and cannot change it afterward. The mount form grants the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed with Intelligence 6 or higher. Once per day, as a full-round action, the paladin may magically call the mount to her side; the mount appears adjacent to her. This calling is treated as a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin's level, usable once per day at 5th level and one additional time per day for every four levels thereafter (four times per day at 17th).
At 11th level the mount gains the celestial template and is treated as a magical beast for the purpose of determining which spells affect it. At 15th level it gains spell resistance equal to the paladin's level + 11. Should the mount die, the paladin cannot summon a replacement for 30 days or until she gains a level, whichever comes first — during that period she takes a −1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Cavalier — Mount ¶
A cavalier gains a mount automatically at 1st level — no calling ability, no daily limit; it simply accompanies him. He takes no armor check penalty on Ride checks while riding it, and the mount is always considered combat trained and begins play with Light Armor Proficiency as a bonus feat. Unlike a paladin's or druid's companion, a cavalier's mount does not gain the share spells special ability.
Should a cavalier's mount die, he may find a replacement after one week of mourning. The new mount does not gain the link, evasion, devotion, or improved evasion special abilities until the next time the cavalier gains a level.