Monster Rider (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Level	Monster
4	Blink dog
4	Hippogriff
5	Worg
6	Giant eagle
6	Pegasus
7	Giant vulture
7	Hell hound
7	Howler
8	Giant owl
8	Griffon
8	Shadow mastiff
8	Unicorn
9	Leucrotta
9	Manticore
10	Dragonne
10	Wyvern
11	Ahuizotl
13	Kirin
14	Shedu
16	Dragon horse
16	Garuda
16	Sleipnir

The monster rider forges an alliance with a monster to serve him as a mount in battle.

Classes

This archetype is available to cavaliers, druids, paladins, rangers, witches, and wizards. As an option, other classes that have a companion, mount or familiar can take this archetype, replacing that companion with a monstrous steed.

Optionally, a character that qualifies for this archetype can take it upon finding a monster suitable as a steed. Otherwise, game masters are encouraged to work with the player and arrange a suitable mount as the character advances in level, possibly as a short side quest.

Class Abilities

Monster Steed

A when monster rider befriends a monster suitable to serve as a steed, and is of sufficient level to be served by such a steed, he gains the creature as follower. This works like monster cohort option on the Leadership feat. Each creature has a level when it becomes available to serve as a steed. For each level beyond this, the steed gains one level in an appropriate class, usually as a fighter.

Monster riders can still learn the Leadership feat normally, but cannot take a monstrous cohort.

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype. Note that other classes that gain a familiar or companion through an optional class ability, like a bloodline, also qualify.

Cavalier

• Mount.

Druid

• Nature's Bond. A druid monster rider must choose an animal companion for his nature's bond class feature.

Paladin

• Divine Bond. A paladin monster rider must chose a steed for his divine bond ability.

Ranger

• Hunter's Bond. A ranger monster rider must choose an animal companion for his hunter's bond class feature.

Witch

• Witch's Familiar. A witch that takes this archetype uses her monster steed as her familiar, and prepares spells and uses other abilities with its help, just as if it was an actual familiar.

Wizard

• Arcane Bond. A wizard monster rider must select a familiar for his arcane bond class feature.

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