Dragon Mounts in the Draconomicon

[Lord Pendragon]

I presently don't have the Draconomicon, but I'm trying to determine whether I need to get it, or at least get a peak at it. I've heard that there are rules for paladins getting a dragon mount.

My question is, do these rules differ from the rules for dragon mounts as laid out in 3.0 Defenders of the Faith? If so, how?

 

[Fieari]

I don't have Defenders of the Faith, but I can sketch for you what the Draconomicon covers in terms of mounts:

Movement speed, carrying capacity, raising a dragon, negotiating service, level requirements, summoning a dragon as a paladin, as a familiar, as a fiendish servant, as a cohort, draconic magic items, draconic magic, draconic deities, and boatloads more but I think that covers it as far as mounts go.

You might want to consider the Dragonnel as well, if your level isn't high enough.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Hrm. I guess I'll have to take a look at the book. I'm currently planning on picking up a griffon at level 8, and I like the idea enough to stick with a griffon over a "sorta-dragon." But I'd drop the griffon in a second for a gold dragon.

 

[FireLance]

Draconomicon introduces a new feat, Dragon Steed, for characters who want draconic mounts. For a paladin, it allows him to replace his special mount with a new draconic horse-like creature, a dragonnel, from 9th level, and increasingly powerful dragon mounts at higher levels (up to a Young gold dragon at 20th level).

Draconomicon also gives a new table for advancing the special abilities gained by draconic special mounts. Whereas in Defenders of the Faith, dragon mounts could eventually gain all the abilities of a regular paladin's mount, in Draconomicon, the more powerful mounts only gain the lower-level abilities in a manner similar to how an alternate special mount like a griffon reduces the paladin's effective level for determining mount abilities. The table in Draconomicon does not follow a simple formula, though. I would have preferred if it was the case.

Otherwise, the text on dragons as special mounts in Draconomicon is quite similar to the text in Defenders of the Faith. It is interesting to note that the Draconomicon still mentions that the paladin must provide a lair for the mount, although in 3.5e the special mount is called from the celestial realms. Perhaps this only applies to paladins are effectively with them all the time.

All in all, the section on paladin special mounts in Draconomicon is quite small and only worth a look unless you are interested in other aspects of dragons. The text is mostly repeated from Defenders of the Faith, but the rules on when a character can attract a mount and the abilities gained by more powerful mounts are probably better balanced than previously.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Thanks, FireLance, that really helps. I guess I'll stick with the griffon and not worry about the Draconomicon. That doesn't upset me too much, since my DM has a wonderful griffon mini to use.