Changes

Use the base statistics for a creature of the mount’s kind, but make changes to take into account the attributes and characteristics summarized on the table and described below.

Standard animal mounts have extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the mount’s base attack and base save bonuses. A special mount’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a cleric of a level equal to the mount’s HD. A mount has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). The mount gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.

The number on the table is an improvement to the mount’s existing natural armor bonus.

Add this figure to the mount’s Strength score.

The mount’s Intelligence score.

The paladin has an empathic link with her mount out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The character cannot see through the mount’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically.

Because of this empathic link, the character has the same connection to an item or place that her mount does, just as with a master and his familiar.

When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a mount takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.

For each of its saving throws, the mount uses its own base save bonus or the character's, whichever is higher. The mount applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the master might have.

The mount’s speed increases by 10 feet.

A mount’s spell resistance equals its master’s character level + 5. To affect the mount with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the mount’s spell resistance.