Small Mounted Character

[muktidata]

Okay, so I've read the mounted handbook, several threads asking for advice (though only one was for a small character), and I'm still kinda scratching my head about mount-related stuffs. I would like to be a small character with Darkvision (probably Whispergnome) riding a Medium mount who has Darkvision or special detection and flight (Dire Bat?). Anybody got any ECL 8 builds that fit this description? I could do charger, archery, or spells. No mags, no psi, no incarnum, no tom, no tob classes.

[linklord231]

You could do standard ubermount stuff with a Paladin 5/Beastmaster 1 into Halfling Outrider/Wild Plains Outrider.  That would probably lend itself to charging pretty well.  Either refluff Halfling Outrider or use Ghostwise Halfling instead of Whisper Gnome. 

[muktidata]

Cool. But how do I figure out what my mount selection is?

[linklord231]

Unfortunately it looks like you'd be limited to creatures you could select as your Paladin Special Mount.  Devoted Tracker (the feat that this concept keys off) says "you can designate your special mount as your animal companion."  However, there are RAW ways to get more interesting special mounts, such as the Dragon Steed feat from Draconmomicon.  That will get you a Wyrmling Gold Dragon (big enough to carry a Small rider) at level 12, or earlier if you can convince your DM that the Effective Druid Level increase from Beastmaster would also apply to your Effective Paladin Level because of Devoted Tracker.  Or, you can work something out with your DM to get a non-standard Special Mount.