I have Human Pally , 5th Lvl, that I want to use Find Steed, but Warhorse is very situational in the campaign. I would like to choose mastiff as guard dog or war dog. My DM says the steed has to be rideable for the Pally because it is intended to be a mount. But the spell states I can choose the form, And there are benefits of using it as a mount but it doesnt say i have to use is as a mount. I can also have it as act independently. My DM is doing research about my request. Any educated guesses about this? What resources are out there for this?
Personally, I’d allow you to summon the mastiff, just not ride it. Technically, as I read it, you can summon it in any form each time you cast the spell, as it’s not a horse or mastiff, it’s a celestial (etc.) in the shape of a horse. So if you summon the mastiff, then when you actually need a horse, you can dismiss it, and re-cast the spell to summon it as a horse.
I would caution you about “act independently.” That’s what you’d need to clarify how they read it. Yes, you can certainly speak with it, but whether or not it does what you say is kind of the definition of independent. It could mean your DM gets to choose what it does. Or your DM might not the hassle. The rules are a bit ambiguous on that.
Your steed serves you as a mount, both in Combat and out, and you have an instinctive bond with it that allows you to fight as a seamless unit. While mounted on your steed, you can make any spell you cast that Targets only you also target your steed.
It certainly seems that the intent of the spell is that the steed acts as your mount. But there's no rule that says the steed vanishes if you aren't mounted on it or anything - obviously, it can still exist outside of that context, especially since the spell gives you a way to communicate with the steed from a distance.
I can also have it as act independently.
Its important to note that the spell lacks any context on exactly how this would play out. Unlike other summon spells like find familiar, you don't have any actual control over the steed while not mounted, and the steed doesn't automatically obey your commands. A DM might reasonably decide that the steed acts as a friendly and loyal NPC under the DM's control when it isn't mounted by you, rather than a fully controllable summon.
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I have Human Pally , 5th Lvl, that I want to use Find Steed, but Warhorse is very situational in the campaign. I would like to choose mastiff as guard dog or war dog. My DM says the steed has to be rideable for the Pally because it is intended to be a mount. But the spell states I can choose the form, And there are benefits of using it as a mount but it doesnt say i have to use is as a mount. I can also have it as act independently. My DM is doing research about my request. Any educated guesses about this? What resources are out there for this?
Personally, I’d allow you to summon the mastiff, just not ride it.
Technically, as I read it, you can summon it in any form each time you cast the spell, as it’s not a horse or mastiff, it’s a celestial (etc.) in the shape of a horse. So if you summon the mastiff, then when you actually need a horse, you can dismiss it, and re-cast the spell to summon it as a horse.
I would caution you about “act independently.” That’s what you’d need to clarify how they read it. Yes, you can certainly speak with it, but whether or not it does what you say is kind of the definition of independent. It could mean your DM gets to choose what it does. Or your DM might not the hassle. The rules are a bit ambiguous on that.
It certainly seems that the intent of the spell is that the steed acts as your mount. But there's no rule that says the steed vanishes if you aren't mounted on it or anything - obviously, it can still exist outside of that context, especially since the spell gives you a way to communicate with the steed from a distance.
Its important to note that the spell lacks any context on exactly how this would play out. Unlike other summon spells like find familiar, you don't have any actual control over the steed while not mounted, and the steed doesn't automatically obey your commands. A DM might reasonably decide that the steed acts as a friendly and loyal NPC under the DM's control when it isn't mounted by you, rather than a fully controllable summon.