What kind of D&D animals can you use?

As a Dungeon Master I allow PCs to use any animal that they train as a mount provided it is at least one size catagory larger than the PC. Unless we are playing in an unusual setting, only horses, ponies, and riding dogs can be bought already trained for riding. Training requires the Handle Animal skill, takes time, and doesn’t always work. But unusual mounts do add to the uniqueness of a character. Also bear in mind that unless you have a specially made saddle, any ride checks you make will be at a penalty. Also, any DM might have their own rules.

Well, as stump pointed out, you’ll have to train it. Boars are already notoriously bad-tempered, and dire boars have the added capability of gutting/trampling/impaling you if they feel like it. Dire Boars are indeed very good at killing things, but most see no reason not to include you in the category of “things”. The only way I can see it working is if you have a lot of points in Handle Animal, or if you raise it from infancy.

In my experience with the several different DM’s that ive had over the years, it s all about what you are willing to do in-game to get it.. if you can raise your Handle Animal enough to train it and find one and incorporate it into the build of your character most DM’s dont mind, as long as its not some random arbitrary decision..
I’ve learned that with enough role-playing and a good enough back story you can get anything you want :P

Dire beasts can be used as mounts, but as has been said, you need special consideration. For example, in one game I have a high level druid who uses a dire bat as a mount—in facts he commands a squadran of gnomes, hobbits, and dwarves that use dire bats for recon purposes. But a druid is a completely different ball of wax than a barbarian.

Depending on what edition you are playing, there may be different rules on what and how players can ride. Still, The DM has final say on these kinds of things, so run it by your DM and see what they have to say. I would assume that your DM would know more about rules regarding mounts than you, so you should ask them.

dudes and dudettes thank you for the answers. i do have 2 great DMs that i can talk to, and on a side note aside from it being personally cool for my dwarf to ride a dire boar. i also find it a bit amusing in the mental visualiaztion department.

@Pat_thebear89 Exactly. Role playing is all about those Hollywood moments. Why be boring when you can be interesting?

Truth. I’d like to caveat my answer as well (which took a more realistic approach) by saying that in D&D, awesomeness always trumps reality if the reality is boring.