Ok so I have posted alot trying to get this guy ready for giantslayer come January.
At first he was a TWF invulnerable Rager, read up on my copy of the ACG and decided on Abyssal bloodline rageshaper. He uses obsidian spears at range and I want to build him as a natural attacker because TWF is far too stat and feat intensive. The issue of reach is solved at 4th level with the instant bloodrage enlarge so I dont want another you should pick up a reach weapon talk. I love advice and input but i am not after anyone else's build i am seeking advice for this character. I want to avoid level dipping so please keep that in mind.
Hadron
Half-Elf Rageshaper
Str 16
Dex 12
Con 16
Int 7
Wis 12
Cha 14
Took dual mind instead of adaptability
Allowed 2 traits looking at Bred for War or Elven Reflexes unsure about the second one
FCB is going to skill points
First feat I am looking at Nature Soul to get a wolf companion quickly
Backstory
Clan wiped out by Orcs but he was picked up by a white dragon and was raised to be the lair guard/pest control. He is highly uneducated and believes he is a dragon in larval form. This is reinforced by the claws he has (only during bloodrage but I want to try and get claws constantly) the dragon has him bringing orc hearts as tribute for food. While out Orcs attack the lair and he returns in time to slay stragglers. He flees to Trunua. Campaign begins.
So advice I am seeking
-any way to get claws via feats or traits I really don't want to dip and this game is core races only so half-elf is set in stone
-does the current stat array with 20 point buy support a natural attacker?
-is using 3 feats for an animal companion 1 level below me worth it or should I focus elsewhere?
And again I want him to be a natural attacker so please don't tell me to just pick up a 2-hander instead.
Bloodrager is an excellent choice for a natural attack build.
The stats look good for this character.
There are several ways for a half-elf bloodrager to get claws, but none of them function while not in rage, and you already have the abyssal bloodline, so you'll probably just have to be content with what you have.
If you take the primalist archetype, you can switch out one bloodline ability for Animal Fury and Lesser Fiend Totem to get a bite attack and a gore attack.
Once you get high enough level to have easy access to polymorph spells through wands, you should consider the possibility of having one really strong natural attack with Vital Strike. Rageshaper archetype helps a lot with that, and natural attacks can be further increased with things like Improved Natural Attack and Strong Jaw. The best part is Furious Finish, which can be used with rage cycling to great effect. But you mentioned you wanted to keep this as your own build, so consider this just a mild suggestion.
Skip the Animal Companion. It's not going to help you enough to merit the feat investment. You'll need Power Attack for claws to be relevant damage options, even at levels 1-2. Your 5th level feat will likely be Arcane Strike.
You may want to consider Half-Orc as an option on the race to also get a bite attack. There are 3 different ways to do it (feat, trait, and alt racial). Alt racial is the least painful of those options and plays into the full attacks best. This fits into your core race only requirement, though I understand why you might opt out of this. Natural weapon builds are good because you roll so many times to hit, so any extra attack you can muster is important.
Will your GM allow you to also take the Primalist archetype? This will let you swap unwanted bloodline powers for rage powers and doesn't require you to actually give up anything. In particular, you could get rid of the lackluster 8th level bloodline power in exchange for Fiend Totem, Lesser (a gore attack to add to your routine while bloodraging) and one of the other myriad amazing rage powers.
Regarding stats, I would consider dropping WIS and CHA by 2 each to bump STR up to 18 or, if you prefer, dropping CHA by 2 to get STR to 17. 12 CHA gets you spells through level 10. You can certainly get a headband by then or spend your level-up points in CHA to get 3rd and 4th level spells. What you have will work, but natural weapon builds are always looking for more damage to stack onto attacks.
@Avoron
I don't know if the GM is going to allow using 2 archetypes. This is my first game with him so I am not really willing to give up the sweet abyssal powers in exchange for rage powers especially if I lose out on the Rageshaper powers as well. What other traits would you recommend? Bred for war and elven reflexes are both race traits so I can only have one or the other. And what ways could a half elf get natural attacks? In an email he said Aspect of the Beast could be taken first level. But on the off chance there was confusion between the 2 of us in emails I would like to know alternates or if there is a trait that would make sure the prerequisites were met.
If you can take Aspect of the Beast at first level, then that's a good option for permanent claws. But I don't see why you would need them, because you get claws in rage anyway. I don't really think it's worth spending a feat on.
There is actually another way to get claws that function while not in rage, without dipping. I didn't really think about it before, but you could take Racial Heritage (Catfolk) and then Catfolk Exemplar. There are probably other racial heritages that could work, but I can't think of them off the top of my head
Really, though, what you'll want will be other natural attacks besides claws. You can get Racial Heritage (Kobold) and take the Tail Terror feat to get a tail attack. That could fit with your character concept.
There's a trait made for orcs that gives you a secondary bite attack that deals 1d2 damage. It could help, if you're not getting Animal Fury, but only if your GM loosens the restrictions a bit on the Adopted Trait. Maybe your character was kept captive by the orcs for several month before escaping/being rescued/etc.
Some other items provide other natural attacks. You can get a bite from a Ring of Rat Fangs, a gore from a Helm of the Mammoth Lord, or a sting from a Wyvern Cloak. One great option for higher levels is to get an Animal Totem Tattoo. This can give you talons and a bite for 5 minutes/day, in one minute increments. And talons go on your feet, so you can use them in the same full attack as claws.
@ Serisan
definitely going to mess with the stats some.
I know the half orc is better for natural attacks but with the orc hatred in his back story I see him killing someone or at least reacting violently if someone brings the orc heritage to his attention
@Avoron
don't know if the Kobold/Tail Terror will work just because of all the mixed views on the forums.is there an official rule?
I haven't seen an official rule. I believe it works both mechanically (the only prerequisites are BAB+1 and kobold, both of which are met) and reasonably (I can totally imagine your kobold ancestry giving you a stubby little tail that grows bigger and stronger with practice when you take the Tail Terror feat). Since your GM is allowing two primary claw attacks for a single feat, Aspect of the Beast, I expect they might be okay with allowing a single secondary tail attack with two feats.
Got a ruling from him
I cannot grow a tail :(
Yes much sadness...I am just very afraid of being stuck in a situation where I am out of rages and unarmed...happened to a friend of mine in legacy of fire..after that and a near death experience in the same game by similar means I stuck to monks and others who are never unarmed.
You can always wear a cestus...
That could work...any other weapon it just seems idiotic to go I am raging so throw weapons aside
I would change his stats a bit. His charisma has no reason to be that high at the start. I'd suggest going 17+2, 12, 14, 7, 12, 12 or going 18+2, 10, 14, 7, 10, 12. You don't need a 13 charisma till lv10 and you don't really need 14 till level 13. The higher str will really pay off I feel.
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