So, long story short, myself and my party just reached level 3 (Killed a mad lich and his undead kobold army, stereotypical stuff). I am playing a summoner, and I am trying to decide on some good possible feats for now and for the future. It's going to be a veeery long campaign, like level 20 long, so I put a lot of thought into my eidolons build. Since our only front-line fighter is an oread monk, I'm making my eidolon completely combat heavy. However, as is evidenced by the fact that I'm playing a summoner, I have no clue what good feats for a melee class are. He took a feat that gives him an additional EV point (My Dm's a cool guy and agreed that it didn't have to be me taking it) and I took the best all rounder: Improved initiative, but beyond that I'm not really sure what sort of feat I should nab. I'm considering toughness, because hit points are an obvious plus, lunge, because reach is king, and power attack, because, well, it seemed good, however, I'm not sure if these're solid choices or not. Thank you for any assistance in advance. Oh yeah, I'm playing a gnome, with the necromancy type alternate racial spell like abilities. I like gnomes, and the summoner racial boost seemed solid for a combat eidolon.
And is it a biped? Quadruped?
Are you planning to use natural attacks, or weapons (a simple 2 hander, or maybe a Kali build with a ton of arms)?
These all greatly influence the kind of build you will want to make.
Sorry for not providing more info earlier. My eidolon is a biped, and I'm an APG summoner. This far I have had my eidolon take improved natural armor, improved natural attack (Slam) the slam evolution, the reach evolution, and I'm now saving up to get large.
Oh, and I'm planning to concentrate on natural attacks.
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Combat reflexes is great for anyone who can use reach, even better with an Eidolon reach which also allows it to simultaneously threaten adjacent as well. Nit only dies it let you get more attacks of opportunity, it let's you take them while you are flatfooted.
One warning though, expect your GM to start avoiding approaching your Eidolon even more often since you have reach and the chance to take multiple AoO. But point out that you don't have that many. And really, your GM has likely strayed away from approaching your Eidolon already just due to reach. Combat reflexes mostly only increase the staying away on the surprise round and first round, then nit too much different.
Even if you don't get many AoO, that does not mean it does nothing. Often a GM will take a less optimal attack choice then move to a place that provokes, so you are still influencing the battlefield.
Yeah, that was kind if my plan. My GM is fairly experienced, so he would avoid AoO's from my eidolon. I was kind if counting on this, and having my eidolon sort of stand in a position that prevents our opponents from getting at most if our party, which are a bow ranger, a gunslinger, myself, a sorcerer, and the monk I mentioned earlier. By creating this....bubble I guess, he can sort of keep combat centered on himself and our monk and prevent and "Go after the squishy ones!" Shenanigans. Combat reflexes does in fact sous quite good, so thanks for that Raymond.
Well, even if they try to avoid his eidolon...can they?
When it is large+reach, this eidolon threatens a 40' wide cirle. With lunge and a 5' step, you can full attack anything in a 60' wide circle. And if you go huge, those numbers become 55'/75'. It is fairly easy to get off full attacks as a large biped.
And just to bring it up- even if you just focus on your slam, you will have full attacks. Remember- the multi-attack ability you get at level 9 does more than give you the multi-attack feat, it also gives you a single iterative with one of your natural attacks if you only have 1-2 of them.
Throw on haste (and that is VERY easy for your summoner), and you can have 3 slams per round. And all those should get x1.5 str/power attack damage (..I think). Comparable to a greatsword (and look- you do 2d6 damage with it when large too).
So overall, you can do fine with a 'one big attack' build. Look into improved damage and improved natural attack to make those damage dice stupid (to the point that you have to start looking junk up). Maybe get the pull evo and use it with lunge for some reposition/AoO shennigans
You only get the *1.5 multiplier if you only have a single natural attack. I think the slam attacks come in pairs, so it's just a regular primary attack.
You only get the *1.5 multiplier if you only have a single natural attack. I think the slam attacks come in pairs, so it's just a regular primary attack.
Nope, the slam evo itself uses singular terms, and that is contrasted with the multiple terms used for claws and limbs.
Slam (Ex)
An eidolon can deliver a devastating slam attack. This attack is a primary attack. The slam deals 1d8 points of damage (2d6 if Large, 2d8 if Huge). The eidolon must have the limbs (arms) evolution to take this evolution. Alternatively, the eidolon can replace the claws from its base form with this slam attack (this still costs 1 evolution point). This evolution can be selected more than once, but the eidolon must possess an equal number of the limbs evolution.
So the only question comes down to whether multiattack makes it count as multiple 'attacks' when you only have a single 'weapon'. Because honestly- that would make multiattack a massive downgrade for any animal companion or eidolon out ther (weaken your attacks on the move- take a large portion of your attack into an attack wtih BAB-5, only gain a small benefit in damage). I'll try looking through NPCs for example ACs like wolves; I'll get back to you on this issue, I would love it if anyone had a relevant FAQ/dev comment
EDIT- found the answer. I found an Uskwood Druid with a dire bat animal companion (bite attack only). It has 21 str (+5) and it has a bite that does +11/+6 (2d6+7). So that appears to get x1.5 str even though it gets an extra attack from multiattack. So that is fine.
Thanks for the help guys. I do rather like the idea of improving my reach toa degree that it is nearly unavoidable, but I'm going to avoid getting huge. It's to many EV points when I can do perfectly fine with simply getting large. Lunge is a feat, as are improved natural attack and improved natural armor, correct?
Also, what does everyone else think of concentrating on getting some grappling evo's and feats, like grab, sticky etc. after I sort all of this out? It seems like a good idea
with the biped normal strength and the boost I'll get on it and combat maneuvers when I go large, and like I said, it's a long campaign an I think I can afford to focus on a few different atrributes. Still, like I said, I don't know if it's a good idea
With my lack of experience, so some input would be nice.
Thanks for the help guys. I do rather like the idea of improving my reach toa degree that it is nearly unavoidable, but I'm going to avoid getting huge. It's to many EV points when I can do perfectly fine with simply getting large. Lunge is a feat, as are improved natural attack and improved natural armor, correct?
As I said, with reach, lunge, and large, you can full attack in almost the same area that a full armored character would have to freakin' spend a move action to get to. So it is fine.
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If you want Grqb, your best option is to focus on Claws. Default 2 on the arms, one evo point to get a pair on the hands. One evo point to get a bite attack when your max natural attacks are at an odd number.
Rend makes your claws extra deadly and it can satisfy those 1.5 strength mod urges. Focusing on a single high damage slam is an okay route by far, but you can't throw on many "riders" like trip and grab. Push evo works with slam though, which ruins charges. But so could trip and grab.
Actually, if you want a single attack just leave claws on your feet, p8ck up Bite twice to get the 1.5 strength mod, slap on every attack modifier evolution to said bite and go nuts. Plus you can take martial proficiency in a nice 2hander for obscure material weapons for annoying DR.