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I am working on an Animal companion, but got a bit confused on some topics. I would appreciate some input.

Q: Can I drop handle animal when I get a more intelligent animal?
I’m thinking eye for talent into int for the first three levels of an Ape, a new Ape at 4th with eye for talent in str and an ability raise to get int to 3. So can I just command it without ever needing handle animal? Or do I still need to put skill points into it?

Q: Can I give my large Ape the exotic weapon proficiency (Flying Blade)?
How does a weapon work for an Animal Companion? Does it gain iterative attacks at bab +6?
It’s an Ape, I think it can hold a chain and throw it around.

Q: How does the damage of a Flying blade scale?
I’m thinking bigger is better. So using a flying blade one size category larger than the Animal Companion (even after Animal growth, so at lvl10 that would be gargantuan). Also adding lead blades as a touch spell. In the end it would be like hurling a sharpened lead anchor around. I’m thinking:
Flying blade: 1d12 -large-> 3d6 –huge->4d6 -gargantuan-> 6d6 –lead blades-> 9d6

Q: Does lunge stack with natural reach and reach weapon? Does it increase the threatened squares with 5’ for AoO too?

Q: How many AoO’s can you get from a single move action?
I wonder what happens if an enemy tries to come closer to a huge creature with a reach weapon. Is it square by square getting one for every threatened square it moves out of? Or only one time?

I think a huge creature with reach weapon looks like this:
X= out of reach, R=threatened by reach weapon (flying blade), N=threatened by natural reach (Ape, bite), C= creature
XRRRNNNCCNNNRRRX
So if an enemy moves from x up to a square adjacent to the creature, is that
A: 5 AoO (3 Reach weapon and 2 Natural weapon)
B: 1 AoO per movement, even though it passes more threatened squares
C: 0 AoO since it started on a square that was not threatened.

I’m designing a few character options for the Skulls & Schakles AP. Which means I want to incorporate some important skills in the design. Mainly Profession (Sailor) and Diplomacy. As a base comparison, I’ve designed a pretty straight forward Cleric of Erastil with Feather and Conversion (inquisition) as domains. Adding boon companion to the animal companion gained at lvl4. Pro’s of this build are high perception, high Sailor, high Diplomacy, summoning tactics and an animal companion as a hammer. The low skill points are a drawback though, especially since I’m counting on the Heart of the Fields alternative race option.

Now I’m trying to see if I can get better results with a Divine Hunter or a Sacred Huntsmaster inquisitor. Dropping the summoning, but going all out on creating a devastating hammer animal companion and being a skill monkey myself. Gaining the conversion inquisition as a domain at 3rd lvl. Why a skill monkey? Because I like to roleplay, and will leave the combat part to those who are build for it: Regular monkeys ;-)

I had some questions about mechanics too. Feel free to critique and suggest alternatives, but this is what I started to work with:

Human Divine hunter, Ape companion, Conversion domain
Skills:

Stats:
Wisdom-con-dex-int-str-cha

Q: Can I drop handle animal when I get a more intelligent animal?
I’m thinking eye for talent into int for the first three levels of an Ape, a new Ape at 4th with eye for talent in str and an ability raise to get int to 3. So can I just command it without ever needing handle animal? Or do I still need to put skill points into it?

Q: Can I give my large Ape the exotic weapon proficiency (Flying Blade)?
How does a weapon work for an Animal Companion? Does it gain iterative attacks at bab +6? It’s an Ape, I think it can hold a chain and throw it around.

Q: How does the damage of a Flying blade scale?
I’m thinking bigger is better. So using a flying blade one size category larger than the Animal Companion (even after Animal growth, so at lvl10 that would be gargantuan). Also adding lead blades as a touch spell. In the end it would be like hurling a sharpened lead anchor around. I’m thinking:
Flying blade: 1d12 -large-> 3d6 –huge->4d6 -gargantuan-> 6d6 –lead blades-> 9d6

Q: Does lunge stack with natural reach and reach weapon? Does it increase the threatened squares with 5’ for AoO too?

Q: How many AoO’s can you get from a single move action?
I wonder what happens if an enemy tries to come closer to a huge creature with a reach weapon. Is it square by square getting one for every threatened square it moves out of? Or only one time?

Animal companion concept: Str based Ape, flying blade AoO

Pro’s and Cons:

I made this post too long again…

I'm working on a scarred witch doctor design and could use some clarification and pointers.

Abilities:
Maxing Con, dumping char and possibly str and/or wis

Racial heritage: Orc
I have seen people take this and start a Scarred Witch Doctor at first lvl, but I think you choose your class before your feats, so I'll lvl dip first. If I understand correct, this enables me to pick a human +2 Con and still become a Scarred Witch doctor.

Barbarian lvl dip:
I am taking the barbarian for the con boost while raging and add Raging Vitality as a second feat to give a total +6 con while raging. I am thinking of the sea reaver or drunken brute archetypes. That last one would enable me to resort to drinking near the end of combat to preserve my limited raging rounds.

Raging Hexes:
I personally interpret the rules so that a Witch can use hexes while raging, as long as they are (Su). This would allow me to slumber (I call it faint for flavor) with a +3 DC bonus, since I think the temp boost adds to the hex DC. At lvl 3 that means DC 16 (19 while raging). At lvl 8 DC 21(24 while raging)

Prehensile hair:
Since it uses Con, it gives a raging +8 str at character lvl 3 (con stat +5, rage +3).
At lvl 8 this would be 11 (con +5, ability raise +1, belt +2, rage +3)
Since it is her only natural attack, it is treated as a primary with 1&1/2 str.

Coup de Coiffure
Using Prehensile Hair to coup de grace. Looks like you can coup de grace with natural attacks with crit x2:
At lvl 3 with 2d3+ 2x(8+2/8)= min 26 dmg meaning For dc 36 or die
At lvl 8 that would be 2d3+ 2x(11+2/11)= min 34 dmg meaning For dc 44 or die

Massive HP
Can you pick a different favorite class then the one you have at lvl 1?
Scarred Witch doctor fav class:
1d12 + (1d6+1)x(char lvl-1) + con bonus x char lvl +(3xchar lvl while raging)
Lvl 3: 37 hp or rage 46 hp: 1d12 + 3d6+3 +15 (+9 while raging)
Lvl 8: 106 hp or rage 130 hp: 1d12 + 7d6 +7 +64 (+24 while raging)

Can't cast spells while raging, so can't add the +6 to Con. I have seen some people suggest taking urban barbarian for the controlled rage. But I don't see how this could allow for casting while raging.

Patron: water
This gives me elemental body III at char lvl 13 for another +6 size boost to con.

Background: I was thinking of using this character for skulls & shackles. Background would be that she was used as a slave on a ship leaving her mutilated and traumatized. This made her extremely resilient, but also borderline insane. Drinking through the self inflicted pain during battle. Her grotesque and furious self mutilation causing even hardened seamen to faint at the very sight. Strangling passed out sailors with her hair as she moves like a nightmare around the ship.

I expect to be redirected somewhere since this is probably clarified somewhere else already, but I couldn't find it.

I just created a Good Oracle Seer/Life cohort to go with my Paladin. She will have some Item creation feats, including Create Wand.

Now did I get this right that a wand of cure light wounds CL 1 costs 750 gp base? Then could I add Item requires a specific alignment: Good, cutting the price by 30% making it cost 525 gp? So since that's base, it costs me 262,5 gp to make a fully charged Wand CLW CL 1, or 5,25 gp per 1d8+1 charge?

Making one of these per party member either good or neutral depending on their alignment would give all of them a nifty happy stick at minimal costs.

As for difficulty I figure 5 DC to create +1 for the spell level, or did I miss the CL of wands? So cutting construction time in half for another 5, that means 2 (3 if the DM allows spreading work hours over different 4 hour blocks) wands per day when resting, or 1 every 2 days out adventuring at an easy 11 CL to make.

I mean, I love it, but is it correct?

Thanks for the help.

"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you."

 I used a straightforward cliché Paladin in the current campaign I'm in. The GM killed him with mosquito's, so I made this. 

 Story:
The keyword of the story behind this Character is struggle.  Of the stern Golden Dragon awakening from the small and playful Gnome and of the taint of the abyss wearing on the Paladin. At first he indulges in his minor fire tricks and easily uses his powers purely for good. But as his power grows, so does the challenge of staying on the righteous path. The Acts of Iomedae are the only thing that can keep the fire from consuming himself and those around him. Directing his struggle against evil to keep it from lashing out against good. But one way or the other, the beast shall be unleashed...

Pyromaniac Gnome
Traits: Magical knack (sorcerer), Magical lineage (burning hands)

Class lvls:
Sorcerer 1, 16-20 total 6
Paladin, 2-5 total 4
Dragon Disciple 6-15 total 10

Bloodline: Draconic Gold

Stats: 15 PB (In the campaign I was very lucky with high standard rolls, but I'll use point buy for reference)
Str:10 - Dex:12 - Con:14 - Int:12 - Wis:10 - Cha17

Feats:
Still spell, Create wondrous items, Skill focus planes, Leadership, Eldritch heritage Abyssal, Improved Eldritch heritage 9th lvl power, Intensify spell, Spell Perfection Burning hands, Greater Eldritch heritage
Bonus feats at hit dice: Toughness 7, Quicken Spell 10, Blind Fight 13, Skill focus Fly 20
Arcane strike instead of create wondrous if magic items are easily found or leadership if GM does not allow it.
 
Str evolution: 10 at lvl 1-6,   12 at lvl 7-8,   14 at lvl 9-10,   16 at lvl 11-14,   18 at lvl 15-16,   20 at lvl 17-20
Con evolution: 14 at lvl 1-10,   16 at lvl 11-20
Int evolution: 12 at lvl 1-12,   14 at lvl 15-20
Cha evolution: 17 at lvl 1-3,   18 at lvl 4-11,   20 at lvl 12-19,   22 at lvl 20

Items:
Silver smite bracelets
Robes of arcane heritage
Celestial armor
Belt of str (not counted in the previous numbers)
Headband of cha (not counted in the previous numbers)
Amulet of mighty fists

Role:
In the campaign I'm in, they needed a tank (although I disike the term), a face and an extra damage dealer. I'll be using a melee weapon & magic against most encounters and smite combined with claws against the main evil encounters so the smite and cha make up for the low starting str.

Pro's for me:
Up to 3 smites per day meaning +(3-6) on attacks & up to +8/16 damage & bypass DR
High cha bonus added to saves
Full draconic bloodline powers up to lvl 20
Up to CL 15 despite the Paladin lvls
Still burning hands at lvl 1 from the start, allowing armor and shield
8 Intensified burning hands as lvl 1 spells for up to 10D4+10 at HD 13
7 Still intensified burning hands as lvl 2 spells for up to 10D4+10 at HD 13
All previous mentioned Burning hands as swift actions at HD 15
Produce flame to blast for a few rounds at lower lvls
Lay on hands as a quick fix at lower lvls
2x 3+(3-6) rounds of Claws
Claw/bite natural attacks combined with smite instead of high BAB full round attacks
High HP
Natural armor up to +3 DD & +4 Bloodline
Creating most items myself, a bard cohort to buff and possibly create more

Con's for me:
Max spell lvl 6th
Low BAB
Low str start

Any advice is appreciated.