ShadowDax's page

There are design flaws with the mutagenist. Everybody can use a mutagen, and all your simple weapons go up in class along with your natural attacks because they’re simple weapons too. However, I am hardheaded and like the idea of fighting using mutagens. I’m trying to get as many minds as I can together on this, what would you all suggest I do? Also multi-classing is all I can think of & a lot of guides suggest my ideas are bad ones.

If you are rating offensive Power I agree with you. In the category of must-have‘s for buffs, Healing and getting a player back into the game it is almost in reverse.

I’m not trying to be rude or anything, It is as if the game designers designed the lists this way.

As you get closer to the 20th level the spells get very powerful for either of the lists.

It seems you might get Hunter‘s edge anyway the way it reads. Multiclassing into Ranger only says you get hunters prey.

My downloads still displays the old 1.0 starfinder field guide

According to the rules off the top of my mind for crafting, you can increase the DC to make the wand of allchemical allocation at +5 higher if the spell in question is not on the spell list of the crafter.

According to the advanced players guide faq, allchemists are not spell castors even though an extracts effects work like a spell.

This is a little confusing, can a wizard or the like make a wand of allchemical allocation or not?

Please explain a little more than a 'yes' or 'no'.

So with cats grace, your base ac is 22. With the barkskin an ac of 26, if your opponent is chaotic with magic circle versus chaos an ac of 28. Wih the mutagen and ac of 30. Using a shield extract, an ac of 34. Maybe using an extract of reduce person and ac of 35. Reduce person does not hurt your bombs and you can burn the barbarian away with your bombs. provided you have fast bombs that is.

If you are seventh level or higher this might work. Alchemical Allocation to not use the potion up. The class ability enhance potion to make the potions your level (retraining maybe?) and amplify elixer to extend the potion. You cannot extend extracts.

Ironskin lasts a minute a level. If you are willing to put up with that there is an advantage with barkskin, it lasts ten minutes a level. Iron skin is personal and cannot be made into potion form. Barkskin can be made into potion form. Look, if you are sixth level or higher, barkskin can give you +3 or more ac. The class ability enhance potion makes it your level. Amplify elixer extends it and allchemical allocation does not use up the potion. You just buy it once.

There is a good chance the barbarian is chaotic in alignment. Magic circle against chaos would work. That is +2 more in ac as a deflection bonus. Then, there is the shield spell if you can afford to cast the extract before combat.

The money down is to buy potions.

Some one told me there is a rule about splitting potions and there is a limitation as to how many times you can do this. I can't find it. Maybe someone knows something about this, please post where this rule is. Thanks in advance.

Thanks Toirin for such neat clarification, I missed it. I appreciate everybody's posts to build the character. I thank you all!

Defensive Strategist (Religion)
Reactionary (Combat)

These traits are for survival, the first trait keeps my dex till my turn and Reactionary gives a +2 to initiative checks.

Feats
1. weapon finesse
3. Dervish Dance
5. additional traits: magical lineage (magic)/Wayang spell hunter (combat)
Bonus feat: Empower spell metamagic feat

Dervish Dance is the only dex to damage feat that I know of that works with spell combat. This is the base of the build. The trick with empower spell is it works well with magical lineage, Wayang spell hunter and shocking grasp. It makes Shocking grasp a second level spell and the power curve works great. Magical Lineage and Wayang spell hunter is connected to Shocking Grasp and is retrainable to force punch or what not.

7. Intensive spell
9. weapon focus - scimitar
11.quickdraw
bonus feat: Improved critical - Scimitar

This is a PFS build. Intensive spell is a must for shocking grasp. Quickdraw is there because it is a prerequisite for maximize spell strike at thirteenth level even though I show this build till 11th level. I cant think of anything else better with the feat at ninth level and the bonus feat at eleventh level . If you have any better Ideas about any of this please post the strategy behind it.

Magus arcana
3rd level magus arcana: Flamboyant
6th level magus arcana: arcane accuracy
9th level magus arcana: spell blend – Heroism

Flamboyant is a prerequisite for arcana deed and is luxury in my opinion. I will have to come up with a strategy to use it with so many other ways to use my pool points. Arcane accuracy is much needed for those high AC fights. The ninth level magus arcana will be traded out at 13th level so it is just a standby.

Elf
S 10, d 18, Cn 13, i 16, W 10, Ca 8
20 pt build
Favorite class point to HP. I will increase my dex at fourth and eighth level and con at 12th level.

Basically, everything is adjustable, please post why you would adjust anything. Keep in mind, the whole Idea is to have a Dex magus.

Precise strike doesn't work since you count as swashbuckler 0 for your magus level. Put Flamboyant as your level 3 extra magus arcana.

where is this errata, I can't find it in a faq-acg.

this is the adjusted build

Defensive Strategist (Religion)
Reactionary (Combat)

These traits are for survival, the first trait keeps my dex till my turn and Reactionary gives a +2 to initiative checks.

Feats
1. weapon finesse
3. extra magus arcana: Arcana deed; Precise strike
5. additional traits: magical lineage (magic)/Wayang spell hunter (Regional)
Bonus feat: Dervish Dance

I would put Dervish dance at third level but that means I don't have a proper feat for the bonus feat at fifth level. Dervish Dance is the only dex to damage feat that I know of that works with spell combat. This is the base of the build. Magical Lineage and Wayang spell hunter is connected to Shocking Grasp and is retrainable to force punch or what not. If that is not what arcana deed is for what can you do with it.

7. Intensive spell
9. Empower spell metamagic feat
11.quickdraw
bonus feat: Improved critical - Scimitar

This is a PFS build. Intensive spell is a must for shocking grasp. Using empower spell and intensive spell to work with magical lineage, Wayang spell hunter and shocking grasp makes Shocking grasp a second level spell and the power curve works great. Spell Blending is there because I can't think of anything else. Quickdraw is there because it is a prerequisite for maximize spell strike at thirteenth level even though I show this build till 11th level. I cant think of anything else better with the bonus feat at eleventh level. If you have any better Ideas about any of this please post the strategy behind it.

Magus arcana
3rd level magus arcana: Flamboyant
6th level magus arcana: arcane accuracy
9th level magus arcana: spell blend – Heroism

Flamboyant is a prerequisite for arcana deed and is luxury in my opinion. I will have to come up with a strategy to use it with so many other ways to use my pool points. Arcane accuracy is much needed for those high AC fights. The ninth level magus arcana will be traded out at 13th level so it is just a standby.

Elf
S 10, d 18, Cn 13, i 16, W 10, Ca 8
20 pt build
Favorite class point to HP. I will increase my dex at fourth and eighth level and con at 12th level.

Basically, everything is adjustable, please post why you would adjust anything. Keep in mind, the whole Idea is to have a Dex magus.

Wayang Spell Hunter functions identical to Magical Lineage; the only caveat is that it's only for a spell whose base spell level is level 3 or less.

There is no synergy with the feat and the Arcana outside of what I've stated. If a spell is already Empowered, you can't Double Empower it and hope to get two sets of 50% increases in damage, they won't stack.

Having the Empower feat lets you scribe Empowered Shocking Grasps as 2nd level spells to cast as Standard Actions, and aren't something you can just tack on whenever you feel like it (i.e. spontaneous spellcasting). Having the Arcana gives you a 1/day spontaneous use without casting time or spell level increase, which is pointless because you already spent resources to be able to do so as much as possible, and reduce the cost of that with your de facto spell to a minimum as it is, that this kind of investment is pointless unless it's for something other than your de facto spell.

I wouldn't stack both feat and magus arcana of empower on top of one another. I will readjust the build though with arcana deed and flamboyant.

ShadowDax wrote:

Darksol the Painbringer wrote:

While I can understand having a high Concentration is important for a Magus, I don't think it's worthwhile to ignore the Wayang Spell Hunter trait. My suggestion is to take Reactionary (or go the Adopted route for Unbreakable Hate to maintain Concentration Check bonuses) and Defensive Strategist with your standard traits, and then with your Additional Traits feat, take Wayang Spell Hunter and Magical Lineage, letting you have free Empower or Intensify Shocking Grasps (with combining both simply being a 2nd level spell slot).

Magical Lineage works for all metamagic feats on one spell. It is not connected to one spell and one metamagic feat. I see it as redundant to have wayang spell hunter.

Magical Lineage reduces the final adjusted spell level by one. So if you have Magical Lineage (Shocking Grasp) then an Empowered, Intensified Shocking Grasp Spell will use a 3rd level slot: 1st level spell +2(Empower Spell) +1(Intensified Spell) -1(Magical Lineage). Wayang Spellhunter reduces that by one more level to use a 2nd level slot as Darksol said. Using both for the same spell is common for Magus builds.

Now that I have read the trait again, I see what you all were trying to point out. To me it kind of reads both ways though, I'll adjust the build though.

You should lower your Strength to 10 and boost up your Wisdom and Constitution; outside of carrying capacity, there's no reason to have a 12 Strength, and unless you bump it to 13 Strength for Power Attack (which isn't until 9th level at the earliest), I'd advise against it.

I don't like power attack for this build. The 12 str is for carrying capacity. Not much for anything else. Using it to boost Con, hmmm.

While I can understand having a high Concentration is important for a Magus, I don't think it's worthwhile to ignore the Wayang Spell Hunter trait. My suggestion is to take Reactionary (or go the Adopted route for Unbreakable Hate to maintain Concentration Check bonuses) and Defensive Strategist with your standard traits, and then with your Additional Traits feat, take Wayang Spell Hunter and Magical Lineage, letting you have free Empower or Intensify Shocking Grasps (with combining both simply being a 2nd level spell slot).

Magical Lineage works for all metamagic feats on one spell. It is not connected to one spell and one metamagic feat. I see it as redundant to have wayang spell hunter.

Note that you can qualify for Fighter feats by 10th level, so I would take Weapon Focus at 9th, and then proceed to take Weapon Specialization with your bonus 11th (and take Improved Critical as your base feat). You'll have enough feats to get Maximize by 13th level, and then Spell Perfection by 15th (assuming you play the character for that long).

I think having the Empower Spell Arcana is pointless unless, for example, you want to have an emergency Vampiric Touch for when you get low (and don't want to/can't burn a potion or other consumable), since the Empower Feat lets you already memorize Empowered Shocking Grasps that can be cast as normal anyway; having that one extra Empower for a standard Shocking Grasp slot isn't really worth an Arcana.

I'd suggest bumping your Spell Blending Arcana to 6th (you can retrain it at 7th level for Heroism if you really want that spell, though there are some good 1st and 2nd level Wizard-only spells to consider), and taking a different Arcana at 9th. Suggestions include Hasted Assault (1 Arcane Pool point for Haste for 1 round), Close Range (You can use spells like Enervation with your Spell Combat, which can do a lot more in a combat against a super powerful enemy than...

I could use extra magus arcana for hasted assault at ninth level but I have lots of stuff to use pool points on, I'll consider it though. the empower magus arcana is there to create synergy with the empower metamagic feat. I'll consider all these suggestions and think long about it.

I am shocked precise strike does not work with flamboyant.

You can't weapon focus at level 1. I assume you mean weapon finesse

Yes, you are correct. Oops

Parry and Riposte isn't bad to be honest. In my Strange Aeons run, the magus missed his spellcombat attacks, but the charge was still held, so when the monster attacked him, he parried, then riposted the monster, delivering the shocking grasp charge and killing it in the process.

I count it as a classic case of villain being hoisted by his own petard.

To keep flamboyant all by itself I would be going through pool points too quickly. Between powering up the weapon, recalling spells and arcane accuracy magus arcana, I have enouph to use pool points on. I well consider it though.

Since, I have been told precise strike does not work with the Magus this is the alternate build.

Defensive Strategist (Religion)
Quantium University graduate (Regional)
These traits are for survival, the first trait keeps my dex till my turn and Quantium gives a +2 to concentration checks.

Feats and Magus arcana

1. weapon focus
3. Dervish Dance
magus arcana: arcane accuracy
5. additional traits: magical lineage (magic)/reactionary (combat)
Bonus feat: Empower spell metamagic feat

Dervish Dance is the only dex to damage feat that I know of that works with spell combat. Arcane accuracy is much needed for those high AC fights. The trick with empower spell is it works well with magical lineage and shocking grasp. It makes Shocking grasp a second level spell and the power curve works great. Magical Lineage is connected to Shocking Grasp and is retainable to force punch or what not. This is the base of the build. Reactionary is there because I can't think of anything else to put there. If you have any better Ideas about any of this please post the strategy behind it.

6. magus arcana: empower spell

7. Intensive spell

9.magus arcana: spell blending - Heroism

11.quickdraw
bonus feat: Improved critical - Scimitar

This is a PFS build. The empower spell arcana works well with the Empower spell metamagic feat. Intensive spell is a must for shocking grasp. Spell Blending is there because I can't think of anything else. Quickdraw is there because it is a prerequisite for maximize spell strike at thirteenth level even though I show this build till 11th level. I cant think of anything else better with the magus arcana: spell blending or with the bonus feat at eleventh level. If you have any better Ideas about any of this please post the strategy behind it.

Elf
S 12, d 18, Cn 12, i 16, W 10, Ca 8
20 pt build
Favorite class point to HP. I will increase my dex at fourth and eighth level.

Basically, everything is adjustable, please post why you would adjust anything. Keep in mind, the whole Idea is to have a Dex magus.

One more thing, the magus arcana was supposed to be flamboyant, Precise strike was supposed to be from the extra magus arcana feat.

That is a big change. The only reason Flamboyant was there was because of precise strike. I will have to change the beginning.

Defensive Strategist (Religion)
Quantium University graduate (Regional)

These traits are for survival, the first trait keeps my dex till my turn and Quantium gives a +2 to concentration checks.

Feats and Magus arcana
1. weapon focus
3. extra magus arcana: Precise strike
magus arcana: Flamboyant
5. additional traits: magical lineage (magic)/reactionary (combat)
Bonus feat: Dervish Dance

I would put Dervish dance at third level but that means I don't have a proper feat for the bonus feat at fifth level. Dervish Dance is the only dex to damage feat that I know of that works with spell combat. This is the base of the build. Magical Lineage is connected to Shocking Grasp and is retrainable to force punch or what not. Reactionary is there because I can't think of anything else to put there. If you have any better Ideas about any of this please post the strategy behind it.

6. magus arcana: arcane accuracy

7. Intensive spell

9. Empower spell metamagic feat
magus arcana: spell blending - Heroism

11.quickdraw
bonus feat: Improved criticle - Scimitar

This is a PFS build. Arcane accuracy is much needed for those high AC fights. Intensive spell is a must for shocking grasp. The trick with empower spell is it works well with magical lineage and shocking grasp. It makes Shocking grasp a second level spell and the power curve works great. Spell Blending is there because I can't think of any thing else. Quickdraw is there because it is a prerequisite for maximize spell strike at thirteenth level even though I show this build till 11th level. I cant think of anything else better with the bonus feat at eleventh level. If you have any better Ideas about any of this please post the strategy behind it.

Elf
S 12, d 18, Cn 12, i 16, W 10, Ca 8
20 pt build
Favorite class point to HP. I will increase my dex at fourth and eighth level.

Basically, everything is adjustable, please post why you would adjust anything. Keep in mind, the whole Idea is to have a Dex magus.

Thanks for all your input, I appreciate it.

In rereading it, I see the advantage of having it only for Marshall flexibility instead of the build. Talking about dedicated adversary that is. I see what you’re saying Ferious Thune. Been a while Spence I read it. Oops

Just a note, in case of misunderstanding (on your part or mine): Dedicated Adversary is only really useful through Martial Flexibility, because you can choose who it affects each time you pick it up that way. If you take the actual feat, then you make the choice once and it's set. So the suggestion is to get it through Martial Flexibility whenever you don't have something better to get. Not to take it as a locked in feat.

You probably understood that. The "I'll consider this in the build" made me unsure.

With regards to using a weapon 2-handed, note that heavy shields are a one-handed weapon. It's probably late in the build to aim for that, but it's a way to not sacrifice AC and still do 2-handed power attack damage. They're in the close group, so you eventually get Brawler damage dice. There are a lot of feats you'd want, though.

To consider this in the build I meant to use it through Marshall flexibility, and if I use it lots of times I will put it in the build at a high-level. That’s if I really enjoy the feat. This is a PFS character and I do own the toolbox book that it is in. Thanks for the suggestion . I appreciate everybodys thoughts on this thread.

You're a brawler:

1) You don't need two weapons, you seem to possibly be aware of this but a lot of people are talking about using two weapons...which is terrible since you can flurry with one and it's a lot of extra cost.
2) Are you terribly attached to unarmed strikes? Making unarmed combat work is hard. You're much better off using Sansetsukon. It's two handed, so you get better power attack scaling, the damage is a d10, which is better than you start with for unarmed (and by the time your unarmed strike would be higher other things factor in more heavily), and is easier and less expensive to enchant.
3) Ultimately you need to worry less about reducing the penalty from brawler's flurry (which is only a -2) and focus on just generally increasing your attack bonus.

As for your point in #2, I thought power attack was the same the no matter what I use when I use brawlers flurry. It makes a sansetsukon attractive for both damage and to hit. Thanks for the heads up.

Blade Tutor's Spirit isn't PFS-legal, either, unfortunately.

ShadowDax - What do you use Martial Flexibility for? One of the best fallback options is Dedicated Adversary (assuming someone in the group can at least identify the creature type of what you're fighting). It effectively becomes a version of Slayer's Studied Target, where you spend a Move action to get a +2 to-hit and damage against a creature type. For PFS, you have to pick an ethnicity if the creature is Human, and a subtype for Humanoid and Outsider. But it's a good boost to-hit and damage when you don't need Martial Flexibility for anything else.

I use Marshall flexibility with the trip feats or the hamatula strike feat, I’m 7th level. Thanks for tell me about the dedicated adversary feat. I’ll consider this in the build.

This is for a PFS character. I have a brawler that does not have much to hit with after all the negatives of power attack and brawlers flurry. Beyond weapon focus - improved unarmed strike, A cracked pale green prism and the amulet of mighty fists +1.I’m trying to research a way to improve the chances of hitting with brawlers Flurry.

Could you elaborate?

I’m looking to reduce The penalties for fighting with two different weapons. Preferably to a minus one as opposed to a -2 at minimal.

Such a feat might help the brawler class.

Thanks for your all input. I rate int, str, dex and the important stat of a character over con when I increase a stat. We shall see what happens when I run into another affliction. I made my first save, so good so far.

If you're asking "Does any class use con to calculate Resolve Points" then the answer is no.

But if, in fact, you're asking "Is there any reason to have a con more than 10" then the answer is "Yes. It gives stamina points and a bonus to Fort saves". How important those latter 2 are is going to depend a lot on your character.

One thing to note, diseases and poisons are NASTY in Starfinder. Nastier than in Pathfinder. Saving against them is more important.

Are afflictions the only thing to worry about? A class with good fort saves and a mark 1 ring or just a mark 1 ring might solve that. I believe a mark 1 ring is attainable at second level. Character stats are at a premium from first level.

Con is used for stamina points, which protect your precious hitpoints. Depending on group and money usage it can be very difficult to restore hitpoints. Con boosts your fortitude save. It affects niche scenarios like forced marches, running, drowning. There's an augmentation I've fallen in love with called the venom spur which scales off your con score.

I see reason to invest in it for sure.

I haven't read all the classes or some classes seem popular I don't play them in organized play. There will be at least one person playing those classes.

When I make a build I try to use feats and powers from the class to build synergy to make it stronger. Con is not used as a main stat that I know of for any class. Feats and class powers seem to be based on strength, wisdom, intelligence and dexterity. Con would be going out of the way.

I don't see any importance in Constitution for making characters in starfinder. It is not related to hit points any more and is very static in your SP. Maybe to raise your fort saves some but otherwise, I don't see a reason to go higher than 10.

What is your thoughts in the matter? Am I missing something or did the game creators take away the importance of a constitution minimum.

Getting the holy on your bow is if you are combat focused with nothing else much in mind. The other two items will not disappoint you at your current level. The circlet of persuasion makes your character a little efficient in all charisma skills whether you have ranks in them or not. Being the face is not that bad now in the last two seasons of PFS.

For all characters, UMD is one of the easiest ways to go. The charisma score is your friend, helps stat out UMD. Dangerously Curious as a trait from the magic traits. It gives you UMD as a class skill plus one more plus one bonus as a trait bonus to boost the skill.

Cheap magic items that help stat out UMD are: a cracked magenta ioun stone, +2 competence bonus to any one skill, 800 gp from the pfs primer.

It gets more expensive but worth it, a wand key ring from the acg. Three thousand gold for a plus ten insight bonus toward one spell.

More expensive but if charisma is one of the main stats for the skills you have chosen, a circlet of persuasion. Plus three competence bonus toward all your characters charisma skills, 4,500 gp.

being a Half Elf and putting skill focus toward UMD.

Most likely you'll be using scrolls. A wand is ideal though, a dc of 20 for all your checks no matter the wand, no AoO either.

All my fighters have a -2 charisma but UMD cracked out for the wand of shield in the first round of combat.

Take it at face value, no matter what the creature flying is wearing it has to be light armor to take off. It defeats the purpose of having a flying mount and not be able to fly because it is wearing heavy or medium armor. It is a very strict restriction without any room to get out of it.

The game designers feel too high an AC and flying is just too broken and way too powerful, no matter what the strength of the creature is.

I thank you all for the help, Avoron you have really cut short my homework, thank you. Where is offensive defense extra rogue talent from?

Thank you and you all have been a lot of help.

What feats are out there that raise AC and where are they outside the core rule book?

This is the feat build in a nutshell: six levels of the slayer class then, ten levels of the crimson templar prestige class from paths of the righteous. This is a PFS build.

Human traits: reactionary and indominidal(spelling) faith, the idea is to start fast with reactionary and prop up the will save some.

Feats:
1. exo wpn pro bastard sword and combat reflexes.
Bastard sword is a prerequisite for the crimson templar build.

2. ranger combat style from the slayer class - quick draw.

The tactic is to carry a horsechopper and get a free shot or trip a creature coming at me until it is my turn. Use a light steel quick draw shield and quick draw both that and the bastard sword. Next, use a move action to study the enemy and attack. All this before the end of my turn.

3. power attack, this is a prerequisite for crimson templar.

4. weapon focus, weapon training from the slayer class. A prerequisite for the shatter defenses feat.

5. Dazzling display, this is a prerequisite for the shatter defenses feat.

6. Vital strike, from the slayer class: combat trick
This is a prerequisite for crimson templar.

7. Shatter defenses, this is the heart of why I would get sneak attack for a few rounds. Note: I must use dazzling display first and scare targets. This is also my first level of crimson templar.

9.Heavy armor proficiency and improved crit = bastard swd
Heavy armor is there to improve armor class cheaply. I can't see any penalty from both the slayer class and crimson templar prestige class to use this.

11.Improved Vital strike, a theme of the build from sixth level.

suggestions, hints are wanted and if something is wrong please post and say so.

Ahhh, story, that is what is missing. I feel the story should should propel the combat and the role playing.

The hag is the center of the cave and firepower of the dungeon. Ask why is the hag there. background stories of the past are kidnapping, why kidnapping. Whatever the reason the hag is in your dungeon make a story out of it or what Clazon is suggesting.

Maybe the hag has influenced another to switch sides and study being a witch and the witches alignment. The party thinks such a person switching sides is in captivity. Twists to the game adds spice and the more you mix it up the merrier. The party's goal is too still free the person switching sides and bring the hag to ruin somehow.

This is off my head and just a few thoughts.

Bard might be too under-powered and the +1 from your performance might be forgotten by your noob friend anyway. A power class such as magus maybe, uses both fighter and wizard concepts and has fire power.

You would know the spells by heart and it lets you get in the mix. On the other hand to off set your low numbers you might try two characters and let your friend play one character.

Ah, I see, thank you for clearing this up.

Sorry to ask a standard dumb question but I want to get this right before I play the character.

QuidEst wrote:

It's built into spellcasting. There are ways around that, like specific magic items (e.g. Seducer's Bane), but generally you know if a target failed their save or not.

Chemlak wrote:

Only for targeted spells

So, an area spell that affects up to X HD doesn't give that little ping?

But a one creature/level spell does, right?

According to Chemlak, spells you cannot see you know their was an affect on you that failed to affect you, charm person, circle of death and the like. You don't know the name of the effect that was cast on you.

The castor knows the spells failed on a successfull saving throw with effects that cannot be seen. Spells with effects that you cannot see you know if they failed their saving throw. That is somewhere else though in the rules.

Great suggestions Hugo Rune, I am greatful for your help.

I believe a collision involves the base of the creature attacking not it's reach. When you charge you stop with the first space of reach between you & the creature you're attacking.

I would think colliding would involve the base of the charging creature & the base of the defending creature making contact. Maybe even pushing the other aside or just entering its space, the creature attacking that is.

deuxhero, I like your point, maybe that is the difference between bull rushing and colliding.

The rules for colliding are a DC 25 fly check or fall, no way of stopping this with the exception of feather fall. But how do you collide?

The idea is to collide knowing it is going to happen. Skill focus fly to help crack out the skill. Snapleaf for the win, it uses the feather fall ability as an immediate action I believe. Correct me if I'm wrong.

The feats needed for the animal companion are power attack, improved and greater overrun, and skill focus fly. Escape Route would make the fifth feet for a tenth or eleventh level character.

For bull rush the feats needed are power attack, improved and greater bull rush along with quickened bull rush. The last feat is skill focus fly.

The animal companion is a Griffon. If I can use overrun feat tree it would be advantageous but I'm afraid too controversial.

The bull rush feat tree strategy seems less controversial and seemingly plausible.

What do you all think?

I've noticed most creature's do not have a cracked out fly skill that fly like dragons.

Ah, dragonhunterq That looks to be the only feat. I don't know if 7 1/2 munites is quick enough though.