Vastianos's page

I'm currently playing a homebrew class, as Christopher Delvo's engineer. Was wondering if anyone here has played the class and if so what were they're thoughts and or advice.

While tenacious guardian is active does it take damage from both it and dying. Affectively taking two damage per turn?

I would love an official ruling on this but...

I have read a couple of threads on the subject but both were posted a few years ago so I was hoping there would be more information?

People either read this as "He can attack you without the bonus, negating the feat." Or
"He has the bonus ragardless, he can choose not to attack you this round but if he does he invokes the AoO."

My question is which is it? My gm has chosen the former and I have to say it makes the feat seam a bit lackluster if it won't count when it matters.

Look into the Fortuitous weapon enchantment. It's worth getting on any primary use weapons for your hunter and an Amulet of Mighty Fists for your companion.

This brings up a very good conversation point as well. Does anyone have gear suggestions? I was thinking of perhaps the Goz mask for obscuring mist combo but the problem arose that Hal of my character (my animal companion) wouldn't be able to see unless I bought him the Google version that is much less appealing. Belt of the weasel for the animal as dm decreed that it may have a magical belt and a normal saddle or a magical saddle and no belt. Will help greatly if I choose to go mammoth rider and make him huge.

Markov Spiked Chain wrote:

That's true. I've been playing in PFS, so trip is still fairly useful, and usually picking up Greater Trip from Brawler, so I can grab something else.

The other option I've seen/been toying with is Feint Partner +Improved Feint Partner +Improved Feint. It's more feats and skill points, but you're already at Bluff 5. Feint +Full BaB attack w/o Dex +4/8 + Standard action is better than a full attack, and your buddy gets a free AoO out of the deal as well. If you enemy is feintable.

I'd say Trip is still somewhat effective depending on Campaign as well. If you take the Coordinated maneuvers Teamwork feat + Outflank + BaB + Str + Enlarge (50gp a potion) + Dusty Rose Prism (in a wayfinder) + Improved/Greater Trip Bonus. You can still get a very good Trip Bonus.

True you will run into enemies that can not be tripped (Lots of Legs, no legs, flight)...but the ones who can be tripped could be decimated by it. But you can not take a feat that is a single Catch all for every situation you "MAY" encounter.

I personally liked the trip build when I ran a very similar build. Tho I ran with a Grab companion so coordinated maneuvers helped on the grapples as well. Giving the Hunter 2 Maneuver options among damage and other tools.

That's a very good argument towards tripping, we have a purely support player in group that (for whatever reason) is planning on a purely split bard10/alchemist10 so getting enlarged potions won't really be an issue. I am starting to lean towards it and looking to see where it would best fit in the build

Seize the Moment AoO doesn't stack with Outflank AoO since they're the same trigger. I wouldn't bother with StM.

Weirdly, Improved Spell Sharing doesn't require Spell Sharing, so Bodyguard is great. Particularly with Lookout. Losing Evasion is a little annoying, but I haven't had any issues.

I usually start the day with Improved Spell Sharing, cast a bunch of Hour/level spells (usually with a Lesser Extend Rod: Greater Magic Fang, Greater Longstrider, Delay Poison) then swap ISH to a different Teamwork feat I actually want to fight with. So I'd recommend always swapping out ISH before you level and getting some use out of your Wis per day Teamwork swaps. Even if you want to use it for shorter buffs, keep it as your last Teamwrok feat so you can swap out and back without a big loss.

Improved/Greater Trip is solid, giving you both a nice AoO with big bonuses.

I had completely removed and ignored the thought of switching teamwork feats out as it didn't seem useful to me. This is an amazing tip though. As for trip/greater trip I have heard it's very difficult to pull it off in the higher levels do to the massive cmd higher CR's have, also less and less humanoid enemies as they are replaced with quadrupeds, oozes, ghosts ect. It makes me hesitant as I would only be able to fit in early as level 9 with my plan.

I'd pass on the Bodyguard archetype.

Butterfly Sting combined with Quickdraw is also good times if you're crit-fishing.

As a hunter I don't have much spells I am interested in that are only personal so the only thing I give up with the bodyguard archetype is evasion. I like the butterfly sting idea, but knowing my dm he would probably not go for the whole "being your own ally" bit it would require as he doesn't allow teamwork feats that require you be adjecent count when you are mounted.

Improved critical to qualify for Seize the Moment seem Necessary. But you need a +8 BaB which isn't till Level 11. SO in this case you will need to skip the Keen. But its not a terrible choice as you can carry potions of Bless weapon and Auto Confirm Critical.

As far as the Bodyguard Archetype.

You give up Share Spell on the Companion.

Thanks for pointing out the improved critical, that can replace level 9 feat if seize the moment actually works with outflank. It seems it may a dm to dm thing as I have read a couple of posts on the subject and no one could agree. As far as Spell sharing how's, improved spell sharing does not require it to take. Only that you have a animal companion.

I was hoping for build advice, the campaign i'm in we are currently level 4 but the DM allows retraining in downtime. Plan on trying to get as much AOO's out of a Keen weapon as possible.

Human (starting stats)

STR 18 (16 + 2)
DEX 14
CON 14
INT 13
WIS 14
CHA 7

Level 4: +1 STR
Level 8: +1 STR
Level 12: +1 STR
Level 16: +1 STR

Feat Selection:
Level 1: Combat Expertise (Human)
Level 1: Power Attack
Level 2: Outflank (Precise Companion)
Level 3: Combat Reflexes
Level 3: Pack Flanking (Teamwork)
Level 5: Paired Opportunists
Level 6: Broken Wing Gambit (Teamwork)
Level 7: Planar Focus
Level 9: Escape Route/Lookout
Level 9: Improved Spell Sharing (Teamwork)
Level 11:
Level 12: Seize the Moment (Teamwork)
Level 13:
Level 15: Distracting Charge
Level 15: Coordinated Charge (Teamwork)
Level 17:
Level 18:
Level 19: (Teamwork)

Animal Companion: Warcat -Body Guard Archtype-(DM Gave it a thumbs up)

1: Combat Reflexes
2:Bodyguard
5: In Harms Way

Have no idea what to grab as my level 9 feat, and was thinking of dipping into Mammoth Rider at level 10. Their is also the issue of if Outflank and Seize the Moment even work together.