It seems like the only way to have a decent Eidolon is to make it large or huge. Because I'm a sucker for style, I'm trying to work out a way to make a medium Eidolon that is an effective face and fighter, as something of a Jungian double to its meek and introverted Summoner.
Is there some way to do this well?
I would probably go the biped/bite route with a 2 handed weapon.. maybe later on pick up a tail as well for fun.
That lets you get good hits with the weapon as well as secondary attacks from the bite and/or tail. (as well as the bite and/or tail addons, as fit your theme)
-S
When I said face I meant social role, not face full o' fangs. D:
I think taking the skilled evolution a bunch of times helps there, but there's not much to be done about the low mental stats.
Making a face is easy. Simply give him a half-way decent Charisma (14 perhaps?) and give him Skill Focus/Skilled in things like Diplomacy (and perhaps some of those +2/+2 feats). The bonuses from Skilled will more than make up for his not so high Charisma.
As for combat, bigger is always better EXCEPT for not being able to take your eidolon certain places (such as inside buildings, narrow cave networks, on rickety old rope bridges, etc.).
My problem is not just that bigger is better. It's that bigger is astronomically better, and even under reduce person for such situations that size evolution still grants the majority of its bonuses.
I like the idea of a medium eidolon that is a twisted mirror of its summoner. I don't want to be shoehorned into another large combat monster to be worthwhile.
It makes me wonder if a combined large + reduced into an alternate 4 point evolution would be reasonable. Instinct tells me no, but compared to the largeness maybe it's not really so bad.
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Physical Prowess (Ex) (4 point evolution)
Instead of growing larger, the eidolon focuses its power inward and becomes more capable despite its size.
The eidolon gains a +6 bonus to strength, a +4 bonus to constitution, and a +2 bonus to natural armour. The eidolon must be Medium or smaller to take this evolution. The summoner must be at least 6th level before selecting this evolution.
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Compared to Large:
Pros: The eidolon takes up less space and has no penalties to dex, AC or skills.
Cons: The eidolon gains less strength and uses smaller weapons, has less CMB/CMD and does not gain reach.
Does that look about on par?
In either case, the summoner can effectively exchange Large for Physical Prowess by casting reduce person or vice versa by casting Enlarge Person.