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There are two rules at odds when it comes to a Broodmaster's Huge Brood.
At 13th level, if the broodmaster has purchased the large evolution for his brood, he can spend an additional 6 evolution points from the evolution pool for the huge evolution, distributing the remaining points among his eidolons. This allows him to call two Large eidolons, four Medium eidolons, eight Small eidolons, or any similar combination in which two smaller eidolons count as one eidolon of one size larger.
This passage clearly states a 13th level Broodmaster could have 8 small eidolons, but per APG there is a maximum of five natural attacks at 13th level. Since all base forms have at least one (quad and aquatic) or more (biped and serpentine) free attacks wouldn't the Broodmaster be limited to a max of five eidolons at 13th (and seven at 20th)?
It would be great if you could just forfeit those free evolutions, but from doing searches on the boards, it appears this is not allowed.
Also, with the line "or any similar combination in which two smaller eidolons count as one eidolon of one size larger" mean I could merge my two large eidolons into one huge eidolon basically reverting the Broodmaster back into a base Summoner until he levels again and can change the broods makeup?
I think it means attacks per round. If you go for claws, it's impossible to have just 3 or 5 natural attacks, meaning I could get +2 limbs, +2 pair of claws, for a total of 6 attacks on the basic eidolon, but pick which 3 of them to use if I had 3 as my limit.
So you could have 8 eidolons, but only 5 could attack with natural attacks. The rest would have to do something else or use manufactured weapons to stick people with.
As for the second rule, I read it as any other combination within the suggestion. Huge isn't part of the suggestion, so no to huge, but 1 large and 2 medium(reverse engineer 2med > 1large) would go. But that's just me, I tend to lean towards being biased for rai.
Though if you read closely, it says you need to buy Huge Evolution, and then you can get two large, or four mediums. The fact that Huge wasn't mentioned suggest it's not meant to be picked, as when you take huge evolution, you gain two large instead, or split those two into four smaller, or split the four into even smaller ones.
Same way, tiny and fine aren't mentioned either, so you could not get 16 tiny eidolons, as just like huge, it's not part of the mentioned combination.
I think it means attacks per round.That would tend to make sense, but the specific text for Max Attacks from the APG says
This indicates the maximum number of natural attacks that the eidolon is allowed to possess at the given level. If the eidolon is at its maximum, it cannot take evolutions that grant additional natural attacks. This does not include attacks made with weapons.
If you're running Broodmaster, you don't want your eidolons to be anywhere near melee. They have about the same HD as a Summon monster 2 creature with about as much survivability.
Give them all slings or something.
Yeah, I hadn't decided what they were going to use yet, but the way the rule reads the natural attacks will reduce the number of eidolons I can have, even if they never intend to use the natural attacks.