Help needed for animal companion

[Allyssa Silvermyst]

Ok I spoke to the lead GM for our society games and he said they won't allow me to give my ape companion a weapon as it seems they are against the rules for PFS. That said the character is coming around nicely and is now a 4th level cleric of the animal / plant domain who worships Gozrah . She has the boon companion feat and is getting her animal companion. So my question now is how do I make the best use of his large size and his 25 str? The apes stats are as follows as I have him now but I haven't played him yet so can still make changes :

str 25 (13 base, +8 for 4th level adv. , 1 for stat increase 4th level , 1 for added str/dex animal companion, 2 for alt racial trait human apg )(( plan to keep bulls strength on him as much as possible as well for a 29 total str ))

dex 16 ( 17 base , -2 for 4th level adv , +1 for animal companion )

con 14 ( 10 base , +4 for 4th level adv )

int 2

wis 12

chr 7

+5 total natural armor . bite 1d6, 2 claws 1d6 . Large size now so stands almost 9 ft tall nd weighs close to 500lbs and I can ride him yea !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my question concerns on how best to progress from here. I know I want to get him medium armor ( breastplate barding ) so I have to take that as a feat. How would you best use him other than that however. Would you make him a grapple type or simply have him use his natural weapons with improv natural weapons for added dmg . He currently has 2 feats available at level 4 with the next coming at 5th level. Is there an item I can buy later to give him strength/dex/con ? Is there a metamagic rod that would increase the duratuion of bull's strength and how long would it last if so ? Thanks for reading and any help you can give is appreciated.

[Ezekiel W]

Allyssa Silvermyst wrote:

my question concerns on how best to progress from here. I know I want to get him medium armor ( breastplate barding ) so I have to take that as a feat. How would you best use him other than that however. Would you make him a grapple type or simply have him use his natural weapons with improv natural weapons for added dmg . He currently has 2 feats available at level 4 with the next coming at 5th level. Is there an item I can buy later to give him strength/dex/con ? Is there a metamagic rod that would increase the duratuion of bull's strength and how long would it last if so ? Thanks for reading and any help you can give is appreciated.

In my opinion, medium armor proficiency isn't worth using up the only two feats your animal companion has at fourth level. You'd be better served by using masterwork studded leather barding, which has no armor check penalty even if worn without proficiency. The same is also true of mithral chain shirt barding when you can afford that. Reasonable feat choices include Iron Will, Weapon Focus, Toughness, Power Attack, and Blind-Fight. Unless the guide has been changed, I thought that Bestiary feats like Improved Natural Attack weren't available for either PC's or animal companions in PFS.

Although not all PFS GMs might ask for them, you might want to make sure your cleric can hit a DC 10 Handle Animal check to command your animal companion (+4 Link, +2 masterwork tools) and have the appropriate tricks trained.

[Nephril]

lesser rod of extend 3k. lasts 2x as long. but extend spell is also a good meta for a druid might consider taking the feat its awesome for a +1 spell level. your pets damage will be ok but you may want to seriously look at the grappling ape possibility. even an animal companion can grapple a caster and shut them down completely.
you can get all physcial stats only a belt and that is one of the 2 pieces of allowed magical gear on a animal companion in society play. then for neck get amulet of mighty fists and later put natural armor on it also. anulet of mighty fists will give all natural attacks a bonus. and you dont need to pick enhancement. you can go straight into holy, human bane!, or anything else. though my society experience thus far is limited from my understanding there are tons of humanoids so +2 attack/damage and 2d6 is great for a +1 on your gorilla.
as for feats improved unarmed strike and improved grapple.

and one question.. your pet doesnt have combat reflexes. he probably never will. he already has a partial bab progression. why did you put a point into dex when you could have put it into strength. is 1 ac and 1 to reflex saves worth 1 to attack and damage??

[Ezekiel W]

Nephril wrote:

you can get all physcial stats only a belt and that is one of the 2 pieces of allowed magical gear on a animal companion in society play.

I think this is incorrect. Per the PFS FAQ, a belt of physical stats isn't one of the permitted magic items: "For the sake of PFS, animal companions can wear barding and neck-slot items. All other slots aren't really appropriate for animals (or even magical beasts)."

A lesser metamagic rod of Extend is definintely worth getting.

I'd be curious to see what approach folks used to make a grappling ape animal companion in PFS. Would you use: Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Int bumped up to 3 to make those feats available, a rank of Linguistics to understand common to avoid having to push the animal to grapple an opponent?

[Allyssa Silvermyst]

ok, this is what i think on how to progress using your ideas.I haven't played the ape companion yet but will in the first game friday. I will take his level 4 increase from strength to make his strength 24 and add it to his int. I plan to take improved unarmed strike and improved grapple as his 2 feats.
so at 4th level his cmb will be 4 bab + 7 str mod + ?? size mod for large ?
htpts will be 35 at level 4
ac is 18 with no armor
he is + 11 to hit with bite ( 1d6 +7) , +11 to hit 2 claws ( 1d6 +7)

I plan to take i guess the linguistics skill so it may understand basic commans in common ? will an int of 3 allow that ? or should i use thebonus from the alt human feat for int and make his int 5 and his strength 22 instead . any help or adive is as always very appreciated .

[Ezekiel W]

Allyssa, I don't want to give any suggestions outside of my expertise and subject you to table variation or an illegal build. Making a new thread over in the PFS forum to get some PFS-specific advice on grappling for animal companions. Linked here.

[Ezekiel W]

Update: Linguistics and (per older threads) speak with animals likely won't cut it for PFS. Unless you can reliably hit a DC25 Handle Animal check to Push your animal companion to perform an action that isn't a standard trained trick, I'd scrap the grapple build and just stick with natural weapons.

[calagnar]

1: Boon Companion requires you to have the class ability before you can take it. So you can not take the feet until your level 4 after you gain the class ability animal companion.
Animal Domain :
Animal Companion (Ex): At 4th level, you gain the service of an animal companion.
Boon Companion
Your bond with your animal companion or familiar is unusually close.
Prerequisites: Animal companion or familiar class ability.
Benefit: The abilities of your animal companion or familiar are calculated as though your class were four levels higher, to a maximum bonus equal to your character level*. If you have more than one animal companion or familiar, choose one to receive this benefit. If you lose or dismiss an animal companion or familiar, you may apply this feat to the replacement creature.
Special: You may select this feat more than once. The effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a different animal companion or familiar
2: To get to medium armor takes two feet's. You have to take Armor Proficiency, Light before you can take Medium.
3: Armor suggestion is the same as above master work studded leather, or mithral chain shirt.
4: Feet's Power Attack, Improved Over Run. Then charge through, and greater over run.

[Allyssa Silvermyst]

thanks Ezekiel for all the info . I guess I will then stick to power attack and something like toughness/iron will for now .