I know that this Archetype isn't the most optimized but I really like the idea of me and my companion pouncing together. Here's what I have so far.
Human
1 Power Attack Human-Furious Focus
3 ??
4 (RP) Reckless Abandon
5 ??
7 ??
8 (RP) Lesser Beast Totem
9 Extra Rage Power- Beast Totem
11 Extra Rage Power- Beast Totem Greater
12 (RP) Inspire Ferocity
13 ??
15 ??
16 (RP) ??
17 ??
19 ??
20 ??
I'm thinking a Tiger animal companion for the dual pounce but while typing this the idea popped into my head to have a wolf for the trip and added AoO. any advice is welcome.
For a Human, take the Eye for Talent alt. racial trait and add 2 Str to the tiger. If dinosaurs are allowed in your campaign, the Allosaurus is a little bit better choice.
Make sure to take advantage of the teamwork feats with your tiger.
Inspire ferocity is pretty weak even for a case like yours. You do not want to waste move actions and lose full-attack opportunities.
A sample build::
Human with Eye for Talent
1 Power Attack
3 Combat Reflexes)
4 (RP) Superstitious
5 Extra Rage Power (Ferocious Beast)
7 Extra Rage Power (Lesser Beast Totem)
8 (RP) Greater Ferocious Beast
9 Extra Rage Power- Beast Totem
11 Extra Rage Power- Beast Totem Greater
12 (RP) Come And Get Me
13 Dazing Assault
15 Extra Rage Power: Eater of Magic
16 (RP) Flesh Wound
17 Extra Rage Power: Reckless Abandon
19 Extra Rage Power: Strengh Surge
20 Extra Rage Power: Witch Hunter
An alternative, with Coordinated Charge taking the place of greater beast totem for simulating the pounce ability. The benefits are that the teamwork feats benefit both the barbarian and the animal companion.
Human with Eye for Talent
STR 18
DEX 14
CON 14
INT 7
WIS 12
CHA 12
Alternative favored class bonus every level.
Allosaurus animal companion
1 Power Attack
3 Combat Reflexes
4 (RP) Superstitious
5 Extra Rage Power (Ferocious Beast)
7 Outflank
8 (RP) Greater Ferocious Beast
9 Paired Opportunists
11 Coordinated Charge
12 (RP) Come And Get Me
13 Dazing Assault
15 Extra Rage Power: Eater of Magic
16 (RP) Flesh Wound
17 Extra Rage Power: Reckless Abandon
19 Extra Rage Power: Strengh Surge
20 Extra Rage Power: Witch Hunter
Allosaurus
Charger archetype
1 Combat Reflexes
2 Power Attack
5 Outflank
8 Paired Opportunists
10 Coordinated Charge
13 Light Armor Proficiecy
16 Medium armor Proficiency
18 Heavy Armor Proficiency
I don't really like Superstitious because I don't want to save vs buffs from allies and I don't think that CAGM fits thematically with the character vision that I had in mind to be highly mobile and double pounce almost every round. but I like the build otherwise.
so:
Human with Eye for Talent
1 Power Attack
3 Combat Reflexes)
4 (RP) Ferocious Beast
5 Extra Rage Power (Lesser Beast Totem)
7 Extra Rage Power (Beast Totem)
8 (RP) Greater Ferocious Beast
9 Extra Rage Power- Reckless Abandon
11 Extra Rage Power- Beast Totem Greater
12 (RP) Strengh Surge
13 Dazing Assault
15 Extra Rage Power:
16 (RP) Flesh Wound
17 ?
19 ?
20 ?
Death Panda. You want a bad mofo for a Barbarian's animal companion? get the Panda. He trades the normal Grab ability for 2x damage on his bite, and otherwise has basically the same stats as a bear. Share Rage for mauling goodness.
Are you sure about Superstitious? Having to save vs buffs might be annoying, but without it you are as vulnerable against enemy casters as the typical fighter, which means VERY VULNERABLE. It is very easy for a caster to force a will save and render you useless or even worse dangerous for your team. You also bar access to great rage powers like witch hunter and eater of magic. Consider it carefully before you procede.
Beemer wrote:
Human with Eye for Talent
1 Power Attack
3 Combat Reflexes
4 (RP) Ferocious Beast
5 Extra Rage Power (Lesser Beast Totem)
7 Extra Rage Power (Beast Totem)
8 (RP) Greater Ferocious Beast
9 Extra Rage Power- Reckless Abandon
11 Extra Rage Power- Beast Totem Greater
12 (RP) Strengh Surge
13 Critical Focus
15 Staggering Critical
16 (RP) Flesh Wound
17 Stunning Critical
19 Raging Vitality
20 Improved Initiative
Allosaurus
Charger archetype
1 Combat Reflexes
2 Power Attack
5 Light Armor Proficiecy
8 Medium armor Proficiency
10 Heavy Armor Proficiency
13 Lunge
16 Iron Will
18 Improved Iron Will
I haven't talked to my DM about this build yet so I'm going to see assume that dinos aren't allowed and go with one of the more traditional companions but I'm still open to changing it from a tiger if there are better options out there' I haven't seen any other one that get pounce though. However your companion build looks great and I think that it fits with the idea that I had in mind for this character.
On Superstition I really am on the fence about it and I think that I need to re-read and re-evaluate.
if you're still considering a wolf you should know that you can get one without the mad dog archetype (if you want, and your GM allows). the feats nature soul and animal ally (from faiths and philosophies) get you an animal companion (at level -3) from a reduced list, but wolf is one of the options. add boon companion (there is some debate about whether animal ally allows you to take this feat, but you can check other threads for that) and you have a full progression companion without giving up half your rage powers. take all 3 beast totem powers and both ferocious beast powers and suddenly your wolf will also have pounce (and claw attacks) on top of its free trip.
I don't think that "loosing" rage powers is a big deal because the Extra Rage power feat I am not really loosing any; and every other time I've played a Barbarian (which is a lot as it is my favorite class) I never know what to do with half of my feats anyways...power attack and don't look back.
the builds that have been posted are spending like 4-5 feats on extra rage powers... spending 3 on the feats for an animal companion would be more cost effective. the question then becomes are the other costs/benefits worth it or would you be better off with another archetype (like invulnerable maybe). ultimately only you can answer that.
An invulnerable rager with animal ally for a wolf companion would probably be a more effective PC.
That being said, the mad dog is great archetype as it is, if you like the flavor and the features of it then go ahead.
There is a major point hough brough up by nate lange, the fact that your animal companion takes advantage of your beast toetm line for claws and pounce. I didn't had it in mind when I wasw evaluating your options for the animal companion, now that I do, I would say that after 10th lvl a Roc is the best choice. Having pounce on a large flying animal companion is just awesome. You could argue that it grows claws too for +2 attacks (I am not sure if hands or something similar are required for claws, as your feet already have talons. The same problem goes to the wolf though.)
Another reason why Superstion rocks, your animal companion will get its saves boosted to the stratosphere.
i believe that a creature has to have a suitable limb/appendage/whatever in order to gain a natural attack... so the wolf gains claw attacks (which it doesn't normally have) with its front paws but a roc wouldn't gain any additional attacks since its limbs already have claws/talons (though you should be able to choose to use the damage/crit/etc from the rage power or base form, whichever is better).
another kind of funny option would be to take animal fury and a horse companion... people would assume it was just a mount for ragelancepounce but when you rage it would gain claw/claw/bite and pounce... most terrifying horse ever, lol.
This is a valid argument. I think that I would still like the Roc because, well, it flies.
I do like the flavor of the Mad Dog and I want the companion right away which the Mad Dog gives me. I was looking over the companions again and I think the Kangaroo would be hilarious. (FEROCIOUS KANGAROO)
And Superstition is a go for this character.
Beemer wrote: I do like the flavor of the Mad Dog and I want the companion right away which the Mad Dog gives me. I was looking over the companions again and I think the Kangaroo would be hilarious. (FEROCIOUS KANGAROO) Halfling Mad Dog Barbarian with Kangaroo mount!!!
i think that RAW a creature has to be a quadruped (or winged) and 1-2 size categories larger than the rider to be a mount, but i can't cite where that rule is off the top of my head...
Human with Eye for Talent
1 Power Attack
3 Intimidating Prowess
4 (RP) Superstitious
5 Extra Rage Power (Ferocious Beast)
7 Outflank
8 (RP) Greater Ferocious Beast
9 Paired Opportunists
11 Coordinated Charge
12 (RP) Mighty Swing
13 Dazing Assault
15 Extra Rage Power: Eater of Magic
16 (RP) Flesh Wound
17 Extra Rage Power: Reckless Abandon
19 Extra Rage Power: Strength Surge
20 Extra Rage Power: Witch Hunter
Ape
Charger archetype
1 Power Attack
2 Combat Reflexes
5 Outflank
8 Paired Opportunists
10 Coordinated Charge
13 Light Armor Proficiecy
16 Medium armor Proficiency
18 Heavy Armor Proficiency
I changed the companion to an ape so my big dumb barbarian would be the "missing link" in the evolution, and I thought that having the climb speed might be helpful out of combat.
Human with Eye for Talent
1 Power Attack
3 Intimidating Prowess
4 (RP) Superstitious
5 Extra Rage Power (Ferocious Beast)
7 Outflank
8 (RP) Greater Ferocious Beast
9 Pack Attack
11 Coordinated Charge
12 (RP) Mighty Swing
13 Dazing Assault
15 Extra Rage Power: Eater of Magic
16 (RP) Flesh Wound
17 Extra Rage Power: Reckless Abandon
19 Extra Rage Power: Strength Surge
20 Extra Rage Power: Witch Hunter
Ape
Charger archetype
1 Power Attack
2 Toughness
5 Pack Attack
8 Outflank
10 Coordinated Charge
13 Light Armor Proficiecy
16 Medium armor Proficiency
18 Heavy Armor Proficiency
Nice build. My comments:
- You really want combat reflexes, as at 14th lvl your companion will give you free AoOs. You might as well use a reach weapon, say a baurdiche, to generate AoOs until that point.
- Paired Opportunist is going to serve you better than pack attack, because when your companion generates AoOs for you, it also gets an AoO as a result. This essentially means free attacks.
- Mighty Swing is not as great as it seems, you already have enough of an attack bonus to confirm regularly. Take more useful rage powers before instead, like a faster reckless abandon or the great spell sunder.
- You may want to take the Bodyguard acrhetype for your companion. It is also a great archetype and probably a better chocie than the charger. The Tenacious Guardian feature is amazing and it works great with the Bodyguard feat tree, it will make you much more durable and it will make you companion feel like a true loyal bro. :)
Something like this:
1 Combat reflexes
2 Power Attack (you cannot take it at 1st lvl)
5 Outflank
8 Pack Attack / Paired Opportunists
10 Coordinated Charge
13 Bodyguard
16 In Harm's Way
18 Lunge
Use a mwk studded leather barding, you can use it untrained as it has 0 armor check penalty.
Love all the great advice I am finding here. Let me throw in a few ideas.
I was also working up a MDB character. I was thinking of going with the Skinwalker race, the Witchwolf, and having a wolf companion. Maybe eventually going into the Mammoth Rider PrC.
If you want a lot of AoO this is great because of all the tripping from your companion + the above mentioned feats & class abilities. Also you can use a reach weapon and one with trip is even better.
The Fauchard is a great one but you need EWS to use it. But you would have your natural weapons from the beast totem tree for when foes get within your reach.
Benefit: The fauchard is more awkward to utilize than a glaive (and as such is an exotic weapon), but its increased threat range over the glaive and the ability to trip foes make it a dangerous weapon in the hands of a skilled user.
Weapon Feature(s): reach, trip
Also the Horsechopper & Guisarme are good too if you do not want to get a feat to use your weapon. Other reach weapons can also work if you are not into tripping.
Put ferocious, impact & even keen on your weapon and it will be a beast!!!
Why can't the companion have power attack at Lvl 1. It has BAB +1 at lvl 1 and STR 15 right away because of eye for talent.
From the pfsrd:
Animal companions
Note that animal companions cannot select a feat with a requirement of base attack bonus +1 until they gain their second feat at 3 Hit Dice.
Does this setup work:
You at Level 15: Greater Ferocius Beast, Come and Get Me, Broken Wing Gambit, Paired Opportunists, Combat Reflexes
Maybe Stegosaurus: Come and Get Me, Paired Opportunists, Broken Wing Gambit, Combat Reflexes
If he hits you: You get 1AoO from CaGM, your Animal gets 1AoO from Broken Wing Gambit and 1 from Paired Opportunists, allowing you to get an Attack from Paired Opportunists.
You: 2 AoOs per enemy Strike, Animal: 2 AoOs per enemy Attack
If they Attack your Companion this should work too. You just need a high Dex on both to rock this Combo. Maybe toss in Dazing Assault.
The ape has claw,claw,bite natural attacks; which ones are primary/secondary attacks?
I've been thinking about playing something with Broken Wing Gambit + Paired Opportunist for a while now, possibly with two companions (as a Huntmaster Cavalier or Cavalier/Sylvan Sorcerer). It seems like a pretty good plan, but you won't get the +4 circumstance bonus to hit if you aren't adjacent to your ally, and I'm not 100% sure if the AoO would work at all.
Outflank plus a menacing amulet on the animal could lead to great offense. If you favor the wolf companion as a flanker/tripped you might consider giving it Spring Attack so it can move up, bite a foe, and then move behind him without an AoO.
Bodyguard for both the PC and animal could lead to great defense. I'd probably take some Ride ranks even if you don't plan to be mounted all the time since being able to share your companion's space can help you concentrate your offensive power in tight spaces. It is also great if you've got something which flies. If you have a spare feat, Mounted Combat can make your companion pretty tough to hit with touch attacks.
All the attacks of the ape are primary.
I just saw the stats of the ape. Take Weapon Finesse at first lvl and retrain it at 4th lvl when the ape gets large and recieves the bonus to Strenght.
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