It looks like we're going to have to take a few minor liberties in order to make this work - the concept is a giant scorpion that the character rides, both out of combat and on occasion in combat as well though the concept is nothing like a charging mount or anything like that.
I'm using the Quadruped base and am replacing the Bite you get for free with a cost-equivalent Tail evolution, paying for the Sting with evolution points. The scorpion will by necessity and design be a little fantastical as it progresses, having multiple sets of pincers/claws and perhaps even multiple tails/stingers.
My question stems from the pincers. My intention had been to simply use claws and flavor them as pincers, but I noticed that there was in fact a pincer evolution:
Pincers
An eidolon grows a large pincers at the end of one pair of its limbs, giving it two pincer attacks. These attacks are secondary attacks. The pincers deal 1d6 points of damage (1d8 if Large, 2d6 if Huge). Eidolons with the grab evolution linked to pincers gain a +2 bonus on CMB checks made to grapple. The eidolon must have the limbs (arms) evolution to take this evolution. Alternatively, the eidolon can replace the claws from its base form with pincers (this still costs 1 evolution point). This evolution can be selected more than once, but the eidolon must possess an equal number of the limbs evolution.
Now I notice that they are made secondary attacks for some reason and as the eidolon's predominate means of attack I'd prefer they not all take a -5 attack penalty... but in the description above it says 'alternately the eidolon can replace the claws from its base form' - does that mean you have the option to make them a primary attack if you do so? Does that only apply if your base form has claws to start? Does it only apply to that first set of claws and not to any additional pairs you might buy?
It seems like an unnecessary complication of the rules (rules that needed no complication) - the damage is slightly greater than claws and you get that little grapple/grab bonus, but that's hardly an adequate trade-off for suffering a -5 to all attacks. Would I be better off simply going with my original intent of re-flavored claw attacks?
Yeah probably. Talk with your GM, if he rules they can be Primary attacks, you're gold, but by default Pincers are secondary (since all creatures with pincers also have a primary tail IIRC).
If it makes you feel better...crabs have claw attacks even though their "claws" are more like pincers, so it's not even really a reskin.
On a side note, I sincerely thought by the title you meant you were making a giant Eidolon specialized in using Scorpion Style.
I don't know why you'd ever do that, but hey.
Yeah probably. Talk with your GM, if he rules they can be Primary attacks, you're gold, but by default Pincers are secondary (since all creatures with pincers also have a primary tail IIRC).
If it makes you feel better...crabs have claw attacks even though their "claws" are more like pincers, so it's not even really a reskin.
On a side note, I sincerely thought by the title you meant you were making a giant Eidolon specialized in using Scorpion Style.
I don't know why you'd ever do that, but hey.
Now there's a thought...
Since I've got you here (along with anyone else who wants to chime in), let me ask you about your thoughts concerning the Poison evolution. Obviously its a must thematically, but at anything beyond the lowest levels it seems like it would be almost completely ineffective - can you think of any way, feats or otherwise, that might increase its potency?
Also...
Poison
An eidolon secretes toxic venom, gaining a poison attack. Pick one bite or sting attack. Whenever the selected attack hits, the target is poisoned.
Eidolon poison—type poison (injury); save Fort negates; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d4 Str damage; cure 1 save.
The save DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 the eidolon’s HD + the eidolon’s Constitution modifier.
For 2 additional evolution points, this poison deals Constitution damage instead. This poison can be used no more than once per round. The summoner must be at least 7th level before selecting this evolution.
At the bottom it says that 'this poison can be used no more than once per round'... is that in reference to the poison that deals Constitution damage or the poison evolution as a whole? Either way, if one has two separate natural attacks capable of dealing poison, does that mean once per round per attack or perhaps once per round per target or even just once per round period (making a second poison evolution pointless)?
All of the scorpions I can find in my bestiaries use claws not pincers, so you can just keep the claws it starts with.
If you had two tails, and a stinger at the end of each, I'd imagine each could be used once a round.
Think of it as the stinger needing a round to "refill".
This would be my take, but I wonder if there's a more official source somewhere. The wording - or lack of wording - that concerns me is that there is nowhere in the Poison entry where it says 'this evolution may be taken multiple times, each time it must be applied to a different attack'...
Sure it does. "Pick one bite or sting attack".
That could still be argued either way in my opinion - like so many of the poorly-worded Eidolon rules.
Its my favorite class but I truly wish it wasn't fraught with so much ambiguity. More consistency in the wording of the rules might go a long way towards easing the dislike some (particularly GM's) have for the class.
What is the "other way"?
That you pick one bite or sting attack to apply poison to and that's it. That that's the only time you can select that evolution and thus the only attack that will ever benefit from poison. That's a perfectly reasonable interpretation in my book, especially since there is no language telling you that you can take the evolution multiple times.
Of course that makes the 'this poison can be used once per round' which seems either redundant and superfluous or it suggests that there are circumstances in which you might get additional uses - i.e. 'this poison can only be used once per round (but other poisons may be used)' or 'this poison can only be used once per round (unlike the STR-affecting poison which has no such limitations)', etc.