I have an okami (think wolfen kitsune) barbarian/druid who prefers to get stuck in using natural weapons. With the racial bite attack and two claws from the rage power, I get three attacks per round at full BAB.
I am looking to buy an Amulet of Mighty Fists. The Holy special ability appears to be great way to make the GM throw dice at me, however.
Given that most of the opponents we meet are Evil, an amulet with the Holy quality would make all three of my natural attacks inflict an extra 2d6. That's a potential 6d6 extra, on top of the 3x +7 I am getting from 20 STR plus +4 STR for raging.
Now I appreciate that I need to hit with each attack for this to happen, but the potential added damage seems awfully high for a 9th level barbarian/druid. Spellcasters can throw these numbers about but they have limited spells, and the only small limitation I have is the number of rounds of raging, with which I can see out most days' encounters quite happily.
Should I shapeshift into a creature with even more attacks, I will be increasing the potential damage even further - possibly to the point of being able to one-shot a BBEG.
I have looked at the Holy ability and it doesn't seem to be limited to melee weapons (as some other abilities are), so am I missing some legal/mechanical reason why I couldn't go down this route?
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Well a +2d6 damage bonus to a specific sub-group of monsters for a +2 bonus isn't really overpowered compared to other weapon bonuses (such as flaming &/or frost for +1 each) - this is more a case of you going for an item which is specifically very useful in the style of campaign your GM is running... can't see anything wrong with that!
The price tag, for a 9th level character, is a little higher than the suggested '25% of WBL' for such stuff (assuming standard wealth levels for the campaign), but lower than the 50% WBL for a single item suggested, so that's not really an issue either. Besides, WBL guidelines mostly apply (if used at all) when creating characters at higher than 1st level, not for during play. I can't see a huge problem here myself: you're just going with your character's strengths.
The cost is definitely significant, especially as I'd like to grab a +1 bonus with it. It may become an item I progressively improve as wealth become available.
The main issue is that we are a very laid-back, non 'gamey' group and haven't really hiked our PCs up to their optimal maximums. The 'fighter' is a paladin who throws out around +8 damage per hit (using a +2 longsword), making a potential +16 per round.
She isn't at all worried about niche protection of her role,* but I am aware that my damage will be so far above the party norm that it may lead to problems of balance. If I can justify it mechanically and within the rules then I can probably justify it narratively, but I want to get a general opinion of how it looks 'from the outside' first.
* When my character was waiting to be Raised I played a backup character who was a two-handed fighter archetype throwing big damage about. The paladin player was quite happy to be outshone in the combat role.
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Well, PCs with multiple natural attacks have always been a pretty powerful option (even before Paizo reduced the price of an AoMF) mostly because you can get in multiple attacks per round at full BAB, and often earlier in a build than characters waiting for iterative attacks and the like to come along. Likewise AoMF was always costly 'cos of the potential it had when a character with multiple natural attacks (or an animal companion) got hold of one. Paizo reduced the cost to give Monks some love, but this is the flip side of that... I can't see any rules problems with it though.
If your GM wants to limit you though, they should throw in more non-evil encounters (lots of things are neutral, for example... but you're a Druid, you know that!), or the occasional effect which turns you evil and makes your amulet a hindrance... ;)
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A +1 Holy Amulet of Mighty Fists costs 36k. Even without the +1 it's still 16k. The Paladin could get a +1 Holy Longsword for 18k.
The real problem natural attackers suffer from is overcoming DR. Holy is great against Evil Outsiders, but what about when you face against a golem?
If you grabbed either Amulet, your GM, in an effort of balance, would most likely adjust your encounters to remain a suitable challenge.
I doubt I'll get the +1 for a while yet, and eventually hope to build to +3 Holy (after selling the rest of the party into slavery...). That'll help against some DR, although spells should fill that capability gap in the meantime.
I hear you about the +1 Holy longsword, but that doesn't get 3 (or more) attacks at full BAB. It's the number of attacks I am a little concerned about, that I'll be throwing in multiple full BAB attacks and getting a big damage bonus with each. I dunno, I just feel a little ... dirty when compared to the abilities of the party we have at present.
Probably not dirty enough to avoid getting the amulet, however.
The paladin is doing +8 damage, not 8 average (from what I understand). I think the OP is expressing as bonuses since the base damage is fairly the same across the board (d8, d6, d4).
To the OP: I'd suggest you do something to broaden your capabilities right now, and get the Holy amulet later on. If it's a "now or never" proposition, get it.
The paladin is doing +8 damage, not 8 average (from what I understand). I think the OP is expressing as bonuses since the base damage is fairly the same across the board (d8, d6, d4).
To the OP: I'd suggest you do something to broaden your capabilities right now, and get the Holy amulet later on. If it's a "now or never" proposition, get it.
You're correct about the way I expressed the damage - at this level the bonuses count more than the base damage in most cases, so a d4 dagger at +8 is not a great deal different to a d8 longsword using the same bonus.
My capabilities are fairly broad at present - I'm a shapeshifter True primitive Barbarian/Druid and also a Nature Warden. In my favoured terrain I have all sorts of bonuses to stealth, tracking and so on, and can Speak with Animals at will. I'm a melee combat, spell-casting scout who is also a friend to the animals.