Does all of this stack the way I think it does?

[Brigg]

Hi all. I'm building a Tengu Eldritch Guardian (Familiar Folio Fighter Archetype), and giving him a Koala Mauler familiar. I'm also giving him the Claw Attacks Racial Trait.

He'll be dipping one level into Cleric of Abadar.

The specific Feats I have in mind up to level 11 are listed as follows:

Weapon Focus/Specialization: Claws
Greater Weapon Focus: Claws
Feral Combat Training
Belier's Bite
Domain Strike: Acid Dart
Elemental Fist
Precise Strike (Combat, Teamwork)
Efreeti Style

My initial goal is to not only have the Tengu's Claws be his main form of attack, but to also share the Combat feats with his Koala Familiar/Flanking Buddy (Whom also gets 2 Claw attacks, and therefore gains all the same benefits due to sharing my combat feats.)

The way I envision an attack taking place is like this (At Level 11).

Claw Attacks + 18 or 20 (10 BAB, 4 STR, 2 Weapon Training, 2 Greater Weapon Focus, [2 Flanking])

Damage for the first claw attack looks like this:

1d3 (Base)
+ 10 (6 from STR, 2 Weapon Spec, 2 Weapon Training)
+ 1d4 Bleed [Free] (Belier's Bite)
+ 1d6+1 Acid [Swift Action] (Domain Strike)
+ 1d6 (+3 from WIS if FIRE) Elemental [Call use before attack] (Elemental Fist)
+ 1d6 Precision [if flanking with Koala] (Precise Strike)

Damage for the Second Claw attack looks like this:

1d3 (Base)
+ 10 (6 from STR, 2 Weapon Spec, 2 Weapon Training)
+ 1d4 Bleed [Free] (Belier's Bite)
+ 1d6 Precision [if flanking with Koala] (Precise Strike)

So, here are my main concerns:

1. Can I stack all of those effects in the first claw attack together? Or do I separate them between the two claw attacks?

2. I know my Koala can NOT use Domain Strike, but can my Koala use the Elemental Fist?

3. Are there any suggestions, or something I'm overlooking?

[claudekennilol]

1) Each claw is a separate attack so each gets its own damage modifiers. Each claw gets them all individually.

2) Elemental Strike isn't a real feat (at least I've never heard of it before and everything I just found implies it was made up) so doesn't really belong here. However, if it really is a combat feat, then your koala would also have it and be able to use it.

3)..
Since this isn't for PFS (unless Elemental Strike is actually a real feat then ignore this part), you qualify for Improved Natural Attack (PFS has a houserule that PCs can't get it unless a class feature lets you (like a natural attack ranger)). It would up the damage die for all of your claw attacks--though tengu claws' damage dice are already really small so it's probably not worth it.

I haven't been a fan of Precise Strike. Escape route is almost always useful, but it won't add directly to your damage.

[Brigg]

I meant "Elemental FIST"! My bad! Good thing I still had time to edit it.

I didn't point this out, but this IS for PFS. But I knew if I had posted this in that forum, it would have been moved to this forum anyway. So I saved the mods some time. ^.^!

Also, I WOULD take Escape Route, but oddly enough, it's NOT a Combat Feat. So it won't qualify for the sharing of Combat Feats.

[MSpekkio]

Yep. Claw Racial and Feral Combat Training cover the main objections (Natural attacks + Unarmed Strike). To hit looks correct, but I don't see any reason you'd get Strength and a half on Claws, putting your base damage at 1d3+8 (4 Str 2 WS 2 WT).

Elemental Fist is a combat feat, but that may be one of those 'familiar doesn't have the capability to use the feat' things. Your DM will have to decide how many uses per day your familiar should get if he allows it. I would see 1 as a reasonable number since the familiar has no class levels. Likewise, you'd have to work hard to convince me that your familiar can 'enter a style' to get the extra damage from Efreeti Style. Furthermore, a Koala's Wisdom is 9, so it's kinda moot even it allowed.

For a 11th level fighter, two attacks doing 23.5 a few times a day, or 15.5 per claw the rest of the time, even accounting for 5.5 x2 from the familiar isn't cool. Especially since more than half your damage is contingent on the critter not having any elemental resistances, and bleed-able and precise able. At 11th level, that isn't a good assumption (Resist Energy, Blur's are cheap at that point).

[claudekennilol]

The general rule is to assume it works. Since familiars don't have levels, but hit dice, it would be based off of that and familiars should be able to use it.

And it most definitely would be able to enter a combat style--especially for PFS. If it has the feat it can use it. This is specifically spelled out in the PFS FAQ for Animal Companions and if it's true for them, it should be more true for Familiars since they're smarter and have more ability to understand.

And about Escape Route, you're right, I just checked d20pfsrd when I mentioned it and they have it mislabeled. I pulled out the pdf and it isn't marked as a combat feat. I'm not familiar with familiars (no pun intended), but I believe they only get pre-defined feats and no choices like an animal companion? If I'm wrong, then it would be worth spending one if its regular feats on Escape Route.

I'd probably pick Broken Wing Gambit over Precise Strike as its useful in more cases. But that means spending 5 of your precious skill points in bluff. Precise Strike isn't a terrible option, it's just hard to make use of it.

Actually, where are you getting Improved Unarmed Strike from? You have to have it before you can take FCT.

[thorin001]

Tengu alternate racial ability

Claw Attack Tengus with this racial trait have learned to use their claws as natural weapons. They gain two claw attacks as primary natural attacks that deal 1d3 points of damage, and are treated as having the Improved Unarmed Strike feat for the purpose of qualifying for other feats. This racial trait replaces swordtrained.

[claudekennilol]

thorin001 wrote:

Tengu alternate racial ability

Claw Attack Tengus with this racial trait have learned to use their claws as natural weapons. They gain two claw attacks as primary natural attacks that deal 1d3 points of damage, and are treated as having the Improved Unarmed Strike feat for the purpose of qualifying for other feats. This racial trait replaces swordtrained.

Thanks, I'd forgotten about that.. And dang, I'd also forgotten that their claws were that weak, too.