So I am going to be using my animal companion Roc as my mount when i hit lvl 7. Right now though i am only level 2 and he has 2 feats i need to choose from teh small list of animal companion feats from and i have no clue what to pick that would benefit the most. I am going to be sitting on top of him with my longbow and shooting from teh air while he divebombs and flys away. These are the only 2 feats that i have to choose from this list since at lvl 4 i am raising his int so i can give it any feat.
Since animals have a poor will save Iron Will is always good. Skill focus fly may also be worth taking to counter the -2 size adjustment for fly when it becomes large.
I am Hunter class. When I hit lvl 4 i am increasing int to 3 so at lvl 5 i can take flyby attack and lvl 8 take wingover I just need something for the first 2 from the list. I was looking at dodge and agile maneuvers do those sound adequate for what im planning?
Agile manoeuvers is bad, as it becomes dead at 7th when your strength overtakes your dex.
Dodge, Imp Natural Armour, Toughness and Iron will are all good as is Imp natural attack as you are hit and run.
Consider increasing stealth (diving out of the sun!) depending on how your GM handles it.
I was going to suggest mobility, but escape route is better. Should be one of your hunters teamwork feats pretty early.
I decided to take skill focus (fly) and acrobatics so that the fly checks needed for all the maneuvering are moot. My next feats are at lvl 5 and 8, both of which will be at int 3 so ill be taking flyby attack and wingover. That is my plan, now the only thing is to find good teamwork feats to help out the mounted archer with his ally being his mount instead of a melee creature.
Agile maneuvers is the worst feat to take for a Roc. When it becomes large it’s STR increases and its DEX decreases. This will result in a decrease of your CMB. Dodge is not bad anything that increases touch AC is always useful. Seriously though Iron Will is going to be a lot more useful than any other feat it qualifies for at that level. Devotion gives a bonus only for enchantments not all will saves. It does not help vs illusions and most fear based spells. Strangely enough almost all fear spells are necromancy instead of enchantment.
You will want spring attack instead of fly by attack. FLy by attack provokes when you come in.
You will need mobility and dodge for it. Now spring attack does not provoke fromt he person it attacks so mobility will still be useful if you move in some other creatures reach.
Do not take skill focus or iron will. Those are a waste of a feat. With some gold investment you can supplant those easily. Fly checks are also not that important, taking a 10 on a fly check even with only 1 rank will meet most typical DCs and you don't need to make any fly checks most of the time. I will also second Narrow Frame that is a life saver.
spring attack is too feat intensive as i am a hunter and escape routes is my first teamwork feat which my pet gets automatically so when i flyby to attack i will not get AoO from moving in and out of threatened area since we are adjacent allies with escape route feat. The Roc will be large at lvl 7 which is what i am waiting for so i will be able to ride it. Narrow frames is too situational if there is a time were the roc cant attack then it wont ill be ok, ill have all teh archer feats and be able to stand on my own he is a bonus. Plus i cant get narrow frames with the first 2 feats before lvl 4 so that isnt happening.
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Here are the feats I took for the Griffon AC of my Ranger archer in RotRL, for which I used the Bodyguard AC archetype BTW :
(in order)
Wingover (never used it)
Hover (used it sometimes)
Lookout (used it to great effect)
Combat Reflexes (never used it IIRC, requirement for Bodyguard)
Bodyguard (never used it IIRC)
In harm's way (never used it IIRC)
Iron Will
Lookout is exceptional for a mounted archer because it gives you an opportunity to unleash your devastating full attack in the surprise round.
Your Roc can retrain it later after you get the magical saddle from The Melee Toolbox that gives your mount all your teamwork feats.
I took narrow frame with my ranger and it has been very useful.
Escape root wont work on a mounted character. You share space - not adjucent...so fly by attack will provoke.
Did they make a FAQ to change the rules , cause i remember this working just fine not so long ago.
Link?
No, it works. Adjacent is not defined in PFS so has its common English meaning - next too. Any ability that mentions "adjacent square" you might have issues with, anything else is fair game.
Any GM who indicates you are not adjacent to your mount needs a stern talking too.
It works, but it's rather cheesy. I wouldn't be surprised if it was errata'd at some point.
You arent adjucent... You share the same space.that isnt the same
"or within your space"
you forget that part. You share a space with your mount.
This is brilliant way to use the feat.