There are a lot of threads comparing wolves and small cats as animal companions. A selling point for wolves is that they only have one attack, so they get x1.5 Str on it and can take the Vital Strike chain to good effect.
So, assuming you have a wolf companion, would it be a bad idea to use Evolved Companion to give it claws? (2 primary attacks, 1d4 damage Medium, 1d6 Large.) I like the idea, but I'm a sucker for many-attack builds.
You would lose your 1.5 STR to your bite if you gain claws but you can make 3 attacks in a full attack action at full BAB. Not having Pounce kinda sucks though. It's honestly up to you.
Personally, I would take the bleed evolution to give your Wolf 1d6 bleed to his bite attacks or the evolution to increase his bite damage by a size category... not sure if it's legal but I would then have your companion take the Improved Natural Attack feat to do so again, making its bite damage 2d6 at Large size... or both evolutions for a 2d6 + 1.5x STR, 1d6 bleed, Trip. I did that with my T-Rex companion and he wrecked face with 4d6 + 2x STR(Powerful Jaws), 1d6 bleed.
I'd go with the regular bite, personally.
As it has been mentioned, you get 1.5x STR when you only have the one attack. That also brings 1.5x power attack.
The real important thing here is that animal companions also have an altered form of multiattack that basically gives them a mini iterative. If you have 1 or 2 natural attacks, you just get to use it again during a full attack at BAB-5 when you hit level 9.
After checking stat blocks, I have found that this extra attack still carries the 1.5x bonuses. So, you are dealing with 1x over 3 attakcs or 1.5x over 2 attacks. Or a total of (str+power attack)x3 either way. Which immediately brings up questions of 'is evolved companion worth it for this?'
My personal view: no, because you can get even more attacks which further carry carry on the 1.5x advantage.
The first, and most obvious, is haste. Also, when you put a point into int, you open up more feat options.... so why not an intimidate build or something? Cornugon smash and hurtful for another attack.
So you might end up with 4 attacks (most of which are full BAB), which is basically x6. The three claw method also has access to this stuff, but they only get x1's (which means two x0.5 less, or a whole attack less damage).
And that excludes potential AoO stuff, which might come up with teamwork feats or spells buffing the wolf's reach.
I might be oversimplifying things (and making my explanations overly complicated), but this is the basic gist in my view. This logic might apply more to eidolons, which can more easily deal with feats and attack bonus issues. And they can definitely deal with reach issues with large bipeds adn reach evo.
Wait....reach is a 1 point evo?
Yeah, that is likely a better use than claws. Just getting 10' reach is enough to change your entire playstyle. It provides much more utility than just getting a (questionable) boost in full attacks.
It turns your wolf into a living obstacle 25' to 30' wide.
Small cat animal companions (which are what a ranger can get---whoops I never specified ranger!) don't get pounce or rake.
Evolved Companion got nerfed to exclude reach and pounce.
I think I'm convinced, though. Thanks all!