Animate Dead, what stays, what goes?

[dbauers]

So my character (wizard necromancer) in Hells Vengeance just animated a fast zombie dire tiger. A normal dire tiger has quite a few abilities, but I'm not sure which of these it retains upon joining the ranks of the undead. I've searched around a bit and haven't seen anything that really seems to definitively answer my question.

The relevant text from the pfsrd is:

Defensive Abilities: Zombies lose their defensive abilities and gain all of the qualities and immunities granted by the undead type.

Special Attacks: A zombie retains none of the base creature's special attacks.

Special Qualities: A zombie loses most special qualities of the base creature. It retains any extraordinary special qualities that improve its melee or ranged attacks.

That said, which of the following abilities does the zombie dire tiger retain: Low-light vision, Scent, Grab, Pounce, Rake?

My gut is telling me it loses low-light vision (but gains darkvision as an undead creature), it loses scent (as a special quality that doesn't improve its attacks), and it retains grab (as a special quality that improves its melee attacks).

Pounce and Rake are the real stumpers. Are they "special attacks"? Are they "Special qualities that improve melee attacks"?

Thanks in advance for answers!

[Baval]

basically everything goes. The only thing that stays is abilites marked (Ex) which are not listed in the Special Attacks section, and even then only if they buff the creatures attacks and can be done with their new body.

In the case of the Dire Tiger, it keeps nothing but its claws and grab ability. Punce and Rake are both listed in special attacks.

Even grab is debatable. Its listed as a special attack under its own rules, but is not listed in its special attacks section.

Edit: owlbear keeps grab, so Tiger does too.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/skeleton-medium/sk eleton-owlbear

[Orfamay Quest]

Pounce and rake are special attacks, so they go. Check the stat block:

Quote:

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft.
Melee 2 claws +10 (1d8+6 plus grab), bite +9 (2d6+6 plus grab)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks pounce, rake (2 claws +10, 1d8+6)

[Wheldrake]

Also, since zombies are slow, they only get a single attack action. Pounce is a feat that only works with multiple attacks, as a full-attack action.
I think your tiger zombie would now only have a single slam attack, or possibly the bite or claw in lieu of a slam.

[dbauers]

Wheldrake wrote:

Also, since zombies are slow, they only get a single attack action. Pounce is a feat that only works with multiple attacks, as a full-attack action.

I think your tiger zombie would now only have a single slam attack, or possibly the bite or claw in lieu of a slam.

It's a "fast zombie" so it isn't staggered. But yeah, it seems like it keeps grab and that's about it.

Thanks guys!

[Baval]

Wheldrake wrote:

Also, since zombies are slow, they only get a single attack action. Pounce is a feat that only works with multiple attacks, as a full-attack action.

I think your tiger zombie would now only have a single slam attack, or possibly the bite or claw in lieu of a slam.

Pounce would override slow if the tiger could keep it. The tiger zombie keeps its claws (but can only make one attack) and also gains the slam (which has no requirement to gain, so the tiger does a body slam or something similar)

Also fun fact, youre making a fast zombie so it doesnt matter, but Zombies are the only creatures who can make a "half charge" as a standard action, where they gain all the benefits of a charge but can only move up to their speed.

[dbauers]

They'd have to be able to, or you could kite them indefinitely!

[dbauers]

Ok so here's a follow up:

Quick Strikes says: Whenever a fast zombie makes a full attack action, it can make one additional slam attack at its highest base attack bonus.

Does this mean it could do: claw/claw/bite/slam? Or would it only be able to do that without using nat attacks, basically instead doing slam/slam?

[Baval]

Your first hunch was correct. The wording designates the extra attack has to be a slam, but not what the others are.