As title stats I'm looking at building a character that focuses on their animal companion (I got this idea after seeing Erastil's last devotion bonus from the Evangelist PRC) I've done some looking around and am thinking that the Hunter class would be the best base to this build though I have yet to decide on an animal companion and also if I would want to be mounted or not ideas/suggestions would be awesome
Hunter does make one of the Best Animal Companion classes.
Avoid Mounted combat on a hunter. They do much better off the Animal companion and Teamwork feats do not really support Mounted combat. There are other classes for Mounted combat AND Mounted combat has very little to do with the thing you are riding.
Your best bet is a Melee Hunter using a reach weapon and a Companion of your choice.
When choosing your companion choose among these things:
Lots of Attacks w/ Pounce
A single Big Attack
Lots of AoOs
Maneuvers (Trip, Grab, ext)
What you pick above really determines which teamwork feats you pick up.
I am a big fan of Animal companions with reach (which comes with size) and Grab options. Others prefer Pounce+lots of attacks.
Large Cats are a great middle ground. They gain pounce, Grab, and have several attacks and Rake.
As for Feats:
Combat Expertise->Pack flanking is amazing
combat reflexes (more AoOs)
Broken Wing Gambit
Pair opportunist
That will usually be your "Core" feats. Everything else is just gravy.
Like Precise Strike is a good Feat for Animal companions doing lots of Hits. But on a single hit Companion (Like T-rex) it is only a 3.5 damage increase so it is not worth it.
A popular Dip for a hunter is a single Level of Wild child Brawler. It provides a ton of Goodie. Waves the 13 Int needed for combat expertise, Gives you Martial flexibility which is amazing, Improved Unarmed strike is also great on a reach weapon user.
Second Hunter with a single level of wild child brawler.
Go human and take eye for talent alternate racial trait.
Large Cat is amazing. I prefer pounce/precise strike to a single big hit YMMV
As long as you have outflank and pack flanking being mounted is more than viable. You do not need any mounted combat feats though, just enough ranks in ride to get by.
Menacing Amulet of mighty fists...get one as soon as you can - as soon after you get pack flanking as possible.
Totem Beast feat gives you another animal focus, albeit a level or two delayed.
Is this possible to do with ranged or would a Ranger be better with that? This is what boons Erastil will give me for being an Evangelist
1: Family's Bond (Sp) cure light wounds 3/day, shield other 2/day, or prayer 1/day
2: Twin Fang (Ex) Once per day as a standard action, you can summon an exact double of your animal companion. The double acts and thinks like your animal companion in every way, and obeys your commands just as the original would. Your original animal companion and its double understand and trust each other perfectly. The double remains for 1 round for every Hit Die you possess, and then vanishes. If you don’t have an animal companion, you instead gain the ability to use summon nature’s ally V as a spell-like ability once per day.
3: Faithful Archer (Ex) You are particularly skilled at using Erastil’s favored weapon. When using a longbow, you add your Wisdom bonus on attack and damage rolls against targets within 30 feet.
Though once I get twinfang I could switch back to hunter and still remain melee
An archer hunter is doable, but another good option would be a Nature Fang Druid. You can get ranger fighting style feats for archery as well as your full 9th lvl druid casting and animal companion lists. You even has WIS to casting which doubles to the Erastil boon.
Why nature fang? It doesn't seem to have any specific boost to ranged combat
Well it's not that mounted hunter is not viable. It is just the teamwork feats are not plentiful to support Mounted combat. Plus the class lacks the damage of the other classes. Cav, paladin, ranger, and barbarian make for better mounted lancers.
Now to respond to Archer. Again teamwork feats are not as plentiful for that style but it is still doable. Tho I recommend Inquisitor over the hunter for that route. Or as you said Ranger. The classes just preform better. Not that it is not viable. Your just not coming close to what you could be doing.
Hunters Shine the BEST off the Animal Companion and flanking from pack flanking. Teamwork feats are more plentiful for Melee builds
Why nature fang? It doesn't seem to have any specific boost to ranged combat
Slayer talents -> ranger combat style for archer feats, as well as other talents into more feats or other competencies. Studied target gives bonuses to attack and damage as well. A pinch of SA if you get a flat footed shot or two off. Druid spell list for buffs and utility.
The only thing you lose out on is going from full bab to 3/4 bab. But the WIS to casting which turns into WIS to attack+damage from the erastil boon is great synergy. I'm not saying it's the best choice just adding it to the list of choices since nobody else had brought it up.
The last boon on Evangelist is coming in at character level 14 minimum. Unless you're starting the game in double-digit levels, you'll be using dex like any other archer for most of the game. For that matter it only works out to 30'.
If you're focusing on the animal companion then you need to be in melee with it to make full use of a hunter's teamwork feats. This can mean mounted combat, or it could mean wandering up separately with a reach weapon or something. Mounted combat definitely makes things simpler to run in combat, which may or may not matter to you.
gotcha well if that's the case any specific teamwork feats and or weapon choices?
Since you'll take Outflank from the 2nd level hunter class feature then you do want Pack Flanking. A Wild Child Brawler dip does work, or you can just get 13+ Int so that you can get Combat Expertise for the prereq to Pack Flanking. Improved Spell Sharing is another very good teamwork feat for a hunter. Broken Wing Gambit/Paired Opportunists can be a very useful combo.
Beyond that, Precise Strike, Seize the Moment and Coordinated Charge are all useful. Outside combat Stealth Synergy may be worthwhile swapping out for your latest teamwork feat - you can do so as a standard action Wis mod times/day. Lookout is another which may be useful.
If you aim for Sieze the Moment then you want a higher crit range weapon. Maybe a bardiche if you're on foot, or a scimitar or falchion if mounted (if mounted you probably want to have the same reach as your mount.) If not you might consider an elven branched spear if playing an elf, or a dwarven longhammer on a dwarf (either on foot) - otherwise whichever reach weapon you like, or whichever non-reach weapon you like if mounted. Lances are for a character where the mount is not the focus.
I am a bit set on a quadruped animal companion (mostly due to the evolved companion feat and the amount of attacks I can gain for my AC) any ideas specifically about that?
Tigers are great because of their pounce and rake. Wolves are great for their tripping. Both can be ridden at 7.
What is the best one with the most attacks? I can always get pounce with evolved companion feat
Quadruped preferably and with the most limbs possible (not including tails as I can only add tails with that feat)
What is the best one with the most attacks? I can always get pounce with evolved companion feat
Actually you can not get pounce with Evolved Companion anymore.
I would go with large cat, warcat or Deinonychus (raptor).
Most DMs I've run with Hate dinosaurs for ACs. Many complain they are not native to most regions where APs take place.
But if your DM is different then go with which ever you like.
What is the best one with the most attacks? I can always get pounce with evolved companion featActually you can not get pounce with Evolved Companion anymore.
I would go with large cat, warcat or Deinonychus (raptor).
Most DMs I've run with Hate dinosaurs for ACs. Many complain they are not native to most regions where APs take place.
But if your DM is different then go with which ever you like.
Why can't you take pounce did I miss it noted somewhere?
Scratch that just found it if that's the case then I would need something that gains pounce naturally
Allosaurus is a good one that gets Pounce. They are also bipeds so they are "tall" giving them more reach than a quadruped.