Small Cat Companion -> Trip

[Baumfluch]

Hi,

i have a small cat as companion, and it may attempt a free trip maneuver any time it hits the bite.

I perform an attack, but i use my CMB instead of my usual attack bonus.
The result is compared to the enemys CMD instead of his armor class.

Though i use my CMB, the combat maneuver section states:

CRB wrote:

[...]make an attack roll and add your CMB in place of your normal attack bonus"

my cat uses weapon finesse. it says:

CRB wrote:

"you may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls"

so by raw i guess my cat may use DEX insted of STR for her Trip-Check, even though it is a combat-maneuver, since it requires an attack roll.

But why the hell does the "agile maneuvers" feat exist? would actually be pretty useless, if indeed all combat maneuvers require an attack roll, in wich case i already use DEX because of weapon finesses.

Where did i get the rules wrong, or didnt i?

[DM Livgin]

You are correct:
1: If the cat hits with a bite it gets a free trip attempt that does not provoke.
2: Trip, disarm, and sunder maneuvers can be made with weapons. In your case the bite attack. So the cat adds it's dex instead of str to it's CMB. (because the weapon it is useing qualifies for weapon finesse.)
3: Bullrush, overrun, dirty maneuvers, repositions, drags, and grapples do not use a weapon. So the agile maneuvers feat is required to add your dex to those maneuvers.

[Glorf Fei-Hung]

Baumfluch wrote:

Hi,

i have a small cat as companion, and it may attempt a free trip maneuver any time it hits the bite.

I perform an attack, but i use my CMB instead of my usual attack bonus.
The result is compared to the enemys CMD instead of his armor class.

Though i use my CMB, the combat maneuver section states:

CRB wrote:

[...]make an attack roll and add your CMB in place of your normal attack bonus"

my cat uses weapon finesse. it says:

CRB wrote:

"you may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls"

so by raw i guess my cat may use DEX insted of STR for her Trip-Check, even though it is a combat-maneuver, since it requires an attack roll.

But why the hell does the "agile maneuvers" feat exist? would actually be pretty useless, if indeed all combat maneuvers require an attack roll, in wich case i already use DEX because of weapon finesses.

Where did i get the rules wrong, or didnt i?

Per FAQ

Weapon Finesse: If I have this feat, can I apply my Dex bonus to my combat maneuver checks instead of my Strength bonus?
It depends on what combat maneuver you're attempting. Disarm, sunder, and trip are normally the only kinds of combat maneuvers in which you’re actually using a weapon to perform the maneuver, and therefore the weapon’s bonuses apply to the roll. Therefore, if you're attempting a disarm, sunder, or trip maneuver, you can apply your Dex bonus instead of your Str mod on the combat maneuver check (assuming you're using a finessable weapon, of course). For other combat maneuvers, you use the normal rule for determining CMB (Str instead of Dex).

The Agile Maneuvers feat applies to all combat maneuvers, not just disarm, sunder, and trip, so it is still a useful option for a Dex-based creature that uses combat maneuvers.

[Diego Rossi]

Baumfluch wrote:

Hi,

i have a small cat as companion, and it may attempt a free trip maneuver any time it hits the bite.

I perform an attack, but i use my CMB instead of my usual attack bonus.
The result is compared to the enemys CMD instead of his armor class.

You use the cat CMB, not yours.

Your animal companion has its BAB, its Strength and its Dexterity.