Looking for ideas on a hunter with a Crocodile AC

[Rylar]

My wife is going to DM a campaign, and we have picked Skull and Shackles. I’ve decided to play a Hunter with a Croc companion as I feel it fits the theme. So, I’m looking for ideas on how to build him.

So far:
Human
Stat array: 16,10,14,12,16,10

I’d like to see my croc grab enemy combatants and jump overboard.

As you can see, I haven’t fleshed out much of the character yet. Even what I have isn’t set in stone.

[AaronUnicorn]

I can't wrap my head around this concept without it being seriously influenced by Steve Irwin.

[Selvaxri]

Croc's have the Grab ability and "Death Roll" which can knock enemies prone.
There's also the "Reposition" combat maneuver.

Be aware, your croc starts out small, so it won't be all that great at moving enemies off the ship. Also, you may not always be on a ship, so "dragging overboard"

What's your party composition looking like? It may be worthwhile for your allies to take Paired Opportunist teamwork feats to beat down on an enemy your croc managed to knock prone. It's something you an your croc should look into.

[Rylar]

Yeah I was disappointed when I learned he would be small then medium at 4. I was hoping for medium/large. So, I will have to overcome that.

The rest of the party is still in building phase. One is thinking a synthesist summoner, and another is pretty set on vibrokineticist. There will be 2-3 more players that will come and go based on their schedules.

[Valamuur]

Scrolls of Atavism and Animal Growth (4th level Hunter Spells), should be enough to make your crocodile be fine.

You don't need to worry about using Reposition, since grapple can move a grabbed enemy up to half their movement speed. If you want to go all in on grapple checks, then the Human racial trait, Eye for Talent, makes sense to get for the 3 Intelligence so that you can get Improved Unarmed Strike to get the Grapple feats for your crocodile. Grappling isn't limited by size, but Grabbing is.

Oils of Expeditious Retreat will help make sure that your crocodile can make it to the water, even at half speed. If they're going into the water though, make sure the Hunter is equipped to join them in the water: swim skill and a piercing weapon to help out the crocodile. They should always be a team, after all.

Plus, with a 3 intelligence crocodile, you can start to get a better idea of their tastes: barbecue sauce? ketchup? alarm clocks? These are important things your crocodile can convey to you. They also get more tricks, so it is easier to train them and get them to act how you want.

[Grandlounge]

Dirty fighting is a better entrance into grapple as it works really well with outflank and menacing +8 flank of grapple.

[Darigaaz the Igniter]

AaronUnicorn wrote:

I can't wrap my head around this concept without it being seriously influenced by Steve Irwin.

Oi, look at this fella. He's a real beauty.

[The Sideromancer]

Rylar wrote:

Yeah I was disappointed when I learned he would be small then medium at 4. I was hoping for medium/large. So, I will have to overcome that.

The rest of the party is still in building phase. One is thinking a synthesist summoner, and another is pretty set on vibrokineticist. There will be 2-3 more players that will come and go based on their schedules.

What element is a vibrokineticist?

[Louise Bishop]

Croc will work wonders for Skulls and Shackles.

Boosting his Strength via Bull Focus and getting things like coordinated maneuvers will help. Boosting the Crocs Int and picking up feats like Dirty Fighting and Improved Grapple.

You will want the spell Sky Swim ASAP so your gator can get onto the boats from the waters below. It will be difficult in the first few levels to get him onto other boats during raiding.

For your Hunter, a reach weapon will do wonders. A boarding Pike would be very flavorful, to begin with.

[Rylar]

I took the human trait to give him +2 int (instead of a bonus feat). Should I get dirty fighting over power attack (on the gator)? I was planning to get it and imp grapple by 4th level.

Why do I want a reach weapon over a normal weapon? I was leaning towards a cutlass to give the gator more attacks via outflank.

Can he just climb onto the boats?

[Grandlounge]

Have the best of both worlds Cracked Opalescent White Pyramid and fauchard 17-20 crit with reach.

Reach makes you a bit more defensive and increase the chance of getting an Aoo.

Get your croc a menacing amulet of might fist. Improved outflank, pack flanking or gang up to make it easier to flank.

[Rylar]

Cracked Opalescent White Pyramid? I’m not sure that building a character in a set campaign based around a specific 10k gold + item is a good idea...

Edit: oh, cracked, so 1.5k

[Greg.Everham]

The Dire Collar will help when your Croc comes up on some things it can't grapple. It's a 1/day enlarge on an animal, but for a mere 1000 gp, it'll help in the levels before your Croc grows. S!#*, it'll still work in the levels after. It's just a nice item to own.

[Rylar]

Cool, dire collar looks like something I may be able to obtain.