Looking to boost the damage of my viper as much as possible and I think this would help. Any other ideas would be great.
(Also his poison needs changed, but I think that’s more a home brew question)
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Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists?
How does an amulet stay on a snake?
Per Ultimate Wilderness "Serpentine" animal companions don't have an neck slot, they have slots for: belt, eyes, headband. So you're pretty limited on what you can equip on your snake.
If you are considering using homebrew, you might as well consider the magic item cost calculator to simply develop an amulet of mighty fist that takes up the belt slot. Usually 1.5x normal cost of item. Or consider magic tattoo and transfer it to the viper with a 1st level spell (Transfer Tattoo).
Snake, Viper
Starting Statistics
Size Small; Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC +2 natural armor; Attack bite (1d3 plus poison [Frequency 1 round (6), effect 1 Con damage, cure 1 save, Con-based DC]); Ability Scores Str 8, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2; Special Qualities low-light vision, scent.
4th-Level Advancement
Size Medium; Attack bite (1d4 plus poison); Ability Scores Str +4, Dex –2, Con +2.
Bonus Tricks Special
Class HD BAB Fort Ref Will Skills Feats NatArm Str/Dex
4th 4 +3 +4 +4 +1 4 2 +2 +1 Ability score increase
At 4th level you have a dex of 17-2 +1= 16= +3 bonus to damage from dex.
So at 4th level you'll have a strength of 8+4 +1 for 13. Possibly with another 1 for 14. That would give you +3 damage because bite is the snakes only weapon, and unlike an agile amulet of mighty fists when you don't get dex and a half.
But...if you could homebrew the amulet staying on (not nearly as ridiculous as people seem to thing, i used to pull soda bottle packs off of snakes all the time at the transfer station) your snake could take the alternate advancement of +2 dex +2 con and have a +5 to hit and damage
Strength would probably overtake dex eventually but dex pays off better now.
Extra Item Slot feat is made for exactly this situation.
The viper will be staying small so it will have 20 dex at level 4.
He is starting at 3 int so a feat would be great. Would a bite attack work with this? There is a rider that says it doesn’t work if your other hand is occupied. Snakes don’t have hands...
I could probably use it in my group, just trying to keep it as legal as possible.
Fortunately, it doesn't say you have to have a hand free, only that it doesn't work if another hand is occupied. Since you don't have any hands, you automatically meet the requirements.
You'll have to pick up Weapon Focus, though. I'd still go the Extra Item Slot route so you can have those sweet, sweet enhancement bonuses/properties.
Here is what I have so far
Weapon Finesse @ 1
Weapon Focus @ 2
Slashing Grace @ 5
Combat reflexes @ 8
? @10
? @13
Power Attack @ 16
? @ 18
At this point, before any gear, we're hitting for 28-30 damage.
At 8 we are doing 10 Damage per hit.
(this in on a hunter char so +2/+4/+6 dex is taken into consideration)
Slashing grace is very feat intensive.
Why combat reflexes? Thats normally for something/someone with good reach.
Pirhana strike would be pretty lethal since you already have a lot of hit.
Why combat reflexes? Thats normally for something/someone with good reach.
Pirhana strike would be pretty lethal since you already have a lot of hit.
Combat reflexes because he is a hunter's Animal Companion. There will be a lot of attacks of opportunity.
Finding a way to give him reach would be a good idea though.
Piranha Strike is strictly inferior to Power Attack in this instance. We have to wait longer to get Power attack, but it's 50% more damage boost.
How does an amulet stay on a snake?
Staples.
How does an amulet stay on a snake?Staples.
Sovereign Glue
How does an amulet stay on a snake?
Per Ultimate Wilderness "Serpentine" animal companions don't have an neck slot, they have slots for: belt, eyes, headband. So you're pretty limited on what you can equip on your snake.
It's called a knot...
(I get your point I just like being flippant :P)
Just to point out, the snake starts at Int 1, not 2. That means it would need two stat bumps to get to the Int 3 and 'any feat access'
Eye for talent on a human or halfling would help with that.