Hi,
My last character in a campaign died, so I need to roll up a new level 7 character. The campaign takes place largely outside, so I figured now was the time to build the cavalier/mammoth rider I've always wanted to play.
The current (very tentative) plan is to start with 7 levels of Beast Rider Cavalier, Order of the Beast, starting with a tiger. That companion gains grab (on all natural attacks, right? I don't think the entry specifies). At 8th level, the Order of the Beast ability lets me shape my tiger into a Giant Falcon, retaining (as I understand it) the grab ability on all attacks, or at least the bite (since it maintains a bite attack through the transformation).
I mostly need help optimizing the grapple aspect of the tiger/bird. The end goal is to be able to reliably grab things, fly up, and drop them, but I can't do that if my mount also gains the grappled condition.
The grab ability lets me take a -20 to my CMB (!!!) to not get the grappled condition, but obviously that isn't reasonable. I've never built a grappling-based character; are there any feats that'll help me dodge that? Are there any other classes/archetypes (including ones for animal companions) that aid in grappling?
Thanks in advance.
You could use the snatch and/or snatch and drop feats, and just not take the -20 penalty since you'll be dropping or flinging them on the same round anyway.
It might not be to your liking but here is a "Bird knight" build of mine that works exceptionally well that can be modified. There may be something in it that can help you.
Halfling dragoon fighter 1, sacred huntmaster inquisitor X
Anger Inquisition for rage (retrain to rage domain for smite and rage)
Feats: mounted combat 1, skill focus ride 1, ride by attack 1, spirited charge 3, escape route (never take an AOO) 4, power attack 5, extra rage 7, sacred legion 7, steadfast slayer or wheeling charge 9, horn of the criosphinx 11.
The build has a ton of reliable damage (spirited charge, rage, destructive smite, divine favour, bane, furious, steadfast slayer, horn of the criosphinx), a solid spell list, the teamwork feats and skirmisher trick make your AC much more reliable. The spells give you other means to solve problems and the class is built to be good at skills.
Grapple Stuff.
Dirty fighting, improved grapple, greater grapple, rapid grapple.
The goal is to standard grab/grapple, move action to move the target, swift action to do some damage, then drop them free action (or swift action can be used to move again).
There are items that can boost your bouses str belt, Ioun stone for CMB some that you maybe able to use with extra item slot. I don't have them all memorized. Spells from the inquisitor or cleric list provide the best options for increasing bonuses. Improved Spell Sharing will make your animal a monster.
Good grapple spells divine favour/power, resinous skin, heroism, Animal Aspect, hunters blessing, etc. basically if it adds to attack or AC (some bonues) it's a good option.
avr wrote: You could use the snatch and/or snatch and drop feats, and just not take the -20 penalty since you'll be dropping or flinging them on the same round anyway.
This is interesting. I didn't know about the latter feat, so thanks for the info. My mount can't take fly-by attack, though, because he doesn't have a natural fly speed. He only has one when my PC uses the cavalier ability on him.
Grandlounge wrote: It might not be to your liking but here is a "Bird knight" build of mine that works exceptionally well that can be modified. There may be something in it that can help you.
Halfling dragoon fighter 1, sacred huntmaster inquisitor X
Anger Inquisition for rage (retrain to rage domain for smite and rage)
Feats: mounted combat 1, skill focus ride 1, ride by attack 1, spirited charge 3, escape route (never take an AOO) 4, power attack 5, extra rage 7, sacred legion 7, steadfast slayer or wheeling charge 9, horn of the criosphinx 11.
The build has a ton of reliable damage (spirited charge, rage, destructive smite, divine favour, bane, furious, steadfast slayer, horn of the criosphinx), a solid spell list, the teamwork feats and skirmisher trick make your AC much more reliable. The spells give you other means to solve problems and the class is built to be good at skills.
Grapple Stuff.
Dirty fighting, improved grapple, greater grapple, rapid grapple.
The goal is to standard grab/grapple, move action to move the target, swift action to do some damage, then drop them free action (or swift action can be used to move again).
There are items that can boost your bouses str belt, Ioun stone for CMB some that you maybe able to use with extra item slot. I don't have them all memorized. Spells from the inquisitor or cleric list provide the best options for increasing bonuses. Improved Spell Sharing will make your animal a monster.
Good grapple spells divine favour/power, resinous skin, heroism, Animal Aspect, hunters blessing, etc. basically if it adds to attack or AC (some bonues) it's a good option.
This is a really cool build. I'll keep some of it in mind, but because the group I'm in is small, we all run two characters, and my other is already a divine caster. I'm trying to avoid running another.
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