Linnorm Hunter Style

[OzzyKP]

I've got a question about the Linnorm Hunter Style feat from the Martial Artist's Handbook.

Quote:

You and your animal companion work together to make coordinated strikes against your enemies.

Prerequisites: Cha 13, must have or be an animal companion.

Benefit: Once per round while using this style, when an ally with this feat hits a target that you both threaten using a melee attack, you gain a +2 bonus on attacks of opportunity made against that target for 1 round. Enemies that provoke attacks of opportunity from your ally also provoke attacks of opportunity from you so long as you threaten them (even if the situation or an ability would normally deny you the attack of opportunity).

Special: Animal companions with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 can take this feat.

It says that animal companions can take it, but it also has a CHA 13 prereq. Looking through a list of animal companions there are very, very few that meet that requirement.

Is this feat only intended for those handful of animals? Or does the Special text supersede that prerequisite?

[That Crazy Alchemist]

Edited: oops I misread your question.

It is a weirdly worded feat but yeah the intention of the special seems to be to supercede the requirements, at least that's how I'd rule it.

[LordKailas]

The special text would be required even if the feat did not require a cha of 13, since animal companions with an int of 1 or 2 can only select feats from a very specific list of feats. This seems to be there to add this feat to said list.

I agree its a strange pre-req and I have to assume that either it wasn't considered that most animal companions wouldn't meet this or it was done on purpose to limit the feat to certain animals or animal archetypes (Precocious for example gets a bonus to charisma).

[Lelomenia]

I bet it was a teamwork feat at one point in development.

[That Crazy Alchemist]

@LordKailas you make a good point, the purpose of that special is definitely for adding it to the usual list of AC feats. I didn't think of that.

@Lelomenia, yeah I initially thought it was a teamwork feat when I first answered, hence the edit. It reads just like one.

[OzzyKP]

Lelomenia wrote:

I bet it was a teamwork feat at one point in development.

Oh, it is a teamwork feat. The AoN site doesn't list it as such, for some reason, but it is a teamwork feat. If the intention was for it to be taken by Hunters and then applied to their animal companions then there would be no need to specify that it could be taken by animals.

It opens up a style feat chain:
- Linnorm Hunter Retreat
- Linnorm Hunter Coordination

Oh, I've thought of another question, is there a Handle Animal trick to getting your animal companion to enter a style stance?

[That Crazy Alchemist]

If it's a teamwork feat then it's probably supposed to be used by Hunters since they grant their teamwork feats to their animal companions.

It's still weirdly worded though.

[Lelomenia]

I think it’s reasonable to assume teamwork feats with prereqs and that require animal companions are primarily intended for Hunters. I don’t think they mind making it tough for others to qualify for; it does appear that the Animal-Fitted Alluring Charisma Headband manufacturer’s lobby got their preferred language approved on this one.

[OzzyKP]

There are plenty of teamwork feats that seem to be intended for Hunter use, but none of them explicitly say that an animal can take it on their own. That is completely new and an unusual addition if they didn't actually intend for the feat to be taken by animals.

[Claxon]

Hunters share all their teamwork feats with their animal companions by default.

That's why.

OzzyKP wrote:

Lelomenia wrote:

I bet it was a teamwork feat at one point in development.

Oh, it is a teamwork feat. The AoN site doesn't list it as such, for some reason, but it is a teamwork feat. If the intention was for it to be taken by Hunters and then applied to their animal companions then there would be no need to specify that it could be taken by animals.

It opens up a style feat chain:
- Linnorm Hunter Retreat
- Linnorm Hunter Coordination

Oh, I've thought of another question, is there a Handle Animal trick to getting your animal companion to enter a style stance?

Not true. It's not different than another teamwork feat that pretty much only for Hunter's but it doesn't explicitly prevent it, if your animal companion manages to meet qualifications. See Pack Flanking feat as another older example.

The reason it specifies animal companions can use it is so more a reminder that it can be applied to them, and the int callout for animals prevents mindless vermin companions from gaining it. For whatever reason.

Really, if your animal companion can meet the charisma requirement you stand a chance of being able to use this feat, whereas Pack Flanking you basically can't make the int requirement happen.

[Luis Loza]

This line of style feats were totally designed with hunters in mind, which is specifically why they are teamwork feats in addition to being style feats. The default assumption is that a hunter will share this feat with her animal companion without any other concern about prerequisites, as the animal companion gains the feat for "free."

We made sure to specifically set prerequisites that allow characters with animal companions other than hunters to gain access to the feat as well. This is why we added the special line that specifies that animal companions with a 1 or 2 Intelligence can take the feat. (An animal companion can normally only take a feat from the predetermined Animal Feats list unless they increase their Intelligence to 3.) That does mean that an animal companion must still meet the prerequisites for the feat, so it does limit the animal companions that can take it, but it is still something you can plan for in advance.

[Claxon]

Thanks Luis.

That's what I was trying to say, but you summarized it much better.

[Sakrileg]

Luis Loza wrote:

This line of style feats were totally designed with hunters in mind, which is specifically why they are teamwork feats in addition to being style feats. The default assumption is that a hunter will share this feat with her animal companion without any other concern about prerequisites, as the animal companion gains the feat for "free."

We made sure to specifically set prerequisites that allow characters with animal companions other than hunters to gain access to the feat as well. This is why we added the special line that specifies that animal companions with a 1 or 2 Intelligence can take the feat. (An animal companion can normally only take a feat from the predetermined Animal Feats list unless they increase their Intelligence to 3.) That does mean that an animal companion must still meet the prerequisites for the feat, so it does limit the animal companions that can take it, but it is still something you can plan for in advance.

If this was designed with hunters in mind, then why Charisma instead of Wisdom? Which would seem more fitting for Hunters that need to be wise in their tactics hunting Linnorms.

[dragonhunterq]

OzzyKP wrote:

Oh, I've thought of another question, is there a Handle Animal trick to getting your animal companion to enter a style stance?

PFS FAQ if that works for you (it should, it's a sensible ruling) - ACs know how to use their feats

[Sakrileg]

Luis Loza wrote:

This line of style feats were totally designed with hunters in mind, which is specifically why they are teamwork feats in addition to being style feats. The default assumption is that a hunter will share this feat with her animal companion without any other concern about prerequisites, as the animal companion gains the feat for "free."

Wait wait wait...its also a teamwork feat? Because it definitely isnt printed as that...its a Combat and Style feat

[Sakrileg]

Sakrileg wrote:

Luis Loza wrote:

This line of style feats were totally designed with hunters in mind, which is specifically why they are teamwork feats in addition to being style feats. The default assumption is that a hunter will share this feat with her animal companion without any other concern about prerequisites, as the animal companion gains the feat for "free."

Wait wait wait...its also a teamwork feat? Because it definitely isnt printed as that...its a Combat and Style feat

Nevermind...I am wrong. It is printed as a Combat, Style and Teamwork Feat