Snake
Your companion is a constrictor snake, such as a boa or python.
Size Small
Melee [one-action] jaws (finesse); Damage 1d8 piercing
Str +3, Dex +3, Con +1, Int –4, Wis +1, Cha +0
Hit Points 6
Skill Stealth
Senses low-light vision, scent (imprecise, 30 feet)
Speed 20 feet, climb 20 feet, swim 20 feet
Support Benefit Your snake holds your enemies with its coils,
interfering with reactions. Until the start of your next turn,
any creature your snake threatens can’t use reactions
triggered by your actions unless its level is higher than yours.
Advanced Maneuver ConstrictCONSTRICT [one-action]
Requirements The snake has a smaller creature grabbed.
The snake deals 12 bludgeoning damage to the grabbed creature;
the creature must attempt a basic Fortitude save. If the snake is a
specialized animal companion, increase this damage to 20.
As written, with just the rules in the Core Rulebook, the Constrict ability cannot be used, as the only way to grab is with the Grapple action, which requires a free hand. A snake doesn't have hands.
GRAPPLE [one-action]
ATTACK
Requirements You have at least one free hand. Your target
cannot be more than one size larger than you.
You attempt to grab an opponent with your free hand.
Attempt an Athletics check against their Fortitude DC.
You can also Grapple to keep your hold on a creature you
already grabbed.
Critical Success Your opponent is restrained until the end of
your next turn unless you move or your opponent Escapes
(page 470).
Success Your opponent is grabbed until the end of your next
turn unless you move or your opponent Escapes.
Failure You fail to grab your opponent. If you already had
the opponent grabbed or restrained using a Grapple, those
conditions on that creature end.
Critical Failure If you already had the opponent grabbed or
restrained, it breaks free. Your target can either grab you,
as if it succeeded at using the Grapple action against you,
or force you to fall and land prone.
Even if we do hand waive that and say that a snake can obviously grapple, because constrictor snakes are a thing, what is the DC of the saving throw?
I haven't looked at the Bestiary, but players shouldn't need to use the Bestiary to determine what their class feats do.
This is actually easier to deal with than you think. A Young animal companion snake is trained in Athletics and uses your level to determine it's proficiency bonus, so calculate the DC normally. So a lvl 1 snake animal companion would have a Constrict DC of 14.
All animal companions are trained in athletics by default and their training in that skill increases as they gain companion specializations. Savage animal companion for example increases their training in Athletics to Expert.
Edit: As to the "one hand free" thing, yeah that is a hand waive moment. It is obvious that the Snake is capable of grappling if only to use Constrict, otherwise why would Paizo have printed the ability?
They would definitely use the Snake's Athletics DC for Escape checks, as that is defined in the book. I don't think we can assume that the DC for the Fort save is Athletics though. That would typically be written asThis is actually easier to deal with than you think. A Young animal companion snake is trained in Athletics and uses your level to determine it's proficiency bonus, so calculate the DC normally. So a lvl 1 snake animal companion would have a Constrict DC of 14.
All animal companions are trained in athletics by default and their training in that skill increases as they gain companion specializations. Savage animal companion for example increases their training in Athletics to Expert.
Edit: As to the "one hand free" thing, yeah that is a hand waive moment. It is obvious that the Snake is capable of grappling if only to use Constrict, otherwise why would Paizo have printed the ability?
must attempt a basic Fortitude save against the snake's Athletics DC.
It could also use some kind of "class" DC, or even a static DC. You are probably correct, but the ability should still state it.
I agree that it should be spelled out. As it is the only DC they could be referencing is the DC tied to the skill that allowed the snake to grab the creature, so logically it would be Athletics.
That is certainly no excuse for vague wording though.