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Jorda75
2010-07-01, 01:02 PM
I think I know the answer to this, but can my animal companion take weapon focus (bite) as a bonus feat or not? Could he select Weapon Focus (natural weapon) if he only has one attack?

Oh and does an animal using it's primary natural weapon only add it's strength + 1/2, like a character wielding a weapon in 2 hands? The stats would seem to suggest so but I wanna be sure.

P.S. He already has Improved Natural Attack :smallbiggrin:

taltamir
2010-07-01, 01:04 PM
I thought it was "Weapon Focus (natural attack)" for ALL natural attacks (that is, his bites, claws, and if he learns kung fu, drop kicks).

I never actually played a character with an animal companion before... do animal companions even get feats?

Jorda75
2010-07-01, 01:09 PM
I thought it was "Weapon Focus (natural attack)" for ALL natural attacks (that is, his bites, claws, and if he learns kung fu, drop kicks).

I never actually played a character with an animal companion before... do animal companions even get feats?

Yep, they get feats when they advance in HD.

"An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice."

lsfreak
2010-07-01, 01:13 PM
You take it for a specific natural weapon. There's plenty of examples of monster entries that have Weapon Focus (Bite) or WF (Claw).

Natural attacks use Str. Secondary natural attacks use 1/2 Str (and take a -5 to hit, without Multiattack/Improved Multiattack). Very specific natural attacks will use other amounts, like a dragon's tail that's specifically listed at 1.5xStr.

Jorda75
2010-07-01, 01:42 PM
Thanks Isfreak :)

Prime32
2010-07-01, 02:26 PM
There are probably better feats you can take though... What's your companion?

taltamir
2010-07-01, 02:47 PM
There are probably better feats you can take though... What's your companion?

With that I agree... my first thought would be improved trip :P

Tetsubo 57
2010-07-01, 06:49 PM
What about Improved Natural Attack?

Ashram
2010-07-01, 07:40 PM
What about Improved Natural Attack?

Imp. Natural Attack only bumps up the damage die on the natural attack by one category. Not amazing if you're going from, say, 1d4 to 1d6.

Runeclaw
2010-07-01, 07:42 PM
What about Improved Natural Attack?

Improved Natural Attack improves the damage die by one step. Usually, this will mean increasing average damage by 1 point. That's not a terribly impressive use of a feat. If you're at the point of adding a new die, it is a little more worthwhile, but still a relatively small static bonus.

BTW in Pathfinder, all animals who have only a single natural attack treat it as a two-handed weapon. But primary and secondary natural attacks are very different there as well.

Eldariel
2010-07-01, 07:45 PM
What about Improved Natural Attack?

1) He already has it.
2) It's pretty bad for most creatures; you need at least 1d8 base damage for it to be worth your while (increase from 1d8 to 2d6 is average of 2.5 points; not horrible though not amazing). Of course, it gets better when used in conjuction with Animal Growth. Something like Tyrannosaurus would get 6d6 base damage (except it already has INA) that way, which is already respectable.
3) Improved X tends to be the line of feats you want for Core ACs. That or Armor Proficiencies; while they may seem poor, +4 AC (compared to Mithril Chain) is really nothing to sneeze at for some creatures with NA and all. Not that efficient but two feats for +4 AC beats most Core feats in efficiency.

Akal Saris
2010-07-01, 07:52 PM
Animals can't take Improved Trip, btw, since it requires Combat Expertise, which in turn requires a 13 Int. Annoying, given how fitting the feat is otherwise.