PF: Synthesist (Summoner Variant) Suggestions?

[Rossebay]

So, we're about to start a new campaign.
I'm a Goblin summoner (Synthesist), and I'm going to have a bipedal Fire-based Eidolon. That's all I know.

The rest of the party is a Grenadier Alchemist and a third party member, who will probably be one of the .75 BAB Self-Sufficient classes, much like the Grenadier and I are.

So, any suggestions? Any Evolutions that are must haves for a synthesist or bipedal eidolon? Any feat suggestions, spells?

[panaikhan]

Trip is always a good evolution. Grab works if you have claws. Go large at your first opportunity, the stat bonuses alone make this worthwhile. Until then, Enlarge Person is still good. the Eidolon heal spells are essential, because no-one else can heal the Eidolon (it's classified as temporary HP).

Is the Bipedal bit set in stone?
My Synthesist went quadruped. Currently 8th level, my attack list goes something like: Pounce - Bite / claw (grab, possible rake / rake) / claw (grab, possible rake / rake).
My synthesist wears a saddle while melded, atop which sits the party Alchemist/Gunslinger who uses her move-equivalent action to do things like reload...

I plan on taking Rend as soon as I can, with the feat that reduces the number of claw hits needed to one.

[CTrees]

Honestly... Unless there is a RP reason for going bipedal, I like quadraped better. Better base speed and a bite, so if you get arms you aren't wasting the claws evolution. Once you get large, and add on Enlarge Person, your strength is going to be crazy anyway (and quadraped gives you a greater carrying capacity, before your strength is too high to care). Much more importantly... Pounce! Fairly easy to argue that as one of the best evolutions, especially with all the ways you'll have to get tons of attacks.

Slightly unrelated, but I've thought of playing some mounted combat focused melee type, then grabbing Leadership for a quadraped synthesist with pounce and mount, for simply ridiculous charges. One of those back burner ideas.

[stack]

I believe the question comes to reach verses pounce. How do you prefer to play?

If you stay bipedal (perfectly reasonable) will you use weapons or focus on natural attacks? If weapons, one big weapon (slugger type) or lots of light weapons (Kali type)?

[CTrees]

I believe the question comes to reach verses pounce. How do you prefer to play?

Eh, true. Large+Enlarge Person+Reach(weapon)+Lunge+a reach weapon is the start of something pretty darned nasty.

[Rossebay]

I believe the question comes to reach verses pounce. How do you prefer to play?

If you stay bipedal (perfectly reasonable) will you use weapons or focus on natural attacks? If weapons, one big weapon (slugger type) or lots of light weapons (Kali type)?

Bipedal for roleplay reasons, yes.
And I was considering reach with natural attacks to start, and maybe switching to weapons at later levels if it seemed necessary.

His main goal will be tanking, to being able to trip/grab on attacks of opportunity with extended reach would be a decent build. I'd be attempting to protect the rest of the party.

[Curious]

Keep in mind, Pounce is not the only way to move and full attack. If you get the Experimental Spellcaster feat from the Words of Power section of the SRD, you can gain the Accelerate spell, which gives your Eidolon an extra move action.

[Rossebay]

Keep in mind, Pounce is not the only way to move and full attack. If you get the Experimental Spellcaster feat from the Words of Power section of the SRD, you can gain the Accelerate spell, which gives your Eidolon an extra move action.

Ah, right!
The only issue is casting or combat, but I guess I can throw my one or two buffs up at the start of the encounter and just rely on eidolon abilities from there on out. As a "caster", I'm not as powerful as others, so I don't think concentrating on much but one or two buffs and the rest being healing will hinder me much.

Scores (3.5's PB, 32), switching it up to being a half-elf now. The campaign's theme became more serious.

Str 8
Dex 16
Con 16
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 16

Though... Half-Elf or Human?

[Prospector]

If your going to be primarily a tank, go human and get the extra temp HP. On the hand if you multiclass (with Paladin for 2 lvls for example) Half Elf becomes much more appealing. And the extra ep every 4 lvl is nice.

[Dyllan]

I'm playing a half-elf synthesist biped in a campaign now.

I have the large evolution, reach evolution for my weapon (which is a horsechopper - reach, trip weapon), evolutions for dex, strength and con.

I have improved trip, greater trip and fury's fall, so my CMB for trip is ludicrous. I have combat reflexes. If the enemy tries to close with me, I trip them, provoking AoO when they fall and again when they stand up. On my turn, I move (if necessary, it rarely is), and trip as many people as I can. Then the clean up crew (ie, rest of the party), just takes them out while their down. A couple party members have decided to take combat reflexes just because of the AoO's I generate for them.

It's a very effective build, and has the advantage of helping your allies shine (rogue loves me... so easy to flank when your ally has 30 foot reach), unlike the Kali build which is all about what YOU can do.

[Wings of Peace]

Is your DM ruling that the Synthesist can or cannot wear armor?

[Dyllan]

Is your DM ruling that the Synthesist can or cannot wear armor?

Synthesists don't NEED armor. Just the natural armor evolution as many times as you can afford (one more reason to play half-elf). My AC is the highest in the party, and I have a ring of protection +1 as my only item based AC.

[Rossebay]

Is your DM ruling that the Synthesist can or cannot wear armor?

We're ruled to be able to wear armor.