[PF] Wielding different weapons with an eidolon

[SamsDisciple]

I don't really plan on doing this but I was curious if it even works. If you have an eidolon that has a natural attack, extra arms to wield a reach weapon, and more extra arms to wield a bow, could you attack three different targets in one full attack action? I am pretty sure it works if it is all melee attacks but what about throwing in a ranged weapon in there? Could be interesting if it worked to pounce, bite/grapple a squishy mage, then shoot arrows at the rest of the baddies.

[Slipperychicken]

Yes, it works. There's even a "kali" trick, named after a many-armed god, in which the eidolon selects extra limbs (arms), and uses each hand to wield a weapon (like a longsword). It can attack with each weapon, and these do not count against the natural attack limit, potentially allowing a tremendous number of weapon attacks in a full-attack.

One popular variant on this trick is the "gunlodon", in which the eidolon uses its feats to select firearm proficiency and rapid reload (and also use alchemical cartridges to get reload down to a free action), and then wields a large number of firearms and fires them all in the same round to devastating effect.

[grarrrg]

Yes, it works. There's even a "kali" trick, named after a many-armed god, in which the eidolon selects extra limbs (arms), and uses each hand to wield a weapon (like a longsword). It can attack with each weapon, and these do not count against the natural attack limit, potentially allowing a tremendous number of weapon attacks in a full-attack.

I think his main issue was with throwing in a Bow/ranged weapon.
Yes, you can do this, but be wary of a few things:
*Two-Weapon/Multiweapon penalties still apply. This means ALL of your Manufactured-Weapon attacks will take a -2 penalty (if you have the relevant feat), but that's only if you use _1_ non-Light weapon. If you use more than 1 non-Light, then be prepared to eat -4 To-Hit penalty with ALL Manufactured weapon attacks (the only Ranged weapons that count as Light are typically Thrown).

*Ranged attacks provoke AoO's. If you are close enough to hit them with your Natural Weapons, then chances are they can hit you if/when you make a Ranged attack.
(note: there are a variety of feats to not provoke AoO's when using Ranged in Melee reach)

*When using a manufactured weapon ALL of your Natural attacks are considered Secondary, and take a -5 To-Hit penalty, unless you have the Multiattack feat, in which case they only have a -2 To-Hit penalty.

*If an arm with a Natural Attack is also holding a weapon, then you can NOT use that Natural Attack.

*Minor bonus: Two-weapon/Multi-weapon penalties only apply to Manufactured Weapons, and Naturals are not further affected.

One popular variant on this trick is the "gunlodon", in which the eidolon uses its feats to select firearm proficiency and rapid reload (and also use alchemical cartridges to get reload down to a free action), and then wields a large number of firearms and fires them all in the same round to devastating effect.

It's generally advisable to go Synthesist and just dip Gunslinger, because a normal Eidolon does not have a lot of feats to play with, and Firearms can be pretty feat intensive.