Minmax'd build: the many-armed horror

[flamewolf393]

I will preface this by saying that yes, I am violating the "cant take this more than twice" rule, and I am using a weapon from 3.5. Other than that this is pure pathfinder.

So this build is focused purely on getting as many arms on one creature as possible. I have used the custom race creator rules for this.

Race build:
greater weakness: -4 cha, -2 wis, +2 dex (-3RP)
light blindness (-2RP)
neg energy affinity (-1RP)
resurrection vulnerability (-1RP)
slow speed (-1RP)
fire vulnerability (-2RP)

multi-armed x7 (20RP)
Reach (1RP)
weapon familiarity - h.xbow, crescent knife

Class build:
Alchemist (vivesectionist) 20; every discovery is vesitgal arm
First level feat is many weapon fighting, Every other feat is extra discovery for more vestigal arms.

This leaves us with 29 arms at level 20. Then we use the 3.5 weapon crescent knife for double attacks.

[Mithril Leaf]

Vestigial Arms doesn't give you more attacks from Two-Weapon fighting. The first of many weird occurrences here, but an obvious one.

[Snowbluff]

Wouldn't just being a Synthesist be easier? That is legal and lets you take more arms.

[flamewolf393]

Vestigial Arms doesn't give you more attacks from Two-Weapon fighting. The first of many weird occurrences here, but an obvious one.

"The arm does not give the alchemist any extra attacks or actions per round, though the arm can wield a weapon and make attacks as part of the alchemist’s attack routine"

The wording here would allow the arms to hold a weapon and be used as offhands for the purpose of multi weapon fighting. Its just that simply having the extra arm does not automatically grant an extra attack on its own just for having it.


Wouldn't just being a Synthesist be easier? That is legal and lets you take more arms.

The eidolon is limited on how many attacks per round it has not matter how many limbs you give it, and also the evolution pool is way too limited to get this many arms.

[Necroticplague]

The eidolon is limited on how many attacks per round it has not matter how many limbs you give it, and also the evolution pool is way too limited to get this many arms.

This statement is flat out wrong on multiple parts.

1. read what 'max attack' means more closely.

This indicates the maximum number of natural attacks that the eidolon is allowed to possess at the given level. If the eidolon is at its maximum, it cannot take evolutions that grant additional natural attacks. This does not include attacks made with weapons.
More arms holding weapons isn't natural attacks.

2.The Limbs mutation can give you two arms for two evolution points. This gives you 2 arms every other level, at worst, given the progression of the evolution pool (though a couple times, the it let's you get 2 arms for one level). As opposed to your current method, which gives you one limb every two levels from class levels. Final result will be 26 arms from class level at level 20, instead of 10. Admittingly, it's not going to be quite as useful in direct damage on a per-attack ratio (due to lacking SA), but it will have much more attacks.

[Snowbluff]

Thank you for explaining that, Necroticplague. ^.^

That's the basis of the Centipede/Hecatochiere builds. You can always add some other damage bonuses, like Power Attack/Piranha Strike and some bonus Dexterity/Strength. Additionally, you can get more EP from playing a race that has extra EP as a Racial Favored Class bonus, as well as several other methods.

[grarrrg]

"The arm does not give the alchemist any extra attacks or actions per round, though the arm can wield a weapon and make attacks as part of the alchemist’s attack routine"

The wording here would allow the arms to hold a weapon and be used as offhands for the purpose of multi weapon fighting. Its just that simply having the extra arm does not automatically grant an extra attack on its own just for having it.

Having an extra Off-Hand _IS_ getting an extra attack just for having it.

Also, very much shot down by the FAQ (http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fz#v5748eaic9rc5).


But since you're ignoring "can only be taken twice", you may as well ignore any other rule that gets in your way.

[Necroticplague]

Having an extra Off-Hand _IS_ getting an extra attack just for having it.

Also, very much shot down by the FAQ (http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fz#v5748eaic9rc5).


But since you're ignoring "can only be taken twice", you may as well ignore any other rule that gets in your way.

Incidentally, another reason to go synthesist instead of alchemist. The limbs evolution doesn't have that clause.

On a related note, looking closely at the custom races rules puts the kibosh on taking multi-armed even more times, even if you ignore that it can only be taken twice.
Because its not worded in a continual progression (I.e., the race has one more arm per case of extra arm trait it has), its written as a discrete result (if you take it once, you have 3 arms, if you take it twice, you have 4), with no provisions for if its not once or twice. So by the rules, even if you could take the multi-armed trait more than twice, it wouldn't do anything.

[flamewolf393]

Having an extra Off-Hand _IS_ getting an extra attack just for having it.

Also, very much shot down by the FAQ (http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fz#v5748eaic9rc5).


But since you're ignoring "can only be taken twice", you may as well ignore any other rule that gets in your way.

I did not know about that FAQ. That kinda sucks since it seems to go against the wording that says it can be used as part of an attack routine.

[grarrrg]

I did not know about that FAQ. That kinda sucks since it seems to go against the wording that says it can be used as part of an attack routine.

The ability makes enough sense.
The main problem was them saying Vestigal Arms could be used to attack _at all_.
It would have been SO much cleaner, and exactly as functional, to just say "these arms cannot make attacks, but can hold things and do Extracts and stuff".


Just -having- an extra arm will normally entitle you to an extra (off-hand) attack. That's the 'no extra attacks' bit.
(do note that the Two-Weapon Fighting feat does NOT 'give' you an Off-Hand attack, it merely reduces penalties)

If you have 2 arms and 6 Bab, you can -normally- do 'main hand, main-hand-5, off hand'.
So adding a Vestigial Arm (or two) still restricts you to that '2 main, 1 off-hand' limit, regardless of exactly which hands are doing what.

[Eldaran]

Since we can ignore one rule, why not cast Haste 100 times or use Wish to add +5000000 to your Strength?

[flamewolf393]

Since we can ignore one rule, why not cast Haste 100 times or use Wish to add +5000000 to your Strength?

Because that would just be dumb. My thing at least is a common ruling. 95% of players and dm's generally ignore the little pointless things like "cant take it more than twice" on this.

*edit* at least out of the hundreds I've personally met. Ive asked around specifically on this and everyone has said yeah theres no real point in limiting it to two.

[Necroticplague]

Because that would just be dumb. My thing at least is a common ruling. 95% of players and dm's generally ignore the little pointless things like "cant take it more than twice" on this.

[Citation needed].