Pathfinder build advice

[Vyanie]

About to start a campaign in pathfinder and was kicking around a build that i believe might be interesting, if anyone has any tips or advice for it please let me know.
25 point buy, pazio material only
Race Oread
stats after racials
18 str
14 dex
14 con
13 int
14 Wis
8 cha
traits Reactionary , Magical Knack (hunter)
levels 1-3 Fighter (Phalanx soldier archtype) levels 4-5 Barbarian (Armored Hulk archtype) levels 6+ Hunter
1 Feats Dirty Fighting
1 Paired opportunists
2 Phalanx formation
3 Nature soul
5 Animal ally
5 (Rage power) Guarded Stance
7 Improved initiative
7 Outflank
8 Pack Flanking
9 Improved Shield bash
.... not quite sure after this point but the campaign i believe will get to at least lvl 15 I might trade out Improved initiative for combat reflexes

Basically I am trying to be a defensive second liner early on that can protect our casters but still be in the fray, later on rely on pet and teamwork feats to still be viable. I will be using a tower shield and polearm from level 3+ and when i can afford it heavy armor. We have another martial in the party that also wants to take some teamwork feats to help synergize. We will be starting at level 1 but wanted to plan out our roadmap.

[Geddy2112]

Ability scores look good for the concept, but you can lower your INT a bit since you have dirty fighting. With heavy armor, good hit dice from fighter, strong fort saves from clases and a shield, you can arguably lower con a bit as well. I don't see the point of adding in barbarian to the build besides a few round of rage a day, which are not terrible but your animal aspect will do you better in the long run.

Likewise, you don't need nature soul/animal ally. If you have 4 or less levels in another class just take boon companion, giving your animal companion a +4 to level, up to your character level. That saves you a feat.

Phalanx soldier 3 is good to get a 1 handed polearm, and with a tower shield a solid choice. I would consider getting a reach weapon and combat reflexes, but you don't have to if you want to two weapon fight/bash. Keep in mind, you cannot bash with a tower shield. If you want to bash/TWF, grab a heavy shield. Otherwise, a tower shield and reach weapon+combat reflexes. If you want to bash/TWF, you need to raise your dex a bit and you could lower con some.

Outflank and pack flanking are really good choices for hunters, and you can always ride your companion if they are large enough. If you want paired oppournitists, what combat maneuver are you focusing on? Trip+wolf companion is really solid.

[Vyanie]

While i would be extremely happy to lower int, doesnt pack flanking and umm... really anything that is base off of combat expertise line require Int 13? Did not realize the no bashing with tower, guess i can just go down to a heavy shield. so you would suggest 3 phalanx fighter, boon companion and hunter for the rest?

[Geddy2112]

Those feats normally do require 13 intelligence. However, you did not take combat expertise, you took dirty fighting. Dirty fighting allows you to count as having 13 Dex, 13 Int, Combat Expertise, and improved unarmed strike for the purpose of feats.

Otherwise yes, I would run your first few levels in fighter, then go into hunter and boon companion. You want to make sure you get the hunter level on a level you can take a bonus feat for boon companion. For this, I would go 2 levels in fighter, then one in hunter at level 3 getting boon companion. Take your 4th level in fighter and then go hunter from there on out.

[Vyanie]

I had thought it only counted as 13 int for combat advanced combat maneuver feats

Special: This feat counts as having Dex 13, Int 13, Combat Expertise, and Improved Unarmed Strike for the purposes of meeting the prerequisites of the various improved combat maneuver feats, as well as feats that require those improved combat maneuver feats as prerequisites.

But other than that I might change my build up thank you

[Psyren]

I assume you want the 3 levels in Phalanx Soldier so you can wield a longspear or some polearm in one hand while using a shield? Any reason you don't want to just make a Cavalier instead of sewing together all these classes?

[Vyanie]

you are correct psy, heavy armor + shield + polearm one hand. I had liked the hunters spell list as well thats why i was going with that, and the other hunter abilities, the reason I had originally thought of phalanx armoredhulk hunter was the increase from rage since its based on character level not barbarian level that i can see and you still get guarded stance from it, the HP from those first 5 levels would also help tremendously up to before i hit the teens, extra 14 hp over just pure hunter or if i go just phalanx its 6 hp.

[grarrrg]

the reason I had originally thought of phalanx armoredhulk hunter was the increase from rage since its based on character level not barbarian level

All class abilities only care about levels of the class that granted them unless "character level" or "levels in other classes" are specifically mentioned.

[Vyanie]

Also unless there was an errata I believe nature ally keeps adding to pet level so at 9 pet is 10 and so on, haven't seen anything that says otherwise

[Yanisa]

Also unless there was an errata I believe nature ally keeps adding to pet level so at 9 pet is 10 and so on, haven't seen anything that says otherwise

Well there is this guideline (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2q9f7&page=3?The-ARG-race-restriction-and-favored-class#141) which is aimed at PFS, but could be used in any game. (There are PF players that use PFS ruling in their games.) Still, no real errata or something like that. Besides, animal companion still cap out at level 20 because that is where the table end.

Personally, I still would go with Boon Companion and an extra feat choice on your main character, because animal companions don't gain that much more when they overlevel. A few higher stats, might make it relevant trough harder combats at higher levels, but eventually you hit that level 20 cap and then it's just slowly going to feel weaker and weaker each level you gain but your AC doesn't. (Or maybe retrain your feats around then, if your GM allows that.)

[Vyanie]

First off thank you to everyone that helped in planning my character, I did end up going pure hunter as you made me realize that what i was doing was to much work for to little reward. Our DM opened has up path of war materials after a couple of level. Currently we are level 4 and my character has the feats
1 dirty fighting
1 Combat reflexes
2 Outflank
3 Paired opportunists
3 Pack Flanking

Currently stats including racial and Level 4 bonus are
18 Str
14 Dex
14 Con
13 Int
13 Wis
10 Cha

Now since path of war materials are opened I was thinking about taking my 5th level feat as Prodigous Two-Weapon Fighting and 6th level retraining paired opportunists into two weapon fighting and putting paired as my bonus teamwork feat I will then stop using a shield and be duel wielding scimitars. I will be later on getting a level of warlord and 3 of prestige class dragon fury.
Does this sound to convoluted? Should i Just stay pure hunter?

The other question I had was what feats should my animal companion have? I keep reading that I should increase its Int as my 4th level for access to additional feats but I have no idea what I should take, at the moment pet has
Armor prof light
Combat reflexes

Pet is a Warcat

Thanks again for the help everyone

If it helps I am the main damage person in the party, our wizard went full control god, we have a soulknife,a zen monk archer/trap monkey and a full battlefield control warder (the soulknife and warder had to make new characters as theirs got snacked on by way to many snakes)

[Geddy2112]

Prodigious two weapon fighting is a good choice. Personally I would stay straight hunter to keep your companion boosted and your spellcasting going up.

Having 3 int for an animal companion is nice because you can also teach it a language, eliminating most of the need for handle animal, and allowing you to give it more complex commands and the like. Since you can give it teamwork feats without meeting the prerequisites having 3 int is less critical. Being able to give it any feat is nice, but you probably want to stick to the things that make it hit harder and take more of a beating. If you have any specialized use or plans you can take feats to do that, but otherwise just make it into more of a monster and leave the controlling/debuffing/other stuff to the rest of the party.