Ability focus Trip or Weapon focus bite

[urbanwolf]

My party is doing battle with recurring villain Grrr the Gnoll druid
I'm throwing some Trents at them but before I do I want them to fight something they have never seen before so I Hyena advanced it to 5 HD to make it large and gave it the Wooded sub-type from MM3 it gets a feat for 3 HD but the feats I would like it to have it does not meat the prerequisites for

So I will just give it a different one
so long way to ask but can Ability focus apply to the Hyena's Trip or should I just give it weapon focus bite

[Glimbur]

Neither. Give it a martial study from Tome of Battle. Something cool, like Sudden Leap or Counter Charge. Or Charging Minotaur. Those would be the coolest 1st level maneuvers for a hyena.

Maneuvers are available here.

Incidentally, you can't apply ability focus to the trip attack because it doesn't have a DC. Of course, you are the DM so you could do it anyway. But that's boring. You have a free feat, do something memorable.

[urbanwolf]

Wowthose are all interesting things but they are class abilitys not feats although that book looks really good and further reading is now needed
and I will give the Henya improved int

[Siosilvar]

Wowthose are all interesting things but they are class abilitys not feats although that book looks really good and further reading is now needed
and I will give the Henya improved int

Martial Study is a feat that gives you access to a maneuver.

EDIT: 1/encounter if you aren't an initiator (Warblade, Swordsage, or Crusader) or added to your Maneuvers Known if you are.

[ericgrau]

You may take weapon focus for natural weapons and many example monsters have it too. But no, you can't ability focus trip.

[Cidolfas]

You could also take Improved Natural Attack for more base damage, which is also something many sample creatures take advantage of. Depending on the increase in damage, it may actually outweigh the benefit of Weapon Focus.

[averagejoe]

The Mod They Call Me: this should go in Roleplaying Games. Thread moved.

[Magicyop]

Okay, you say it doesn't meet the prerequisites for the feat you want to give it?

Too bad! You're the DM, use DM Fiat to give it the feat you want it to have. Your players won't ever know you fudged this, and if they did, it really doesn't matter. Make it a fun adventure. My personal DM philosophy is that the rules are there to help you. NEVER let the rules get in the way of doing something fun.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

RAW: No, you can’t give it Ability Focus (Trip).

However, it’s also easy to see that an Opposed roll is just an attacker setting a variable DC. It would be within the spirit of the feat, I think to allow it. However, it would only apply to the opposed roll, not the initial bite.

Oh, wait. The feat does specify it increases the DC against saving throws, which the defender’s Strength or Dexterity check is not.