Chimera have two bite damages listed, 2d6+4 and d8+4, in addition to their gore damage of d8+4. The dragon head can choose to use it's breath weapon instead of biting, so on a round it does that, the chimera only gets a single bite in addition to it's gore. So, which bite damage does it give up?
The 2d6+4 bite is indicated to be it's primary attack, and the lion head seems to be the primary head, however in their MM entries the lion's bite damage is listed as d8 and a dragon's bite (at Large size category) is listed as 2d6. But that's just (wild) supposition, there doesn't seem to be anything in the monster description to indicate it. I guess if you apply the chimeric template (from MM2) to a lion you would end up at that result, but doing that would give you a chimera with Pounce, which brings me to my next question:
Is there any particular reason the chimera can't attack with all it's heads after a move action like the hydra? Granted, chimera aren't hydrae, but they are both multiheaded magical beasts; it seems odd to have a chimera swoop in and the dragon head bite somebody while the other two heads are checking their watch. If you give the creature Pounce (which it would have if you applied the chimeric template to the lion, which according to the template entry is supposed to be the "book" chimera is), it could charge and attack with all it's heads plus claws.
If it had the other lion abilities of Improved Grab and Rake it could not only initiate a grapple for free and possibly do the rake damage, on it's next round it could fly off with it's prey without even having to grapple to move (as per the Imp Grab ability). If you gave it Flyby Attack in addition to the lion Special Attacks, it would have the option of swooping in on a move action, biting and establishing a grapple, raking, and then flying off with it's prey all on the same action.
Editted for spelling
The 2d6+4 bite is indicated to be it's primary attack, and the lion head seems to be the primary head, however in their MM entries the lion's bite damage is listed as d8 and a dragon's bite (at Large size category) is listed as 2d6. But that's just (wild) supposition, there doesn't seem to be anything in the monster description to indicate it. I guess if you apply the chimeric template (from MM2) to a lion you would end up at that result, but doing that would give you a chimera with Pounce, which brings me to my next question:
Is there any particular reason the chimera can't attack with all it's heads after a move action like the hydra? Granted, chimera aren't hydrae, but they are both multiheaded magical beasts; it seems odd to have a chimera swoop in and the dragon head bite somebody while the other two heads are checking their watch. If you give the creature Pounce (which it would have if you applied the chimeric template to the lion, which according to the template entry is supposed to be the "book" chimera is), it could charge and attack with all it's heads plus claws.
If it had the other lion abilities of Improved Grab and Rake it could not only initiate a grapple for free and possibly do the rake damage, on it's next round it could fly off with it's prey without even having to grapple to move (as per the Imp Grab ability). If you gave it Flyby Attack in addition to the lion Special Attacks, it would have the option of swooping in on a move action, biting and establishing a grapple, raking, and then flying off with it's prey all on the same action.
Editted for spelling
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