Magebred Template

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I've got a question regarding magebred animals.

One of the "bonus feats" available to magebred animals is Improved Natural Attack. According to the MM, Improved Natural Attack requires a BAB of +4, as well as, naturally, a natural attack.

I know that, in most circumstances, you are required to meet the requirements for bonus feats just as if they were normal feats. That requirement, however, seemed a bit high. So I checked the SRD.

The following animals have a BAB of +4 or better:

Bear, Brown
Bear, Polar
Crocodile, Giant
Elephant
Octopus, Giant
Rhinoceros
Shark, Large
Shark, Huge
Constrictor Snake, Giant
Snake, Huge Viper
Squid, Giant
Tiger
Whale, Baleen
Whale, Cachalot
Whale, Orca

In other words, there aren't really any animals one would expect to be magebred that even qualify to take the feat. Are the prerequisites supposed to be waived in this particular instance, or is this just largely a "wasted" bonus feat?

Thanks in advance,

Patryn of Elvenshae

 

[Camarath]

I know that, in most circumstances, you are required to meet the requirements for bonus feats just as if they were normal feats.

3.5 MM Page 301

"(It is acceptable for a creature to have a bonus feat for which it does not meet the prerequisities.)"

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Thanks!

I guess that's what I get for going with the SRD instead of the "real thing."

 

[Camarath]

The 3.5 MM errata had this entry which is how I found the MM entry.

"Weapon Finesse Feat
Some creatures that have this feat lack the +1 base
attack bonus prerequisite. Since bonus feats do not
require the creature to fulfill any feat prerequisites
(see page 301 in the Monster Manual), make the
Weapon Finesse feat a bonus feat and add an
additional feat (see the table below)."

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Ahah.

Found this part in the SRD:

----------------------------
Feats
The line gives the creature’s feats. A monster gains feats just as a character does. Sometimes a creature has one or more bonus feats, marked with a superscript B (B). Creatures often do not have the prerequisites for a bonus feat. If this is so, the creature can still use the feat. If you wish to customize the creature with new feats, you can reassign its other feats, but not its bonus feats. A creature cannot have a feat that is not a bonus feat unless it has the feat’s prerequisites.
----------------------------

Thanks for the help!

As an aside, has anyone noticed what an absolute combat beast a Magebred, trained-for-war, Tough Breed, Enhanced Strength, Improved Natural Attack Riding Dog is?

For the price of 220 gp, you get an ally with an AC of 21 (24 with relatively cheap Studded Leather Barding), doing 1d8 + 6 damage with an automatic trip attempt.

It's only real weaknesses are touch attacks and Will saves.

 

[Torillan]

As an aside, has anyone noticed what an absolute combat beast a Magebred, trained-for-war, Tough Breed, Enhanced Strength, Improved Natural Attack Riding Dog is?

For the price of 220 gp, you get an ally with an AC of 21 (24 with relatively cheap Studded Leather Barding), doing 1d8 + 6 damage with an automatic trip attempt.

It's only real weaknesses are touch attacks and Will saves.

Is your DM aware of this? Man, I'd love to see the look on his face when he deals with this!!!! Bwaaahhhaaaahhhhaaaaaa!!!!

 

[Perun]

As an aside, has anyone noticed what an absolute combat beast a Magebred, trained-for-war, Tough Breed, Enhanced Strength, Improved Natural Attack Riding Dog is?

For the price of 220 gp, you get an ally with an AC of 21 (24 with relatively cheap Studded Leather Barding), doing 1d8 + 6 damage with an automatic trip attempt.

It's only real weaknesses are touch attacks and Will saves.

IIRC, magebred animals can't become animal companions or familiars. That means that the magebred riding dog will be nice at low levels (1-3, I'd say), but after that it's a poor choice ot invest gold into.

Also, you'd have to train it, or have someone else do it for you, to follow orders (attack, heel, etc.), which requires time, or increases the cost of such an animal. (I might be wrong on this, but I always believed the basic animal you buy is an untrained one.)

[Edit: I just saw that warhorses and riding dogs are already trined for combat riding, so this wouldn't have any effect on magebred rigind dogs.]

Regards!