3 Bard
7 Druid
3 Foulchan Lyrist
9 Arcane Heirophant
and one undecided level. Probably going to finish AH to get 6th level bard spells.
My animal companion is a Dire Elk (MM2), who've I've trained to become a warbeast, bringing her to 20HD. A level from now she'll have 22.
Her feats are as follows;
Armor Proficiency (Light) *for cool factor
Stomp *bad decision that I have to deal with **Savage Sp
Imp Natural Attack (Hooves) *bad decision that I have to deal with
Rapidstrike *Draconomicon
Imp Rapidstrike *Draconomicon
Snatch *MM
Rend *Draconomicon
My usual plan with him is as follows:
1. Every morning I cast Animal Shape to turn her into a monkey, then persist Growth Spurt on her. *Animal Growth but to one animal and round/level, but a first level spell. Found in Bastion Press's Druids and Druidism (I have a nice DM) **Dismissing is Free Action houseruled, this allows me to Grow her but not have the a 30ft Elk with me at all times
2. Every month I cast Extended Imbue Animal Companion, so for the next 40 days, she can cast Nature Avatar himself, freeing me my Swift action. *Also Bastion Press, note that in this game we have combat once every couple weeks.
3. On my turn I mount her, and cast a Quickened Girallon's Blessing, and Bite of the Wearbear. If she is not in reach (rare, with 20ft range), I forgo Girallon's and cast Swift Lions Charge.
4. She casts Nature's Avatar on herself, and makes a full round attack.
Now here's how that attack breaks down. Bab +15, Str +22, Avatar +11
2 Claws +48 4d6 + 32 (from Bite of the Wearbear)
1 Claw +48 4d6 + 32 (Haste)
1 Claw +43 5d6 + 32 (Rapidstrike)
1 Claw +38 5d6 + 32 (Imp Rapidstrike)
1 Slam +46 3d6 + 21 (Elk)
1 Bite +46 6d8 + 21 (Bite of the Wearbear)
2 Claws +45 3d6 + 21 (Girallon's)
2 Rend 8d6 + 43 (assumed first 4 of 5 claws hit)
1 Rend 6d6 + 43 (assumes Girallon's claws hit)
This averages to about 510 damage. Before Power Attack. With an attack bonus of +38 at worst!
Note, along with HD and other persisted buffs, she has about 572 HP and an AC of 33, and saves of +34/+23/+16.
How can I make it better?
Also, have you seriously considered using the PrC sublime chord (Complete Arcane) to qualify you instead of bard?
not sure what the rest of your party or your campaign looks like, but your AC seems fairly solid (all things concidered). I would personally go for a different animal (tiger?), but that's just my preference.
here's the crux of the issue: your AC is intentionally designed to advance slower than you -- otherwise, with all the spells that you get to improve it, it would always COMPLETELY nullify any reason to have a martial character in the party (even still, the arguement could be made).
I mean, come on -- just how powerfull do you want this thing? really?
Out of curiosity, how did you fill the Evasion qualification for Fochluchan Lyrist? Ring of Evasion?
DM handwaved it because it's silly.
As far as how power I want it, it's kind of strange. We have basically no items or money, I only have a +6 Wisdom crown and +5 armor, thats it, at level 23. Our group consists of 7? maybe 8 members. 4 of us can fight up to our CR about. The rest just kinda... are there. But we fight things according to us having a full 8 member group.
So yeah, even with the fighter and drunken master, we still needs another person to get beat up. Especially when enemy casters are casting Wail of the Banshee and 3 of our party members die in one round.