Natural Attacks in PF

[Aero]

'ello,

I was glancing through the APG thinking about what kind of character I might build nest when after looking at Alchemist's Feral Mutagen and Barbarian's Beast Totem I realized I didn't really know how Natural Attacks worked. I know that if you have a natural weapon and aren't wielding any sort of weapons they are generally treated as "primary" and you get full BaB to attack and str mod to damage, but I don't quite understand how many attacks you get.

When looking at monsters for the most part it looks like each set of primary attacks seem to resolve once. So if they have two claws they swing each of them once at their full BaB bonus and their done. Is that how it works for PCs with class levels? Or does it work more like unarmed strike where you get full BaB, but you have to TWF to use both hands and get a reduced amount of extra attacks instead of full BaB attacks for each?

[Mayhem]

Natural primary attack works as a weapon, ie full BaB and strength. Creatures do not receive additional attacks from a high base attack bonus when using natural weapons. Secondary attacks work as an offhand weapon incurring a -5 penalty on each one and only half strength modifier, but I believe only on a full action. You get as many attacks as natural weapons. Example: Ghoul has a bite and two claws, so the ghoul may make one bite at full base attack bonus and full strength mod, and two claws at full bab -5 with half strength mod. Unless otherwise specified, a weapon in hand overrides claw attacks, but not slam attacks.
That helpful?

Cheers,
Mayhem

[FMArthur]

And natural attacks never gain iterative attacks from a high base attack bonus except for the monk's unarmed strike.

[Mayhem]

It should also be noted that secondary attacks are always at a -5 penalty with half strength mod even if used as a primary attack, due to physiological or psychological reasons unless they take the multiattack feat which lessens the attack penalty to -2.

[Last Laugh]

It should also be noted that secondary attacks are always at a -5 penalty with half strength mod even if used as a primary attack, due to physiological or psychological reasons unless they take the multiattack feat which lessens the attack penalty to -2.

Hrrrm, Ardent 7/Revenant Blade 5 would make natural attacks as if they were two-handed weapons?
This would be better if you mixed Talashatora+monk in there (ardent 6/monk 1/Revenant blade 5) tack on two-handed scimitar strikes as your secondary attacks after flurry?

Does this actually work?

Missed something big here, Physical Power Mantle gives Graft Weapon at level 5, this is as much ardent as you need. BAB +5 for Revenant Blade. Ardent 6/monk 1 is +5 with fractional BAB, or ardent 7/monk 1 is +5 either way.

[Mayhem]

What books are those in? I haven't really been big on prestige classes, so I wouldn't have a clue. This (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#naturalWeapons) is the SRD where I've pulled this stuff from in case I've missed something.

[Mojo_Rat]

people have mentioned the bit about primary and secondary attacks. I thought I'd add two more things. when a power gives you natural attacks always read the primary and secondary bits carefully. not all natural attack powers work the same.

for instance ALOT of animals companion attacks are primary. but a barbarian doing the same attack may be secondary. essentially I'm saying compartmentalize the rules to the specific power rather than assume they all work the same.


lastly you can attack with manufactured weapons and make natural attacks but alll the natural attacks become secondary and if a limb is used for the weapon it cannot be used for the natural attack.