Rake?

[OracleofSilence]

alright, this may sound really noobish, but never have i found a good description of what rake does. is it a secondary natural attack?? is it a naturla attack that can be used while grappled? what is it?

[BIGMamaSloth]

According to the SRD:

Rake
A creature with this special attack gains extra natural attacks when it grapples its foe. Normally, a monster can attack with only one of its natural weapons while grappling, but a monster with the rake ability usually gains two additional claw attacks that it can use only against a grappled foe. Rake attacks are not subject to the usual -4 penalty for attacking with a natural weapon in a grapple.

A monster with the rake ability must begin its turn grappling to use its rake—it can’t begin a grapple and rake in the same turn.

[OracleofSilence]

ah, thanks that was the clause i could never find.

[DeAnno]

You occasionally get rakes for doing other things, like charging, but itll say that in the creature entry.

[Person_Man]

Also, Rake is not to be confused with Rend, which is a separate special ability. Rake is extra attacks when you Grapple (which you can add Power Attack and other bonuses to). Rend is a flat bonus damage amount which applies when you successfully use 2 claw attacks (which you can't).

[Ernir]

Since we are on the subject - is there a RAW on how a lion's (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/lion.htm) rakes work on a charge? Does the "If a lion charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks." line lift the restriction of rake attacks not being used outside of a grapple, or does it only lift the restriction of you not being able to start a grapple and rake in the same round? In other words, is the attack routine of a charging lion something like Claw/Claw/Bite/Rake/Rake, or Claw/Claw/Bite, with the rake attacks following only if the lion succeeds on grappling (probably with its Improved Grab ability)?

[Piggy Knowles]

If it makes sense to think about it visually...

You usually find rake on creatures with fore- and hind-claws. Ordinary attack routines can't involve the hind-claws, because the animal is standing on them.

However, in some rare instances (when the opponent is being grappled, ie the monster is latched on to them instead of standing on the ground, or when the monster is pouncing through the air, or swimming), they CAN use those hind-claws, and get an extra attack.