Natural attacks and defeating damage reduction

[panaikhan]

Hi.
I'm looking into improving natural attacks with regards to DR. I know how to get past 'magic', and possibly 'alignment', but is there a way to manufacture something to fit over claws like a glove to get around cold iron, silver etc.
Or, can you use Cesti (cestuses?) in place of claws and still get your 'primary natural attack' bonuses?

[Geddy2112]

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/a-b/amulet-of-mighty-fists

A +3 enhancement counts as cold iron and silver for DR. +4 is adamantium, and +5 will beat alignment based DR.

[jiriku]

Draconomicon includes claws of the ripper and jaws of the dragon. They augment the damage dealt by natural claw and bite attacks without making the attacks count as manufactured weapons. Although it's not explicitly stated, I suppose that if you manufactured these items out of exotic materials, they might allow the natural attacks to bypass damage reduction accordingly. Probably a DM call.

[grarrrg]

is there a way to manufacture something to fit over claws like a glove to get around cold iron, silver etc.
Or, can you use Cesti (cestuses?) in place of claws and still get your 'primary natural attack' bonuses?

No.
The closest thing would be Claw Blades (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/weapons/weapon-descriptions/claw-blades), but they change the attack from a Natural into a Light Weapon.

There are a few odd abilities here and there, like how a 4th+ level Nature Warden's (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/other-paizo/n-r/nature-warden) Animal Companion and Summons get their attacks treated as Silver. But these are pretty rare, and usually not worth the class/archetype/PrC to get them.


http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/a-b/amulet-of-mighty-fists

A +3 enhancement counts as cold iron and silver for DR. +4 is adamantium, and +5 will beat alignment based DR.

This is your best bet.
Couple things to note: The same applies to Manufactured weapons with the relevant bonuses.
You must have an actual weapon, the Greater Magic Fang (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/m/magic-fang)/Greater Magic Weapon spells specifically say they do NOT allow DR-bypass (other than Magic).


Draconomicon includes claws of the ripper and jaws of the dragon.

Pathfinder tag.
Although your DM can, of course, always allow custom items or 3.5 content at their discretion.

[Xaotiq1]

Champions of Ruin as a PrC called "Thayan Gladiator" that does nice things for natural attacks.

[ylvathrall]

The Eldritch Claws (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/eldritch-claws) feat bypasses magic and silver. If you're playing as a monk, you can probably use Feral Combat Training (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/feral-combat-training-combat) to bypass any DR your ki strike can bypass, although the wording on the feat is a little vague. Either way, the amulet of mighty fists is probably the better choice.

[Ninjaxenomorph]

Notably, the combat trick for Eldritch Claws in Unchained makes it so they also count as cold iron as long as you have 1 stamina point.

[Allanimal]

There is a spell to do this with manufactured weapons: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/v/versatile-weapon

Perhaps one exists for natural weapons as well, or you can work with the DM to refluff it for natural weapons.

Edit: spell woks just fine for natural weapons, but see steinulfr's post below.

[ylvathrall]

There is a spell to do this with manufactured weapons: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/v/versatile-weapon

Perhaps one exists for natural weapons as well, or you can work with the DM to refluff it for natural weapons.

You don't need a different version; the last line of the spell says "This spell can be cast on a natural weapon or unarmed strike." It will only get past one type of DR per casting, though, so I would still say an amulet of mighty fists is the better long-term option.

[Allanimal]

You don't need a different version; the last line of the spell says "This spell can be cast on a natural weapon or unarmed strike."

D'oh! How did I miss that?!?