[PF] Animal Fury and Natural Weapon shenanigans.

[Bearserker]

I've a few troubles interpreting some rules.
I plan to play a barbarian with the following rage powers : Animal Fury, Hive Totem, Hive Totem Resilience and Hive Totem Toxicity.

According to Table of Natural Attacks by Size (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/universal-monster-rules/#Table_Natural_Attacks_by_Size)
Bite attack type is usually a "Primary" attack
According to Animal Fury rage power description (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/barbarian/rage-powers/paizo-rage-powers/animal-fury-ex)
"While raging, the barbarian gains a bite attack. If used as part of a full attack action, the bite attack is made at the barbarian’s full base attack bonus –5. If the bite hits, it deals 1d4 points of damage (assuming the barbarian is Medium; 1d3 points of damage if Small) plus half the barbarian’s Strength modifier."
1) Here I'm a bit puzzled. A bite is usually a primary attack, but the rage power description doesn't say anything. Because of the "BAB-5" and "half the STR mod" part, we may suppose it' is secondary. Or maybe the "If used as part of a full attack action" part is only a reminder of natural attacks rules (primary natural attacks are considered secondary when in full attack). So is animal fury's bite attack primary or secondary ?
2) As a consequence, if I take a move + standard attack action : bite, is it at full BAB or BAB-5 (actually BAB-2, thanks to Hive Totem Toxicity) ?

According to Combat->Natural Attacks rules (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/Gamemastering/Combat/#Natural_Attacks)
"If you possess only one natural attack (such as a bite—two claw attacks do not qualify), you add 1–1/2 times your Strength bonus on damage rolls made with that attack."
3) Since I possess only one natural attack, does it mean I add to damages 1,5 x STR bonus when biting as a standard action, or is it a "monster only" rule ?

According to Monk's Unarmed Strike rules (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/Monk/#TOC-Unarmed-Strike)
"A monk’s unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons."
4) If the character has 1 monk level too, does it change anything about the answer to questions 1, 2 or 3 ?
(For example, since his fists may be considered as natural weapons, he doesn't have "only one" natural weapon anymore and is no more eligible to 1,5 x STR bonus damages)

According to Animal Fury rage power description (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/barbarian/rage-powers/paizo-rage-powers/animal-fury-ex)
"A barbarian can make a bite attack as part of the action to maintain or break free from a grapple."
According to Pinned condition rules (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/conditions#TOC-Pinned)
"A pinned creature can always attempt to free itself, usually through a combat maneuver check or Escape Artist check."
but "A pinned creature is limited in the actions that it can take. (...) A pinned creature can take verbal and mental actions (...)"
5) Is it possible to deal a bite attack to break free from the pinned condition ? Or only from the grappled condition ?

[Kurald Galain]

(1) That's a reminder that if you full attack with a weapon (like most barbarians) then your natural attacks take -5.
(2) Full.
(3) It is not a monster rule.
(4) No, but you don't get extra natural attacks when using flurry of blows.
(5) Pinned is a subset of grappled, so yes you can bite.

HTH.

[Bearserker]

Nice, thank you very much.
Natural weapons rules are a true nightmare and you help me a lot.
It looks like good news for me (and for #4, I read it so I didn't plan to flurry).

Addendum :
6) Do you mean Animal Fury description should have been written "If used as part of a full attack action in combination with attacks made with melee weapon or unarmed strikes (...)" ?
7) Consequently If instead of the Hive Totem I take the Beast totem (and I don't wield a weapon), does it mean I get 3 natural attacks (Claw, Claw, Bite) with Full BAB and +1xSTR damage mod ?
8) In this "Beast Totem" case, if I'm only able to do one natural attack (let say I did something useful as a move action), is the damage mod only +1xSTR mod ? (Whereas it would have been +1,5xSTR mod without claws). Seems rather unlogical... Isn't it ? :smallconfused:
(Since I've claws, my teeth are less sharp)

[Kurald Galain]

(6) Yes.
(7) Yes. As noted in several threads recently, getting a large number of (primary) natural attacks is a very effective combo in PF.
(8) Also yes. The rule makes slightly more sense if you think of animals (with a fixed number of attacks) instead of PCs (that can change that number).

[Bearserker]

Thanks again, your answers truly help ! :smallsmile:

Indeed, 3 natural attacks at full BaB may be better than multiple attacks with decreasing BaB, especially in a middle-low level / middle-low magic setup my GM tend to favor.

As for #8, I think I understand the logical. It does make a sens to give one "big" attack to monsters that only attack once.

Though, maybe not for humanoid characters that already have other ways to do big (non-natural) attacks.