Embarassing question...

[Zerous]

So. I am a relatively new DM, even though I've been home-brewing things nearly forever (forever being two years). I've had a campaign going for months--mostly because the players have such chaotic schedules it's hard to keep going for too long--and have just now run into a rather embarrassing problem.

I.. Don't really know how natural attacks work. Do they make each attack at their highest BAB (so if it has, say, six tentacles, each of them hit at the highest BAB)? Or one attack at each point of BAB? Or...

Thanks in advance!

(why yes I am new to the forum)

[Greenish]

Standard action attack is with full BAB and one Natural Weapon (with exceptions, such as hydra, marked as such).

Full attack is one attack per Natural Weapon, the primary natural weapons (mentioned first in the entry) using full BAB and full Str bonus to damage, and all the others being secondary attacks, with BAB-5 and 1/2 Str to damage.

No iterative attacks on Natural Weapons, though if you're not holding the weapon in the same appendage than a manufactured weapon, you can use said weapon for full iteratives and then your Natural Weapons as secondaries.

Savvy?

[Lev]

Relevant:
How does unarmed attacks stack with natural weapon attacks?
I forget this rule every hour I swear.

[Fax Celestis]

Relevant:
How does unarmed attacks stack with natural weapon attacks?
I forget this rule every hour I swear.

"Unarmed attacks" are considered manufactured weapons, and as such you take them first (with your full, iterative attack routine). Any natural attacks you have, you make at the END of your routine at BAB-5 (or BAB-2 with Multiattack, or BAB with Improved Multiattack). EXCEPTION: a flurrying monk can't use his natural attacks in his flurry routine since they're not 'special monk weapons' or some crock like that.

[Greenish]

Relevant:
How does unarmed attacks stack with natural weapon attacks?
I forget this rule every hour I swear.

Unarmed Strike acts as a manufactured weapon in here. Head butts, kicks and punches are fair game, so unless you're a warshaper on the roll you probably have something to use with US without compromising your Natural Weapons.

[Zerous]

Savvy. Thanks!

[Greenish]

Savvy. Thanks!

No problems, oh, and welcome to the Playground.

[Lev]

"Unarmed attacks" are considered manufactured weapons, and as such you take them first (with your full, iterative attack routine). Any natural attacks you have, you make at the END of your routine at BAB-5 (or BAB-2 with Multiattack, or BAB with Improved Multiattack). EXCEPTION: a flurrying monk can't use his natural attacks in his flurry routine since they're not 'special monk weapons' or some crock like that.

Thanks, I need this tattoo'd to my arm or something.

[Keld Denar]

Here, this question was just asked like, late last week. See attached:

Really, natural attacks aren't that hard to figure out. There are really two steps:

1) Determine if a manufactured weapon (or UAS) is being used. If not, determine which natural attack is primary. Also determine if a weapon used disables the use of a natural attack (like wielding a sword in a claw hand).

2) Attack sequence looks like this (set of primary attacks)/(set of secondary natural attacks) or (set of primary attacks)/(set of offhand attacks)/(set of secondary natural attacks). Primary attacks are either your single natural attack with your primary natural weapon or your set of iteratives with a weapon that allows iterative attacks (like a manufactured weapon or UAS). Natural attacks occupied by weapons can't be used without special exceptions. Primary natural attacks are converted to secondary natural attacks if you use an "iterative using" weapon.

If a creature has 2 claws as its primary attacks and a bite as secondary (like a bear), its routine looks like (+x/+x/+x-5).

If a creature has its bite as primary and 2 claws as secondary, its routine looks like (+x/+x-5/+x-5).

If the creature uses an "iterative using" weapon with 2 tentacles, its routine looks like (+x/+x-5/+x-10/etc/+x-5/+x-5) depending on BAB.

If a creature uses two iterative using weapons with 2 tentacles, its routine looks like (+x-2/+x-2/+x-7/+x-7/etc/+x-7/+x-7).

I don't know how to explain it any more simply. Natural attacks by themselves are simple (primary + secondaries at -5). Iteratives by themselves are simple (mainhand + offhand if applicable). Combining both is also simple (mainhand + offhand if applicable + all natural attacks as secondary attacks).