D&D 5E VGTM races with a Natural Unarmed attack

[gyor]

So how much use do you think the natural weapons of the Tabaxi and Lizardfolk will gets used outside of monks?

I mean Lizardfolk can use their bite as a bonus action to get Temp HPs once per short rest once per short rest, so I can see it getting at least a bite of use.

But the Tabaxi's claws are only 1D4 slashing damage, can't be used for sneak attack, so outside of Monks, I can see them used for anything aside from climbing and as a back up weapon in case you are disarmed. I kind of wish the Tabaxi had gotten some kind of pounce attack and/or claws counted as finesse weapons. I just don't see a none monk use for them as a main weapon.

Can they be a pact weapon I don't know? I think you can smite with them or use Greenflame Blade Cantrip, but your usually better off just using a regular weapon.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Lizardfolk bite can be useful for sword-and-shield grapplers. Prone bad guy in one hand, shield in the other, but you still get to make a bite attack with proficiency instead of a non-proficient shield bash. AFB but I think the damage is also higher for bites.

Note: when I say "grappler" I don't mean "dedicated grappler whose entire build is centered around grappling." More "someone who happens to be grappling someone else at the time, because it makes tactical sense."

 

[ammulder]

I can see the claws being useful if there's a caster and detailed tracking of hands going on. No need to drop or pick up or whatever -- you can easily handle components with your "weapon hand."

 

[Redthistle]

So how much use do you think the natural weapons of the Tabaxi and Lizardfolk will get used outside of monks?

But the Tabaxi's claws are only 1D4 slashing damage, can't be used for sneak attack, so outside of Monks, I can see them used for anything aside from climbing and as a back up weapon in case you are disarmed. I kind of wish the Tabaxi had gotten some kind of pounce attack and/or claws counted as finesse weapons. I just don't see a none monk use for them as a main weapon.

RAI: the claws are not meant to be a main weapon. Tabaxi are not big cats; they are humanoids with some feline features.

What's the non-monk unarmed strike in the PHB? 1 bludgeoning damage (p. 149). 1d4 slashing damage is a nice, flavorful bump, and that's all it should be imho.

The same reasoning holds for the Lizardfolk's bite.

Otoh, I agree with you on the pounce idea, at least. Guess that one's relegated to the House Rules list.

 

[RCanine]

To the best of my knowledge there isn't a single class that wishes it had access to a 1d6 piercing or 1d4 slashing strength-based weapon. At best you're saving yourself a couple gold pieces and maybe some action economy when switching weapons.

There are a handful of edge cases the may prove useful, e.g. rogues only get piercing weapons but you need a slashing weapon to get out of a net. Or if your primary weapon is a pike and you're stuck in melee. But they're probably not something that you'll use as your primary weapon.

 

[GreenTengu]

For the Tabaxi, the unarmed attack is kind of like being armed with a dagger even if you get disarmed or stripped down or ambushed in the middle of the night.

But if the Lizardfolk bite does 1d6 and can be used as a bonus attack, and gives you bonus HP to boot, it might be a little too good even if it is a once per short rest ability.

 

[CapnZapp]

To the best of my knowledge there isn't a single class that wishes it had access to a 1d6 piercing or 1d4 slashing strength-based weapon. At best you're saving yourself a couple gold pieces and maybe some action economy when switching weapons.

There are a handful of edge cases the may prove useful, e.g. rogues only get piercing weapons but you need a slashing weapon to get out of a net. Or if your primary weapon is a pike and you're stuck in melee. But they're probably not something that you'll use as your primary weapon.

A good analysis, an honest appraisal.

These natural weapons are just ribbon abilities; they're not useful to a minmaxer.

 

[RCanine]

But if the Lizardfolk bite does 1d6 and can be used as a bonus attack, and gives you bonus HP to boot, it might be a little too good even if it is a once per short rest ability.

I'm curious which classes you think could benefit from this. I think it's ok at level one, it seems subpar after level 5 when most people get multiattack and a feat. I actually think that's a good place for racial abilities though; they should be flavorful for your first few levels, but to underwhelming compared to the items and equipment you later discover.

And to clarify, since you say "if", it's always an unarmed strike, 1/short rest it can be used as a bonus action.

 

[Blue]

To the best of my knowledge there isn't a single class that wishes it had access to a 1d6 piercing or 1d4 slashing strength-based weapon.

True but incomplete.

I know of builds that want a weapon that doesn't fill a hand. Most obvious is a caster with shield who wants to make attacks of opportunity but doesn't want to have to take the warcaster feat to cast.

And for the bite, it's one that doesn't take a hand at all - that's useful for characters that hold a reach weapon and wants two different ranges for triggering an opportunity attack. JC confirmed this works in an official Sage Advice tweet - you can have both a 5' range and a 10' range and either can trigger.

 

[RCanine]

I know of builds that want a weapon that doesn't fill a hand. Most obvious is a caster with shield who wants to make attacks of opportunity but doesn't want to have to take the warcaster feat to cast.

I'm pretty sure I mentioned that there are some edge cases they might prove useful. The thing is, while your 14 STR Fighter 1/Wizard X can make better OAs with a shield in one hand and a wand in the other, your non-magical 5 damage OAs are not going to affect a monster's tactics.

And for the bite, it's one that doesn't take a hand at all - that's useful for characters that hold a reach weapon and wants two different ranges for triggering an opportunity attack. JC confirmed this works in an official Sage Advice tweet - you can have both a 5' range and a 10' range and either can trigger.

Isn't this just 1/round situational +2.5 damage over punching something? Your halberd only requires two hands when you attack with it.