Attack routine while wildshaped

[0-hr]

A 12th level druid turns into a dire bear. His BAB is +9/+3 and the bear has a 31 strength (a +10 bonus)


Are the druids attacks like this:
2 claws at +19 and 1 bite at +14

Or like this:
Claw at +19/+14 or Bite at +19/+14

In other words, does he fight like a bear (claw,claw,bite), or like a druid (attack, iterative attack)?

If it is "attack, iterative attack", can you mix and match natural weapons without worrying about an offhand (or use TWF for an offhand attack)?

Also, can he use the Improvded Grab ability?


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I just read through what I could find in the rules and I think that the druid acts just like a druid using weapons that happen to be claws and teeth. I'm not at all confident of my reading, however, and am really unsure of the Improved Grab use and off hand implications.

 

[mikebr99]

Hi there...
You attack like a bear... not like a druid. ie., no iterative attacks.

And you do get to use the improved grab... as it is a Special Attack.


Mike

 

[Infiniti2000]

As mikebr99 said except that your attack line is: 2 claws +18 melee (2d4+10) and bite +13 melee (2d8+5). It's not +19 because weapon focus (claw) is not a racial bonus feat and you forgot the -1 penalty for being Large. Note that improved grab only works against Medium or smaller creatures.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

He uses the rules on Natural Weapons.

So, he attacks exactly like the bear, but using his own BAB.

2 Claws +18, 1 Bite +13 (unless he somehow gets ahold of the Multiattack feat, in which case it's Bite +16)

EDIT: Large size penalty.

 

[0-hr]

Could I get a page reference on that? I've been through the PHB and front of the Monster Manual and I'm not seeing where it talks about giving up iteratives to use the "primary/secondary" weapon model. I'm sure it must be there, but I can't find it and someone seems to have stolen the index out of my Monster Manual.

I'm also missing where it says I get Improved Grab. The Alter Self spells is pretty clear that I don't get it, and Wildshape is like Polymorph which is like Alter Self. Was this a FAQ entry or something?

Given that the druid fights like a bear, I have a couple other questions:

1) Would a Haste spell allow the druid to make an additional Claw attack?

2) Could you cast Greater Magic Weapon on just one claw and use that for two attacks in a claw/claw/bite routine?

Thanks for the information (and thanks for pointing out the Large thing, I did indeed forget to factor that in).

 

[Infiniti2000]

Could I get a page reference on that? I've been through the PHB and front of the Monster Manual and I'm not seeing where it talks about giving up iteratives to use the "primary/secondary" weapon model. I'm sure it must be there, but I can't find it and someone seems to have stolen the index out of my Monster Manual.

I don't have the book on me to give you a page, reference, but here's the SRD link on natural weapons, and the appropriate text: "Creatures do not receive additional attacks from a high base attack bonus when using natural weapons."

I'm also missing where it says I get Improved Grab. The Alter Self spells is pretty clear that I don't get it, and Wildshape is like Polymorph which is like Alter Self. Was this a FAQ entry or something?

It's in polymorph: "It also gains all extraordinary special attacks possessed by the form ..."

1) Would a Haste spell allow the druid to make an additional Claw attack?

Yes.

2) Could you cast Greater Magic Weapon on just one claw and use that for two attacks in a claw/claw/bite routine?

No, you must use Greater Magic Fang. Even with GMF, no.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Could I get a page reference on that?

No, but I'll post the SRD text on it. It's somewhere in the MM.

Natural Weapons: Natural weapons are weapons that are physically a part of a creature. A creature making a melee attack with a natural weapon is considered armed and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Likewise, it threatens any space it can reach. Creatures do not receive additional attacks from a high base attack bonus when using natural weapons. The number of attacks a creature can make with its natural weapons depends on the type of the attack—generally, a creature can make one bite attack, one attack per claw or tentacle, one gore attack, one sting attack, or one slam attack (although Large creatures with arms or arm-like limbs can make a slam attack with each arm). Refer to the individual monster descriptions.

Unless otherwise noted, a natural weapon threatens a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 20.

When a creature has more than one natural weapon, one of them (or sometimes a pair or set of them) is the primary weapon. All the creature’s remaining natural weapons are secondary.

The primary weapon is given in the creature’s Attack entry, and the primary weapon or weapons is given first in the creature’s Full Attack entry. A creature’s primary natural weapon is its most effective natural attack, usually by virtue of the creature’s physiology, training, or innate talent with the weapon. An attack with a primary natural weapon uses the creature’s full attack bonus. Attacks with secondary natural weapons are less effective and are made with a –5 penalty on the attack roll, no matter how many there are. (Creatures with the Multiattack feat take only a –2 penalty on secondary attacks.) This penalty applies even when the creature makes a single attack with the secondary weapon as part of the attack action or as an attack of opportunity.

Natural weapons have types just as other weapons do. The most common are summarized below.

• Bite: The creature attacks with its mouth, dealing piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage.
• Claw or Talon: The creature rips with a sharp appendage, dealing piercing and slashing damage.
• Gore: The creature spears the opponent with an antler, horn, or similar appendage, dealing piercing damage.
• Slap or Slam: The creature batters opponents with an appendage, dealing bludgeoning damage.
• Sting: The creature stabs with a stinger, dealing piercing damage. Sting attacks usually deal damage from poison in addition to hit point damage.
• Tentacle: The creature flails at opponents with a powerful tentacle, dealing bludgeoning (and sometimes slashing) damage.

1) Would a Haste spell allow the druid to make an additional Claw attack?

Depends on how you read it. Haste specifically grants the target "one extra attack with any weapon he is holding." If your DM allows that to apply to natural weapons (and I do), then the extra attack can be with any of your natural weapons.

2) Could you cast Greater Magic Weapon on just one claw and use that for two attacks in a claw/claw/bite routine?

Greater Magic Weapon wouldn't work; you need [Greater] Magic Fang. No, you cannot attack twice with a single claw.

 

[mikebr99]

And here is a 4 part RotG on all things Polymorphing, for your reading pleasure...


http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040511a


Mike

 

[0-hr]

Excellent. Thanks again for all of the information. I'm surprised that a bear cannot swipe twice with one paw, but so be it. And it will be interesting to use the dire weasle's Blood Drain and wolf's Trip abilities...

 

[Brother MacLaren]

Excellent. Thanks again for all of the information. I'm surprised that a bear cannot swipe twice with one paw, but so be it. And it will be interesting to use the dire weasle's Blood Drain and wolf's Trip abilities...

Beware... if your DM has HP change with the new form's Con score, then dire weasel is likely to be a risky choice.