Help! I've been REINCARNATED as a BEAR

[Van Dyksun]

Well, at least finally sent me to something official to look at. You're right, Brekki, the FAQ says that creatures with natural weapons don't get additional attacks:

Natural weapons don't give creatures multiple attacks for similar reasons. A bear or a lion doesn't make a series of quick nips with its mouth; it chomps down hard and tears. Also, natural weapons aren't as quick or as handy as manufactured weapons, so they can't get a high attack rate. It's not hard to imagine a high-level fighter making multiple swings with a sword in the course of a six-second melee round, but it would be pretty wild to see a dragon the size of a freight train snapping away like some kind of scaly buzzsaw.

I can't say that isn't clear, but I have to say I think their reasoning is awful hard to swallow. So, a high-level fighter can wave his sword around like a helicopter in six-seconds but a high-level bear can't take another swipe with that paw that he's been practicing mauling with for the same length of time. Pfui.

 

[Brekki]

It's probably because of balance issues, and to keep it easier for the DM. Getting four attacks with one limb would be very powerfull for some monsters. Also, if you allow monsters to make additional attacks with one of their natural weapons, why not allow them to use ambi- or multidexterity and the off-hand weapon rules ?

I agree with you in that a bear or some other monster should be able to hit twice with a paw, but that's what house rules are for

 

[Van Dyksun]

Yeah, the DM and I had the Rule 0 talk about this.

It's not 4 attacks with one limb. It's two attacks with one claw, one attack with the off-hand claw, and one attack with the bite. Of course, as I gain in levels, it could become four attacks with a claw, but that's an epic level bear, and epic levels are god-like in their attacks, no?

We're not talking no Smokey the Bear here, even if I do have a couple of ranger class levels.

 

[Tom Cashel]

Only You can prevent Game Balance Issues...



I still think that bears (and other animals) shouldn't get multiple attacks with natural weapons.

But Van isn't an animal. He's a magical beast, a mid-level PC whose race just happens to be "black bear," through no fault of his own.

He's role-playing it EXTREMELY well, and having a good time with it, and the fact that the die roll for claw damage is a measly d4 instead of the d8, d10, or even d12 a melee weapon would grant a human fighter, I don't think the extra attack will unbalance anything. That's why we're houseruling it to allow the extra attacks as BAB increases.

 

[Pielorinho]

Here's what you do:

Tell the party spellcaster that he has to make you an opposable weapon as described in Masters of the Wild.

If he gives you any guff, explain that you can no longer use human weapons. If he still resists, insist on your right to bear arms.

Daniel

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Here's what you do:

Tell the party spellcaster that he has to make you an opposable weapon as described in Masters of the Wild.

If he gives you any guff, explain that you can no longer use human weapons. If he still resists, insist on your right to bear arms.

Daniel

That was so bad I don't have the words to describe it.

 

[Jeph]

Beocme a Psychic Warrior! And get as many Power Stones of Claws of the Vampire (maxamized, empored) as possable! That way, you'll be dealing +12 damage per attack, and all damage that you deal, you heal. Incredibly powerful, incredibly cheap. Plus, you'll be able to get focus/spec (Claw or Bite), and Deep Impact (soooooo good it's, bad.)

-Jeph

 

[Lucius Foxhound]

Hey Bear! Command isn't too bad of a spell to have access to .. you should use it more often. Check out this thread on uses of the spell.