coyote6
Adventurer
I don't think there's a problem with the dive attack language. Some creatures (the raven) have something like "Claws +4" as an attack listing -- that is, they make one attack roll (and, if successful, one damage roll) to use both their claws in a fight. Clearly, creatures like the raven can use "claws" in a dive attack.
Other creatures get an attack with each claw; in most cases, they can't use both claws to attack during a dive, because the dive counts as a move action, which limits them to one standard action and thus one attack during their turn (that's the standard rule, and nothing in the description of a dive attack says that an exception is made). However, if there was a creature that could take a move action, then make multiple attacks, then such a creatures could use more than one claw attack in a dive attack, and would have the damage of each of those attacks doubled. Example of such hypothetical situations: an awakened eagle with levels in a prestige class that gives access to a Pounce-like ability (e.g., make a full attack after a charge).
(OTOH, maybe they meant for dive attacks to be like a lion's Pounce ability; if so, they worded it very poorly. 3.5e!
)
Other creatures get an attack with each claw; in most cases, they can't use both claws to attack during a dive, because the dive counts as a move action, which limits them to one standard action and thus one attack during their turn (that's the standard rule, and nothing in the description of a dive attack says that an exception is made). However, if there was a creature that could take a move action, then make multiple attacks, then such a creatures could use more than one claw attack in a dive attack, and would have the damage of each of those attacks doubled. Example of such hypothetical situations: an awakened eagle with levels in a prestige class that gives access to a Pounce-like ability (e.g., make a full attack after a charge).
(OTOH, maybe they meant for dive attacks to be like a lion's Pounce ability; if so, they worded it very poorly. 3.5e!
)
