D&D 5E Natural Weapons, How Much Value Is There To Actually Having Them?

[CreamCloud0]

Okay my conversation in the 5e alike-species thread brought this up and I think it’s an actually interesting question: how valuable in play is it actually to always have a ‘weapon’ available to your character at every moment?

Sure you can never be disarmed but anyone who relys on weapons is almost certainly going to have at least one backup, and that backup will likely be doing decently more damage too as natural weapons tend to be on the d4/d6 end of the damage spectrum doing some form of nonmagic BSP,

Not to mention that any scenario where you have been reduced to using your natural weapon then chances are so have the rest of your party who aren’t likely to also all have them, the rest of your party who thus probably doesn’t want to engage in any unnecessary combat until they require their weapons, making the main scenario where they would’ve been useful for once the one where combat is going to be the least pursued option,

Do you agree? Are natural weapons even worth having most of the time, what are your experiences with a character who has had them, and if you don’t think they’re worthwhile what would you change to make them so?

 

[James Gasik]

Someone at WotC seems to value such things highly, but I can honestly say I've never seen the point of natural weapons in the game. It's not impossible to imagine a circumstance where being able to deal 1d6 damage instead of 1 if caught unarmed would be obviously better than nothing, but given that natural weapons don't work with most character abilities, it seems like a weapon of desperation.

I don't often see player characters in such dire straits, though I acknowledge this is somewhat campaign dependent, like most ribbon abilities. In my mind, they should take up a very small amount of a race's "budget" for abilities, if at all. However, it's rather obvious going over the races made for 5e that not much care was put into actually balancing them. And with the advent of floating ASI's, some races are simply miles better than others in the current game.

Speaking of ribbon abilities, the Lizardfolk have both a natural weapon and the ability to craft cheap gear quickly, along with the weakest version of natural armor in the game. I can't imagine much use is gained from any of these traits, outside of a game where you start as prisoners or slaves, perhaps?

It's like how if you know the game is going to feature a lot of aquatic combat, you should select a Triton or Sea Elf, but not so much if the game takes place in a desert land, I guess.

 

[Leatherhead]

I was beat to calling them ribbon abilities, but I can still add one thing:

Even in cases where they have a mechanical impact on the character, they tend to be sub-par.
Take Tabaxi Monks for instance, a d6 natural weapon instead of doing a d4 on your punches seems cool, till you realize you need to give up a d8 on your primary attack for it. You gain one extra damage on your Flurry of Blows until level 5, when the bonus disappears. So 1 extra damage, once per short rest.

If you want natural weapons to be significant, they need to have a rider.

 

[Mistwell]

If you want natural weapons to be significant, they need to have a rider.

Should be a grapple or shove for free on a hit

 

[Hriston]

They’re a flavorful alternative to simple melee weapons for non-martial characters and provide no additional value.

 

[Corinnguard]

Claws- advantage when making of Sleight of Hand and Intimidation skill checks? Bite- advantage to Intimidation checks?

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

My suggestion is to recover or update the spell "blood wind" from "Savage Species", and maybe a nerferd version, with a shorter range(only 6ft), to be a at-will cantrip.

Horns shouldn't minotaurs and other species to wear ordinary helms, and these aren't very practical in the fight, specially against smaller enemies. And the spines (in the arms) by the skarns (specie from Magic of Incarnum) shouldn't allow these to wear ordinary bracalets.

Blood Wind
(Spell Compendium, p. 33)

Evocation
Level: Cleric 1, Sorcerer 1, Wizard 1,
Components: V, S,
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: A single creature with Intelligence 4 or higher
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

After you complete the spell, the subject's limbs ripple with power and grow slightly in length.

The subject can take a full attack action to use all of its natural weapons or unarmed strikes as if they were thrown weapons with a 20-foot range increment. The subject gestures as if making a melee attack, but the result of the attack affects a target within range. This spell does not actually grant reach, and so does not help provide a flanking bonus or allow the subject to make attacks of opportunity at any range greater than normal. The subject uses its normal melee attack bonuses and deals damage normally if it hits, though the target of the attacks can benefit from cover or concealment.

 

[Clint_L]

They're basically ribbon abilities. We can all think of the occasional scenario where they would be handy, but for the most part, you'll seldom use them and wouldn't miss them if they were gone.

 

[Peter BOSCO'S]

Their value depends on whether or not your DM will let you use them with your feet. Suppose you are a caster with a shield and an implement in your hands but without the Warcaster Feat. Do you want to be able to OA the fleeing (probably because their hit-points are low) enemy for 1 + your (likely small) STR bonus from a kick, or do you want to rip them open for 1d6 with your rear claws?

 

[Fanaelialae]

I would agree that they're largely a ribbon.

That said, if dealing 1d6 (3.5 avg) instead of 1 damage is negligible, then so is the choice between a 1d8 (4.5) longsword and a 2d6 (7) greatsword. The difference in average damage is identical, unless the character has a feat or feature to modify one or the other.

They can also offer occasional utility. For example, if a character normally wields a maul, they can opt to use their claws if they need to slice through a rope (for example, to free an ally or if an enemy is climbing up that rope).

I don't consider natural weapons to be high value, but I do think they're a nice option to have.