Question about Creatures making full attacks.

[Moff_Tarkin]

My cleric summoned a bear to help attack some enemies. I think it was a brown bear, whatever you get with summon monster 3. When I found it in the monsters manual I believe the attacks said 2 claws (+6 melee) and bite (+1 melee). That might be wrong but the question should still make sense. I though this meant his attacks were +6/+6/+1. But the DM said that if he makes all 3 attacks then they all take –5 so it would be +1/+1/-4. I know I heard about taking of 5 for a full attack before so I went with him on it. I just thought that that would already be factored in. But he is right isn’t he?

 

[dcollins]

He is not right. The progression is as listed, +6/+6/+1.

The primary attack form (claw) is +6, the secondary attack form (bite) is -5 from that, for a resulting +1.

 

[Jhulae]

Exactly.

The listed attacks for the creatures in the Monster Manuals include any relevent modifiers. So, the single attack line and the full attack lines already include any changes that might be necessary, and list the bonuses the creatures get on their attack rolls for a single attack, full attacks, grapple checks, etc.

So, if the MM said +6/+6/+1, that's what it meant.

 

[Shellman]

My cleric summoned a bear to help attack some enemies. I think it was a brown bear, whatever you get with summon monster 3. When I found it in the monsters manual I believe the attacks said 2 claws (+6 melee) and bite (+1 melee). That might be wrong but the question should still make sense. I though this meant his attacks were +6/+6/+1. But the DM said that if he makes all 3 attacks then they all take –5 so it would be +1/+1/-4. I know I heard about taking of 5 for a full attack before so I went with him on it. I just thought that that would already be factored in. But he is right isn’t he?

Your DM really should do his research a bit better.

The attacks are as listed 2 claws at +6/ +6 and a bite at +1. Note that this is how it works for natural attacks not a PC doing a full attack.

For example a fighter with a BAB of +11 would get three attacks with the 2nd and 3rd each at -5 from the previous attack because because these are not natural attacks.

1st attack at +11
2nd attack at +6 (11-5)
3rd attack at +1 (6-5)

 

[Infiniti2000]

Imo

As a general concept, never list natural attacks as +x/+y. It will only lead to the confusion suffered by your DM. The +x/+y notation should really only be used for iterative attacks. The bear attacks at +6 for 2 claws and +1 for a bite. He does not attack at +6/+6/+1.