Question: Rules on biting

[CRGreathouse]

Perhaps one point of real damage, plus half the Strength bonus? Have it provoke an AoO, unless the user has IUS.

 

[IceBear]

That sounds fair, but would it still count as subdual damage? Even if someone took an exotic feat for this, in a grapple you aren't making an attack; you're making a grapple check. Maybe rule it as if you want it to be real damage, go for a grapple with a -4? unless you have unarmed attack? should a bite count as unarmed?

I think you are getting too caught up on the word grapple. To me, a successful grappling check (with the -4 penalty to cause real damage) includes punches, trying to break the guy's neck, gouging out his eyes, biting and scratching, not just grappling.

I would rule that a bite is an unarmed attack, simply because humans aren't designed to kill with this claws (and hands) and teeth like other mammals. With training (Improved Unarmed Attack), maybe, but not without the training.

If you want to make an Exotic Weapon proficiency for Biting, I guess that would be ok too. But I would think that the actual act of trying to bite someone in combat would generate an AoO.

IceBear

 

[Moto Jojo]

Icebear is right, you don't need to take the terms quite so literally to get your bite attacks. What I would do is take Improved Unarmed Strike so that you can do regular damage during a grapple without trouble, then just do regular grapple checks (which as Icebear said, includes any number of specific things you do as you're tussling). Then as you fight, you're free to describe the specifics any way you want (on a round that you do good damage, describe how you're biting the guy in the neck). The mechanics are already in place, there's no need to make up any new rules. Just change your description of what's happening.

 

[Umbran]

The best I could come up with is that it is a small weapon in a grapple, and I will plan on using it there.

I think the others who say that biting is simply part of the general grapple routine have it right.

Unless this guy is going into combat with a set of chompers mounted on a stick, he's not using a "small weapon". His own bite is at best a "natural weapon". But, the basic PC races don't have natural weapons per se - thus the slightly different rules for unarmed attack.

 

[BlindKobold]

Keep in mind that BITE is always a natural attack and as such the creature (in this case person) always has proficiency.

The real question is whether or not it is subdual or real damage. I would say real damage since you can ...oh, say BITE SOMEONE'S EAR! Go Tyson! Go Tyson!

But I believe he had weapon focus and weapon specialization: bite

 

[SpikeyFreak]

I don't think a human biting should cause any damage. Especially since you would add strength damage according to the rules, and if you don't want to do that you have to add more rules.

Humans just can't do enough damage with their jaws to matter.

Sure would be funny to see a barbarian hanging off of a dire bear trying to bite it to death.

--Anti-Human Spikey

 

[Hypersmurf]

Sure would be funny to see a barbarian hanging off of a dire bear trying to bite it to death.

Turnabout's fair play, after all!

And let's not forget the horror of Vorpal Dentures...

-Hyp.

 

[Psyduck]

Well then, alrighty

Thank you all for your replies.

I think I should now tell you what I am playing. My character is a barbarian raised by wolves, and has learned his ways from wolves (took track feat). That's why I was gonna have him start biting.

Also, my character isn't a human; it's a halfling. I think I can still describe the bite in a grapple as a bite; that's fair. Thank you for all of your help.