Doomhunter
First Post
Can a Shifter take Weapon Focus Claw if he has the Razorclaw trait?
Shifters and Weapon Focus
- Thread starter Doomhunter
- Start date
Ok, two questions.. is a natural weapon a weapon, and are shifters proficient with their natural weapon.
So yes, a natural weapon is a weapon.
On the proficiency thing... I wanted to find a nice, clear quote that spelled out that you were always proficient with your natural weapons. But I can't find it. The closest I could come was in the definitions for types where it says undead are proficient with natural weapons, animals are too, etc etc. There's some close calls such as outsiders not being specifically proficient with natural weapons, but they are proficient with any weapons mentioned in their stat blocks... so if they have natural weapons, they'll be proficient with them. However there was one exception. The humanoid type is the only type that doesn't have natural weapon proficiency in any shape or form. Plus usually your class proficiencies will override your humanoid type proficiencies anyway, and in general classes just give you access to simple and/or martial +/- some specific weapons... and I can't find anything that says natural weapons are simple weapons either (which might leave out wizards, anyway).
Of course this is probably just an oversight given that troglodytes don't take a -4 nonproficiency penalty on their claws, but still... as it stands I'm not entirely sure that shifters are proficient with their natural weapons, and thus wouldn't qualify for weapon focus. Purely in a nitpicking capacity of course, I'd never rule that in an actual game
Mind you its just as likely that I'm half asleep and missed the relevant sentence... if thats the case could someone tell me where to look? thanks !
UltimaGabe
First Post
Diirk said:
I don't think it's spelled out anywhere, but I'd think it would be common sense to say that a creature is proficient with its own natural weapons. They are, after all, part of their own body. Do you have to spend a feat to become proficient with your own skin, thus negating any armor check penalty to attack rolls?
(That was meant as a joke, although there are lots of people that claimed that Warforged Rogues and such with Adamantine Body aren't proficient with their own skin, but that was clarified by the fact that they don't actually have an Armor Check Penalty- rather, an unnamed penalty to a certain few skills. But that's a different issue.)
Back on topic, yes, Shifters can take Weapon Focus (claw), as well as Weapon Focus (Bite) if they have the correct trait. Many creatures in the Monster Manual have Weapon Focus for one or more of their natural attacks.
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On another weird side note compare this from the humanoid type: "Proficient with all simple weapons, or by character class." to this from the outsider type: "Proficient with all simple and martial weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry."
Does this mean that technically a tiefling wizard has martial weapon proficiencies from their type traits? Maybe they'd make decent eldritch knights, they lose 1 less casting level than non LA races
Does this mean that technically a tiefling wizard has martial weapon proficiencies from their type traits? Maybe they'd make decent eldritch knights, they lose 1 less casting level than non LA races
Jack Simth
First Post
No, as tieflings only have 1 racial HD, which gets traded out for 1st level class HD:Diirk said:On another weird side note compare this from the humanoid type: "Proficient with all simple weapons, or by character class." to this from the outsider type: "Proficient with all simple and martial weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry."
Does this mean that technically a tiefling wizard has martial weapon proficiencies from their type traits? Maybe they'd make decent eldritch knights, they lose 1 less casting level than non LA races
SRD said:
Well two things. Firstly tieflings are outsiders not humanoids, so your quote doesn't apply. Secondly, the weapon proficiencies are a trait of the type, not a feature... so your quote applies even less
The traits are never replaced, they contain intrinsic stuff like 'humanoids need to eat, breathe and sleep'. Stuff that isn't defined by classes. (With a few small exceptions).
The traits are never replaced, they contain intrinsic stuff like 'humanoids need to eat, breathe and sleep'. Stuff that isn't defined by classes. (With a few small exceptions).
