D&D 5E Two-Weapon Fighting with a natural weapon?

[GlassJaw]

My gut says this isn't allowed per RAW but just curious if there has been any ruling that would allow this:

If a race has a natural weapon (like Lizardfolk from Volo's), if you take the Attack action, can you then use a bonus action to attack with your bite? (assuming your main weapon is light)

The reason I ask is that the Lizardfolk's Hungry Jaws ability states it requires a bonus action (but does not require the Attack action).

Again, I believe the answer is technically no but it's something I would probably allow. Natural attack abilities tend to be a throw-away in most cases unless the character is without a weapon for some reason. This would at least make them a bit more useful.

 

[jaelis]

No, because a natural weapon is not a light one-handed weapon.

Even if you have the Dual Wielder feat, a natural weapon is still not a one-handed weapon, so it doesn't work.

 

[DEFCON 1]

To check whether it is relatively balanced all you really need to do is compare the damage between a typical two-weapon fighter (1d6+STR/DEX and 1d6 offhand) versus the weapon + natural weapon of a race that has a natural weapon attack. If they are at all similar, then you're fine. A lizardfolk's bite is 1d6+STR and the Tabaxi's claws are 1d4+STR, so there's absolutely no reason you couldn't have them use their natural weapons as part of two-fighting weapon and worry that things are unbalanced.

 

[Oofta]

I would allow it, but it would be a house rule and you would not get the extra damage from strength or dex unless you qualify for it normally.

Since it doesn't do more damage, it's just fluff.

 

[smbakeresq]

My gut says this isn't allowed per RAW but just curious if there has been any ruling that would allow this:

If a race has a natural weapon (like Lizardfolk from Volo's), if you take the Attack action, can you then use a bonus action to attack with your bite? (assuming your main weapon is light)

The reason I ask is that the Lizardfolk's Hungry Jaws ability states it requires a bonus action (but does not require the Attack action).

Again, I believe the answer is technically no but it's something I would probably allow. Natural attack abilities tend to be a throw-away in most cases unless the character is without a weapon for some reason. This would at least make them a bit more useful.

No by RAW but it makes no sense to slavishly follow that when it has zero balancing affect on the game. Its on a case by case basis though, but here with the Tabaxi I wouldn't allow the bonus mod damage though unless you had the relevant class feature or something else, like the Dragon Hide race feat from Volos. If a player wanted to do that I would reskin that Dragon Hide feat into something more appropriate for the Tabaxi.


I have a Dragonborn life cleric 1/ Lore bard x with the Dragonhide feat that sometimes attacks with claw off hand, the hand is kept free to use for spells. While being fun it isn't game breaking, more of a bail out option when you miss with something. If the player has a reasonable concept for a PC and it isn't game breaking then its fine.

 

[jaelis]

I wouldn't say it had no impact on mechanics. If you allow it, then a character can TWF while carrying a shield. Unless you decide that's not legal, but why wouldn't it be?

 

[Hriston]

The lizardfolk's bite is an unarmed strike, so if you're a monk and attack with a monk weapon or unarmed strike, you can bite as a bonus action.

 

[cbwjm]

I always thought this was a little weird. I would probably allow it for some instances, I'd definitely allow it for punching. If a level 1 human fighter wants to punch his opponents, I'd let him punch with his offhand as well using the same rules for damage as per normal 2-weapon fighting.

 

[Immoralkickass]

Don't be a slave to RAW.

 

[CapnZapp]

Since it doesn't do more damage, it's just fluff.

Exactly.

Natural weapons that doesn't do as much damage as manufactured ones is of no actual hard-number combat benefit to the race: a ribbon ability.

I wish these races got a damage progression table for their natural weapons.