SRD:Natural Weapons

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Natural Weapons

Natural weapons are weapons that are physically a part of a creature. A creature making a melee attack with a natural weapon is considered armed and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Likewise, it threatens any space it can reach. Creatures do not receive additional attacks from a high base attack bonus when using natural weapons. The number of attacks a creature can make with its natural weapons depends on the type of the attack—generally, a creature can make one bite attack, one attack per claw or tentacle, one gore attack, one sting attack, or one slam attack (although Large creatures with arms or arm-like limbs can make a slam attack with each arm). Refer to the individual monster descriptions.

Unless otherwise noted, a natural weapon threatens a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 20, and deal double damage on critical hits.

When a creature has more than one natural weapon, one of them (or sometimes a pair or set of them) is the primary weapon. All the creature’s remaining natural weapons are secondary.

A creature’s primary natural weapon is its most effective natural attack, usually by virtue of the creature’s physiology, training, or innate talent with the weapon. An attack with a primary natural weapon uses the creature’s full attack bonus, and its damage includes its full Strength modifier (1-1/2 times its Strength bonus if the attack is with the creature’s sole natural weapon). Attacks with secondary natural weapons are less effective and are made with a –5 penalty on the attack roll, no matter how many there are, and add only 1/2 the creature’s Strength bonus to damage. (Creatures with the Multiattack feat take only a –2 penalty on secondary attacks.) This penalty applies even when the creature makes a single attack with the secondary weapon as part of the attack action or as an attack of opportunity.

Types of Natural Weapons

Natural weapons have types just as other weapons do. The most common are summarized below.

Main Appendages

Think of these like the quarterstaves or poles in the world of natural weapons. They all do bludgeoning damage if nothing is attached at the end.

• Full Body Attack (Tackle, Charge, Ram, etc): The creature attacks with its entire body—dealing bludgeoning damage.
• Blunt Appendage (Arm, Leg, Wing, etc): The creature batters opponents with a plain appendage to slap or slam, dealing bludgeoning damage.
• Whip-like Appendage (Tongue, Tail, Tentacle, Vines, etc): The creature flails at opponents with a long appendage—dealing bludgeoning damage.

Extra Appendages

Think of these like the spearheads, sword-blades, and pincers in the world of natural weapons. They typically sit at the end of your main appendage to arm it and deal a different form of damage, or even add onto it.

• Crushing Appendage (Bite, Pincers, Snapping trap, etc): The creature attacks with its crushing appendage—dealing piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage.
• Sharp Appendage (Claw, Talon, etc): The creature rips the opponent with their appendage—dealing piercing and slashing damage.
• Pointy Appendage (Antler, Horn, Beak, etc): The creature spears the opponent with their appendage to impale and gore them—dealing piercing damage.
  • Sting: The creature stabs with a stinger—dealing piercing damage. Sting attacks usually deal damage from poison in addition to hit point damage.

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