Natural Attacks Damage type?


Rules Questions


What kind of damage a natural attack from an animal does?
I can't find it anywhere in the SRD. Is it piercing/slashing/bludgeoning? all of them? some?

Is it up to the DM/ depends on the creature? Where can I find a ruling?


Slams are bludgeoning. Tail slaps go into this category as well. Tentacles too, I think.

Bite is piercing, as would being stung.

Claws are slashing, can be argued to also be piercing.


in 3.5, claws (and talons) were slashing and piercing, Bite was bludgeoning slashing and piercing. I don't think this has changed.


It's in the "Natural Attacks" entry in Universal Monster Rules.
Lathiira's answers are not all correct according to that table, so look there.


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Lathiira wrote:

Slams are bludgeoning. Tail slaps go into this category as well. Tentacles too, I think.

Bite is piercing, as would being stung.

Claws are slashing, can be argued to also be piercing.

According to the bestiary:

Bite = B/P/S
Claw = B/S
Gore = P
Hoof/Tentacle/Wing = B
Pincers/Tail Slap = B
Slam = B
Sting = P
Talon = S

In addition it states:

Bestiary wrote:


The Damage Type column refers to the sort of damage that the natural attack typically deals: bludgeoning (B), slashing (S), or piercing (P). Some attacks deal damage of more than one type, depending on the creature. In such cases all the damage is considered to be of all listed types for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

So its probably up to the DM to decide whether a specific creature's bite really does all three types of damage or just one.


Maxxx wrote:
Lathiira wrote:

Slams are bludgeoning. Tail slaps go into this category as well. Tentacles too, I think.

Bite is piercing, as would being stung.

Claws are slashing, can be argued to also be piercing.

According to the bestiary:

Bite = B/P/S
Claw = B/S
Gore = P
Hoof/Tentacle/Wing = B
Pincers/Tail Slap = B
Slam = B
Sting = P
Talon = S

In addition it states:

Bestiary wrote:


The Damage Type column refers to the sort of damage that the natural attack typically deals: bludgeoning (B), slashing (S), or piercing (P). Some attacks deal damage of more than one type, depending on the creature. In such cases all the damage is considered to be of all listed types for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
So its probably up to the DM to decide whether a specific creature's bite really does all three types of damage or just one.

I knew my answers weren't all good, it was an off-the-top-of-my-head thing. Thanks for the Bestiary answers!


The universal monster rules, and table, is exactly what I was missing.

Many thanks, to all of you. :D

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