So... Ways To Increase Natural Attack

I have never played characters who utilize natural attacks before, but now I find myself intrigued as to the idea. So I'm looking for all the ways in official Paizo releases that you can make natural attacks better.

I've already come across The Amulet of Mighty Fists, the Body Wrap of Mighty Strikes, and Multiattack for those who have multiple natural attacks, and Improved Natural Attack for those who are serious about putting their claws and teeth to work. Weapon Focus and Spec would, of course, be good additions as well if you're serious about using these options.

Right now I'm trying to limit the search to feats and magic items. All help is appreciated, thanks!

The problem with natural attacks is that they do not have iterative attacks. So the best way around that is to increase your number of natural attacks. Items that help with this are the Helm of the Mammoth lord, to give you a gore attack, a ring of rat fangs, to obtain a bite, or a cloak of the manta ray to give you a tail slap (in water only).

I would look at the Supernaturalist Druid. Instead of wild shape, they gain a spirit like a Medium that helps with natural weapons.

Given that you want feats and magic items for now, and Imbicatus gave you already a good list of items, I will focus on feats improving all your natural weapons. The more of them you have, the more you profit from general bonuses:

Power Attack / Piranha Strike: +2 damage (more later), with primary weapons you can usually afford the attack penalty
Weapon Focus & Specialization, combined with Martial Versatility: Solid improvement for all natural weapons
Eldritch Claws: Despite the name it turns all natural weapons into magic and silver
Rending Claws: +1d6 if 2 claws hit
Extra Elemental Assault & Incremental Elemental Assault: Makes Suli's 1d6 elemental bonus more useable
Racial Heritage (giant) & Flame Warrior / Born of Frost / Storm Soul & Warrior: Permanent 1d6 elemental damage (probably not legal at your table)

Thanks for the responses so far!

Wanted to add in that if there are items and/or feats that will give bonuses to both natural attacks AND unarmed strikes, I'll move those to the front of the line. Current strategy is to create a sort of whirlwind of doom by playing a monk or brawler who can use every part of his body in combat.

With only 4 levels in Druid, you can take Wild Shape. With Shaping Focus all other levels count as levels in Druid for the purposes of Wildshaping into bigger, badder things. My favorites are Allosaurus: 3 attacks, size Huge; Megaraptor: 5 attacks, size Large; and Giant Octopus: 9 attacks + Grab and Constrict! But size Large and Aquatic: the GM might punish you wickedly.

Feral Combat Training used to allow you to apply Monk Unarmed Strike Damage to your Natural Attack. That has been errata'd away.

You can take levels in Warpriest and make your natural attacks your Sacred Weapon. If you are a human, relying on Wild Shape maybe to get your Natural Attacks, you can take the Martial Versatility Feat and apply it to other feats such as Weapon Focus and Improved Natural Weapon so that all your natural attacks get the benefit regardless of what form you take. If this is for PFS, you will have to take INA via 2 levels in Ranger or Slayer, but then you can still take Martial Versatility

To Imicatus's fine list I would add taking a level in White Haired Witch and get a Hair Attack.

Also, there is no reason why you can't have Armor made for you in your favorite forms. As an octopus, you can add Armor Spike Damage to your Grab and Constrict. The Hair sort of has Grab. You can take Hamatula Strike and score a Grapple with every Piercing Attack and do Armor Spike Damage that way. Claws and Talons aren't Piercing Weapons, so you would have to take the Snake Style Feat and either Martial Versatility Snake Style or Feral Combat Training and Martial Versatility FCT. While you're at it, get Improved Unarmed Strike via a level in Monk, take 2 weapon, and incorporate Monk Unarmed Strikes in with all those Natural Attacks. Maybe get Snake Fang and get some Attacks of Opportunity, too.

Something else to consider if you are gathering up lots of natural attacks, is that if you can lock in Sneak Attack Damage, you get it for every attack. Take Quick Dirty Trick so that you only have to use one of your many, many attacks to make your opponent Blind, then all the rest of your attacks get your Sneak Attack bonus. This would especially the way to go if you want to go Small, playing a Goblin Monk with Panther Claw and Snake Fang, Underfoot, Tangle Feet, and Roll With it, or a halfling.

If you want to stay Humanoid, Tengu can start with Claws and Bite. There is the Alchemist Discoverty Feral Mutagen which also gives you 2 claws. And the Lesser Beat Totem Rage Power gives you Claws. Monstrous Physique is an Alchemist Extract that would let you become (among other things) a 4 armed sahaugin with 4 claws and a bite.

Wanted to say thanks again for adding to the content, but I felt I should clarify something. Getting natural attacks isn't the issue. There are a dozen class abilities, half a dozen feats, and a lot of races that give them to you. You practically trip over them between rage powers, bloodline powers, alternate racial traits, mutagens, and Monster feats.

It's how to hit more accurately, and do more damage with the attacks you've got that I'm looking for. Sneak attack is great, and will definitely be what I use for my current, but what are some unusual combinations that folks have used to make natural attacks (either alone or in conjunction with other attacks) more useful?

The feat where you can charge, gore, and grapple in a single attack is pretty tasty. Forgot the name of it, but I may have to see if it's tweakable.

The feat where you can charge, gore, and grapple in a single attack is pretty tasty. Forgot the name of it, but I may have to see if it's tweakable.

It looks like it's Impaling Charge, though it might be cheaper to just use the Lockjaw spell.

Neal Litherland wrote:

The feat where you can charge, gore, and grapple in a single attack is pretty tasty. Forgot the name of it, but I may have to see if it's tweakable.

It looks like it's Impaling Charge, though it might be cheaper to just use the Lockjaw spell.

The concepts for which I'd utilize natural attack are unlikely to have any spellcasting capability. Depending on the specific classes, and the skill points they receive, I may not have the leftover to invest in U.M.D. either. It's why I'm focusing on feats and magic items instead of spells, because, generally speaking, they provide a character an "always on" option, instead of one that requires someone else to transmute you before you can do your trick.

Dont forget potion of strong jaw and items that let you enlarge.

With Shaping Focus all other levels count as levels in Druid for the purposes of Wildshaping into bigger, badder things.

Incorrect; Shaping Focus gives you a +4 to your effective druid level. With 4 Druid/4 X, you'll be at par compared to a straight druid, but any more non-druid levels and you'll start slipping behind.

OP, if you go the multi-classed druid route, consider Ranger levels and Shapeshifting Hunter, which allows druid and ranger levels to stack for purposes of both Favored Enemy bonuses and Wild Shape (uses-per-day only, not access to forms).

It's a pretty powerful feat -- 4 levels of druid, a one-level dip of Ranger, and the rest Druid gets you almost full wild shape/spellcasting, plus full favored enemy bonuses (which can be absolutely deadly if you pick enemy types that come up frequently in your campaign).

Scott Wilhelm wrote: With Shaping Focus all other levels count as levels in Druid for the purposes of Wildshaping into bigger, badder things.

Incorrect; Shaping Focus gives you a +4 to your effective druid level. With 4 Druid/4 X, you'll be at par compared to a straight druid, but any more non-druid levels and you'll start slipping behind.

+4 levels is plenty to Wildshape into Huge Animals, which is the largest size allowed. Subsequent advances expand your ability to Polymorph into Elementals and Plants.

Getting natural attacks isn't the issue....

It's how to hit more accurately, and do more damage with the attacks you've got that I'm looking for.

Yes, but Wildshape does answer to how to hit more accurately and do more damage. The suggestion I laid out also offers gaining Large or even Huge Size, which definitely means more damage. As does applying Martial Versatility to Weapon Focus and Improved Natural Weapon and applying them to one of your Natural Attacks, which allows you to apply Warpriest Sacred Weapon Damage to your Natural Attacks, which all stack with your size increase. In addition, Wildshape's accomanying Strength increase is so great you actually do enjoy a +1 to your attack roll in spite of the Attack Penalty imposed by increasing size. You might not like my suggestion, but it precisely gives you what you are asking for: boy does it ever!

Sneak attack is great, and will definitely be what I use for my current,

Thanks, man! If you are thinking of combining Wild Shape and Sneak Attack, though, you shouldn't think big: you should think small. Sneak Attack doesn't scale with Size, and the smaller you get, the bigger your attack bonus, especially if you dip 3 levels into Unchained Rogue and get Dex to Damage.

but what are some unusual combinations that folks have used to make natural attacks (either alone or in conjunction with other attacks) more useful?

The feat where you can charge, gore, and grapple in a single attack is pretty tasty. Forgot the name of it, but I may have to see if it's tweakable.

I made more than 1 such suggestion already.

For starters, Wildshaping into a Giant Octopus gives you Grab and Constrict, allowing you to Initiate a Grapple with every one of your Tentacle hits, and Constrict means that each does damage. Also, I suggested you have Barding made for you to wear while you are in your Octopus form and have Armor Spikes put on it. Large Size Armor Spikes inflict 1d8 per successful Grapple Attack, 2d6 if you cast Lead Blades on them.

Witches' White Hair has a sort of Grab Ability, which is another avenue to damage with Armor Spikes.

With Hamatula Strike, any attack with a Piercing Weapon, such as Bite and Gore triggers a Grapple Attack, and the combination of the Snake Style, Feral Combat Training, and/or Martial Versatility feats will make the remainder of your Natural Attacks do Piercing Damage, too.

The Anaconda Coils Belt grants the Constrict Ability, which would then allow you to take Final Embrace, which allows you to use Grab and Constrict to all your Natural Attacks.

Animal Fury, Beast Totem, Abyssal Blood, Draconic Blood, and Fiend Totem rage powers can all net you natural attacks. Coupled with the fact that Greater east Totem can net you Pounce, the Barbarian route may be a way to consider going.

Alchemist can net natural attacks via Feral Mutagen and the Tentacle alchemical discovery.

Tengu can get a bite and two claw attacks, and Catfolk, Kitsune, Tiefling, and a few other races can obtain natural attacks as well.

just a few thoughts.

Just popping in to mention the Fleshwarped Scorpion's Tail, a magic item granting a sting attack for under 20,000 gp.

Plus an Animal Totem Tattoo (eagle) can give you talons on your feet for 5 minutes per day, at the price of 12,000 gp.

Both of these will stack with every other type of weapon mentioned here, giving you even more attacks.

I have never played characters who utilize natural attacks before, but now I find myself intrigued as to the idea. So I'm looking for all the ways in official Paizo releases that you can make natural attacks better.

I've already come across The Amulet of Mighty Fists, the Body Wrap of Mighty Strikes, and Multiattack for those who have multiple natural attacks, and Improved Natural Attack for those who are serious about putting their claws and teeth to work. Weapon Focus and Spec would, of course, be good additions as well if you're serious about using these options.

Right now I'm trying to limit the search to feats and magic items. All help is appreciated, thanks!

Catfolk, Claw Blades.

Multiple attacks by the time 2 natural attacks start to wane.
Ability to use Claw damage dice as well as manufactured weapon properties.
Light slashing weapons so can go DEX/Finesse/Agile route instead of STR.

It won't stand up to the possibilities of a full on min/maxed natural attacker, but it also doesn't have the headaches. You can focus on one attack with feats, maintain the number of attacks via BAB (up to 7 attacks 1d8 to 2d6 damage without too much optimization), and have access to magical weapon properties on each claw (2 separate weapons if needed).

The Anaconda Coils Belt grants the Constrict Ability, which would then allow you to take Final Embrace, which allows you to use Grab and Constrict to all your Natural Attacks.

Final Embrace requires you to have constrict as a racial ability now.

As said Catfolk can start with & improve their claw attacks using claw blades they can actually improve these with 2 feats using the Catfolk exemplar feat as well as the Improved Natural Attack route (which requires +4 BAB).

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/racial-feats/catfolk-exemplar-catfolk
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/monster-feats/improved-natural-attack

Can also get d8 sneak attack damage as a rogue with their claw attacks with the 'Vicious Claws' rogue talent as well as scent and a form of pounce at higher levels.

Neal Litherland wrote:

Getting natural attacks isn't the issue....

It's how to hit more accurately, and do more damage with the attacks you've got that I'm looking for.

Yes, but Wildshape does answer to how to hit more accurately and do more damage. The suggestion I laid out also offers gaining Large or even Huge Size, which definitely means more damage. As does applying Martial Versatility to Weapon Focus and Improved Natural Weapon and applying them to one of your Natural Attacks, which allows you to apply Warpriest Sacred Weapon Damage to your Natural Attacks, which all stack with your size increase. In addition, Wildshape's accomanying Strength increase is so great you actually do enjoy a +1 to your attack roll in spite of the Attack Penalty imposed by increasing size. You might not like my suggestion, but it precisely gives you what you are asking for: boy does it ever!

Neal Litherland wrote:

Sneak attack is great, and will definitely be what I use for my current,

Thanks, man! If you are thinking of combining Wild Shape and Sneak Attack, though, you shouldn't think big: you should think small. Sneak Attack doesn't scale with Size, and the smaller you get, the bigger your attack bonus, especially if you dip 3 levels into Unchained Rogue and get Dex to Damage.

Neal Litherland wrote:

but what are some unusual combinations that folks have used to make natural attacks (either alone or in conjunction with other attacks) more useful?

The feat where you can charge, gore, and grapple in a single attack is pretty tasty. Forgot the name of it, but I may have to see if it's tweakable.

I made more than 1 such suggestion already.

For starters, Wildshaping into a Giant Octopus gives you Grab and Constrict, allowing you to Initiate a Grapple with every one of your Tentacle hits, and Constrict means that each does damage. Also, I suggested you have Barding made for you to wear while you are in your Octopus form and have Armor Spikes put on it....

While I fully admit that Wildshape is by far the easiest, and most effective way to do this, I'm really not sold on "play a druid" as the most satisfying way to do this.

When I think of a character using natural attack, I don't picture someone who can only do it a certain number of times per day. I picture doing it with races and feats, like the Razortusk for half-orcs, or playing a Skinwalker or tiefling who has natural attacks, and can have them out, ready to go whenever, and wherever. Then magnifying that capability through martial classes like the Brawler, Monk, Fighter, or Barbarian in ways that make it deadlier than it is already.

I'm not saying that natural attacks gained through limited features (like the rounds per day from a sorcerer bloodline or bite attack from Rage, or Wildshape) aren't viable. Just that something I have to keep a counter on as to how long I've used it, has a big, glaring weakness that doesn't appeal to me as a player.

If you're going to build your entire schtick on "I have teeth and claws," then it's a good idea to make sure regardless of what happens that the only way to take that option away is to kill you, or cut off your limbs.

Play a Ragebred Skinwalker. Ranger and take Extra Feature as your first level feat. Gore and 2 Hoof attacks.

Ranger 2: Pick up Aspect of the Beast(Claws)

5 natural attacks at level 2. Kineticist using Kinetic Fist will add damage(in d6 increments) and attack bonuses(from Elemental Overflow) to that as well, and at level 7 won,t even cost you a point of burn.

Adopted [tusked] and you have 6 attacks.

Nice catch! Not sure you'd be able to swing bite and gore from your a Ragebred by a go though. Boars don't use their tucks for biting, I think.

When I think of a character using natural attack, I don't picture someone who can only do it a certain number of times per day.

Ah, but with 4 levels in Druid and the Shaping Focus Feat, that's not a problem. You could get up to being a level 8 Wildshaper, meaning that your shape lasts 8 hours per usage, and you can use the ability 3/day. That means you can remain in your Allosaurus Form all day long, even while asleep.

I'm really not sold on "play a druid" as the most satisfying way to do this.

But if that's the way you feel, then that's the way you feel.

I picture doing it with races and feats, like the Razortusk for half-orcs, or playing a Skinwalker or tiefling who has natural attacks, and can have them out, ready to go whenever, and wherever. Then magnifying that capability through martial classes like the Brawler, Monk, Fighter, or Barbarian in ways that make it deadlier than it is already.

To your list of classes with which to magnify your natural attacks, I recommend you add Warpriest. Actually, put Warpriest right on top! Feral Combat Training no longer allows you to apply your Monk Unarmed Strike Damage to your Natural Attacks, but you can apply Sacred Weapon Damage. Also, you can take the Minor Blessing of Destruction, which grants you a +1 Damage for every 2 Warpriest levels. And with the spells you get, you can find ways to magically bypass DR. You need to take Weapon Focus for each of your natural attacks you take, but that's not so bad. Also, there is the Iron Beard Spell, which gives you another Natural Attack.

To your list of races, consider adding Tengu. Tengu can have 3 natural attacks for starters, 1 Bite and 2 Claws. Then you can take a level in White Haired Witch and get the Hair Attack, get the Mammoth Helm and get a Gore Attack, and get a Tentacle Cloak and get 2 Tentacle Attacks. There is some magic item that gives you a Talon Attack, but I forget the name. Destruction Blessing and Sneak Attack apply to ALL your natural weapons. Sacred Weapon Damage to all your weapons you take Weapon Focus for.

Nice catch! Not sure you'd be able to swing bite and gore from your a Ragebred by a go though. Boars don't use their tucks for biting, I think.

Lots of monsters manage to do it like the gargoyle. Every instance of monsters with both allow both in full attacks.

I am playing just now this combination to great effect:

Bloodrager, Draconic Bloodline (2 Primary Claw Attacks)
Dragon Disciple (1 Primary Bite Attack with (1.5)xStr damage)
Eldritch Heritage (Minotaur) (1 Primary Gore Attack); if Minotaur is not available, Abyssal or another that gran Inherent Strength at higher levels with Improved Eldritch Heritage

Primalist was allowed, so Beast Totem up to Pounce, if not, you can get it via Beast Shape at Lv14. Improved Arcane Heritage to get Strength bonuses with Minotaur Bloodline. Also by this level I got a Robe of Arcane Heritage, so Minotaur Bloodline counts as 5 levels higher to get Strength bonu+Strses earlier.

Beast Shape with a large Feline to get Rake (and Pounceif needed).
Tail Strike spell (Bloodrager Lv3) to add a Tail attack

By Lv14 I have Strength 44 in Rage and 7 Natural attacks

Strength: 15(base)+2(Race)+2(Granted by adventure)+3(Level)+2(Dragon Disciple) +6(Minotaur Bloodline) +4(Beast Shape) +4(Item)+6(Rage) = 44, and still have 2 more to increase with Dragon Disciple, 2 with a better enhancement with an Item, and 2 with leves :)

Natural Attacks (Large Beast Shape): 1 Bite (1d8 +1.5xStr, Dragon Disciple) +2 Claws (2d6+Str, Draconic Bloodline) +1 Gore (2d6+Str) +1 Tail (1d8+0.5xStr) +2 Rakes (1d8+0.5xStr); adding Power Attack (and Reckless if Primalist is enabled) adds quite a punch also.

When the bloodline enables Dragon Form, I can add 2 Wing Attacks to the routine - to get Rakes with Dragon Shape I looking for Boots of the Raptor, that grant Rake natural attacks (Claws in Feet) OR I can argument that Lesser Beast Totem with quadrupeds CAN be assigned to "feet" since all limbs of a dragon are "feet", and there is a FAQ where it states that if target has no "hands" the effect can go in any of its limbs. Also, I get a tail attack so I can ditch the Tail spell I've been using up to then...
Reference to the FAQ
https://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fo#v5748eaic9rdk

The problem with natural attacks is that they do not have iterative attacks. So the best way around that is to increase your number of natural attacks. Items that help with this are the Helm of the Mammoth lord, to give you a gore attack, a ring of rat fangs, to obtain a bite, or a cloak of the manta ray to give you a tail slap (in water only).

Wait, what? So if my wolf Animal Companion has only a Bite attack and hits BAB +6, in a Full Attack he only still gets one attack, no iteratives?

Imbicatus wrote:

The problem with natural attacks is that they do not have iterative attacks. So the best way around that is to increase your number of natural attacks. Items that help with this are the Helm of the Mammoth lord, to give you a gore attack, a ring of rat fangs, to obtain a bite, or a cloak of the manta ray to give you a tail slap (in water only).

Wait, what? So if my wolf Animal Companion has only a Bite attack and hits BAB +6, in a Full Attack he only still gets one attack, no iteratives?

yes and no.

Because the wolf is an animal companion it gains the following ability

An animal companion gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it has three or more natural attacks and does not already have that feat. If it does not have the requisite three or more natural attacks, the animal companion instead gains a second attack with its primary natural weapon, albeit at a –5 penalty.

If your wolf had more than just a bite attack then it would not get the additional attack instead gaining the multi-attack feat which does very little if your animal companion has 3+ attacks that are all primary attacks (eg. a big cat animal companion).

It does not otherwise get iterative attacks with it's natural weapons. If your wolf were to have the feat Improved Unarmed Strike. It would be able to make iterative attacks using it's unarmed strikes. It could also attack twice with it's bite attack at a -5 and -10 respectively.

I may have been running things all wrong for years.

Currently I have a PC in one of my games: NG Male Humanoid/Skinwalker (Scaleheart) Bloodrager 2/Brawler 1/Fighter 6. While shapechanged he gets a Bite 1d6 attack. It doesn't state whether this is Primary or Secondary. With his combined BAB at +9 on at least one occasion when unarmed I let him full attack with 2 bite attacks. Should I not have allowed this?

With his combined BAB at +9 on at least one occasion when unarmed I let him full attack with 2 bite attacks. Should I not have allowed this?

"You do not receive additional natural attacks for a high base attack bonus." (CRB pg. 182)

It doesn't state whether this is Primary or Secondary.

In that case it uses the default: Bite, Claw, Gore, Slam, Sting, Talon are primary, everything else secondary (B1 pg. 302). Of course, "If a creature has only one natural attack, it is always made using the creature’s full base attack bonus and adds 1-1/2 the creature’s Strength bonus on damage rolls. This increase does not apply if the creature has multiple attacks but only takes one. If a creature has only one type of attack, but has multiple attacks per round, that attack is treated as a primary attack, regardless of its type." (ibid.)