Are Natural Weapons Melee Weapons?

[Mapleswitch]

Earlier tonight, I was with friends playing a pathfinders game. I am playing a monk with Crane Wing style feat. A bear came up and bit me in the game and I tried to deflect what I saw as a melee 'natural weapon' attack. The DM said I couldn't because somehow a natural weapon used in melee is not a melee weapon (monks attacks are natural weapons and 'manufactured' weapons).

Can someone give some clarity on what is a melee weapon attack in pathfinders? Is a Natural weapon a Melee weapon?

Crane Wing Feat: Once per round while using Crane Style, when you have at least one hand free and are either fighting defensively or using the total defense action, you can deflect one melee weapon attack that would normally hit you. You expend no action to deflect the attack, but you must be aware of it and not flat-footed. An attack so deflected deals no damage to you.

[Nicos]

I think your fighter ruled unfarly against the monk. the feat do not say it only work against manufactured weapons.

[Rynjin]

A melee weapon is any weapon that attacks in melee combat (i.e. up close and personal, physically).

Your GM done goofed.

[asthyril]

i agree with above posts, a melee attack is an attack that is made with reach of the person doing the attack, that's it

[GM Jeff]

Natural Attacks: Attacks made with natural weapons, such as claws and bites, are melee attacks that can be made against any creature within your reach (usually 5 feet).

[Gauss]

Just to agree: Melee attacks are a broad category that contain both manufactured AND natural weapons (and unarmed strikes for that matter). Your GM confused melee weapon with a manufactured weapon.

- Gauss

[Barry Armstrong]

Yep, indeed I concur with the masses. Two main "categories" of weapons are MELEE WEAPONS (anything used in direct, face-to-face combat, to include natural and unarmed attacks) and RANGED WEAPONS (anything used from a distance, to include thrown and projected weapons).

There are several subtypes of each, but this is the major breakdown and always has been.

[mplindustries]

Yeah, your GM probably pulled a, "Your feat does WHAT? Oh no, uh, it doesn't work on bites..."

Crane Wing is not overpowered, but GMs almost always think it is the first time you cancel their first attack.

[Chemlak]

Also agreeing with the masses.

After the consideration given in another thread about thrown weapons possibly not counting as ranged weapons, it seems clear to me that "melee weapon" means "an attack in melee" and "ranged weapon" means "an attack at range" (not counting spells or supernatural abilities).

Melee weapons are further classified as unarmed, manufactured, or natural, and certain abilities care about that distinction. This feat is not one of them.

[Kazaan]

prd wrote:

Melee Attacks: With a normal melee weapon, you can strike any opponent within 5 feet. (Opponents within 5 feet are considered adjacent to you.) Some melee weapons have reach, as indicated in their descriptions. With a typical reach weapon, you can strike opponents 10 feet away, but you can't strike adjacent foes (those within 5 feet).

He was probably basing his ruling on this; in the Pathfinder system, the term "melee" doesn't refer to close-combat but rather to attacks made with melee weapons. However:

prd wrote:

Unarmed Attacks: Striking for damage with punches, kicks, and head butts is much like attacking with a melee weapon, except for the following:

And

prd wrote:

Natural Attacks: Attacks made with natural weapons, such as claws and bites, are melee attacks that can be made against any creature within your reach (usually 5 feet)...

Unarmed Attacks and Natural Attacks, while not using weapons, "count as" melee attacks.