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So there is no real question that the catfolk claws qualify for improved natural attack. They are a natural attack, even says so in the description. But if you put the claw blades on them, thus allowing them to be enchanted like a weapon, it says that it turns them from a natural weapon to a light slashing. By definition that would mean that it no longer qualifies for improved natural attack, yet all the claws do is grant a bonus to hit and nothing to damage. So if a catfolk already had the improved natural attack feat, and put the claw blades on; would the damage on his claws reduce?
So there is no real question that the catfolk claws qualify for improved natural attack. They are a natural attack, even says so in the description. But if you put the claw blades on them, thus allowing them to be enchanted like a weapon, it says that it turns them from a natural weapon to a light slashing. By definition that would mean that it no longer qualifies for improved natural attack, yet all the claws do is grant a bonus to hit and nothing to damage. So if a catfolk already had the improved natural attack feat, and put the claw blades on; would the damage on his claws reduce?
The claw blades have no weapon damage, they do whatever damage the natural attack does. Adding the claw blades doesn't invalidate the feat, it alters how the natural weapon can be used in combat.
Don't forget TWF then... half damage to the offhand claw.
If you only use the claw blade on your main hand you don't need TWF. You get iterative attacks for the mainhand (without any penalty) and the offhand as secondary natural attack at -5 to hit.
So even with claw blades you can still use pounce?
Claw pounce only requires you to have the prerequisite trait/feat but not to have natural weapons. So the only questions is whester claw blades still count as claws. And while not 100% clear I'd say the best guess is: Yes they do.
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Far as I can tell, claw blades would still count as claws; it seems to be the intent, at least
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Okay, so the question about the feat applying has been cleared, and I don't want to get into build questions so we can trim the fat by leaving out the twf stuff please. I'm sure there is a thread for how well that works together somewhere else.
However, what I would like to know is if the claw blades already count as masterwork for the purpose of enhancement bonuses or do you need to spend another 300gp on them to enchant them? The wording in the entry is a little unclear on that.
Thanks guys. Sorry to bud in on the thread again but pounce wouldn't work with twf and the claws would it? I'm guessing you only get the two natural claw attacks with pounce. Sorry if this is obvious I'm super tired. Thanks.
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Pounce works with TWF.
The claw blades are already masterwork.
Claw Blades: These subtle blades can only be used by catfolk with the cat's claws racial trait. Bought in a set of five, they fit over the wearer's claws on one hand. The blades grant the wearer a +1 enhancement bonus on claw attack rolls with that hand and change the weapon type from a natural weapon to a light slashing weapon. Catfolk with the cat's claws racial trait are proficient with this weapon. The claw blades can be enhanced like a masterwork weapon for the normal costs. The listed cost of the item is for one set of five claws for one hand.
It already has the same qualities that masterwork weapons have over their mundane counterparts:-
• a +1 enhancement bonus to attack
• they can be 'enhanced' (like a masterwork weapon can be enhanced)
How are masterwork weapons enhanced? Magic! Craft Magic Arms & armour, to be precise.
If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's a duck!
It even costs 305gp! Would this just be coincidence? Would the writer of Claw Blades have written them as costing 300+ gp, given them the same enhancement bonus to attack (but not damage) rolls, and allow them to be enhanced, if they didn't count as masterwork for all purposes?
What's the alternative? Pay 605gp for +2 enhancement bonus to attack? Why not? It says nothing in the description about the Claw Blade bonus not stacking?
Bonuses of the same type don't stack? Okay, the Claw Blade description says nothing about not really counting as an enhancement bonus for the purpose of adding special weapon powers! So I could pay 2,305gp for +1 flaming Claw Blades, even though ithey don't add +1 to damage? Right?
None of that holds water! The only sane response is that Claw Blades are not actually weapons (they are not a weapon in their own right, have no damage die as a weapon, no crit range, etc), they effectively turn your actual claws into masterwork claws, also allowing later magical enhancement.
The wording seems strange simply because this is the first instance I know of which does this, so the wording is obviously going to be new and unfamiliar.
