I was looking at the wording of the Wild Fighting ability:
A wild rager using the full-attack action can make one extra attack per round at her highest base attack bonus. Until the beginning of her next turn, however, she takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls and –4 penalty to AC.
If I'm reading it correctly, it seems as though the -2 penalty really only effects AoO's. Or am I missing something here?
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Yeah- it affects all attack rolls from the start of the full-attack action until the start of her next turn (AoO's). The -4 AC also applies while she's in the full attack in the event that she provokes. The penalties don't apply after the full attack, its when she uses this ability. That doesn't mean only when you make the extra attack, that's when you start the full attack.
That was the way I originally read it too. But then I got to thinking, a full attack doesn't officially start until you make your second attack. Per the rules, you are allowed to decide whether or not to full attack or move after your first swing.
So there is a paradox of whether or not a full attack is being used, and whether or not the penalty should apply.
At the very least I would argue that the first attack could be made without the penalty, and if then the barbarian decides to complete the full attack action, the penalties start from there.
I think it also depends on when you are allowed to make the choice of when to make that extra attack...
Lets say I want to take a normal full attack. At the end the monster is still standing, why couldn't I then decide to activate wild-fighting for one more swing at it?
In that scenario the -2 penalty would only apply to the final swing.
I think the wording is just vague enough to make any of these scenarios valid.
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If you wield a second weapon in your off hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon. You suffer a –6 penalty with your regular attack or attacks with your primary hand and a –10 penalty to the attack with your off hand when you fight this way. You can reduce these penalties in two ways. First, if your off-hand weapon is light, the penalties are reduced by 2 each. An unarmed strike is always considered light. Second, the Two-Weapon Fighting feat lessens the primary hand penalty by 2, and the off-hand penalty by 6.
It is the same thing with two weapon fighting. You have to take the penalty on your first attack, or not gain the benefits. You could make a single attack, and then decide you're going to go ahead and do a full attack, but you can't then choose to use Wild Fighting.
You make a good point there. Thinking of wild fighting as something similar to TWF certainly clears it up for me. Would have been quite the boon to avoid the penalty on some of the attacks though ;)
Case closed in my book. Thanks for the responses Nightskies!