Listed attacks for a monster

[reece555]

I have not GM'd in a long time and have a question. May seem like a stupid one but I want to be sure I'm doing it correctly. If a monster has attacks listed such as this.... bite +28 (2d8+11), 2 claws +28 (2d6+11), 2 wings +26 (1d8+5), tail slap +26 (2d6+16) (from a dragon), does that mean the monster can use 1 of any of these attacks per round or does it mean it can use all of these attacks per round? I have seen many monsters that will say something like...Longsword +12/+7/+3 (made up numbers :D) or 2 slams. That tells me they can either slam the target twice or use it's sword. But the fist example doesn't have the word "or" in it. So it leads me to believe it uses all those attacks per round. Is that correct?

[Caderyn]

A creature can attack with all of its natural weapons on a "Full attack Action", it can also combine these with melee weapon attacks (as long as it doesnt reuse the same limb for a weapon and a natural attack)

Or it can select any one attack (normally the one with the best bonus, or the one with the best rider effect such as grab, trip, poison etc) on a standard action attack or attack of opportunity.

In your case your most likely looking at a dragon with the multiattack feat (making its secondary wing and tail slaps at a -2 rather than the normal -5)

[Darkwolf117]

When there is an 'or' in the monster entry, it usually denotes the differences in full attacks. For an example, take a look at Valeros, the iconic fighter, and his attack list at level 12.

Quote:

Melee +2 keen longsword +21/+16/+11 (1d8+13/17–20), +2 short sword +18/+13 (1d6+8/19–20) or +2 keen longsword +23/+18/+13 (1d8+13/17–20)

Note the 'or' between his attacks. He basically has three options for melee.

1. When making a full attack, he can use his longsword and his short sword, as per two-weapon fighting, giving him longsword attacks at +21/+16/+11, and short sword attacks at +18/+13.

2. When making a full attack, he can instead forgo two-weapon fighting, and swing only with the longsword, giving him attacks of +23/+18/+13.

3. As a standard action, he could make one attack with either the longsword, or the short sword, at +23 (or thereabouts - he doesn't have as many bonuses on the shortsword, so that would likely be a bit less).

Note, he does technically have at least one other option, which would be to make a full attack with the short sword, and not with the longsword. In general though, the longsword is better (he's got a higher weapon training and focuses/specialization on it), so he probably shouldn't.

Now then:

reece555 wrote:

So it leads me to believe it uses all those attacks per round. Is that correct?

You are correct, it can use all of those attacks in one round if it does a full attack. As a standard action, it could only make one of those attacks. So if it needs to move first and can't take a full round action, it won't get all of its attacks.

Hope that helps.

[reece555]

Thanks for the replies guys. I just didn't want to screw over the players by over attacking with monsters.

[IejirIsk]

excepting pounce, thats only with a full attack XD