i know there are already a lot of topic on this, but i want to put a specific question in a new light. So here I go.
I am a normal human, save for the fact that my hands are actually claws. Now, as being pointed out in other discussion, natural weapons are for all effect of purpose a special subcategory of "light melee weapon", that follow some special rules, the most critical being the inability of making iterative attacks.
Now, if i decide to fight with my two claws, i can only make 2 attacks, regardless of my BAB. 'till here all is pretty easy. Next step.
I have BAB of 20 so i want to take advantage of it. I get a longsword in my right hand and i make my 4 attacks. Plus one claw with my left hand. Cool.
Now, since my left hand if for all effects and purpouse a light melee weapon, can i decide to elect it as my offhand? This does not break any rules that i know of, but lets you do the same thing you was doing it before but with a big penalty.
If I take the TWF feats, i'm allowed to make extra attacs with my left claw. This extra attacs are extra attacks and not "iteratives attacks", so the claw is allowed to make them (like you can make extra attacks if you are hasted). Am i wrong? or not? if yes, why?
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"Natural Attacks: [...] You do not receive additional natural attacks for a high base attack bonus. Instead, you receive additional attack rolls for multiple limb and body parts capable of making the attack (as noted by the race or ability that grants the attacks).
[...]
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.
[...]
Creatures with natural attacks and attacks made with weapons can use both as part of a full attack action (although often a creature must forgo one natural attack for each weapon clutched in that limb, be it a claw, tentacle, or slam). Such creatures attack with their weapons normally but treat all of their available natural attacks as secondary attacks during that attack, regardless of the attack’s original type."
(EDIT - Ninja'ed! That's what I get for opening a bunch of links and not refreshing before posting)
Your claws are natural attacks, not weapons. Also there is this ruling that specifically addresses your question:
Creatures with natural attacks and attacks made with weapons can use both as part of a full attack action (although often a creature must forgo one natural attack for each weapon clutched in that limb, be it a claw, tentacle, or slam). Such creatures attack with their weapons normally but treat all of their available natural attacks as secondary attacks during that attack, regardless of the attack’s original type.
Your off-hand is a secondary attack (-5 to hit) and not as a light weapon. You can make the argument to the GM and see where that goes, but the rules are very clear on this scenario.
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The use of Natural Attacks does not involve the rules for two-weapon fighting at all.
In your Longsword/Claw example, you could make all your Longsword attacks, without penalty, then make your one Claw attack, as a secondary Natural Attack, meaning -5 to attack, and half strength bonus to damage.
It is just that easy.
If you're willing to invest in the TWF line, you might as well just pick up a decent weapon. (I'm assuming the limb is capable of holding one, given that the other one can hold a longsword.) Unless the claw is one with some interesting side effects to its damage, it's probably not worth sticking with it.
Claws are just not a great choice of natural weapon for player characters, given that hands can usually do much more significant things than doling out one extra measly secondary attack, especially for classes that get BAB 20 at level 20. Heck, unless you have claws with a big damage die or with some side-effect to their damage, using the limb for an unarmed strike is almost just as good.
Made a post on this a few months back for a player:
If you're a cat-folk you could presumably use your claws in conjunction with the Claw Blades, items which actually turn your natural attacks into light melee weapons for iterative attacks & TWFing.
Otherwise... You're up a creek. Only option is to get get more natural attacks, like a gore(there's a helm IIRC) or bite attack(Toothy Orcs).
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natural weapons are for all effect of purpose a special subcategory of "light melee weapon"No, they are not. Where did you read this?
I suspect this.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/weapon-finesse-combat---final
Special: Natural weapons are considered light weapons.
There could certainly be a point made that as this is listed under special it is calling out a change from the norm, but it's not listed anywhere else I know of what exact catagory Natural Weapons fall into (and Unarmed *are* specifically called out as Light weapons) it's also not unfair to read it as simply clarifying that the feat works with Natural weapons, which were rare when it was included in the core book. I don't believe there has ever been any official word on it despite several threads regarding the question.
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Two-weapon Fighting and Natural Attacks do not have anything, at all, to do with each other.
Natural Attacks are considered Light Weapons for various things, but are first, and foremost, Natural Attacks.
They work outside iterative attacks, and the two-weapon fighting rules.
Again, I repeat, Two-weapon Fighting and Natural Attacks do not have anything, at all, to do with each other.
You could always use improved unarmed a d spiked armor to conceivably get iterative, TWF and natural attacks.
Armor spikes for iterative
Unarmed for extra from TWF
Claws as secondary natural attacks
Pretty sure that's legal
So, just to clarify, if you were using a weapon, do you still get the benefit of iterative attacks with the weapon and the available natural attacks with the -5 (or -2 in the case of Multiattack) penalty?
For example, could a half-orc with two claws and a bite and a high enough BAB get his two regular attacks with a longsword in one hand, plus get a bite and a claw with his free hand (with the penalty for using them as secondary attacks of course)?
Yes, that's exactly how it works.
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So, what about a character with 3 natural attacks who can unarmed strike like a monk?
He would be able to get his iterative attacks with unarmed strikes (i.e. elbows, headbutts, kicks, etc.) and then still get all three natural attacks as well?
Yes, since unarmed can be kicks, knees, elbows, etc. However, of note he couldn't *Flurry* and then gain natural attacks as secondaries, since Flurry specifically limits that.
A monk with natural weapons cannot use such weapons as part of a flurry of blows, nor can he make natural attacks in addition to his flurry of blows attacks.