A 7th-level magus uses Monstrous Physique to transform into a popobala.
The popobala has five natural attacks, all of which the magus gains access to via the spell. One bite, 2 talons, 2 wings. He has one scimitar attack for his +5 bab.
Looking at the wording of Spell Combat, it would appear that he cannot use it in the same round as he uses the natural attacks. However, he *could* cast a touch spell and move in one round, and still use spellstrike to deliver the touch attack as a melee attack, while at the same time using all five natural attacks the next round? Does that sound right?
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Yes on both counts.
You can't use spell combat and multiple natural attacks as you need a full attack to make multiple natural attacks but you can surely deliver your touch attack in conjunction with the natural attacks.
You don't even need spellstrike to be able to do that.
A side question: how is that your 7th level magus as a piece (or several pieces) of a CR 15 creature?
Pieces of a common creature aren't a problem, but finding pieces of rare creatures like the popobala in the local market seem a bit far fetched.
If the GM strive for verisimilitude I would fear discovering that someone has sold me pieces of a cow claiming that they were pieces of a popobala.
A side question: how is that your 7th level magus as a piece (or several pieces) of a CR 15 creature?
Pieces of a common creature aren't a problem, but finding pieces of rare creatures like the popobala in the local market seem a bit far fetched.
If the GM strive for verisimilitude I would fear discovering that someone has sold me pieces of a cow claiming that they were pieces of a popobala.
My magus is still only level 4, so the question was more to cement my understanding of the rules for future play. In my case it won't be a popobala exactly, I plan to reskin it as a humanoid dragon-like creature, in keeping with my magus' dragon theme (we play in a modified Eberron world, and he has a unique dragonmark tattoo.)
I imagine that getting a tooth or nail from the creature will involve RP with one or more dragons, or possibly procuring one through one of the PC's contacts. Edit to add: it occurs to me that since the material component costs no gold, this may not even be necessary, as spell component pouches are assumed to have all non-expensive components, aren't they?
Now to decide whether a scimitar attack + natural attacks is better DPR than being able to deliver a shocking grasp...
Is there a section of the PFSRD that explains how natural attacks worth, wrt "primary" and "secondary" attacks, etc? I must admit I've never needed to learn the natural attack rules before now...
Primary attacks are made using the creature's full base attack bonus and add the creature's full Strength bonus on damage rolls.
Secondary attacks are made using the creature's base attack bonus –5 and add only 1/2 the creature's Strength bonus on damage rolls.
If a creature has only one natural attack, it is always made using the creature's full base attack bonus and adds 1-1/2 the creature's Strength bonus on damage rolls.
This increase does not apply if the creature has multiple attacks but only takes one. 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.
Some creatures treat one or more of their attacks differently, such as dragons, which always receive 1-1/2 times their Strength bonus on damage rolls with their bite attack. These exceptions are noted in the creature's description.
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 natural attacks as secondary attacks during that attack, regardless of the attack's original type.
Some attacks deal damage of more than one type, depending on the creature. In such cases all the damage is considered to be of all listed types for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Some fey, humanoids, monstrous humanoids, and outsiders do not possess natural attacks. These creatures can make unarmed strikes, but treat them as weapons for the purpose of determining attack bonuses, and they must use the two-weapon fighting rules when making attacks with both hands.
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 you possess only one natural attack (such as a bite—two claw attacks do not qualify), you add 1–1/2 times your Strength bonus on damage rolls made with that attack.
Some natural attacks are denoted as secondary natural attacks, such as tails and wings. Attacks with secondary natural attacks are made using your base attack bonus minus 5. These attacks deal an amount of damage depending on their type, but you only add half your Strength modifier on damage rolls.
You can make attacks with natural weapons in combination with attacks made with a melee weapon and unarmed strikes, so long as a different limb is used for each attack. For example, you cannot make a claw attack and also use that hand to make attacks with a longsword.
When you make additional attacks in this way, all of your natural attacks are treated as secondary natural attacks, using your base attack bonus minus 5 and adding only 1/2 of your Strength modifier on damage rolls.
Feats such as Two-Weapon Fighting and Multiattack can reduce these penalties.
Meat and potatoes is:
- You don't get more natural attacks via high BAB. You get them for the amount of limbs you possess.
- To use multiple natural attacks in the same round, you use a full-attack action.
- You can use natural attacks in combination with weapons or unarmed strikes, but if you do all natural attacks become secondary.
- The difference between primary and secondary depends on the attack. Claws, Bites, etc. are usually primary unless specified. Tail, Wing, etc. are usually secondary unless specified.
Hrm. The "all natural attacks become secondary" bit would seem to make the option kind of suck...
At 7th-level I'm looking at (He has weapon finesse and natural weapons are finessable, so he adds his dex to his +5 BAB, he has a +1 strength mod, but since secondary attacks only get half and you always round down...no strength bonus):
+10 (scimitar, 1d6+5) +5 Bite (2d6+0) +5 2 claws (1d6+0) +5 2 wings (1d6+0)
Now that is six attacks, but the damage on them, assuming they hit, is quite weak. Using spell combat nets:
+8 (scimitar, 1d6+5) +8 (scimitar and shocking grasp, 1d6 +7d6)
So the natural attacks net me a maximum of 6d6 assuming they all hit, as opposed to the 8d6 from the extra attack via spell combat.
I imagine that the natural attacks would look much better if I were a strength-based magus, but alas...
The way to make multiple natural attacks shine as a Magus is by focusing on Frostbite w/ Rime spell as opposed to intensified Shocking Grasp. Since you get one "charge" per level you'd be adding 1d6+7 nonlethal per attack and inflicting fatigue and possibly entangle with each hit. Shocking grasp tends to be better for the turns where you can't get a full attack.
The way to make multiple natural attacks shine as a Magus is by focusing on Frostbite w/ Rime spell as opposed to intensified Shocking Grasp. Since you get one "charge" per level you'd be adding 1d6+7 nonlethal per attack and inflicting fatigue and possibly entangle with each hit. Shocking grasp tends to be better for the turns where you can't get a full attack.
Huh. I hadn't noticed the synergy between natural attacks and Frostbite at all, but yeah...
Casting Frostbite prior to a full attack changes it to 12d6+42(!)
Think I need to pick up Frostbite before level 7. :3