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Minor Metamorphosis (or any other level of the power) allows me to "gain a natural slam/claw/bite (pick one) attack that deals 1d8 damage if Medium (1d10 if Large)."
Would that allow me to grow a tail to slap people with? And, if so, what would a combination of the tail attack combine with Claws of the Beast and Bite of the Wolf? Assuming I have, say, +5 BAB and a +6 strength.
No, the description does not say that you grow a limb. It converts an existing appendage to allow for natural attacks.
I do not believe you can apply a slam attack to a tail, as a tail has a specific secondary attack type on it's limb -- the tail slap.
Claws and Bite are primary attacks, and a slam is a primary attack, so by RAW you'll need at least 3 limbs to use. All will be primary attacks made at full BAB.
You channel your psionic power, snapping bones and twisting flesh, transforming yourself into a new shape or form. You can take the form of any creature of the same size as yourself, but this is a purely cosmetic change, your abilities, powers or stats do not change beyond the options selected below.
You gain a natural slam/claw/bite (pick one) attack that deals 1d8 damage if Medium (1d10 if Large).
It doesn't say anything about growing or converting appendages. Hence my question. It does say "gain", and I have seen arguments allowing tentacles to be grown. And I know what my GM says on the matter. I'm just not sure what the "official" answer is.
...but on the tail slap/slam point, you may be right. While I couldn't find anything stating weather a slam needs a limb to preform, I couldn't find a monster with a tail that preformed a "slam" with it. A little common sense means that since you can't use a tail slap without a tail, thus making a slam (or claw, or bite) with a tail doesn't hold water either. So that part seems cleared up.
On the third part: That would mean, assuming I have +5 BAB and a +6 strength, the attack routine would be (claw/claw/bite) +11/+11/+11, each gaining full strength damage (not halved, not times 1 1/2). Sounds....really good, actually.
You said "limb" but I'm gonna take it for granted that a mouth/jaw would suffice for a bite attack.
Thanks for you input.
Here is the d20RFSRD link to natural attacks. In the right most column is lists whether the attack is 'Primary' or 'Secondary'. Its pretty much exactly how its listed in the Bestiary book, page 301 to 302.
To sum it up, (in a full attack) if you have 3 attacks that are primary attacks, you get all three at the full attack bonus, and full strength modifier. If an attack is listed and a secondary attack, you get those in conjunction with any primary natural attacks, but htey suffer a -5 attack penalty, and only get 1/2 your strength modifier. If you only have one, primary, natural attack, you get your full attack bonus and 1.5 strength modifier (as if it were a two-handed weapon).
If you are using a manufactured weapon, you give up that limb's (or tentacle's) natural attack in favor of gaining the weapons attacks (including extra attacks based on a high BAB), but all of your natural attacks become secondary (-5 to hit, 1/2 strength modifier).
Please note that a creature can have only secondary attacks (such as most normal horses), suffering a -5 to attack and 1/2 strength to damage, even though they don't have a primary attack.
If you can take any form, just limited by size category, then you could take the form of something with a tail. Then, I don't see why your "Slam" can't be a tail, but to use it in conjunction with Claws of the Beast and Bit of the Wolf to get 4 attacks per round at low levels is definitely up for GM (dis)approval.
I don't believe the ability is allowing you to change form like polymorph. It is more restricted with options from a table that you can choose from. One of those options is gaining an natural attack to add to your humanoid "chassis" (typically something you don't already have or you wouldn't be picking it).
Normally polymorph would give you the natural attacks of the form you are taking. The ability in question isn't doing that, it is more limited.
Here is the d20RFSRD link to natural attacks. In the right most column is lists whether the attack is 'Primary' or 'Secondary'. Its pretty much exactly how its listed in the Bestiary book, page 301 to 302.
To sum it up, (in a full attack) if you have 3 attacks that are primary attacks, you get all three at the full attack bonus, and full strength modifier. If an attack is listed and a secondary attack, you get those in conjunction with any primary natural attacks, but htey suffer a -5 attack penalty, and only get 1/2 your strength modifier. If you only have one, primary, natural attack, you get your full attack bonus and 1.5 strength modifier (as if it were a two-handed weapon).
If you are using a manufactured weapon, you give up that limb's (or tentacle's) natural attack in favor of gaining the weapons attacks (including extra attacks based on a high BAB), but all of your natural attacks become secondary (-5 to hit, 1/2 strength modifier).
Please note that a creature can have only secondary attacks (such as most normal horses), suffering a -5 to attack and 1/2 strength to damage, even though they don't have a primary attack.
The general rule is that they are primary attacks. If an ability states they are secondary the specific rule (that is granting the ability) trumps the general rule. Remember, PFRPG is an exception based rule set.
I would have to disagree with the interpretation that all bite, claw, slam attacks are primary attacks. I will concede that they could all be primary attacks, but when used in conjunction with each other as part of a full attack, one of the set retains the designation of primary attack and the remainder become secondary attacks. Both are subject to the penalties of using more than one weapon, depending on feats you have that offset such things. Finally, the secondary attacks are at only half strength. Now, I can easily be wrong on a bit of detail here as it has been quite some time since I had a decent Pathfinder combat to sharpen my skills, so, please feel free to double check the details presented.
All natural attacks designated as primary attacks remain primary (which means full bab) even when used in conjunction with each other. The times that primary attacks are re-designated as secondary attacks is when they are used with Unarmed Strikes or manufactured weapons.
Examples: Slam/claw/claw/bite -- all primary
claw/claw/bite -- all primary
US/claw/bite -- US at full bab w/iteratives; claw/bite secondary
sword/claw/bite -- Sword at full bab w/ iteratives; claw/bite secondary*
* Note - in order to use natural attacks with manufactured weapons, you need to designate which limbs use which type of weapon. One limb cannot make a sword attack as well as a claw attack in the same round. -- The rule needing to designating a limb for the attack was extrapolated to the interpretation below.
It doesn't say anything about growing or converting appendages. Hence my question. It does say "gain", and I have seen arguments allowing tentacles to be grown. And I know what my GM says on the matter. I'm just not sure what the "official" answer is.
You could probably go over the DSP's site to ask the same question, but I can give you this: As a 1st level power, I doubt RAI (aka the official answer) was that you can grow limbs. A "slam attack" is simply a natural bludgeoning attack. In order to combine Claws of the Beast and Bite of the Wolf with Minor Metamorphosis, you would need to come up with a limb that you can use to make the slam attack. Just like if you were using another manufactured weapon.
I asked this very same question a while ago. DSP (Jeremy Smith) did not post an answer. What you see above is an extrapolation of all the rules regarding natural attacks that I could find.
By RAW, the metamorphosis powers aren't full on polymorph. As it states, the changes are only cosmetic.
As a 1st level power, I doubt RAI (aka the official answer) was that you can grow limbs.
This is very much true, I think. More importantly, even with taking three rounds to prep, I don't think anyone intended a first level character to have four natural attacks, much less four at full attack bonus and full strength. Sadly, this is the first time I thought of thew subject that way.
By RAW, the metamorphosis powers aren't full on polymorph. As it states, the changes are only cosmetic.
...beyond the options selected below.
Which, of course, is what sparked off the line of thought. But I think I'm good with your explanation; it makes sense and breaking the game is not what I wanted.
Thanks for your input!