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Hello all!
As many of you know, the newly-released ACG includes this nifty little feat Pummeling Style. Now, its being debated whether or not you can use it with weapons[there are about 4 threads on this], which is not the question here[I'm assuming you can use it with Unarmed Strikes]. The question here is, can you combine this with the human feat Martial Versatility and Feral Combat Training to get your natural attack full attack[at full base attack bonus] in with Pummeling Style?
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike; base attack bonus +6, brawler's flurry† class feature, or flurry of blows class feature.
Benefit: As a full-round action, you can pool all your attack potential in one devastating punch. Make a number of rolls equal to the number of attacks you can make with a full attack or a flurry of blows (your choice) with the normal attack bonus for each attack. For each roll that is a hit, you deal the normal amount of damage, adding it to any damage the attack has already dealt from previous rolls (if any). If any of the attack rolls are critical threats, make one confirmation roll for the entire attack at your highest base attack bonus. If it succeeds, the entire attack is a confirmed critical hit.
Choose one of your natural weapons. While using the selected natural weapon, you can apply the effects of feats that have Improved Unarmed Strike as a prerequisite, as well as effects that augment an unarmed strike.
Choose one combat feat you know that applies to a specific weapon (e.g., Weapon Focus). You can use that feat with any weapon within the same weapon group.
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A punch in the sense of natural weapons would be a type of unarmed strike, which the natural attack rule specifically states is not a natural weapon. Arguably maybe a slam would qualify??
Martial versatility can give you feral combat training though, so you might have other options.
The idea is you use MV to apply the effects of Pummeling Style to all natural attack through FCT, because all things that augment unarmed strikes[this would] nad/or feats that have a prerequisite of "Improved Unarmed Strike"[this does], are applied to your natural weapon now.
So to clarify the OP question, you want to make all your punches and then add in your natural attacks?
Or are you wanting to make a natural attack routine in place of punches?
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Here, I'll write out what I'm thinking happens.
Normal:You decide to use pummeling style with your fists, and it works as its written.
With feats:You decide to apply the effects of Pummeling Style to your natural attack[lets say bite], because you have Feral Combat Training. Furthermore, you also get your Claw attacks in because you have Martial Versatility[Feral Combat Training], applying the effects of FCT to all natural weapons. So, you claw/claw/bite as a pummeling style attack.
If you are flurrying then there is no benefit as you do not get additional attacks from natural weapons. Just take the best attack and hit with it multiple times.
If you are regular full attacking then RAW this works. MV allows all natural weapons to covered by FCT; FCT allows covered natural weapons to in effect be counted as unarmed strikes. Unarmed strikes are unambiguously allowed in Pummeling Strike.
Oh....wow...an actual, legitimate, by the RAW way to exploit this feat. This honestly impresses me.
I'll be honest, as one of the people who have been the most vocal on the pummeling threads, and I must say- quite a bit of what I've done is trying to resist those that try to twist the feat itself so they can do whatever without paying any price.
So, when I stand as one of the ones most vocal in arguing that this feat must be delivered via punches... I was mostly looking for a twisted argument against twisted arguments that would at least tie up one of the arms (Thus, no greatswords or double kukris).
So let me say- it does appear this combo of feats would work to get a normal natural attack build in the pummeling style's full round attack. Admittedly, it still would be delivered via only a single attack...but reflavoring it as a powerful claw attack or a big freakin' bite. (honestly, I kind of like that image more than the frenzy natural attack build usually end up as)
And overall, this approach would not be overpowered (I mean, natural attacks have the same 20/x2 as unarmed strikes). Admittedly, with the reflavoring, I might be concerned about whether this would allow it through DR/slashing (this wasn't too much of an issue with unarmed strikes, since they always dealt bludgeoning, and if a style or something made it different, the same would apply to the 'punch'). But it isn't that big of an issue (since most common natural attacks deal the important type for DR anyway- bludgeoning).
Overall, you are spending several extra feats to use attacks that are frankly actually a bit replaceable by the unarmed strike you need to get for pummeling style. You are working with the system and paying appropriate prices to get what you want (And I kind of question how much you are getting back for your trouble....). So I have few real problems with this.
No one thought to use a ki focus magic weapon or amulet of mighty fists yet?
Yes, this works, both RAW and RAI. Pummeling Style is a feat with Improved Unarmed Strike as a prerequisite, so you can use it with Feral Combat Training; Feral Combat Training qualifies as a "combat feat that applies to a specific weapon" so Martial Versatility works with it and applies to it to all natural weapons.
So yes, you get to use all your natural attacks with Pummeling Style with this feat chain.