Reach weapon, bite, and AoO

[Kastar]

Suppose I have a character holding a two-handed reach weapon. The character also has a bite natural attack.

1) Does the character threaten adjacent squares with his bite, and at 10ft. with the reach weapon?

2) When under the effects of an Enlarge Person spell or similar effect, does the character threaten with his bite out to 10ft. and with his reach weapon from 15ft. to 20ft? So 20ft. continuous threaten, but half on bite and half on weapon?

3) The bite is the character's only natural attack. If the character is holding a reach weapon and attacks with an AoO using his bite, does he add 1-1/2 times strength (and power attack) to damage by virtue of it being his only natural attack? Or does he add strength only once because, wielding a weapon, he now technically also has other attacks (though not natural attacks)?

Thanks!

[Just a Guess]

Yes to all three. He threatens, your ranges look right and he should get 1-1/2 str.

[Undone]

1) Yes.
2) The creature threatens 15 + 20 feet with the reach weapon and the bite at 5 and 10.
3) The answer to this question depends on the source of the bite attack. If the bite attack is by default a secondary natural weapon no it doesn't become primary. If it's normally primary yes.

[Ms. Pleiades]

1) Yes.
2) Yes.
3) Yes.

This is quite a useful build when combined with Combat Reflexes. It also applies if you have a gore attack (as your only natural attack).

Another neat trick is you have a shield, a bite attack, and a free hand for spellcasting.

GM: "Okay, so the wizard starts casting in front of you seeing as you're unarmed."
Player: "I bite him."
GM: "Wait, what?"
Player: "I am a toothy half-orc."

[Terjon_OTBR]

Just a Guess wrote:

Yes to all three. He threatens, your ranges look right and he should get 1-1/2 str.

Does he get the 1 1/2 str on the bite with an AoO if he has already attacked with the weapon this round? I know PA is set for the whole round and can't be turned on or off for the AoO. It seems like the bite should become secondary for the full round too.

[Undone]

Terjon_OTBR wrote:

Just a Guess wrote:

Yes to all three. He threatens, your ranges look right and he should get 1-1/2 str.

Does he get the 1 1/2 str on the bite with an AoO if he has already attacked with the weapon this round? I know PA is set for the whole round and can't be turned on or off for the AoO. It seems like the bite should become secondary for the full round too.

It depends. If he takes a full attack on his turn and the natural attack is a Primary normally yes. If it's for example the tusked trait which gives you a secondary natural attack the answer is no.

[blackbloodtroll]

No.

The bite only becomes secondary, when combined with a manufactured weapon attack, during a full attack.

Oh, and only during that full attack.

AoOs made are as a primary attack.

[Rodinia]

Rodinia eats her words. She has said, many times, that it rarely matters whether or not a reach weapon user threatens adjacent. Wrong. Last week she failed to give a +2 flanking bonus to an ally because she was not threatening adjacent. That's the second time this has happened to her, in about 20 career game sessions.

Spiked armor is just so uncomfortable, and it's always poking people, so she refuses to wear it.

[Imbicatus]

If you have Improved Unarmed Strike, you are always threatening with a kick too, without having to worry about the primary/secondary nonsense of natural weapons or the silly virtual hands needed for armor spikes.

[fretgod99]

Imbicatus wrote:

If you have Improved Unarmed Strike, you are always threatening with a kick too, without having to worry about the primary/secondary nonsense of natural weapons or the silly virtual hands needed for armor spikes.

You don't have to worry about primary/secondary anything when making AoO (anymore than which category the relevant natural weapon normally falls into), nor do you have to worry about hands necessary for wielding armor spikes.

Those things are relevant for what one can do on full attacks. AoO don't care about intermixing natural and manufactured weapons. AoO don't care if you're carrying a glaive while also armed with armor spikes. Since AoO aren't made as a part of a full attack, restrictions relevant to what you can do on a full attack don't come into play for them.

[blackbloodtroll]

Imbicatus wrote:

If you have Improved Unarmed Strike, you are always threatening with a kick too, without having to worry about the primary/secondary nonsense of natural weapons or the silly virtual hands needed for armor spikes.

You don't have to anyway.

[Ravingdork]

I use spiked gauntlets for this purpose.

[Imbicatus]

blackbloodtroll wrote:

Imbicatus wrote:

If you have Improved Unarmed Strike, you are always threatening with a kick too, without having to worry about the primary/secondary nonsense of natural weapons or the silly virtual hands needed for armor spikes.

You don't have to anyway.

True, but this way you don't have to have arguments about it.

[blackbloodtroll]

Well, if you arguing about those, then you will likely get into the "free hand to kick" or "only Monks can kick" arguments.

[Rodinia]

Ravingdork wrote:

I use spiked gauntlets for this purpose.

But Dork, these don't work to to threaten adjacent when wielding a two handed weapon! Wish they did, as the spiked gauntlets are more convenient than the spiked armor.

[Ravingdork]

(I'm generally wielding a bow rather than a polearm.)

[kinevon]

Ravingdork wrote:

(I'm generally wielding a bow rather than a polearm.)

And, even with a bow, you won't have the bow wielded if you want the spiked gauntlet to be ready to AoO with.

Edit: Which translates as, if you have, say, a Readied action to shoot the enemy caster when he starts to cast a spell, you won't be able to take AoOs with the spiked gauntlet.

[Ravingdork]

Hogwash I say.

[Imbicatus]

kinevon wrote:

Ravingdork wrote:

(I'm generally wielding a bow rather than a polearm.)

And, even with a bow, you won't have the bow wielded if you want the spiked gauntlet to be ready to AoO with.

Edit: Which translates as, if you have, say, a Readied action to shoot the enemy caster when he starts to cast a spell, you won't be able to take AoOs with the spiked gauntlet.

Nope. It's a free action to draw and nock an arrow that is made as a part of a bow attack. By readying the standard action you are able to draw as you shoot, and still have a hand free to punch with the gauntlet.