Question about natural attacks while Beast Shaped / Wild Shaped

[darrenan]

Looking through some of the animals available, I see that some of them either have expanded critical threat ranges or higher critical multipliers on their natural attacks. In some cases these are tied to specific Special Abilities, and in some cases they are not.

For instance, the Velociraptors melee attacks are:

Velociraptor:

Melee bite +6 (1d4+1), 2 talons +6 (1d6+1/19-20)

And in this case, there is no special ability. However, in the case of the Thylacine, its melee attacks have an expanded threat range and it has a special ability describing why:

Thylacine:

Melee bite +2 (1d4+1/19-20)

Powerful Jaws (Ex) A thylacine's muscular jaws threaten a critical hit on a natural roll of 19 or 20.

Likewise, the Iguanadon:

Iguanadon:

Melee 2 claws +13 (1d8+8/x3)

Thumb Spikes (Ex) An iguanodon's thumb spikes can inflict grievous wounds-they deal triple damage on a successful critical hit.

Normally when using Beast Shape/Wild Shape, you don't get any Special Abilities of the animal, other than those specifically called out in the description of Beast Shape. However, the Polymorph section says you get any natural attacks of the creature and the proficiency to use them.

So, when using Beast Shape/Wild Shape to become a creature do I receive the increased threat range/multiplier always, or only if there isn't a corresponding special ability?

[Diego Rossi]

Only if there isn't a corresponding special ability or if you get the special ability somehow.

[MurphysParadox]

Considering the Thylacine and Iguanadon crit modifications are due to Extraordinary abilities, which you do not gain with wild shape, your attacks with such creatures would be normal 20/x2. A GM can always overrule this and say "You know what, sure, as a iguanadon you have the thumb spikes and thus you do x3 on a crit".

The Velociraptor is probably missing an Ex ability to describe this deviation. However, so long as it lacks such a listed ability, you would get the 19-20 threat range in that form because you gain the creature's natural attack profile.

[darrenan]

Follow up question. In a previous thread, the question was asked about natural attacks that do additional typed damage. Here's the original thread:

Wild Shape Polymorph and elemental damage

It doesn't appear it was ever answered in that thread. Given the rationale above, if the extra damage is not explained via an Ex or Su ability, then it is part of the natural attack and you get it when you polymorph into that creature.

[Diego Rossi]

Boreal is a template. You don't get templates when wildshaping or polymorphing.

If it is part of a monster typical damage you get it. If it require a special ability it should be listed in the polymorph spell you use.