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Okay, so I am making a catfolk hunter who is starting at level 12. So, it would be in her best interest to use her claws as natural attacks to get the full +13/+13.. However, at 20th level when her base attack is +15/+10/+5 then if she chooses can she use her claws and do that, or would she be forced to slip on claw blades in order to convert her claws into slashing weapons?
Natural attacks are always made at your highest bab and can't be used to make iterative attacks in the way you want.
You could do a full attack with a manufactured weapon and then additionally make an attack with a natural weapon at -5 penalty as though it were a secondary natural attack.
So yes, you would have to use claw blades to do the 15/10/5 attacks, though that's probably worse off for you.
Unarmed strikes and monk weapons, specifically when doing flurry of blows
With claws? Yes you only get the two attacks, one for each claw at your highest bab
But if they made a regular full-attack, they would do the 15/10/5 attacks
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Oh okay right.
So, with her Dex modifier of 4 and weapon focus (claws) it seems these are her options at 12th level.
+14/+14 two natural claw attacks or
+14/+9/+9 two light slashing claw blade attacks (blades are masterwork) with her main hand and one natural claw attack with her off-hand.
Is that right? Pretty sure that she doesn't get to use weapon focus with the claw blades, or does she?
Assuming you also have Weapon Finesse, yes (for the first part at least)
For second one, that should be... I'm assuming hunter is 3/4 bab since I haven't played any of the hybrid classes yet
So 9/4 bab +4 dex mod is 13/7 +1 for masterwork blades is 14/8 and then +9 for the claw. So total is +14/+8/+9 for a full attack with two claw blade attacks and one secondary claw attack.
Keep in mind though that since it becomes a secondary attack, the claw attack only gets half of your strength bonus to damage
And technically no, she wouldn't be able to apply the weapon focus (claw) to the claw blades since they're considered a separate weapon. I'd check with your DM to see about house ruling it though if you really want the extra +1
There are only two ways I know of in the game to get iterative natural weapon attacks:
1) Feral Combat Training allows you to flurry of blows with a single natural weapon.
2) If you are an animal companion with less than three natural attacks, you get a second, iterative attack with your "primary natural weapon" at effective druid level 9, when you get Multiattack (note that if you take the feat normally, you do not get this benefit).
Mah bad
But yeah, in the interested of consistent accuracy, especially if you're not relying on strength for damage, I would stick to just using your claws to attack.
You can get an extra claw attack via haste, and there's also ways to up your claw damage size, as well as using magic fang and amulet of mighty fists for straight damage as well as attack boosts.
I don't think lead blades would work for natural attacks, but that's okay since you can just get strong jaw which gives you a double step up for both your claws instead.
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Well, true although the benefit of claw blades is enchanting them up to +10 whereas the Mighty Fists only goes up to +5 (or even better get horacalcum claw blades... hehe)... :P and that she has the trait Signature Moves (Claw Blades) :)
And yes, that's how she's already getting d8's :) Catfolk Examplar Cat's Claws + Aspect of the Beast + Improved Natural Attack = d8's.
I do plan to have her only use the blades sometimes, but they are a cool option to have.
Weapon focus (claw) should work for claw blades due to their wording. Claw blades are still essentially claws:
Benefit: The blades grant the wearer a +1 enhancement bonus on claw attack rolls with that hand and change the weapon type from a natural weapon to a light slashing weapon.
You are still making claw attacks and doing claw damage. Claw blades are a little funny in that way.
That being said, at later levels, two weapon fighting and double slice are some things you should look into if you are going to go the claw blade route. You just need to decide when it is worth giving up two full BAB attacks for four to six attacks.
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Of note - if you do decide to focus on natural weapons - pickup a Helm of the Mammoth Lord for a gore attack. I have a buddy who is a nat weapon tengu - and he's starting to save for it.
The only other gear that gives you nat attacks are a couple of cloaks - and you probably don't want to give up the cloak of resistance slot unless your GM lets you have a vest of resistance or some such. If they do - get a Cloak of the Manta Ray. Between the two and your claws, you'd have 4 nat attacks, all at full BAB.
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Well, true although the benefit of claw blades is enchanting them up to +10 whereas the Mighty Fists only goes up to +5
True - but you could potentially stack it with a Body Wrap of Mighty Strikes for most of your attacks. But yes - only a monk can get higher than +5 for everything for 'nat weapons' - and then only for unarmed strikes. (get the AoMF combined with an allying weapon they use on their own fist/foot)
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Yeah, I ended up going with claw blades on one hand, so she gets the iterative with her main hand, then a single off-hand natural attack.
As for the weapon focus claws thing, that's pretty awesome... I didn't notice that technicality on the wording does suggest that you are still using your claws.
Though, I ended up not taking Weapon Focus yet, because I wanted to take Wild Speech, Natural Spell, and Quick Wild Shape first.
Of note - if you do decide to focus on natural weapons - pickup a Helm of the Mammoth Lord for a gore attack. I have a buddy who is a nat weapon tengu - and he's starting to save for it.
The only other gear that gives you nat attacks are a couple of cloaks - and you probably don't want to give up the cloak of resistance slot unless your GM lets you have a vest of resistance or some such. If they do - get a Cloak of the Manta Ray. Between the two and your claws, you'd have 4 nat attacks, all at full BAB.
There is other gear. For example, a Dragon Staff or a Ring of Rat Fangs will give you a bite attack.