Confusion about monsters' natural attacks

[LucyG92]

I've struggled to understand this for a while and want to check I've got it right. Say we have a gargoyle, whose melee is written as:

2 claws + 7 (1d6+2), bite +7 (1d4+2), gore +7 (1d4+2)

Can it do all of those attacks at once using a full attack action?

In that case, it could - even if very unlikely - do 28 points of damage at once! That makes me wonder whether I'm missing something. It's CR4, but I'm sure that would outright kill a lot of level 4 players at full HP...

[Diachronos]

Yes, a creature can use all of its listed natural attacks during a full-attack action. The only exception to this is if they have something specifically stating otherwise, or if their attacks are separated by "or" (such as in the upasunda's stat block).

It does make gargoyles dangerous for a CR4 creature, but with only a +7 to hit they're unlikely to hit with every attack against a character with a respectable amount of armor. Plus they can't use a full attack unless they start their turn in melee range with the PCs.

[lemeres]

Yep. That is how natural weapons work. You can attack with all at once during a full attack.

There are some draw backs, however. First, natural attacks do not get iteratives. So your number of attacks doesn't change with BAB. You would need new attacks to keep up.

Natural attacks are all light weapons. A single attack monster gets special rules that basically 'two hands' it (x1.5 bonuses), but otherwise it is all x1 for most natural attacks.

Natural attacks have trouble with DR. Even simple DR/silver or cold iron are especially effective (Since this is a 'many small hits style: DR eats that right up). Note: DR/magic may prove effective against most animals, but it does work on a lot of other creatures since DR/magis lets you get past DR/magic (just a special rule for things like magical beasts).

Otherwise...yeah, try not to get full attacked, or it sucks to be you. Espeically bad with tigers (which have a similar CR). They get pouncem which lets them full attack on a charge.... and use two extra attacks from their rake ability (rake is basically a pair of claws on the back legs; you can use them in grapples or a pounce since it is assumed you are jumping on the guy).

The general strategy is "kill it before it kills you", I suppose.