Nails and polymorph

[Minigiant]

Does the Nails Hex stack with Beast Shape?

D20 wrote:

Effect: The witch’s nails are long and sharp, and count as natural weapons that deal 1d3 points of damage (1d2 for a Small witch). These attacks are secondary attacks. If trimmed, the witch’s nails regrow to their normal size in 1d4 days.

I want to add Nails to the Lynx

[Trokarr]

I’m pretty sure you would lose access to the nails while polymorphed because they are dependent on the witches original form and are therefore lost while polymorphed as per the polymorph rules “ While under the effects of a polymorph spell, you lose all extraordinary and supernatural abilities that depend on your original form (such as keen senses, scent, and darkvision), as well as any natural attacks and movement types possessed by your original form. You also lose any class features that depend upon form, but those that allow you to add features (such as sorcerers that can grow claws) still function. While most of these should be obvious, the GM is the final arbiter of what abilities depend on form and are lost when a new form is assumed. Your new form might restore a number of these abilities if they are possessed by the new form.” But it really doesn’t matter in the case of the Lynx because you already gain the natural attacks of that form when to take it, which includes 2 claw attacks anyway.

[Minigiant]

Nails can be grown, and those are added

[Java Man]

Why? The lynx already has 1 natural attack on each limb, it would not be able to use these.

[Trokarr]

The nails are your own fingernails grown long and sharp permanently and are therefore based on your natural form. They are not like sorcerer bloodline claws that can be added AFTER already being polymorphed.

[Azothath]

the Nails hex@AoN(Ex) "The witch's nails are long and sharp, and count as natural weapons that deal 1d3 points of damage (1d2 for a Small witch). These attacks are secondary attacks. If trimmed, the witch's nails regrow to their normal size in 1d4 days." are clearly natural weapons.

normally it depends on when a magical effect is applied, before or after the polymorph. Some carry through, some don't, and some need to be cast after polymorphing.
In this case there are two problems;
1) effect says witch's nails AND then defines them as natural weapons.
2) once a Lynx form via Beastshape(just looking like a Lynx with specific abilities under PF polymorph) the Nails hex won't add anything as the caster's normal shape is subsumed by the casting.

Even if a GM okay'd this - Are nails and claws the same thing? hmmm... that's open to GM interpretation but even so - the Lynx's claws do more base damage (as the Lynx is small and thus Nails hex would do a d2) and the caster would get the better of the two, including the Rake. Thus a moot outcome.

Advice: cast Chill Touch{likely to lose 1 touch}, Long Arm, Mage Armor, or Strand of the Tangled Knot spell(s) instead of the Nails hex.

[Minigiant]

What about Beast's Gift?

If I use the hex after Animal Skin and I am a Lynx, I would not get the Bite (Because the Lynx already has one) but, I could take a Slam attack or something?

[Azothath]

then you want the Advice forum where posters can tweak a build and offer tactical advice.

Commentary: With Nails hex you need an appendage with nails that doesn't have a natural weapon, like humanoid arms or legs. It doesn't add a generic slam/tentacle or claw attack. These hexes modify an assumed poor attack mode, give a mouth a bite, arms a claw, etc. The mjr hex could grant a slam tentacle but most GMs would want to use an existing appendage rather than add an limb/appendage. I'd look to the tail traits and feats for that extra appendage.
Overall a wizard or witch in melee is going to be killed. They just don't have the HPs and feats for extended melee or mid to high level melee.

[Trokarr]

If you really feel the need to stack a bunch of natural attacks on a witch take the synergist archetype. It allows you to meld with your familiar to gain many of its abilities. At 8th level you gain one of its natural attacks, at 14th you gain all of them. If you dump all your feats up to that point into the evolved familiar feat to gain natural attacks you would gain all of these as well. Tentacle attacks work well as they don’t use up any of your limbs. This melding is not a polymorph effect so it can stack with beast shape and this melding can take place after you have assumed a polymorph shape such as the lynx. All that said you still will have poor hp and half BAB so a mixed bag. Lots of natural attacks tho so that’s something :)

[Trokarr]

Personally I would go with a deinonychus over a lynx because it has 4 natural attacks and pounce as well as being medium sized which grants a size bonus to strength.