An idea came to me and when I look at it at first, it seemed rather strong and the numbers seem to bear that out. I was trying to get as many attacks as possible and what I am trying to determine is if I overlooked something in the current rules, in which I am including playtest, as of today.
Longtooth Shifter Path of the Beast Barbarian multiclassed into Circle of the Spores Druid using a scimitar under the weapon mastery playtest rules.
It takes multiple turns to get going but I see the revving up as more of a feature, not a bug.
So at level 1, I have the 3 attacks due to being a longtooth shifter and the scimitar having the Nick property which gives you two attacks. I could either do the shift of form right away or rage right away depending on the mood I am in. The way I see it with the shift I got the temp HP buffer that I don't need to rage right away and can take a hit or two without really worrying about it.
By level 3 I still have my 3 attacks by turn 2 and I can go claws or scimitar. Same damage either way. Or one of the other shapes if I feel I need to.
By level 5 this really starts to kick into a higher gear. I now have 5 attacks by turn 2. My claws give me 2, my scimitar gives me 2 and my shifter attack gives me 1. Here is also where I decide to multiclass to druid.
So now total level 6, I take the spores druid. I'm not getting much here except for spell utility which honestly I always like to have anyway.
At total level 7 I am now second level spores druid. So first round I would shift as well as activate my Symbiotic Entity since one is a bonus action and the other is an action. However I could also potentially activate the Symbiotic Entity before a fight since it is an ability that lasts 10 minutes. It is unfortunate that the temp HP of shifter and Symbiotic entity conflict but it wasn't something that I really was aiming for. It was just a nice added bonus. At this level I now have an extra 1D6 to all my melee weapon attacks which is what I was looking for to take the most advantage of all the attacks. According to Jeremy (https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/1088200198814232577) since all unarmed strikes are melee weapon attacks my longtooth shifter attack works with this.
So by level 7 this should mean I have 1d6+4(str bonus if I started with 17 and increased to 8 at level 4)+2(rage bonus) x5(number of attacks). And all attacks rolled with advantage since I am now attacking recklessly like a wild animal.
Now breaking it down show ramp up better. At level 1 I have 2 attacks at the start so 1d6+3 with each. By turn 2, I have 3 attacks 1d6+3 damage. By turn 3, that becomes 1d6+3+2. So average damage goes from 14 to 21 to 27.
By level 5 we got 5 attacks with 4 happening right away on the first turn. I have also increased my STR score by now and can have advantage on all these attacks. So on turn 1 we got 4 attacks doing 1d6+4 each. Turn 2, 5 attacks at 1d6+4 and turn 3 it is 1d6+4+2. So average damage is now 32 then 40 then 50.
At level 7 we got the spores attack going on. So now this becomes 4 attacks doing 2d6+4 on turn 1, then 5 attacks at 2d6+4 then 2d6+4+2. So average damage just jumped to 48 then 60 then 70.
I figure my AC will probably be pretty low since I won't be using a shield on this build and using 27 point buy to make it all work keeps my DEX low but the damage output seems so high there might not be anything left on the field where I have to worry about that.
So what, if anything, did I overlook that makes this all fall apart? To me this feels a bit scary looking in damage output as it revs up like a car engine.
I only see a few issues with this build. The obvious one is that you first need to find a table willing to mix the One D&D playtest content with 5e content that hasn't been revised yet.
The next issue is minor and it is just that the extra attack granted by the Light weapon property doesn't get to add your Strength modifier to its damage. This means at levels 3 and 4 using your claws is just better than dual wielding scimitars. Also in the most up to date One D&D playtest the Fighting Style: Two-Weapon Fighting feat has the Fighting Style class feature as a prerequisite, which the Barbarian doesn't have.
This third issue isn't a RAW problem but in order to use the Light property and your claws requires juggling at least one of your scimitars. This is possible in both 5e and the playtest of One D&D, but some DMs might not feel comfortable with it.
Another minor issue is just that since you only take 2 levels in Druid you end up at level 20 with one less feat/ASI than if you had straight classed.
An issue to your benefit is that Longtooth Shifter was updated in MotM so that you can make the unarmed strike with your fangs when you shift as well as with a bonus action on subsequent rounds.
The final and most significant issue is the opportunity cost of spending an action on Symbiotic Entity. With that action you could instead make another 4 attacks that total 4d6 + 24 damage, which is 38 damage on average (before considering hit and crit chance). Assuming a target AC of 15 and a three round combat your expected total damage is 110.955 damage if you just attack with your actions and 98.085 of you use your first action on Symbiotic Entity (this is factoring in hit and crit chance and assumes reckless attacks). With a four round combat they are almost equal with just attacking doing 150.8325 and activating Symbiotic Entity doing 148.005.
*Edit* For those worried about balance this is really good but not more powerful than what is already possible for Barbarian in 5e. Here is how a level 7 Path of the Zealot Barbarian with an 18 Strength, GWM, and a greatsword compares: in a three round combat the Zealot can expect to do 113.9516 damage and in a four round combat they can expect to do 152.8667 damage.
I only see a few issues with this build. The obvious one is that you first need to find a table willing to mix the One D&D playtest content with 5e content that hasn't been revised yet.
As a forever DM that really isn't much of a problem. I still design characters because who knows? Maybe that could change. I also wanted to try to bring in playtest rules only on the idea that perhaps most of the rules will survive intact into official release next year and now I have a build on the drawing board already I won't forget. I keep them saved.
The next issue is minor and it is just that the extra attack granted by the Light weapon property doesn't get to add your Strength modifier to its damage. This means at levels 3 and 4 using your claws is just better than dual wielding scimitars. Also in the most up to date One D&D playtest the Fighting Style: Two-Weapon Fighting feat has the Fighting Style class feature as a prerequisite, which the Barbarian doesn't have.
This third issue isn't a RAW problem but in order to use the Light property and your claws requires juggling at least one of your scimitars. This is possible in both 5e and the playtest of One D&D, but some DMs might not feel comfortable with it.
I actually overlooked that the Nick property also factors in the Light weapon property meaning that I would have to dual wield which I wasn't actually planning to do at all. Thanks for bringing this up. I completely mis-read how that worked. No more two attacks from it. So only one from the bonus action Shifter attack, two from the beast claws then a fourth from probably a claw attack again for 4 total.
Another minor issue is just that since you only take 2 levels in Druid you end up at level 20 with one less feat/ASI than if you had straight classed.
I know.. Honestly, never concerned about it because I might just go 4 levels in druid, solving the feat/asi issue anyway. I only took the build up 7 levels because that is where most of the meat is currently.
The final and most significant issue is the opportunity cost of spending an action on Symbiotic Entity. With that action you could instead make another 4 attacks that total 4d6 + 24 damage, which is 38 damage on average (before considering hit and crit chance). Assuming a target AC of 15 and a three round combat your expected total damage is 110.955 damage if you just attack with your actions and 98.085 of you use your first action on Symbiotic Entity (this is factoring in hit and crit chance and assumes reckless attacks). With a four round combat they are almost equal with just attacking doing 150.8325 and activating Symbiotic Entity doing 148.005.
I mentioned that although seeing it again does make me think about the. There is one turn where there would be no attacking by using Symbiotic Entity. That is why I noted that since it is a 10 minute duration, it is possible to use it before a combat so you have it ready to go. But that doesn't always happen.
I was looking at Spore druid for two reasons. One is the spellcasting. It is always nice to have some utility spells to add to the group. Two, that extra damage per attack at level 2 spore druid since everything is a weapon attack. Only one other class has something like that currently that I remember and it is the Fey Wanderer Ranger with a 1D4 and it would require being level 3 ranger, not level 2 druid. Everything else with extra damage only happens once per round, or requires a concentration spell which a raging barbarian can't do.
*Edit* For those worried about balance this is really good but not more powerful than what is already possible for Barbarian in 5e. Here is how a level 7 Path of the Zealot Barbarian with an 18 Strength, GWM, and a greatsword compares: in a three round combat the Zealot can expect to do 113.9516 damage and in a four round combat they can expect to do 152.8667 damage.
I realized that too but with this build idea I should state that the idea was that GWM as it stands now is going away and trying to maximize damage on a barbarian build for the next phase of the game.
Posting again because I looked at the playtest rules about Light and Nick.
Light weapon property says this:
When you take the Attack action on your turn and attack with a Light weapon, you can make one extra attack as a Bonus Action later on the same turn. That extra attack must be made with a different Light weapon, and you don’t add your ability modifier to the extra attack’s damage, unless that modifier is negative. For example, if you take the Attack action on your turn and have a Shortsword in one hand and a Dagger in the other—each of which has the Light property—you can make one attack with each weapon, using your action and a Bonus Action, but you don’t add your Strength or Dexterity modifier to the damage roll of the Bonus Action, unless that modifier is negative.
And Nick says this:
When you make the extra attack of the Light property, you can make it as part of the Attack action, instead of as a Bonus Action. You can still make this extra attack only once per turn.
Now in thinking about this, would this only mean that yes, I can single wield a scimitar and attack twice with it but don't get my modifier on that second attack? I'd get my rage bonus but lose the strength bonus. Because otherwise if it means I have to dual wield this means the scimitar isn't really meant to be used alone ever unless you are just doing it for style and don't care about the Nick property.
Yeah I find the playtest Light weapon property interesting, it is taking the place of the Two-Weapon Fighting rule but doesn't require the use of both hands.
The 5e TWF rule says that if you attack with a light weapon in one hand, you can use your bonus action to attack with a different light weapon held in your other hand.
But the Light weapon property in the playtest only requires that the extra attack it grants be made with a different weapon, it doesn't say anything about needing a different hand. And because with the playtest you can sheath or draw a weapon with each attack you could start by attacking with a scimitar in your right hand and then sheath it, attack with your claws, free attack with your claws, draw a different light weapon with your right hand and make your Nick attack. This leaves your left hand completely free for anything you might want to use it for.
While currently the wording in UA indeed allows this sheath-drow trick, this is clearly not RAI, and would probably be fixed in the next UA. I believe the reason they don't mention 'the other hand' explicitly is to cover cases like the thri-kreen four hands, and possibly some future species using tail, feet, trunk (maybe the next version of the loxodon), etc.
Yeah I find the playtest Light weapon property interesting, it is taking the place of the Two-Weapon Fighting rule but doesn't require the use of both hands.
The 5e TWF rule says that if you attack with a light weapon in one hand, you can use your bonus action to attack with a different light weapon held in your other hand.
But the Light weapon property in the playtest only requires that the extra attack it grants be made with a different weapon, it doesn't say anything about needing a different hand. And because with the playtest you can sheath or draw a weapon with each attack you could start by attacking with a scimitar in your right hand and then sheath it, attack with your claws, free attack with your claws, draw a different light weapon with your right hand and make your Nick attack. This leaves your left hand completely free for anything you might want to use it for.
I think where I might be screwing up is I am combining game rules as much as I can in with actual logic.
For instance, lets say I am wielding a short sword. I have nothing in my other hand. Why couldn't I punch with it as my offhanded attack as a bonus action? The damage might suck but I have nothing else to do with that free hand and a bonus action, right? Should not an unarmed attack be considered a 'light' weapon and thus available to use as an offhand attack with the free hand? It doesn't really get any lighter. It would feel silly not to allow it too even if I can't find it explicitly in the rules. Or even if I want to do it as part of a multiattack action for some reason where I swing with the sword on the first attack and punch on the second.
By the same token, as a Path of the Beast barbarian, since my hands become weapons, I was thinking I'd have the scimitar in one hand and my claws are the other. With my multi-attack at 5 I use the first attack combined with light and nick property of the scimitar which states I get to attack twice when I attack once with it, then with my second attack in my 5th level multiattack I attack with my claws that are technically my free hand but as the second attack of my attack action in multiattack. I got nothing weighing me down physically that really prevents me from doing it. Logic would dictate I should be do it unless they are specifically stating that the claw attack from the Path of the Beast barbarian only applies to your dominate hand which would be rather odd.
Also I picture a monk fighting barehanded. Wouldn't it be weird if he only attacked using one arm? That'd be weird.
Yeah, the Two-Weapon Fighting rules are clunky and don't follow natural intuitions. The reason punching doesn't work with them is because punching is an Unarmed Strike. In general Unarmed Strikes are not a weapon, and definitely not a weapon you are holding, which is required by the Two-Weapon Fighting rules (and the playtest Light weapon property). Monk's Martial Arts feature is effectively dual wielding for Unarmed Strikes.
As you note the Path of the Beast claws are weapons. The first issue they run into is that they don't have the Light weapon property (it would be nice if this were changed if this subclass gets revised). The second issue is that while the claws are a weapon, they are not a weapon that you hold. The Dual Wielder feat let's us ignore the lack of the Light weapon property, but probably doesn't solve the holding requirement problem. This isn't totally clear though because while the Two-Weapon Fighting rules use the word "holding" the Dual Wielder feat use the word "wield". To me it seems like they just changed the word to a synonym to avoid monotony, but while you don't hold the claws you definitely wield them as a weapon.
Really though if you ever get a chance to play it hopefully you can talk to your DM and work something out. Your build does work RAW, if not quite how you pictured it, and I don't think it is worth the headache trying to make sure you perfectly adhere to RAW.
Yeah, the Two-Weapon Fighting rules are clunky and don't follow natural intuitions. The reason punching doesn't work with them is because punching is an Unarmed Strike. In general Unarmed Strikes are not a weapon, and definitely not a weapon you are holding, which is required by the Two-Weapon Fighting rules (and the playtest Light weapon property). Monk's Martial Arts feature is effectively dual wielding for Unarmed Strikes.
As you note the Path of the Beast claws are weapons. The first issue they run into is that they don't have the Light weapon property (it would be nice if this were changed if this subclass gets revised). The second issue is that while the claws are a weapon, they are not a weapon that you hold. The Dual Wielder feat let's us ignore the lack of the Light weapon property, but probably doesn't solve the holding requirement problem. This isn't totally clear though because while the Two-Weapon Fighting rules use the word "holding" the Dual Wielder feat use the word "wield". To me it seems like they just changed the word to a synonym to avoid monotony, but while you don't hold the claws you definitely wield them as a weapon.
Really though if you ever get a chance to play it hopefully you can talk to your DM and work something out. Your build does work RAW, if not quite how you pictured it, and I don't think it is worth the headache trying to make sure you perfectly adhere to RAW.
I think a convincing argument can be made to have it work the way I envision it while still trying to adhere to rules as much as possible. But even if that isn't the case, I'd be fine with just the four attacks per round too. It would still be 4 attacks with 2d6+2+3(or 4) per hit all with advantage if I want and I don't need an actual physical weapon being wielded for it. And some new feats that are probably coming in with Bigby's Guide where there could be even a little more damage I could justify putting in there. It all has to fit in with the background context I have in mind for the character too.
I like rolling for as many chances to hit as possible in a combat which is why I gravitate towards Warlock (eldritch blast goes technically go up to 4 attacks rolls) if I ever would play a full spellcaster type, or a martial character build that has lots of attacks, instead of just one or two potential big ones.
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An idea came to me and when I look at it at first, it seemed rather strong and the numbers seem to bear that out. I was trying to get as many attacks as possible and what I am trying to determine is if I overlooked something in the current rules, in which I am including playtest, as of today.
Longtooth Shifter Path of the Beast Barbarian multiclassed into Circle of the Spores Druid using a scimitar under the weapon mastery playtest rules.
It takes multiple turns to get going but I see the revving up as more of a feature, not a bug.
So at level 1, I have the 3 attacks due to being a longtooth shifter and the scimitar having the Nick property which gives you two attacks. I could either do the shift of form right away or rage right away depending on the mood I am in. The way I see it with the shift I got the temp HP buffer that I don't need to rage right away and can take a hit or two without really worrying about it.
By level 3 I still have my 3 attacks by turn 2 and I can go claws or scimitar. Same damage either way. Or one of the other shapes if I feel I need to.
By level 5 this really starts to kick into a higher gear. I now have 5 attacks by turn 2. My claws give me 2, my scimitar gives me 2 and my shifter attack gives me 1. Here is also where I decide to multiclass to druid.
So now total level 6, I take the spores druid. I'm not getting much here except for spell utility which honestly I always like to have anyway.
At total level 7 I am now second level spores druid. So first round I would shift as well as activate my Symbiotic Entity since one is a bonus action and the other is an action. However I could also potentially activate the Symbiotic Entity before a fight since it is an ability that lasts 10 minutes. It is unfortunate that the temp HP of shifter and Symbiotic entity conflict but it wasn't something that I really was aiming for. It was just a nice added bonus. At this level I now have an extra 1D6 to all my melee weapon attacks which is what I was looking for to take the most advantage of all the attacks. According to Jeremy (https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/1088200198814232577) since all unarmed strikes are melee weapon attacks my longtooth shifter attack works with this.
So by level 7 this should mean I have 1d6+4(str bonus if I started with 17 and increased to 8 at level 4)+2(rage bonus) x5(number of attacks). And all attacks rolled with advantage since I am now attacking recklessly like a wild animal.
Now breaking it down show ramp up better. At level 1 I have 2 attacks at the start so 1d6+3 with each. By turn 2, I have 3 attacks 1d6+3 damage. By turn 3, that becomes 1d6+3+2. So average damage goes from 14 to 21 to 27.
By level 5 we got 5 attacks with 4 happening right away on the first turn. I have also increased my STR score by now and can have advantage on all these attacks. So on turn 1 we got 4 attacks doing 1d6+4 each. Turn 2, 5 attacks at 1d6+4 and turn 3 it is 1d6+4+2. So average damage is now 32 then 40 then 50.
At level 7 we got the spores attack going on. So now this becomes 4 attacks doing 2d6+4 on turn 1, then 5 attacks at 2d6+4 then 2d6+4+2. So average damage just jumped to 48 then 60 then 70.
I figure my AC will probably be pretty low since I won't be using a shield on this build and using 27 point buy to make it all work keeps my DEX low but the damage output seems so high there might not be anything left on the field where I have to worry about that.
So what, if anything, did I overlook that makes this all fall apart? To me this feels a bit scary looking in damage output as it revs up like a car engine.
I only see a few issues with this build. The obvious one is that you first need to find a table willing to mix the One D&D playtest content with 5e content that hasn't been revised yet.
The next issue is minor and it is just that the extra attack granted by the Light weapon property doesn't get to add your Strength modifier to its damage. This means at levels 3 and 4 using your claws is just better than dual wielding scimitars. Also in the most up to date One D&D playtest the Fighting Style: Two-Weapon Fighting feat has the Fighting Style class feature as a prerequisite, which the Barbarian doesn't have.
This third issue isn't a RAW problem but in order to use the Light property and your claws requires juggling at least one of your scimitars. This is possible in both 5e and the playtest of One D&D, but some DMs might not feel comfortable with it.
Another minor issue is just that since you only take 2 levels in Druid you end up at level 20 with one less feat/ASI than if you had straight classed.
An issue to your benefit is that Longtooth Shifter was updated in MotM so that you can make the unarmed strike with your fangs when you shift as well as with a bonus action on subsequent rounds.
The final and most significant issue is the opportunity cost of spending an action on Symbiotic Entity. With that action you could instead make another 4 attacks that total 4d6 + 24 damage, which is 38 damage on average (before considering hit and crit chance). Assuming a target AC of 15 and a three round combat your expected total damage is 110.955 damage if you just attack with your actions and 98.085 of you use your first action on Symbiotic Entity (this is factoring in hit and crit chance and assumes reckless attacks). With a four round combat they are almost equal with just attacking doing 150.8325 and activating Symbiotic Entity doing 148.005.
*Edit* For those worried about balance this is really good but not more powerful than what is already possible for Barbarian in 5e. Here is how a level 7 Path of the Zealot Barbarian with an 18 Strength, GWM, and a greatsword compares: in a three round combat the Zealot can expect to do 113.9516 damage and in a four round combat they can expect to do 152.8667 damage.
As a forever DM that really isn't much of a problem. I still design characters because who knows? Maybe that could change. I also wanted to try to bring in playtest rules only on the idea that perhaps most of the rules will survive intact into official release next year and now I have a build on the drawing board already I won't forget. I keep them saved.
I actually overlooked that the Nick property also factors in the Light weapon property meaning that I would have to dual wield which I wasn't actually planning to do at all. Thanks for bringing this up. I completely mis-read how that worked. No more two attacks from it. So only one from the bonus action Shifter attack, two from the beast claws then a fourth from probably a claw attack again for 4 total.
I know.. Honestly, never concerned about it because I might just go 4 levels in druid, solving the feat/asi issue anyway. I only took the build up 7 levels because that is where most of the meat is currently.
I mentioned that although seeing it again does make me think about the. There is one turn where there would be no attacking by using Symbiotic Entity. That is why I noted that since it is a 10 minute duration, it is possible to use it before a combat so you have it ready to go. But that doesn't always happen.
I was looking at Spore druid for two reasons. One is the spellcasting. It is always nice to have some utility spells to add to the group. Two, that extra damage per attack at level 2 spore druid since everything is a weapon attack. Only one other class has something like that currently that I remember and it is the Fey Wanderer Ranger with a 1D4 and it would require being level 3 ranger, not level 2 druid. Everything else with extra damage only happens once per round, or requires a concentration spell which a raging barbarian can't do.
I realized that too but with this build idea I should state that the idea was that GWM as it stands now is going away and trying to maximize damage on a barbarian build for the next phase of the game.
Posting again because I looked at the playtest rules about Light and Nick.
Light weapon property says this:
When you take the Attack action on your turn and attack with a Light weapon, you can make one extra attack as a Bonus Action later on the same turn. That extra attack must be made with a different Light weapon, and you don’t add your ability modifier to the extra attack’s damage, unless that modifier is negative. For example, if you take the Attack action on
your turn and have a Shortsword in one hand and a Dagger in the other—each of which has the Light property—you can make one attack with each weapon, using your action and a Bonus Action, but you don’t add your Strength or Dexterity modifier to the damage roll of the Bonus Action, unless that modifier is negative.
And Nick says this:
When you make the extra attack of the Light property, you can make it as part of the Attack action, instead of as a Bonus Action. You can still make this extra attack only once per turn.
Now in thinking about this, would this only mean that yes, I can single wield a scimitar and attack twice with it but don't get my modifier on that second attack? I'd get my rage bonus but lose the strength bonus. Because otherwise if it means I have to dual wield this means the scimitar isn't really meant to be used alone ever unless you are just doing it for style and don't care about the Nick property.
Yeah I find the playtest Light weapon property interesting, it is taking the place of the Two-Weapon Fighting rule but doesn't require the use of both hands.
The 5e TWF rule says that if you attack with a light weapon in one hand, you can use your bonus action to attack with a different light weapon held in your other hand.
But the Light weapon property in the playtest only requires that the extra attack it grants be made with a different weapon, it doesn't say anything about needing a different hand. And because with the playtest you can sheath or draw a weapon with each attack you could start by attacking with a scimitar in your right hand and then sheath it, attack with your claws, free attack with your claws, draw a different light weapon with your right hand and make your Nick attack. This leaves your left hand completely free for anything you might want to use it for.
While currently the wording in UA indeed allows this sheath-drow trick, this is clearly not RAI, and would probably be fixed in the next UA. I believe the reason they don't mention 'the other hand' explicitly is to cover cases like the thri-kreen four hands, and possibly some future species using tail, feet, trunk (maybe the next version of the loxodon), etc.
I think where I might be screwing up is I am combining game rules as much as I can in with actual logic.
For instance, lets say I am wielding a short sword. I have nothing in my other hand. Why couldn't I punch with it as my offhanded attack as a bonus action? The damage might suck but I have nothing else to do with that free hand and a bonus action, right? Should not an unarmed attack be considered a 'light' weapon and thus available to use as an offhand attack with the free hand? It doesn't really get any lighter. It would feel silly not to allow it too even if I can't find it explicitly in the rules. Or even if I want to do it as part of a multiattack action for some reason where I swing with the sword on the first attack and punch on the second.
By the same token, as a Path of the Beast barbarian, since my hands become weapons, I was thinking I'd have the scimitar in one hand and my claws are the other. With my multi-attack at 5 I use the first attack combined with light and nick property of the scimitar which states I get to attack twice when I attack once with it, then with my second attack in my 5th level multiattack I attack with my claws that are technically my free hand but as the second attack of my attack action in multiattack. I got nothing weighing me down physically that really prevents me from doing it. Logic would dictate I should be do it unless they are specifically stating that the claw attack from the Path of the Beast barbarian only applies to your dominate hand which would be rather odd.
Also I picture a monk fighting barehanded. Wouldn't it be weird if he only attacked using one arm? That'd be weird.
Yeah, the Two-Weapon Fighting rules are clunky and don't follow natural intuitions. The reason punching doesn't work with them is because punching is an Unarmed Strike. In general Unarmed Strikes are not a weapon, and definitely not a weapon you are holding, which is required by the Two-Weapon Fighting rules (and the playtest Light weapon property). Monk's Martial Arts feature is effectively dual wielding for Unarmed Strikes.
As you note the Path of the Beast claws are weapons. The first issue they run into is that they don't have the Light weapon property (it would be nice if this were changed if this subclass gets revised). The second issue is that while the claws are a weapon, they are not a weapon that you hold. The Dual Wielder feat let's us ignore the lack of the Light weapon property, but probably doesn't solve the holding requirement problem. This isn't totally clear though because while the Two-Weapon Fighting rules use the word "holding" the Dual Wielder feat use the word "wield". To me it seems like they just changed the word to a synonym to avoid monotony, but while you don't hold the claws you definitely wield them as a weapon.
Really though if you ever get a chance to play it hopefully you can talk to your DM and work something out. Your build does work RAW, if not quite how you pictured it, and I don't think it is worth the headache trying to make sure you perfectly adhere to RAW.
I think a convincing argument can be made to have it work the way I envision it while still trying to adhere to rules as much as possible. But even if that isn't the case, I'd be fine with just the four attacks per round too. It would still be 4 attacks with 2d6+2+3(or 4) per hit all with advantage if I want and I don't need an actual physical weapon being wielded for it. And some new feats that are probably coming in with Bigby's Guide where there could be even a little more damage I could justify putting in there. It all has to fit in with the background context I have in mind for the character too.
I like rolling for as many chances to hit as possible in a combat which is why I gravitate towards Warlock (eldritch blast goes technically go up to 4 attacks rolls) if I ever would play a full spellcaster type, or a martial character build that has lots of attacks, instead of just one or two potential big ones.