Yea,h but if I whip out a shield on a beast barbarian imma start to feel like "Naofumi-sama" with his shield but no weapon and breastplate that becomes half plate when he rages. Not really fitting of a beast barbarian if I do say so myself.
Claws, Teeth, Horns, Hooves, Fists, Foreheads, Feet, Elbows, Knees... ...all of these things are natural weapons, and all of them can be used to make unarmed strikes. Some of them just do more damage than others. Just because Humans' teeth are poor weapons doesn't make them not weapons. Just because humans' nails (claws) are poor weapons doesn't make them not weapons.
Furthermore: if natural weapons could not be used to make unarmed strikes, there would be no need to make the distinction between a natural weapon and any other type of weapon - unless we want to take a giant logic leap and say natural weapons exist solely for use by druids so that they have something they can fight with despite their aversion to metal. I highly doubt that's the case, though. I mean, there would be special staves classified as natural weapons if that were the case.
You get a benefit equivalent to, and better than, two-weapon fighting with claws: You get an additional attack without using a bonus action and without loosing your strength modifier, without having to draw 2 weapons etc.
My thoughts exactly. And keep in mind monks don't use the TWF rules either; their unarmed strikes are given special treatment through the Martial Arts feature.
True. Although a Monk would get access to three attacks at level two, and this Path at level 3 with the Claws still would only get you two. I guess what I'm getting at is that these features seem underpowered when compared to basic weapons like a Greataxe. But if the claws could let you attack three times, even if the third attack is weakened in the same way that bonus attack with an off-hand weapon, it would feel better.
I suppose a Longtooth Shifter Path of the Beast character can get that frenzied attack vibe. (Claw, Claw, Bite)
It's all give and take. A monk doesnt get rage bonus or recckless attack etc... Every class has a thing and if we gave all "Things" to all classes the game would be boring. I like the flavor and rage of a barbarian over the calculated swift strikes of a monk.
Hard to say what will happen with Path of the Beast in the next edition of D&D, there is no guarantee it will even be carried over to the new edition. It certainly would need be too be significantly altered to come up to the standard of the new Berserker subclass.
Hard to say what will happen with Path of the Beast in the next edition of D&D, there is no guarantee it will even be carried over to the new edition. It certainly would need be too be significantly altered to come up to the standard of the new Berserker subclass.
It's backward compatible. It's been confirmed by JC. Just because something doesn't make the cut for the PHB in 2024, doesn't mean it's suddenly unofficial content. It just means that it hasn't been updated. Legacy content is supposed to be 100% playable (though I would not be surprised if it falls behind in performance)
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I didn't read about the situation - holding a light weapon in one hand - making claw attack as an action. Make a second claw attack as part of that action. Than make off-hand attack with a light weapon...
I didn't read about the situation - holding a light weapon in one hand - making claw attack as an action. Make a second claw attack as part of that action. Than make off-hand attack with a light weapon...
Looking back through this thread I realized that how you use Two-Weapon Fighting alongside Path of the Beast's claws isn't explained in great detail but for the quick version posts #24 and #26 give the essentials.
To do this though you have to have Extra Attack so this doesn't come online until level 5. Here are the details for how this works:
Round 1) Draw a Light weapon in your main hand, bonus action to activate Rage, action to take the Attack action, first attack with claws, free attack with claws, extra attack with either claws or the weapon in your main hand.
Round 2) Action to take the Attack action, first attack with claws, free attack with claws, draw a Light weapon in your off hand, extra attack with the weapon in your main hand, bonus action two-weapon fighting attack with the weapon in your off hand.
Round 3) Action to take the Attack action, first attack with the weapon in your main hand, bonus action two-weapon fighting attack with the weapon in your off hand, sheath the Light weapon in your off hand, extra attack with claws, free attack with claws.
From here you just repeat rounds 2 and 3. You can also do similar with a Two-handed weapon where once you get Extra Attack you use one attack to attack with the weapon and the other to attack with your claws to trigger the free claw attack. This does a little bit less damage but keeps your bonus action free and doesn't require drawing and sheathing a weapon each round.
This is just one way for a Path of the Beast barbarian to attack with their bonus action, and it isn't the best way to go about it. There is Longtooth Shifters, multi-classing into Monk (preferably as a Tortle or Lizardfolk for improved AC and improved unarmed strike), and the Great Weapon Master feat (the bonus action attack it grants applies to all melee weapons, not just Heavy weapons) to name a few. The advantage of two-weapon fighting is that it is something that requires no investment or particular set-up beyond having the Light weapons it uses.
Also talk to your DM about this first if you plan on using it at a table. As others have said in this thread it can feel more like an exploit of the rules rather than legitimate gameplay. It is by no means game breaking but the fact that it requires the use of your free object interaction each round to pull off can rub people the wrong way.
That make sense, as you describe it. And it's little complicated, but still give me 4 attacks on 5th lvl when I don't need to much AC, but great dmg output.
Yea,h but if I whip out a shield on a beast barbarian imma start to feel like "Naofumi-sama" with his shield but no weapon and breastplate that becomes half plate when he rages. Not really fitting of a beast barbarian if I do say so myself.
Claws, Teeth, Horns, Hooves, Fists, Foreheads, Feet, Elbows, Knees... ...all of these things are natural weapons, and all of them can be used to make unarmed strikes. Some of them just do more damage than others. Just because Humans' teeth are poor weapons doesn't make them not weapons. Just because humans' nails (claws) are poor weapons doesn't make them not weapons.
Furthermore: if natural weapons could not be used to make unarmed strikes, there would be no need to make the distinction between a natural weapon and any other type of weapon - unless we want to take a giant logic leap and say natural weapons exist solely for use by druids so that they have something they can fight with despite their aversion to metal. I highly doubt that's the case, though. I mean, there would be special staves classified as natural weapons if that were the case.
It's all give and take. A monk doesnt get rage bonus or recckless attack etc... Every class has a thing and if we gave all "Things" to all classes the game would be boring. I like the flavor and rage of a barbarian over the calculated swift strikes of a monk.
I'm guessing the Path of the Beast Barbarian gets even more screwed with One DND as Weapon Mastery doesn't extend to natural weapons.
Hard to say what will happen with Path of the Beast in the next edition of D&D, there is no guarantee it will even be carried over to the new edition. It certainly would need be too be significantly altered to come up to the standard of the new Berserker subclass.
I would expect all "created" weapons will be assigned a mastery as a property in the rewriting -- even Shadow Blade. It would be strange not to.
Well, you could grab your wrist and attack with your claws using the opposite hand....
A monk gets rage and reckless bonuses if they attack with strength. Your monk would probably have a very low armor class, though.
It's backward compatible. It's been confirmed by JC. Just because something doesn't make the cut for the PHB in 2024, doesn't mean it's suddenly unofficial content. It just means that it hasn't been updated. Legacy content is supposed to be 100% playable (though I would not be surprised if it falls behind in performance)
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
I didn't read about the situation - holding a light weapon in one hand - making claw attack as an action. Make a second claw attack as part of that action. Than make off-hand attack with a light weapon...
Looking back through this thread I realized that how you use Two-Weapon Fighting alongside Path of the Beast's claws isn't explained in great detail but for the quick version posts #24 and #26 give the essentials.
To do this though you have to have Extra Attack so this doesn't come online until level 5. Here are the details for how this works:
From here you just repeat rounds 2 and 3. You can also do similar with a Two-handed weapon where once you get Extra Attack you use one attack to attack with the weapon and the other to attack with your claws to trigger the free claw attack. This does a little bit less damage but keeps your bonus action free and doesn't require drawing and sheathing a weapon each round.
This is just one way for a Path of the Beast barbarian to attack with their bonus action, and it isn't the best way to go about it. There is Longtooth Shifters, multi-classing into Monk (preferably as a Tortle or Lizardfolk for improved AC and improved unarmed strike), and the Great Weapon Master feat (the bonus action attack it grants applies to all melee weapons, not just Heavy weapons) to name a few. The advantage of two-weapon fighting is that it is something that requires no investment or particular set-up beyond having the Light weapons it uses.
Also talk to your DM about this first if you plan on using it at a table. As others have said in this thread it can feel more like an exploit of the rules rather than legitimate gameplay. It is by no means game breaking but the fact that it requires the use of your free object interaction each round to pull off can rub people the wrong way.
That make sense, as you describe it. And it's little complicated, but still give me 4 attacks on 5th lvl when I don't need to much AC, but great dmg output.
I am thinking more along the lines of:
Main action: weapon attack, bonus action 2nd weapon attack, OBJECT INTERACTION: drop weapons, extra attack: 2 claws