I'm pretty new to this GMing thing, and am running a prebuilt Pathfinder module. I am setting up the next encounter for my party and noticed that the Troglodyte entry in the bestiary has two different bite stats and am not sure how to determine which one to use. To better explain what I'm trying to describe:
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft
Melee club +2 (1d6+1), claw -3 (1d4), bite -3 (1d4) or
2 claws +2 (1d4+1), bite +2(1d4+1)
Basically, how do I determine if I am using the -3(1d4) bite or the +2(1d4+1) bite?
Best Answer
The troglodyte has 2 possible sets of attacks; each time it makes a full attack, it chooses 1 set.
The most important word in the melee section of that stat line is "or". When it full attacks a troglodyte chooses 1 of these 2 sets of attacks to make:
The trogolodyte has 2 kinds of attacks: manufactured weapons (a club), and natural weapons (claw & bite). It can choose to hit with its manufactured weapon, which offers a slightly larger damage die but applies a penalty to all its natural weapons that turn, or it can choose to only attack with natural weapons, giving up the club's potentially heavier damage but gaining better attack & damage bonuses with its claws & bite. Another way of thinking about this is that it always attacks with its bite and "off-hand" claws, and merely chooses whether to use a club or claws with its "main" hand; the club applies penalty to the other (option-less) attacks, while the claws do not.
Mechanically speaking, the claw-claw-bite attack set is superior in almost every situation, but a DM might choose to use the club to provide some variety in how different troglodytes attack or simply because the troglodyte is dumb enough to think clubs are better.