Claws or Nails?

[Wolfgirl777]

Claws or Nails?

Countless and i mean COUNTLESS wolf roleplay's, I have watched people use their "Claws" to wound people as if they were a  cat or a lion. Is this even possible?
I can remember watching a programme about canines and it mentioned that a wolf's only wepon is it's teeth, and it's nails were useless against it's prey.

Even look a household dog; it has short, blunt nail's. Even it they do swat you with their paw's, it doesn't cause any cut's or wound's.

I have had to refuse many roleplay fight's, because someone decided to "Bring out thier claw's" or "Scratch me on the face."

So what do you think, should a wolf use claws? Or should we stick to nails?

[EvilSock]

They can be referred to as either claws or nails, I think. I often always see them labeled as 'claws' in most places.

Not all people carry this knowledge of wolf anatomy with them. Unretractable claws are blunt claws, their only use is to allow them better purchase upon the ground when in pursuit of prey; however, they also use their dew claws to bring down smaller animals e.g. rabbits, hares, voles and to burrow dens.

Source was found here.

Some people probably just don't know, don't care, or prefer to role-play in a more unrealistic manner. I see some people use the excuse that: 'they have a 'mutation'; or just have 'really long claws that can't wear down/sharpen them on trees'? lol.

[SteampunkWolfdog]

Real wolves don't use their claws as 'weapons' but more like tools. As you pointed out, canine claws are blunt and would be rather useless in using them as an offensive weapon. I imagine they use their claws to maintain grip and for digging dens and such. But I'm not expert...at least not yet

[Wolfgirl777]

Yea, i suppose Mutation is a legitimate excuse, but I seen this happen even in the most literate and realistic role plays, and when i try to correct them, even with all my facts explained, I never seem to win.

Pfft, lol. I remember once... This happened with a lion pride:

Dark Wolf: Hey, get out of this den!
King of the pride: Sorry, but we have been here for about an hour or two, and we haven't seen anyone here.
Dark Wolf: I don't care, this is my den!
Other pride member: Dude, you can't den claim...
Me: This is a public map, if you want your own den, create your own map.
Dark Wolf: -Bring's out claws and claws face, making you to bleed-
Me: Eh, wolves can't use their "Claws" to cut open another's face. Infact, they are referred to as nail's.
Dark Wolf: WOLVES HAVE CLAWS, SO I DONT KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!
Another pride member: Whoa, caps!
Me: Uh, I'm pretty sure they don't, I have watched a few programs on wolves, and i have never came across any wolves using it's nails against another animal...
Dark Wolf: WELL THATS WRONG, WOLVES CAN USE THERE CLAWS AND THEYRE JUST AS SHARP AS LIONS!
Me: Oh come on, even look at your average dog, since when did your dog claw you across the face?
Dark Wolf: **** YOU *******!!!!!!!1 STUPID ****!!!
Me: Ugh, that's it, I'm blocking you and reporting.
*User -Insert user name here- has disconnected*

(Note: This wolf was supposed to be realistic, i had seen her with a realistic pack earlier)

Eh, lol? Now, that's just an example of a pathetic no brainer, but i have seen this happen with maturer users before, but luckily, they have refrained from cussing and caps spamming.

[hugrf2]

I have been hurt by a canine's claws in real life. One of my dogs. But it is rare or nearly impossible to hurt someone like that. There are little kids in this game who don't know that canines don't use they're claws to attack. Canines truly just use they're teeth as realism but not everyone knows that canines use they're teeth only. Some people just want to claw when they are canine as EvilSock said. To remember that "Canines use they're teeth not claws." You might want to download Tigg's claws and if your on your canine with them then you'll remember if you just look down at your canine's claws. Some kids play this game and don't know that canines don't have very sharp claws.

Yea, i suppose Mutation is a legitimate excuse, but I seen this happen even in the most literate and realistic role plays, and when i try to correct them, even with all my facts explained, I never seem to win.

Pfft, lol. I remember once... This happened with a lion pride:

Dark Wolf: Hey, get out of this den!
King of the pride: Sorry, but we have been here for about an hour or two, and we haven't seen anyone here.
Dark Wolf: I don't care, this is my den!
Other pride member: Dude, you can't den claim...
Me: This is a public map, if you want your own den, create your own map.
Dark Wolf: -Bring's out claws and claws face, making you to bleed-
Me: Eh, wolves can't use their "Claws" to cut open another's face. Infact, they are referred to as nail's.
Dark Wolf: WOLVES HAVE CLAWS, SO I DONT KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!
Another pride member: Whoa, caps!
Me: Uh, I'm pretty sure they don't, I have watched a few programs on wolves, and i have never came across any wolves using it's nails against another animal...
Dark Wolf: WELL THATS WRONG, WOLVES CAN USE THERE CLAWS AND THEYRE JUST AS SHARP AS LIONS!
Me: Oh come on, even look at your average dog, since when did your dog claw you across the face?
Dark Wolf: **** YOU *******!!!!!!!1 STUPID ****!!!
Me: Ugh, that's it, I'm blocking you and reporting.
*User -Insert user name here- has disconnected*

(Note: This wolf was supposed to be realistic, i had seen her with a realistic pack earlier)

Eh, lol? Now, that's just an example of a pathetic no brainer, but i have seen this happen with maturer users before, but luckily, they have refrained from cussing and caps spamming.

This person might've had been overreacting as for no reason and yes, he truly is a no brainer even that is not even a word though. Good thing you didn't overreact in this topic like the topic owner of "Why do people hate wolves" in this same board.

[Wolfgirl777]

Yea, i can understand young children not knowing; lucky, young kids are pretty rare anyways. But unfortunately, i have came across a few supposed "Wolf Expert"s who went on about how they use there claws in battle and how it's like there second nature to scratch things. And 'no brainer' is a word my family tends to use, so i guess i just picked it up.

And whats that about "Why do peoplehate wolves"? I could do with a good laugh right now.

[Zaroque]

I think Evil's used the best information here,
Considering feline's often use their claws to hang onto their prey, they would have to be considerably larger than to an animal that doesn't actually have to use them in that way. Looking at my canine's paws, his nails are blunt and not largely curved in a 'deadly way'. Normally, Wolves would use their teeth and jaws, since their power mainly lies in there.



And about using the word claws or nails, we often use claws for a wild/un-domesticated create, like bears, Lions, wolves etc. But with Dogs, we use nails. Funny that.

[Wolfgirl777]

That's strange, thats almost exactly what i said to another claw abusing wolf about five minutes ago, Zaroque.

Anyway's, yea it is pretty odd how they're refered to as claws rather than nails. Maybe it's  to make them sound more dangerous and wild... I don't know, i'm just guessing.

[SummerGlade]

I've actually never thought about this topic before, but now that you mention it, I have to say, it's rather illogical to believe that wolves have 'claws'.

I mean, I haven't ever had a dog claw me and break the skin, so I suppose that, though wolves are different from dogs, they still share basic physical characteristics, so it makes sense that it should be the same for wolves.

[Wolfgirl777]

Yea, I never thought about this either until a few months ago and I have kept on thinking about it until now. Wow, I have a strange imagination...