Burrowing Claws

Burrowing Claws is a physical mutation that replaces the player's natural fists with that are classified as Short Blade natural weapons, with different properties depending on if the player's target is a structural object or not.

Burrowing Claws allows a creature to destroy a wall within four attacks that successfully penetrate. The penetration bonus is determined by mutation level and is independent of the penetration value used against non-structural objects, which is instead determined by the creature's Strength bonus. If the creature is wielding a weapon in a hand with, walls can still be broken within four successful attacks, but the penetration value of the weapon wielded will be used instead.

Having this mutation grants the player the "Dig" activated ability; this ability is a form of autoact which allows the player to select a tile as a target destination, regardless of distance or visibility. Confirming one's selection will cause the player to move in a straight line to the destination, while automatically attacking and destroying any walls in the way.

The granted by Burrowing Claws also act as weapons falling under the Short Blade skill tree, benefitting from any skill the creature has within that tree. will only be used as weapons if nothing occupies the hand slot they are located on.

If the player has unfinished and prerelease content enabled, Burrowing Claws grants two additional abilities that allow the player to create staircases up or down when out of combat.

Formulas
The following formula is used to determine penetration bonus based on mutation level. Damage is not determined by a formula and is instead determined by reaching specific level thresholds.

Advantages

 * Allows the player to dig through walls, making exploration of areas with locked doors or tight corridors much easier
 * Digging with vibro weapons will quickly destroy any wall even at low mutation levels
 * If the player has unfinished and prerelease content enabled, they can create staircases when out of combat, allowing for much easier exploration of the underground
 * Being able to dig through walls gives the player several tactical advantages, such as the ability to create bottlenecks or break line of sight with ranged enemies
 * Provides short-blade class natural weapons, which have no penetration cap

Disadvantages

 * The mutations listed penetration bonus only applies to walls. Penetration against creatures is instead determined by your strength
 * Requires significant mutation levels in order to match the damage output of higher tier weapons