What is a "Stunning Fist Attempt"?

[Rathyr]

Seems like an obvious answer, right? However, I find that the meaning becomes very muddled once we add some good ole Grapple feats into the mix. Grapple rules confusing the situation? Unheard of, I know.

It boils down to this: When the game tells you make make a Stunning Fist attempt (in a grapple, in this circumstance), what does that entail? Are you making an Unarmed Strike attack, and assuming you hit, the enemy makes a Fort save? Or do you fast track to the Fort save in this situation?

Here are the big elements in quest.

Stunning Fist:

You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus, a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). Stunning Fist forces a foe damaged by your unarmed attack to make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Wis modifier), in addition to dealing damage normally. A defender who fails this saving throw is stunned for 1 round (until just before your next turn). A stunned character drops everything held, can’t take actions, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC. You may attempt a stunning attack once per day for every four levels you have attained (but see Special), and no more than once per round. Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be stunned.

Stunning Pin:

Whenever you pin an opponent, you can spend a swift action to make a Stunning Fist attempt against that opponent.

Neckbreaker:

If you have an opponent your size or smaller helpless or pinned, after you initiate or maintain a grapple, you can make a Stunning Fist attempt at a –5 penalty on the attack roll. If you succeed, you wrench that opponent’s neck, dealing 2d6 Strength or Dexterity damage. If the targeted ability score is reduced to 0, any remaining damage is dealt to that opponent’s Constitution score. A creature that is immune to critical hits or that has no discernible head and neck is immune to the effects of this feat.

I'm sure there are others, feel free to post them if you come across them.

I initially assumed that you would fast track to the Fort save if the game called for an attempt in a nonstandard situation (like Stunning Pin)... but Neckbreaker seems to suggest that you HAVE to make an attack in the attempt. Does this mean Stunning Pin gives you a free Unarmed Attack as a Swift Action? Also, is Neckbreaker assuming you maintained the grapple as a Move action via Greater grapple, and have to use a Standard action to make the Stunning Fist attempt, or does it grant an actionless free Unarmed Attack?

[VRMH]

Logic suggests you have to actually "hit" someone for your fists to be "stunning", otherwise they'd be Stunning Pressure Points or something. But this is a fantasy game; logic may not apply.

In my interpretation, you indeed roll a free Unarmed Attack (as a Swift Action) in this situation. But that's really just my opinion.

[mplindustries]

Yes, you have to hit with an attack.

[Rathyr]

Does Neckbreaker grant an attack? No action is defined for its Stunning Fist attempt.

[Drakkiel]

Unless otherwise stated most feats either A: work with other actions automatically or B: are themselves an "action" of some kind...in this case Neckbreaker itself is "the attack" allowing you to use your stunning fist but with a different effect of instead of stunning you deal 2d6 dmg to str or dex (con if the one targeted is 0)

You can attack someone pinned normally and even use stunning fist on them...neckbreaker adds something to that if you take the penalty to use it that is