Punishing Kick, Unarmed Strike Only or useable with any attack?


Rules Questions


10 people marked this as FAQ candidate. Answered in the FAQ. 1 person marked this as a favorite.
PRD wrote:
Benefit: You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). On a successful hit, the attack deals damage normally and you can choose to push your target 5 feet or attempt to knock them prone. If you decide to push the target, it is moved 5 feet directly away from you. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and the target must end this move in a safe space it can stand in. If you decide to attempt to knock the target prone, the target receives a Fortitude saving throw with a DC of 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Wisdom modifier to avoid the effect. You may attempt a punishing kick attack once per day for every four levels you have attained (but see Special), and no more than once per round.

Nothing in the Benefit block indicates that your 'attack roll' needs to be for an Unarmed Strike. The Fluff line describes it as a kick and the ability requires IUS, but the crunch doesn't bring up what kind of attack is necessary beyond requiring an attack roll. So, was it intended to be limited to Unarmed Strikes? Any melee attack, even with a manufactured weapon? Or any attack involving a roll including ranged weapon attacks, melee touch spells, ranged touch spells and rays? Where is the line supposed to be drawn with this skill? I have a feeling it needs either clarification that any attack roll suffices or an errata to limit the scope. FAQ it all.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Repaying the favor. FAQ'd .

Dark Archive

RAI its called punishing KICK, not punishing assualt, punishing axe smash, punishing ray, ect...

GOSHED DARNED RAW on the other hand....


Does that mean that a creature without legs can't do it? Can't I shape my Scorching Ray into the shape of a foot?


BTW, when you FAQ it, be sure to note your opinion on the matter, both to give feedback to any devs who happen to want to peruse the thread and also to keep it bumped for more FAQ hits.


Also, as a general note, you have to be careful extrapolating too much from the flavour text for feats, as there are a number of other examples which either add extra limitations beyond what most believe can be done with the feat or add extra benefits.


Sorry for resurrecting this but I can't find the FAQ reply for this question anywhere on the FAQ/help list - could someone point me in the right direction?


2 people marked this as FAQ candidate.

I really wish the buttons for "Answered in FAQ" and "No Response Necessary" linked to posts explaining what they meant by that. As far as I can tell there isn't a FAQ or Errata on this. Maybe a developer clicked the wrong button, maybe they mistook this for talking about Perfect Strike, maybe it is filed under something other than APG (or UC, UM, UCamp, or ACG, which I also checked), or maybe I just didn't find it for some reason.

If there isn't a FAQ or a response and you still want something more definitive than the RAW (which is that you can) a new thread will have to be started. My understanding is that after something is answered it is out of the queue, so this topic isn't going to get another look without that.


Yeah, I checked all the FAQs available and I couldn't find it anywhere - hence the post.

So... That's awkward. Thanks for the update, I guess I'll make another thread.


I'm curious as well...
It is called kick but names really seem to be less reliable on things.
Hopefully I find your other thread and FAQ that one. Perhaps they didn't like the wording for the question part or something..

Personally I think any attack. I think of how it was done in Xena warrior princess (she did knock down kick often) she explained it to her combat inept partner that it's not hte strength of the kick, she learned to observe the weight of the opponent and attack at the right. Then she did it with her chakram, and later her partner figured it out with her stick.

that and I love the idea of, a shuriken knocking somoene off balance, or a xbow bolt XD


No need to look, the new thread can be found right here. :)

And yes, I find the idea of Push attacks with ranged weapons intriguing. Maybe something for a zen archer monk?


Faq'd it!

I'm hoping any attack.. one because it's a lot more fun that way, and two 'cause I always liked the idea of monks knowing when ot hit more than "rawr i have the densest muscles anywhere!"

Grand Lodge

It says it was answered in FAQ.

Where that is, I don't know.

I checked the APG FAQ, and don't see it.


As far as I know it's not in any of the FAQs listed on Paizo.com, so I made a new thread on it here.


Rennet answerd in FAQ is sometimes used to clear a thread from the list.

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