mogonk's page

So, just some clarification on the nature of Handwraps to start.
https://www.aonprd.com/EquipmentWeaponsDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Handwraps

Handwraps are light weapons. They do not have a listed damage, or damage type, because they derive their damage and damage type from your unarmed attacks. They are unlike Amulet of Mighty Fists in this crucial way: they do not modify your unarmed strike. Your unarmed strike modifies your handwraps.

So, the question: are Handwraps considered bludgeoning weapons, RAW? For example, for the purpose of the Brawling enchantment.

https://www.aonprd.com/MagicWeaponsDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Brawling

I see two main answers here:

1. Yes, handwraps are bludgeoning weapons. Unarmed strikes deal bludgeoning damage unless modified by feats or abilities, so by default, handwraps will deal bludgeoning damage, therefore they are bludgeoning weapons.

2. No, handwraps do not have a damage type. Whether they deal bludgeoning damage by default is irrelevant, because they are not intrinsically blunt weapons. No damage type is listed in the weapon description, therefore they do not qualify for anything that requires a specific damage type.

Interested to hear your thoughts.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/style-feats/

As a swift action, you can enter the stance employed by the fighting style a style feat embodies. Although you cannot use a style feat before combat begins, the style you are in persists until you spend a swift action to switch to a different combat style.

My reading of this is that you cannot use a style feat outside of combat. That's how my DM interprets it as well. Feel free to disagree, I'd be interested to hear your reasoning.

So, let's say I have Veiled Moon Style from Path of War.

Benefit: Whenever you move, you can treat up to 10 feet of that movement as teleportation. This teleportation may be taken at any point during your movement, and cannot exceed the total movement you would normally be allowed to make. You must have line of sight to your destination, and cannot teleport into an occupied space. This is a supernatural ability.

Let's say I'm locked in a jail cell constructed of iron bars with another prisoner. I can see outside the bars. I cannot teleport out of the cell, because I am not in combat. So I punch the other prisoner. Now I'm in combat. So I teleport out of the cell.

If you asked my character why he had to punch that guy to teleport, what would he say? What is the in-universe logic to this?

And before you say "Well, that's Path of War, it's third party", etc., the problematic text is from Ultimate Combat. This is the example that's tying my mind in knots, but you could as easily ask:

"Why can't I use Boar Style to sunder an object?"
"Why can't I use Deadhand Style to resist intimidate?"
"Why can't I use Monkey Style to jump over a chasm?"

If I can do this stuff at will, if I have these abilities, why do I have to wait until someone is trying to kill me to use them?

I've spent the last two hours googling this and reading threads on Reddit, GitP, and the Paizo forum, so pardon me if this has been settled. If it has, I haven't found it. I have two questions:

1. Has there been a FAQ/errata/developer post which establishes whether someone retains their DEX bonus against foes of which they are not aware due to use of the stealth skill?

Answered!

Here is a quote from the lead designer, Jason Bulmahn:

Quote:

Creatures are denied their Dexterity bonus to AC "if they cannot react to a blow" (CR pg 179 under AC). It was our intent that if you are unaware of a threat, you cannot react to a blow.

2. Has there been a FAQ/errata/developer post which delineates how, if at all, total concealment is different from partial concealment for the use of the stealth skill?

Everyone I've ever played with assumes that if you don't know someone is there, you lose your DEX bonus vs. their attacks, and that total concealment is treated as invisibility. But RAW neither of these is the case, and I can't believe after all these years the developers have never touched this issue.