Unarmed strike AoO

[Shar Tahl]

Can a character without improved unarmed strike make an unarmed attack as an Attack of Opportunity.

[Shar Tahl]

An does that characters unarmed Attack of Opportunity provoke an Attack of Opportunity?

[mearrin69]

Not an authority on the subject but I'd say not because to take an AoO you have to be armed with a melee weapon - and you are not unless you have the feat. If you did allow it then I'd say that making the unarmed AoO would indeed provoke, because attacking unarmed without the feat does provoke.

Again, I'm not sure of the actual rules and I don't have any books with me but that's how I'd rule it on the spot.
M

[Ted Mosby]

Being unarmed denies you the ability to make attacks of opportunity. Page 180 PFRPG

[RizzotheRat]

Ted Mosby wrote:

Being unarmed denies you the ability to make attacks of opportunity. Page 180 PFRPG

However, with the Improved Unarmed Strike "you are considered armed even when you are unarmed" p128

AOO can be made by a character with Improved Unarmed Strike.

That AOO does not draw a return AOO - "you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when you attack foes unarmed" p128.

[Majuba]

If you check the Traits web enhancement you'll see the "Bullied" trait (I think). The trait grants a +1 bonus to attacks of opportunity made with unarmed strikes. It specifically calls out that you need to have Improved Unarmed Strike (or something similar) in order to make those attacks.

[Draeke Raefel]

Wear a gauntlet

[Mynameisjake]

A gauntlet isn't enough. You need a spiked gauntlet.

[Zurai]

Mynameisjake wrote:

A gauntlet isn't enough. You need a spiked gauntlet.

Normal gauntlets also make your unarmed strikes be considered armed attacks. The only differences between spiked gauntlets and normal gauntlets are that normal gauntlets come automatically on most heavier armors and that spiked gauntlets deal one die size more damage.

[seekerofshadowlight]

No it's not. A gauntlet still counts as an unarmed strike in all ways save damage. A spiked gauntlet is armed, not a standard one.

PRD wrote:

Gauntlet: This metal glove lets you deal lethal damage rather than nonlethal damage with unarmed strikes. A strike with a gauntlet is otherwise considered an unarmed attack. The cost and weight given are for a single gauntlet. Medium and heavy armors (except breastplate) come with gauntlets. Your opponent cannot use a disarm action to disarm you of gauntlets.

Gauntlet, Spiked: The cost and weight given are for a single gauntlet. An attack with a spiked gauntlet is considered an armed attack. Your opponent cannot use a disarm action to disarm you of spiked gauntlets.

As you can see using a gauntlet is not an armed attack.It does do lethal damage however

[Zurai]

Whoops, you're right. Mea culpa. Not sure what I was thinking.

[seekerofshadowlight]

heh, It happens. I had to look it up not long back for something so I recalled it.

[Cyrus Lanthier]

What if you are armed but want to deal nonlethal damage? What if you are armed with only shield (thus threatening) for whatever reason but you don't want to lose your shield bonus to AC? Can you take the AoO as an unarmed strike? Can you, say, use your AoO to snatch a potion out of someone's hand before they drink it (a disarm maneuver)? So long as you are threatening, the RAW seems to me to allow it, but I am not sure about RAI...

*finishes casting "Raise Dead Thread"*

[Howie23]

You must make the AoO with the weapon that threatens. So, to grab the potion, you would need to threaten with unarmed strike.

To the best of my knowledge, the AoO needing to be made with the weapon that threatens is implied and is not explicitly stated. For those who care, it is explicitly stated in the 3.5 FAQ.