Arcane Strike and some other rules questions

[Michael Foster 989]

I have a few questions regarding arcane strike and some other rules

First does arcane strike work with natural weapons?

Second does arcane strike stack with enhancement bonuses?

Third can you take power attack if you only have 13+ St during certain periods of time (for example while wildshaped, or another pretty much all day condition)?

Fourth does an amulet of mighty fists work with natural attacks or only unarmed attacks?

[Archaeik]

1. I think so

2. because it's an untyped bonus - it stacks.

3. That may be up to GM discretion a little bit. But if you've had 13 str for 24hrs, you should qualify.

4. AMF works on all natural attacks.

[leo1925]

Amulet of mighty fists work with both.
Yes arcane strike works with natural weapons.
Yes it stacks.
No i don't think that you can take power attack under those conditions.

[Cheapy]

Yes to all questions. The moment you reach 13 strength, you can take power attack. It'll only be useful when you have 13+ strength (as in, it "turns off" the moment you lose the 13+ strength)

AMF works on all natural attacks and all uses of Improved Unarmed Strike (yes, even pelvic thrusts)

[cartmanbeck]

Cheapy wrote:

Yes to all questions. The moment you reach 13 strength, you can take power attack. It'll only be useful when you have 13+ strength (as in, it "turns off" the moment you lose the 13+ strength)

AMF works on all natural attacks and all uses of Improved Unarmed Strike (yes, even pelvic thrusts)

What Cheapy said. You only have to qualify for the feat at the moment that you choose the feat. When you don't have that 13 Str, you won't have the benefit of Power Attack, but when you're wild-shape gives you 13+ Str you instantly gain the benefit again.

[ShadowcatX]

What Cheapy and Cartman said.

[Interzone]

But do note the 24hrs requirement.
For example: If you aren't able to stay in a Wildshaped form for 24hrs you can't use the Str from that form to qualify for taking the feat.

[Cheapy]

Well, after searching on that Power Attack question...

So sayeth the Jason Buhlman by way of SKR.

SKR wrote:

Here's the official word:

1. The game differentiates between permanent ability score bonuses (such as +1 every 4 character levels and wearing a +2 belt of giant strength for 24 hours) and temporary ability score bonuses (such as from barbarian rage, an alchemist mutagen, or a bull's strength spell).

2. Permanent ability score bonuses do count for the purpose of qualifying for feats.

3. If you lose a permanent ability score bonus, you still have the feat, you just can't use it until your ability score qualifies again.

4. Temporary ability score bonuses do not count for the purpose of qualifying for feats. (My earlier statement contradicting this point was my opinion of how it should work.)

So officially, no.

IMO, that's lame. It used to be that a barbarian could use Power Attack only when in rage if they got 13 Str from that. Guess not anymore.

[cwslyclgh]

The way temporary ability bonuses and penalties work is one of the few areas that Pathfinder changed where I was less happy with the results than I was in 3.5.

[ShadowcatX]

That's an unsightly mess.

[LazarX]

Michael Foster 989 wrote:

Third can you take power attack if you only have 13+ St during certain periods of time (for example while wildshaped, or another pretty much all day condition)?

No... like other attribute bonuses that are prereqs for feats the strength score has to qualify as "permanent". A belt of strength that gets you there would qualify. A potion of bull strength would not.