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Despite my best efforts I haven't been able to figure out an answer to this. So I thought I'd ask here:
When using elemental fist does the damage multiply on a critical hit?
Same question but with vital strike.
Basic argument: elemental fist is not a weapon ability and so isn't covered by the rules in the vital strike feat or the critical hit rules in combat. It also does not say that it isn't multiplied in the feat.
Anyone have any better rules for this? If not please hit FAQ.
Vital Strike seems like an obvious no. Vital strike only affects weapon damage. Is elemental fist weapon damage? No, so it does not apply.
Basically, Elemental Fist - as we've always played it, since there is no specification, as you say - is that it's the same as a weapon enhancement, and can stack with other enhancements (Amulet of Mighty Fists).
Elemental Fist (Combat)
You empower your strike with elemental energy
Prerequisites: Con 13, Wis 13, Improved Unarmed Strike, base attack bonus +8.
Benefit: When you use Elemental Strike pick one of the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, or fire. On a successful hit, the attack deals damage normally plus 1d6 points of damage of the chosen type. You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). You may attempt an elemental fist attack once per day for every four levels you have attained (see Special), and no more than once per round.
This let us know that it isn't apart of normal damage. Which would include things like weapon damage, strength bonus, power attack, etc.
Vital Strike (Combat)
You make a single attack that deals significantly more damage than normal.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: When you use the attack action, you can make one attack at your highest base attack bonus that deals additional damage. Roll the weapon's damage dice for the attack twice and add the results together before adding bonuses from Strength, weapon abilities (such as flaming), precision based damage, and other damage bonuses. These extra weapon damage dice are not multiplied on a critical hit, but are added to the total.
This line makes it pretty clear that it applies only to weapon damage. And I can't think of how it's any more clear that elemental fist isn't damage caused by your weapon specifically.
Extra dice are extra dice.