Armor Storm - Threaten?

[PaperStSoapCo]

Does the 1st level ability of Armor Storm Soldiers mean that you threaten with your unarmed strikes, since they're considered Battlegloves?

Hammer Fist (Ex) 1st Level pg 113:

Spoiler:

You treat any unarmed attack you make while wearing
heavy or powered armor as being made with a battleglove
(see page 187) with an item level equal to or lower than your
soldier level, and you calculate damage for these attacks as
if you had the melee striker gear boost (see page 112). If you
have the melee striker gear boost, you gain a +2 bonus to
damage rolls with your unarmed attacks when using this
ability. These unarmed attacks don’t benefit from other
abilities that apply specifically to unarmed attacks (such as
the Improved Unarmed Strike feat).

[Imbicatus]

Yes, a battleglove threatens, so the armor storm ability would too.

[Protoman]

From the wording, wouldn't the battleglove feature only be applicable when the soldier actually makes an attack, but inactive when not in use so it won't threaten?

[gigyas6]

RAW, no, they wouldn't.

Logistically, yes. The whole point of Armor Storm is to fight unarmed. Taking away your one reaction ability as Soldier just for that seems a bit harsh, and a tad ridiculous.

[Owen K. C. Stephens]

Hammer fist is intended to allow you to threaten.

[Lizard Inquisitor]

Now for the million-dollar question:

Does Armor Storm allow you to kick/headbutt/etc. as if you were armed?

For example, if I am using heavy armor or powered armor and I'm holding a rifle, can I kick someone and deal damage using the Hammer Fist calculation? Logic would say yes, and the ability says "Any unarmed strike you make..."

I don't see how roundhouse kicking someone would do less damage than decking them, or why power armored legs would not be as good as weapons as power armored hands, but I just want to make sure.

The ability also says that it doesn't interact with other abilities that improve unarmed abilities, like Improved Unarmed Strike and presumably the special Vesk natural weapon/unarmed strikes, but I think that the RAI is that you can only use one type of damage calculation so you don't go stacking Improved Unarmed Strike AND Hammer Fist/battleglove dice AND the static damage bonus from Vesk claws.

Am I correct in this?

So, can you kick/headbutt/threaten squares with your Armor Storm kicks, or does it require you to have a free hand to use at all?

[Cathulhu]

free hand needed, unless you have improved unarmed strike, which specifically states you can use knees, headbutts, etc.

[Lizard Inquisitor]

Cathulhu wrote:

free hand needed, unless you have improved unarmed strike, which specifically states you can use knees, headbutts, etc.

That's my question: If you have Improved Unarmed Strike, can you deal hammer fist damage with kicks etc. ?

Logic would say yes, and it seems like the "rules as intended" for Hammer Fist means that you cannot combine damage dice from things like Unarmed Strike, Vesk natural weapons etc. with it.

It would make perfect sense if you could use the "Hammer Fist" damage calculation with kicks, headbutts etc. in heavy or powered armor, but the wording from the book doesn't specify.

It would make sense to me that if you have Armor Storm and Improved Unarmed Strike, that you threaten squares around you (per IUS) and can deal damage with kicks etc. as if you were using a Battle Glove of appropriate level (Armor Storm level 1 ability "Hammer Fist" damage calculation, not using IUS damage calc).

So, if you have Armor Storm/Hammer Fist and you are holding a rifle in both hands, you can kick and deal damage per the Hammer Fist ability.

Is this correct?

[Cathulhu]

If you have improved unarmed strike as well, then yes, I believe so

[Lizard Inquisitor]

Cathulhu wrote:

If you have improved unarmed strike as well, then yes, I believe so

Awesome. Can we get one of the devs to weigh in here? Any way to message them?

[Ravingdork]

Lizard Inquisitor wrote:

Can we get one of the devs to weigh in here? Any way to message them?

Sure can, but "enhanced incentives" takes time. Don't worry though. They'll get the message. >:D

[mike roper]

Going with no it does not theaten as your unarmed attack base does not. Well in heavy armor when you attack you damage gets a boost. And you can't use it with improved unarmed strike as the hammer fist power says you can't. Now you can still grab improved unarmed strike and than threaten but your doing improved unarmed strike damage