Will a menacing amulet of mighty fists work for a PC without Improved unarmed strike.

[Meager Rolmug]

See subject.

[Cavall]

This special ability can only be placed on melee weapons.

[Wonderstell]

Yeah, it would.
If you picked up a magic weapon you aren't proficient with, and it had the Menacing ability, you'd still benefit from it.

And you're still proficient with Unarmed Strikes, even if you don't have the IUS feat.

[willuwontu]

Cavall wrote:

This special ability can only be placed on melee weapons.

See this line.

AoMF wrote:

Alternatively, this amulet can grant melee weapon special abilities, so long as they can be applied to unarmed attacks.

As for the title at hand

menacing wrote:

When the wielder is adjacent to a creature that is being flanked by an ally, the flanking bonus on attack rolls for all flanking allies increases by +2. This ability works even if the wielder is not one of the characters flanking the creature.

Flanking wrote:

When making a melee attack, you get a +2 flanking bonus if your opponent is threatened by another enemy character or creature on its opposite border or opposite corner.

Combat->Threatened Squares wrote:

If you’re unarmed, you don’t normally threaten any squares and thus can’t make attacks of opportunity.

So if the bearer and one other ally are on opposite sides of an enemy, the bearer would receive a +4 (+2 flanking, +2 menacing), the ally would not receive anything as the bearer does not threaten (unless he's armed, in which case he would threaten and provide flanking with the additional +2 from menacing).

[LordKailas]

so.... Yes then?

Amulet of Mighty Fists wrote:

Alternatively, this amulet can grant melee weapon special abilities, so long as they can be applied to unarmed attacks.

and then

Unarmed Strike wrote:

An unarmed strike is always considered a light weapon. Therefore, you can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to attack rolls with an unarmed strike. Unarmed strikes do not count as natural weapons (see Combat). The damage from an unarmed strike is considered weapon damage for the purposes of effects that give you a bonus on weapon damage rolls.

also

Combat: Unarmed Attacks wrote:

Striking for damage with punches, kicks, and head butts is much like attacking with a melee weapon, except for the following:

Attacks of Opportunity: Attacking unarmed provokes an attack of opportunity from the character you attack, provided she is armed. The attack of opportunity comes before your attack. An unarmed attack does not provoke attacks of opportunity from other foes, nor does it provoke an attack of opportunity from an unarmed foe.

An unarmed character can’t take attacks of opportunity (but see “Armed” Unarmed Attacks, below).

“Armed” Unarmed Attacks: Sometimes a character’s or creature’s unarmed attack counts as an armed attack. A monk, a character with the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, a spellcaster delivering a touch attack spell, and a creature with natural physical weapons all count as being armed (see natural attacks).

Note that being armed counts for both offense and defense (the character can make attacks of opportunity).

Unarmed Strike Damage: An unarmed strike from a Medium character deals 1d3 points of bludgeoning damage (plus your Strength modifier, as normal). A Small character’s unarmed strike deals 1d2 points of bludgeoning damage, while a Large character’s unarmed strike deals 1d4 points of bludgeoning damage. All damage from unarmed strikes is nonlethal damage. Unarmed strikes count as light weapons (for purposes of two-weapon attack penalties and so on).

Dealing Lethal Damage: You can specify that your unarmed strike will deal lethal damage before you make your attack roll, but you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll. If you have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, you can deal lethal damage with an unarmed strike without taking a penalty on the attack roll.

edit: Ninja'd by two other posters, who basically said the same thing.

[Meager Rolmug]

If the answer is basically yes, then why doesn't every melee martial have a amulet of mighty fists(menacing)? It essentially would stack with another melee weapon or even a touch spell attack.

[Talonhawke]

1. Not everyone wants to spend money and use up there neck slot for just a +2 to hit. Especially if they aren't always getting the benefit. I mean that's one item slot and 4000gp.

2. Your assuming that it works by virtue of wearing it and not actually wielding the weapon. And it might but not every GM is going to agree that you can stand there with your sword and shield and grant bonuses to your friends from your foot being menacing.

[willuwontu]

Meager Rolmug wrote:

If the answer is basically yes, then why doesn't every melee martial have a amulet of mighty fists(menacing)? It essentially would stack with another melee weapon or even a touch spell attack.

Amulet of natural armor, necklace of adaptation, talismans, the fact that it's 4k for a minor situational bonus that in theory shouldn't be relevant in most combats as you should be offing the enemies rather quickly without it.

[Meager Rolmug]

willuwontu wrote:

Meager Rolmug wrote:

If the answer is basically yes, then why doesn't every melee martial have a amulet of mighty fists(menacing)? It essentially would stack with another melee weapon or even a touch spell attack.

Amulet of natural armor, necklace of adaptation, talismans, the fact that it's 4k for a minor situational bonus that in theory shouldn't be relevant in most combats as you should be offing the enemies rather quickly without it.

Hmmm.. seems the amulet is priced at 5000gp, but that is still less then 8000gp to put it on a spiked gauntlet. I am unimpressed with all but a few neck slot items. Amulet of natural armor being the best. Plenty of other ways for a PC to get a low natural armor bonus or a better one(barkskin). For those that can, a cheap +2 to hit that stacks with your +1 holy sword, even 20% of the time is worth it. For a bit of extra maneuvering your getting a +4 to hit and a +2 to at least one ally. If you don't have a great "to hit" this could double or more your chance to connect.

My PC casts barkskin, often uses touch attack spells, but needs something useful to do when his useful touch spells run out or when high resource output is not justified.

[Meager Rolmug]

Talonhawke wrote:

1. Not everyone wants to spend money and use up there neck slot for just a +2 to hit. Especially if they aren't always getting the benefit. I mean that's one item slot and 4000gp.

2. Your assuming that it works by virtue of wearing it and not actually wielding the weapon. And it might but not every GM is going to agree that you can stand there with your sword and shield and grant bonuses to your friends from your foot being menacing.

1. Agreed, not everyone.

2. This is a VERY good reason not to add menacing to any always threatening weapon(spiked gauntlet), not just amulet. But the spiked gauntlet is less likely to be cancelled by a GM in some situations.

[Wonderstell]

Meager Rolmug wrote:

Hmmm.. seems the amulet is priced at 5000gp, but that is still less then 8000gp to put it on a spiked gauntlet.

They changed that to 4,000 gp in 2013, so it's a bit cheaper.

Meager Rolmug wrote:

I am unimpressed with all but a few neck slot items. Amulet of natural armor being the best. Plenty of other ways for a PC to get a low natural armor bonus or a better one(barkskin).

Most of those 'other ways' to get an Enhancement bonus are unfortunately magic, which means martials are often stuck buying the amulet.

If I'm not forced into using an Amulet of Mighty Fists on my martials, I'm keeping an eye out for Amulet of the Blooded (Fey). Greater Invisibility and Laughing Touch can get you in and out of many tough spots.