Some of the monk stances make reasonably clear that you need to be using your arms (crane) or legs (dragon). Others don't. Is there a default? Should you pick either "hands" or "feet" when you take the feat and stick to that thereafter?
Particular case: say I'm in Mountain Stance and my hands are both occupied, one with a shield, one with a grabbed opponent whom I wish to Strike. Since I'm in Mountain Stance I can only Strike with "falling stone" attacks. Can I make those with my feet/knees?
I'm pretty sure the answer is undefined and the question should go in the errata thread, but I thought I'd solicit others' thoughts first.
Some of the monk stances make reasonably clear that you need to be using your arms (crane) or legs (dragon). Others don't. Is there a default? Should you pick either "hands" or "feet" when you take the feat and stick to that thereafter?
Particular case: say I'm in Mountain Stance and my hands are both occupied, one with a shield, one with a grabbed opponent whom I wish to Strike. Since I'm in Mountain Stance I can only Strike with "falling stone" attacks. Can I make those with my feet/knees?
I'm pretty sure the answer is undefined and the question should go in the errata thread, but I thought I'd solicit others' thoughts first.
Doesn't feel like errata and I'd bet the FAQ answer would be something along the lines of: "where direction isn't explicit, do what feels right."
Table 6–6: Unarmed Attacks lists the statistics for an unarmed attack with a fist, though you’ll usually use the same statistics for attacks made with any other parts of your body. Certain ancestry feats, class features, and spells give access to special, more powerful unarmed attacks. Details for those unarmed attacks are provided in the abilities that grant them.
So it really seems undefined. It says the statistics for Fist can be used for attacks with other body parts so those are possible per default even for non-monks.
My best guess is that you can make Falling Stone strikes with any body part but they all use the given statistics.
Falling stones are clearly headbutts :D
A serious thing though... the fact that it's undefined could mean that, say, a cleric who finished their turn wielding their holy symbol and a shield can still give flanking to their allies because nothing stops them from attacking with a kick.
Saying that you can make an unarmed strike with any part of your body, but you require a free hand for that, would be more consistent but it would also make less sense, probably.
Falling stones are clearly headbutts :D
A serious thing though... the fact that it's undefined could mean that, say, a cleric who finished their turn wielding their holy symbol and a shield can still give flanking to their allies because nothing stops them from attacking with a kick.
Saying that you can make an unarmed strike with any part of your body, but you require a free hand for that, would be more consistent but it would also make less sense, probably.
Of course they would provide flanking. Even if you require a free hand for an unarmed strike, they could attack with the shield.
Of course they would provide flanking. Even if you require a free hand for an unarmed strike, they could attack with the shield.Falling stones are clearly headbutts :D
A serious thing though... the fact that it's undefined could mean that, say, a cleric who finished their turn wielding their holy symbol and a shield can still give flanking to their allies because nothing stops them from attacking with a kick.
Saying that you can make an unarmed strike with any part of your body, but you require a free hand for that, would be more consistent but it would also make less sense, probably.
Ok then, the shield is broken and can't be used. Or imagine another situation where the character has both hands occupied and can't attack with the things they are holding.
I would say that if it doesn't specify that you have to use a specific body part then follow the raw so you can use any body part that seems plausible. Monks in particular are expert martial artists who probably use many different body parts to make strikes (I have seen fists, elbows, knees, feet, foreheads, legs, palms, hands closed around objects such as weapons, forearms and shoulders all be used offensively to make strikes in martial arts, so almost anything goes really).
Keep in mind, holding an object like a weapon or torch doesn't necessarily prevent you from punching with that fist.
Jackie Chan is a good example to look at for examples of someone dishing out pain while in restricted or compromised situations.
I recall you couldn't use a Shield and Tiger Slash as it specifically requires "both hands" and Dragon specifically says "kicks" but other than that I don't think there were any other strict requirements for any of the other forms.
Okay, that's a clear consensus. Thanks all!