Questions of Duelling (UE) weapon property - unarmed strikes and not using the weapon

[Lanathar]

So I have some questions on the Duelling property from UE

I think it could well be a RAW vs RAI discussion for these

1 - Can Duelling he used with unarmed strikes (via either handwraps or amulet of mighty fists).

Now both items treat the strikes as weapons and Duelling can be applied to martial weapons. So there doesn’t seem to be an issue there

However per the description:

“This special ability can only be placed on melee weapons. A dueling weapon (which must be a weapon that can be used with the Weapon Finesse feat) gives the wielder a +4 enhancement bonus on initiative checks, provided the weapon is drawn and in hand when the Initiative check is made. It provides a +2 bonus on disarm checks and feint checks, a +2 bonus to CMD to resist disarm attempts, and a +2 to the DC to perform a feint against the wielder.”

RAW the problem I can see is that an unarmed strike cannot be “drawn” nor is it really “in hand”. RAI could point towards it working but strict RAW seems to point to “No” ? Or have I misinterpreted something?

2 - Can a character who has no intention of using the weapon in combat start combat with a Duelling weapon in hand (say a sorcerer with a Duelling light mace) and then put it away immediately after combat benefiting from the +4

This one to me seems like RAW would be Yes but I would suggest is not necessarily what the intent of the ability is

Or is it effectively a 14,000 gp Feat that stacks with Improved Initiative?

[RAWmonger]

Your RAW interpretations are mostly correct, AoMF wouldn’t work for it, but handwraps would (so would a cestus). Just because something is wrapped around your hand, that doesn’t mean it can’t also be “in hand”, and per the handwraps entry they “can be enchanted as weapons.” *However* you cannot do handwraps and AoMF, per “a character can not benefit from both... on the same attack,” (see handwraps entry) *and* handwraps only modify your unarmed attacks made with hands. So if you’re a monk with style strikes that don’t use your hands... you’re out of luck.

And you can certainly “draw” your unarmed strike. Drawing a thing in this context is simply pulling or moving in a desired direction (per the standard English definition in this context). It never specifies drawing out of a sheath, or a loop, or your boot knife. The catch to this is that your character *must have his hands “drawn”*... meaning sitting at your side not at the ready? Not drawn. Free action to lift your hands up in a “ready” stance? Drawn. It’s essentially “were you Flat-Footed for the initiative check?” If you were, you don’t get the +4, because you haven’t “drawn up” your hands yet.

To answer your 2nd question... Yes, , so long as you start combat with the weapon drawn and in hand, it doesn’t matter what happens to it after (you could throw it, be disarmed, have the weapon be disintegrated, your initiative order stays the same).

Edit: the spirit of “drawn and in hand” is essentially “are you ready to make an attack with it”