Deliquescent Gloves and Kinetic Blast


Rules Questions


Do Deliquescent Gloves add 1d6 acid damage to a kineticist's blast?


No. Deliquescent Gloves add 1d6 acid damage only to an unarmed strike or natural attack, not under any other circumstances. Both "unarmed strike" and "natural attack" are well-defined terms.

A natural attack is an attack with a natural weapon. The natural weapon would be explicitly listed in a creature's stat blocks. A creature with a natural weapon can make other attacks, not using the natural weapon, but such other attacks are not "natural attacks".

Unarmed strikes are melee attacks made with no weapon at all, for the purpose of dealing damage, and not falling in the list of exceptions (such as a monk's Improved Unarmed Strike, which counts as armed).

A kinetic blast does not use a natural weapon, so it is not a natural attack. A kinetic blast is ranged, so it is not an unarmed strike. Additionally, it is well-understood that spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural effects that are aimed and deal damage are not unarmed attacks. The magic is itself the weapon.


HappyGoblin wrote:

No. Deliquescent Gloves add 1d6 acid damage only to an unarmed strike or natural attack, not under any other circumstances. Both "unarmed strike" and "natural attack" are well-defined terms.

A natural attack is an attack with a natural weapon. The natural weapon would be explicitly listed in a creature's stat blocks. A creature with a natural weapon can make other attacks, not using the natural weapon, but such other attacks are not "natural attacks".

Unarmed strikes are melee attacks made with no weapon at all, for the purpose of dealing damage, and not falling in the list of exceptions (such as a monk's Improved Unarmed Strike, which counts as armed).

A kinetic blast does not use a natural weapon, so it is not a natural attack. A kinetic blast is ranged, so it is not an unarmed strike. Additionally, it is well-understood that spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural effects that are aimed and deal damage are not unarmed attacks. The magic is itself the weapon.

The final conclusion is correct, but not the path.

The operative quote from deliquescent gloves:
If the wearer uses that hand to wield a weapon or make an attack with an unarmed strike or natural weapon, that attack gains the corrosive weapon special ability.

So unarmed strike, natural attack or wielded weapon benefits.
From kinetic blast:
The kineticist is never considered to be wielding or gripping the kinetic blast

So no acid damage added to a kinetic blast.


Oh huh. Somehow I never noticed that Deliquescent Gloves applied to held weapons! I stand corrected on that point!

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