AoO questions...

[Thanee]

Therefore I must conclude that an unarmed attack does not (normally) count as a melee (armed) attack and so you cannot threaten the 5 ft around you when unarmed.

But I acknowledge that the rules are not unambiguous in this case.

Look up "melee attack" in the glossary (orange pages in the back of the PHB), please!

And yes, the rules are definitely not unambiguous in this case.

The part where it says, that a character attacking unarmed provokes an AoO from a character with Improved Unarmed Strike, only underlines that a character with Improved Unarmed Strike counts as armed. It does not make an unarmed attack with Improved Unarmed Strike a melee attack, unless an unarmed attack already is a melee attack, which it is by the glossary.

Bye
Thanee

 

[javapadawan]

Thanks to all who responded. For my campaign I'm going to go with the general consensus and against Sage Advice and house rule that unarmed PCs still threaten. I also like Thanee's clarification of only allowing the PC to use the attack form with which he threatens the space.

However, that brings to mind another question: What if the unarmed PC in question has the Quick Draw feat? When he takes the AoO, can he draw his weapon as a free action and attack with it?

Also, if our bard, who was playing his flute, gets to take an AoO, and he also has the Quick Draw feat, can he drop his flute (free action) and draw his weapon (free action) and attack with it?

What do you think?

 

[DMFTodd]

Also, if our bard, who was playing his flute, gets to take an AoO

I think you have to ignore the instrument of choice if you are going to be fair to the bard players.

Consider: My bard sings. He can walk around with a sword in hand. He can make AoOs.
Your bard plays the flute. He cannot have sword in hand. He cannot make AoO with his sword since he doesn't have it ready.

Net result? Anyone playing a bard under those rules is going to have a singing bard, not a musical instrument playing one because the guy with the instrument gets penalized.

So my house rule, based on fairness and having nothing to do with any realism, is that we ignore the instrument. You can play the accordian, hold a shield, and hold a sword.

 

[pontus]

Net result? Anyone playing a bard under those rules is going to have a singing bard, not a musical instrument playing one because the guy with the instrument gets penalized.

Consider just how many perform skills a normal bard is going to have. At one skill per rank, a bard can easily afford to get both singing and several instruments. Also, an instrument is often better than just singing for perform checks, since you as far as I know can't get a "masterwork" voice.

 

[pontus]

However, that brings to mind another question: What if the unarmed PC in question has the Quick Draw feat? When he takes the AoO, can he draw his weapon as a free action and attack with it?

No. I wouldn't allow a PC to take any free action, not even quickdraw, when it's not really his turn. Otherwise, we get back into the whole "Why can't you cast a quickened spell as an AOO" argument.

 

[Caliber]

While off topic I believe there is a feat (possibly in Song and Silence) that makes a character's voice a masterwork "instrument".

Dunno if it is too useful but hey...