Monk's Belt + Superior Unarmed Strike.. but no Monk levels?

[LentilNinja]

Superior Unarmed Strike:

You deal more damage with your unarmed strikes, as shown on the table below.
Character Level // Unarmed Damage
3rd // 1d4
4th–7th // 1d6
8th–11th // 1d8
12th–15th // 1d10
16th–20th // 2d6

Monk's Belt:

This simple rope belt, when wrapped around a character’s waist, confers great ability in unarmed combat. The wearer’s AC and unarmed damage is treated as a monk of five levels higher. If donned by a character with the Stunning Fist feat, the belt lets her make one additional stunning attack per day. If the character is not a monk, she gains the AC and unarmed damage of a 5th-level monk. This AC bonus functions just like the monk’s AC bonus.

This is for a weird character but the question is: Do one of these overwrite the other, or would you just apply the highest?

[Squark]

I... think you would be treated as a 9th level monk for damage purposes while wearing the belt, since improved unarmed strike let's you treat your monk level as four higher for damage purposes. So, up until 12th level it would still be a step up, and it would only hurt you at 16th level.

[emeraldstreak]

between all stacking items and feats you need 4 lvls of unarmed strike to get to lvl 20 equivalent.

[Darrin]

I... think you would be treated as a 9th level monk for damage purposes while wearing the belt, since improved unarmed strike let's you treat your monk level as four higher for damage purposes.

Superior Unarmed Strike only improves your monk level if you have levels of monk. Otherwise it sets your unarmed strike damage according to a table. The question here is, does the Monk's Belt count as having levels of monk for the purposes of Superior Unarmed Strike?

The question of whether they stack when you *do* have monk levels has never really been settled. I've seen it argued both ways. It boils down to a DM's Call. Likewise, the question of whether they stack when you don't have monk levels... I don't see any indication here that this is any clearer, so again, it's a DM's Call.

[Crake]

There was an FAQ response that said that monk's belt and superior unarmed strike do not stack. That's FAQ though, so take it as you will.

[TheCrowing1432]

To add even more confusion, theres a monks tatto which adds more levels onto your unarmed strikes.

[emeraldstreak]

There are two items that stack, one can be the belt and the other (which is the exception to the general non-stacking) is in the MIC but I cant remember the name. Total 10 lvls. There are others that can supplant the belt.

There are two feats. I don't know about the FAQ but feats generally stack with themselves and items. They are Superior Unarmed Strike and Carmendine Monk. Total 6 lvls.