Improved Unarmed Strike + Grappling

[Taloras]

Damage Your Opponent: While grappling, you can deal damage
to your opponent equivalent to an unarmed strike. Make an opposed
grapple check in place of an attack. If you win, you deal nonlethal
damage as normal for your unarmed strike (1d3 points for Medium
attackers or 1d2 points for Small attackers, plus Strength modifiers).
If you want to deal lethal damage, you take a –4 penalty on your
grapple check.
Exception: Monks deal more damage on an unarmed strike than
other characters, and the damage is lethal. However, they can
choose to deal their damage as nonlethal damage when grappling
without taking the usual –4 penalty for changing lethal damage to
nonlethal damage (see Dealing Nonlethal Damage, page 146)

While grappling, does a character with Improved Unarmed Strike still have the -4 penalty to deal lethal damage? I would assume they dont(as their unarmed strikes already do lethal), but its not clear.

Im wondering because im working on a backup character(last 2 games, my warlock got to the negatives quite easily). Im wanting to do a Fighter that specializes in grappling....no monk levels(its an all good party, required, and I hate Lawful Good)

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

While grappling, does a character with Improved Unarmed Strike still have the -4 penalty to deal lethal damage? I would assume they dont(as their unarmed strikes already do lethal), but its not clear.

No, they do not. The unarmed strike of a character with IUS already does lethal damage.

Im wanting to do a Fighter that specializes in grappling....no monk levels(its an all good party, required, and I hate Lawful Good)

As a word of warning, you're not going to be terribly effective at it.

Well, OK, you'll probably have a good chance of immobilizing enemies, but it'll take you a long, long time to do any significant damage to them.

 

[Thanee]

Yep, that should work the same as a monk's unarmed strike here.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Taloras]

Its mainly an anti-spellcaster tactic. Working towards Reaping Mauler. Also taking Improved Grapple and Earth's Embrace. Once I pin them, Earth's Embrace gives me an extra 1d12 damage per round they are pinned. Most spellcasters arent that great on grapple checks.

Depending on how well it works, i may have armor spikes as well.

 

[Hypersmurf]

As a word of warning, you're not going to be terribly effective at it.

Well, OK, you'll probably have a good chance of immobilizing enemies, but it'll take you a long, long time to do any significant damage to them.

Spiked Armor with energy enhancements, Earth's Embrace, and Reaping Mauler levels will hel...

... oh. I see you've got that figured out already

Make them Magebane Spikes on your armor, if you're going the anti-spellcaster route. And talk to your DM to see if you can commission some sort of alchemical preparation that imposes a penalty to Concentration checks - like an anti-mage smoke bomb.

-Hyp.

 

[Taloras]

At this point, the game is only at level 3, but im definitely working towards reaping mauler. This kind of limits magic stuff I can get at this point...but when my warlock dies(I fully expect him to do so, considering how things have gone so far), ill bring this guy in.

 

[Pinotage]

Well, OK, you'll probably have a good chance of immobilizing enemies, but it'll take you a long, long time to do any significant damage to them.

That's normally enough, isn't it? Helpless while pinned and the Coup de Grace from your buddy rogue? Heck, even grappling enemies can be sneak attacked, so team up with your party rogue. It can be very effective.

Pinotage

 

[Oberyn]

It states in the errata that a pinned a apponent cannot be coup de graced. they are immobile not helpless much like the monks stunning fist... however the rogue buddy thing is still quite usefull... just watch out for rogues at your back too.

 

[darthkilmor]

Im wondering because im working on a backup character(last 2 games, my warlock got to the negatives quite easily). Im wanting to do a Fighter that specializes in grappling....no monk levels(its an all good party, required, and I hate Lawful Good)

consider picking up a lvl of sorc for enlarge person. +5 to grapple check .

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Helpless while pinned

People who are pinned are not helpless. They are denied their Dex to AC against any and all attacks, however (except those of other grapplers).