About Unarmed Striking

[Oversquid]

I'm curious if any of you know off-hand whether or not it is written in the rules of D&D 3.5 that you can use 1-1/2 Strength Modifier for Unarmed Strike damage rather than just your Strength Modifier, and if so, at what points can one use 1-1/2 their Strength Modifier?

Thanks guys!

 

[Nezkrul]

the only time the rules ever say anything about using 1.5 str mod for any type of attack is in the description for swinging one-handed weapons with both hands and in the description of two-handed weapons. 1.5 str modifier is a specific rule overriding the general rule that you add your normal strength modifier; and only for the above two situations (unless another specific ability/feat/feature/etc. changes the rule again in regards to itself)

 

[Jackinthegreen]

So far there seems to be only one ability (a feat named Hammer Fist) that allows doing 1 1/2 times your strength as damage on unarmed strikes. The fact that it exists implicitly means that normally no one can do 1 1/2 STR for damage via unarmed strikes.

 

[delericho]

I'm curious if any of you know off-hand whether or not it is written in the rules of D&D 3.5 that you can use 1-1/2 Strength Modifier for Unarmed Strike damage rather than just your Strength Modifier, and if so, at what points can one use 1-1/2 their Strength Modifier?

Unarmed strikes are considered Light weapons. Thus, a character with Weapon Finesse can apply his Dex modifier rather than Str to attack rolls. Of course, the downside of this is that he gains no benefit from using Power Attack with an unarmed strike.

(Incidentally, it would be no bad thing to introduce feats, or Monk fighting styles, that allowed them to consider their unarmed strikes to be one-handed or even two-handed weapons. I can readily see a flying kick, for example, benefitting handsomely from Power Attack.)

 

[nijineko]

I'm curious if any of you know off-hand whether or not it is written in the rules of D&D 3.5 that you can use 1-1/2 Strength Modifier for Unarmed Strike damage rather than just your Strength Modifier, and if so, at what points can one use 1-1/2 their Strength Modifier?

(Incidentally, it would be no bad thing to introduce feats, or Monk fighting styles, that allowed them to consider their unarmed strikes to be one-handed or even two-handed weapons. I can readily see a flying kick, for example, benefitting handsomely from Power Attack.)

note the monk fighting style Overwhelming Attack in the Unearthed Arcana grants power attack as a 1st level alternate bonus feat.

it is noted in the flurry of blows ability that monks do full strength damage with a flurry, not 1/2 or 1 1/2. which means they cannot power attack even when using monk weapons in a flurry.

it is also noted in the unarmed strike ability the same, so that they do not get the normal 1/2 str damage for offhand attacks, but rather do full str damage.

however, should a monk decide to not flurry, and to simply use the basic attack routine, and be wielding a two-handed weapon (such as a quarterstaff, and of course, only attack with one end for the entire routine) then a monk could apply power attack as normal to the weapon.

 

[Oversquid]

Thanks for answering my question guys!