Unarmed Fighter

[gothtaku]

Ok, so my roomate is running a game this summer and I'm already planning my character. I've batted around with the different core stuff over the years and I always come back to melee oriented types. I enjoy being in the thick of things, but I like to try and come up with more interesting characters then "Big Guy with Greatsword #7"

To that end, I've been playing around with the idea of a hand-to-hand Fighter, eventually going reaping mauler. My question is, would it work better to do standard gauntlets or spiked? The spikes give me a D6 damage, but the standard allow to get a few unarmed-requiring feats.

Also, would the TWF tree be worthwhile for an unarmed fighter?

 

[szilard]

I'd be hard-pressed to make this sort of a character without dipping into Monk for two levels - it would give you Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Combat Reflexes, Flurry, Evasion, Wis to unarmored AC, d6 unarmed damage, and superior saves and skills at very little cost (one point of BAB and maybe a couple of hit points).

That said, a Monk 2/Fighter X would be a formidable hand to hand combatant.

You could do it with just a fighter, but it seems much more difficult.

-Stuart

 

[Moon-Lancer]

hay, you cant go wrong with monk2 fighter2 barbarian2. you get alot for very little. you only give up 2 feats and 1 bab for awsome saves, evasion, rage ect...

edit*
doh!

 

[IcyCool]

The spikes give me a D6 damage, but the standard allow to get a few unarmed-requiring feats.

Actually, Spiked Gauntlets do 1d4 damage, not 1d6.

If you have access to the Tome of Battle, I understand that there is a feat in there that grants you limited "monk-like" unarmed damage.

 

[SlagMortar]

I'd recommend looking at psychic warrior with powers like expansion, grip of iron and claws of the beast. Flavor it to taste. I might play it like a the Incredible Hulk where you get angry and transform into a fighting machine rather than a mind warrior. You get the bonus feats to get improved grapple and anything else you need.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Definately check out Tome of Battle, Superior Unarmed Strike and extra-especially Snap Kick are very useful! Try and get Flying Kick if you can-requires IUS, Power Attack, and Str 15, and gives +1d12 extra damage on an unarmed charge. And it stacks with Powerful Charge! And if you have Snap Kick, you can use it twice on a charge! It's awesome.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

Hong's website has a martial artist class, a fighter specializing in unarmed combat w/out being a monk. One of the guys in my campaign plays one, and now that he's 10th level, he dishes out the pain to the bad guys in extra large portions.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Actually, Spiked Gauntlets do 1d4 damage, not 1d6.

If you have access to the Tome of Battle, I understand that there is a feat in there that grants you limited "monk-like" unarmed damage.

Spiked gauntlets can be enchanted for less gold though.

 

[BlackSeed_Vash]

If you can grab the "Superior Unarmed Strike" from the Tomb of Battle. You might politely ask the DM if he would allow you to take the "Improve Natural Attack" from MM1.
Now before anyone goes into the argument about whether this is allowable by RAW, this is a decission best left to the DM.

Assuming you are allowed to take both, you will have an unarmed stike progression similar to that of the monk. And if you picked up a level or two of monk you will be treated as 4 levels higher for unarmed stike.

 

[BASHMAN]

You might politely ask the DM if he would allow you to take the "Improve Natural Attack" from MM1.
Now before anyone goes into the argument about whether this is allowable by RAW, this is a decission best left to the DM.

Actually now there is indisputable proof that Improved Natural Attack IS allowed, by RAW for monk's unarmed strikes. The Player's Handbook 2 has several starting packages for monks (and all other classes).

One of the starting monks is the Half-Orc Monk (called the destroyer I think) and his selected feat is Improved Natural Attack. Ergo, proof in the RAW that a monk character can have Improved Natural Attack as a feat. This comes from the Player's Handbook 2-- considered part of the core, and a better authority than the FAQ (MY DM won't even bother to look at the FAQ, but if something is in the PH2 or DMG2, he immediately accepts it as canon).