D&D 5E What constitutes an "unarmed" strike?

[Li Shenron]

Yeah, the Monk's martial arts is clearly the trickiest issue and possibly even the reason why unarmed attacks have to be defined differently from weapon attacks.

But I am sure there would be a solution where you don't define "unarmed attacks" at all, and then rewrite the Monk's own rules, and just apply the "specific trumps general" principle. In brief, simplify the general rule at the expense (if necessary) of complicating the Monk's own rules.

By the way, perhaps the main reason why I never liked Monks in classic fantasy settings is precisely because they fight unarmed... I am not convinced by the idea that someone would want to touch monsters, living dead, oozes, demons and other filthy or unholy creatures with bare hands, or even with gloves and shoes (even more so in oriental settings like Rokugan, where humans don't even like touching each other!). So I would totally encourage a Monk's player to use weapons (narratively) even when using the normal rules for Flurry of Blows et al (mechanically). The distinction armed/unarmed only gets in the way.

 

[steeldragons]

For my purposes, though I do not use/allow tieflings, I do permit satyrs, centaurs, and lizardmen as PC races in my homebrew game.

Satyrs get a headbutt, centaurs can rear/trample, and the lizardman can do a tail whip/lash/attempt to knock prone.

These abilities, however, are listed as "racial features" due to their specific anatomy. These attacks, literally, are "unarmed strikes" but would not be considered such, I suppose. More "natural weaponry/attacks."

A satyr, centaur or lizardman can still make a normal punch, kick, throw an elbow, or knee/shoulder/hipcheck someone (or headbutt for that matter, satyrs just do more damage and have a chance of knocking back or unconscious, from the horns n' thick skulls) as any other race of any class.

So, for me/my game/perspective, "unarmed strikes" are just hitting someone in a way that would be normal for a human[oid]. Fantasy anatomy features (like horns and tails) are more "special attacks" defined as/through a racial feature.

 

[miniaturehoarder]

It's up to your DM. Full stop. Some will let you kick, elbow, headbutt, etc, while others will demand you have an empty hand.

 

[Jester David]

Arm, head, elbow, knee, foot, Jayne's "swinging cod". All unarmed strikes.

 

[jadrax]

An Unarmed Strike is any attack that uses the Unarmed Strike weapon from the PHB. Any attack that uses a different weapon (such as a Minotaur's Horns) is not an Unarmed Strike.