Where are the Unarmed Combat rules?

[SDOgre]

I'm setting up a classic brawl in Wrafton's Inn in Winterhaven between a meaty drunk bully farmer and one of the characters and...

Where the heck are the rules on unarmed combat?

The classic barroom brawl?

It's as iconic as magic missile. The 1st level brawl in the inn common room...

What the heck???? Help....

 

[generalhenry]

Phb 219

 

[SDOgre]

No wonder I missed it. It's not a rule, just a weapon...

Thanks.

Hmmm, just deals normal damage. No special rules. I guess I like it.... We'll see.

Thanks again.

 

[Kraydak]

Is it made clear anywhere how "Unarmed" interacts with "wielding a weapon"? I ask this because "unarmed" seems to be treated exactly like a weapon, and so I would expect any character with an empty hand to be, effectively, wielding an "unarmed" in that hand.

 

[SDOgre]

Is it made clear anywhere how "Unarmed" interacts with "wielding a weapon"? I ask this because "unarmed" seems to be treated exactly like a weapon, and so I would expect any character with an empty hand to be, effectively, wielding an "unarmed" in that hand.

It's interesting because there's no problem with an unarmed farmer taking on a sword weilding guard. I guess that's okay, it simplifies it.

But in essence the only difference between a fist and a dagger is the dagger gives you +3 to hit and you can throw it. They do the same damage.

I guess I'm okay with that. It makes unarmed combat quick and dirty.

Now that I think about it, doesn't that mean you can use any of the weapon exploits with your fist as the weapon? Exploits like Spinning Sweep or Reaping Strike...

Oh wow, that actually could make unarmed combat super cool...

Ooh, this just opened up a whole new door of ideas...

 

[generalhenry]

Now that I think about it, doesn't that mean you can use any of the weapon exploits with your fist as the weapon? Exploits like Spinning Sweep or Reaping Strike...

Punches, Kicks, headbutts, Shield slams, Large trout

All the same, well unless you're talking a really large trout big enough to be a two hander

 

[Doc Eldritch]

It has come up before in other threads, and one of these days I will have to look it up and check, but it seems that unarmed DOES count as a weapon, so yes, you can use Exploits that require a melee weapon with your fists and feet.

Come to think of it, the "conversion" notes for a Monk on WotC's site suggest doing that, just renaming the Ranger dual wield stuff and the fluff is using your fists and feet instead of weapons.

 

[SDOgre]

i just designed a fight in the inn between the characters and Bulgar the Drunk Farmer Bully (Human guard) his five sons (Human Rabble) and his Cousin Jed (Human bandit) 425xp. It'll be a head butt, fist smashing, dazing, prone knocking time.

Woo hoo.

Okay, 4E has just impressed me without trying for the first time.

 

[Victoly]

It's also worth noting that you're allowed to "pull your punches" with any attack and have your foes knocked unconscious rather than killed. There's no distinction between "lethal" and "nonlethal" damage anymore.

I'm not sure if being "unarmed" is supposed to work with weapon-keyword exploits, but I don't see any huge reason not to allow it. I'm sure it would be pretty easy to houserule a feat that gave you a proficiency bonus to unarmed attacks, and possibly paragon-level feats to improve the damage of unarmed attacks, too.

 

[dragon_eater]

Is it made clear anywhere how "Unarmed" interacts with "wielding a weapon"? I ask this because "unarmed" seems to be treated exactly like a weapon, and so I would expect any character with an empty hand to be, effectively, wielding an "unarmed" in that hand.

That gave me a cool idea about creating a rogue that just wields a single weapon but picks up Two-Weapon Fighting and Two-Weapon Defense. He calls it dirty fighting and the fluff is things like throwing dust in the enemies eyes and generally using his free hand to to mean things.