Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If you aren’t wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8.
At the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.
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Anyone see anything here that keeps a monk from taking a single level of fighter and turning their d4 unarmed strikes into d8 unarmed strikes? Ya, you are stuck with STR instead of STR or DEX but this combo would seem to make STR monks an outstanding option.
There is no conflict with a monk taking a level of fighter, nor accessing this feature through a feat. Monks can use Dexterity for unarmed strikes, which this is.
The previously existing option was to choose a race that has natural weapons, such as the Minotaur, Simic Hybrid, or Lizardfolk.
Made it 1d4 plus strength for unarmed attack, and allow second attack for 1d4 damage as bonus action. Basically allow "club" fists to work as two weapons.
In all honesty, I would take Fighter and then 2 level dip into monk. That way, you get two Ki points for the monk bonus action abilities that you regain on a short rest. 3 level dip if you want the extra Ki point, Deflect Missiles, and maybe open hand subclass? Unarmed Fighter is pretty cool in my opinion, but ultimately pales in comparison to Dueling and Thrown Weapon Fighting which give you +2 auto damage to weapon attacks, and unarmed fighting uses fists and feet, which aren't considered weapons. You could maybe convince your DM to allow them to be considered otherwise, but RAW they aren't. Unfortunately, this build needs a lot of high stats to be viable: STR, DEX, CON, & WIS need to all be above 15 to make things good for you. STR for unarmed fighting, DEX & WIS just to multiclass into it, on top of your Unarmored Defense, and making your DC high for Open Palm ability. CON for saving throws and HP. Fighter Subclass, Rune Knight, Battle Master, or Champion are good. Or if you wanna be brave, Eldritch Knight could be fun. You would have to get a magic item to make your unarmed strikes magical to get past resistances and the like (Eldritch Claw tattoo, or some such thing), and if you chose Eldritch Knight subclass, that's INT to add to your priority list of stats. All in all, play what you want, I'm just breaking down builds in my opinion.
Unarmed Fighting
Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. If you aren’t wielding any weapons or a shield when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8.
At the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.
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Anyone see anything here that keeps a monk from taking a single level of fighter and turning their d4 unarmed strikes into d8 unarmed strikes? Ya, you are stuck with STR instead of STR or DEX but this combo would seem to make STR monks an outstanding option.
This was answered in another thread earlier.
There is no conflict with a monk taking a level of fighter, nor accessing this feature through a feat. Monks can use Dexterity for unarmed strikes, which this is.
The previously existing option was to choose a race that has natural weapons, such as the Minotaur, Simic Hybrid, or Lizardfolk.
Got link to the earlier thread? It isn't on the first three pages of this board so it must be somewhere else on the forum.
On my phone, so I can't make it pretty:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/dungeons-dragons-discussion/rules-game-mechanics/88271-martial-arts-unarmed-fighting-style#c8
Top of the 2nd page.
I'll take effective over pretty any day. Thanks!
I've already Homebrewed this fighting style.
Made it 1d4 plus strength for unarmed attack, and allow second attack for 1d4 damage as bonus action. Basically allow "club" fists to work as two weapons.
In all honesty, I would take Fighter and then 2 level dip into monk. That way, you get two Ki points for the monk bonus action abilities that you regain on a short rest. 3 level dip if you want the extra Ki point, Deflect Missiles, and maybe open hand subclass? Unarmed Fighter is pretty cool in my opinion, but ultimately pales in comparison to Dueling and Thrown Weapon Fighting which give you +2 auto damage to weapon attacks, and unarmed fighting uses fists and feet, which aren't considered weapons. You could maybe convince your DM to allow them to be considered otherwise, but RAW they aren't. Unfortunately, this build needs a lot of high stats to be viable: STR, DEX, CON, & WIS need to all be above 15 to make things good for you. STR for unarmed fighting, DEX & WIS just to multiclass into it, on top of your Unarmored Defense, and making your DC high for Open Palm ability. CON for saving throws and HP. Fighter Subclass, Rune Knight, Battle Master, or Champion are good. Or if you wanna be brave, Eldritch Knight could be fun. You would have to get a magic item to make your unarmed strikes magical to get past resistances and the like (Eldritch Claw tattoo, or some such thing), and if you chose Eldritch Knight subclass, that's INT to add to your priority list of stats. All in all, play what you want, I'm just breaking down builds in my opinion.