Yeah, it's definitely RAW. If your DM says no to it, they're backed by the rules. That said, some DMs house rule allow it, having no problem with the unarmed "sneak" attack being skinned as a Vulcan neck pinch or Kirk's double fisted hammer blow to the solar plexus. Ahem, I mean for a hypothetical example.
Strangely though, those DMs don't often allow unarmed smites... Guess we all thought Netflix's Iron Fist was trash.
So my DM just informed me that a sneak attack must use a light or finesse weapon and can't be done with an unarmed strike. Is this true?
"The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon."
So your DM isn't quite correct, but unarmed strikes still don't count.
Yeah, it's definitely RAW. If your DM says no to it, they're backed by the rules. That said, some DMs house rule allow it, having no problem with the unarmed "sneak" attack being skinned as a Vulcan neck pinch or Kirk's double fisted hammer blow to the solar plexus. Ahem, I mean for a hypothetical example.
Strangely though, those DMs don't often allow unarmed smites... Guess we all thought Netflix's Iron Fist was trash.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
RAW unarmed strike can't benefit from Sneak Attack since it's not a weapon (ranged or finesse).