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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Other Reworking Unarmed Strikes as Natural Weapons



Durzan
2019-01-14, 05:39 PM
So, one thing I learned about recently is that some scientists have suggested that the reason a human's fist is built the way it is, is because it is meant to be used as a weapon. When compared to other primates hands, this observation is rather interesting. Of course, this means that in D&D 3.5e, humanoids should have natural weapons. It was thinking about this that I realized that Unarmed Strikes function differently than Natural Weapons, when logically, that shouldn't be the case at all... because hitting something with your fist or kicking it with your foot sure seems like you are using a natural weapon.

This would help streamline and simplify the rules, so I came up with some quick and dirty homebrew rules:


Creatures without Natural Weapons: Creatures who would otherwise have no natural weapons (according to the rules outlined in the 3.5e Player’s Handbook), gain at least one natural attack of the type most appropriate to their species. Additional natural attacks may be added if appropriate. Those who received at least one natural attack in this manner are considered to not be naturally proficient in using them. Otherwise, creatures are assumed to be proficient with all their natural attacks.

Natural Weapon Proficiencies: Natural attacks that a creature don’t have profeciency in deal non-lethal damage normally and apply the usual -4 non-profeciency penalty whenever the creature attempts to deal lethal damage with them. This effectively just redefines the lethal damage penalty as a non-profeciency penalty. In addition, creatures with no profeciency in their natural weapons are not considered armed, and provoke AoOs against armed opponents when attacking while unarmed (as usual). Creatures who are proficient with their natural weapons are treated as though they were armed.
Unarmed Strikes: Unarmed Strikes and similar attacks are considered to be natural attacks, and are treated completely as such.
Humanoid Creatures: For humanoid creatures such as the core races, their unarmed strikes are treated as slam attacks which they are normally not proficient in (without spending a feat on Improved Unarmed Strike or its homebrew equivalent, that is). A humanoid creature receives 2 slam attacks (one for each free arm), but may kick instead of punching for one or both of those slam attacks. Each slam attack deals normal damage according to the rules in the PHB.
Modify feats and class abilities to be consistent with the rules listed above.


Thoughts? Can you guys think of a better way to implement the initial observation? Any suggestions for refining the rules listed above?

Edit: This is meant to just spark a general discussion on the matter of Natural Attacks and Unarmed Strikes, so if you feel like the Natural Weapons rules need to be tweaked as well, feel free to bring it up.

rferries
2019-01-14, 10:29 PM
I like it. To streamline things with monster rules:

1) all creatures have at least 1 natural weapon (defaulting to a slam if no other attack makes sense); this weapon is always a primary natural weapon (none of that nonsense where horses aren't proficient with their own attacks)

2) if a monster has only 1 natural weapon, they may make iterative attacks with it (so a human may make iterative attacks with a slam); a creature with multiple natural weapons may make iterative attacks with one of them (forfeiting its other attacks)

3) for humanoids, this slam represents kicks, punches, headbutts etc all in one (to maintain a monk's ability to use various martial arts moves)

Durzan
2019-01-15, 08:43 PM
I like it. To streamline things with monster rules:

1) all creatures have at least 1 natural weapon (defaulting to a slam if no other attack makes sense); this weapon is always a primary natural weapon (none of that nonsense where horses aren't proficient with their own attacks)

2) if a monster has only 1 natural weapon, they may make iterative attacks with it (so a human may make iterative attacks with a slam); a creature with multiple natural weapons may make iterative attacks with one of them (forfeiting its other attacks)

3) for humanoids, this slam represents kicks, punches, headbutts etc all in one (to maintain a monk's ability to use various martial arts moves)

Haha thanks! Your rules aint too bad themselves. They basically seem to be saying the same thing as what I was saying with my rules. I like how you are a bit more straight forward with what it means.

King of Nowhere
2019-01-18, 11:48 PM
I realize that I'm already basically using those rules.
However, unarmed strikes are used way too rarely to be worth much thought.