Buffing unarmed strikes

[HamsterKun]

I thought about how unarmed strikes normally only ever do 1 + STR Bludgeoning damage. Seems pretty weak; it in my opinion at the very least 1d4. Maybe have where unarmed strikes have the Light property, but you don’t add your Proficiency Bonus to the attack roll.

Of course, then there’s the Monk, where you can add your Dexterity modifier instead. I also thought about buffing the damage for unarmed strikes and monk weapons as such:

Lv1-4: 1d6
Lv5-8: 1d8
Lv9-13: 1d10
Lv14-18: 2d6
Lv19-20: 2d8

Maybe a bit too much, but the Monk deserves a bit more love IMO

[JackPhoenix]

That's the point. Unless you're specially trained for it (monk, Tavern Brawler), grabbing a weapon is always better than trying to punch things. Do you really think commoners should be able to kill each other with one punch 25+% of time? Club does 1d4 damage (as do dagger, but that's got other things going for it). Why would anyone ever used it if everyone could do the same with bare hands?

Monk is fine as it is, 4e issues notwithstanding.

[HamsterKun]

That's the point. Unless you're specially trained for it (monk, Tavern Brawler), grabbing a weapon is always better than trying to punch things. Do you really think commoners should be able to kill each other with one punch 25+% of time? Club does 1d4 damage (as do dagger, but that's got other things going for it). Why would anyone ever used it if everyone could do the same with bare hands?

Monk is fine as it is, 4e issues notwithstanding.

You can be proficient with a club, but only a Monk can be proficient with unarmed strikes. And unarmed strikes do nonlethal damage if you aren’t a Monk.

Maybe I’m just spoiled with 3.5e’s Monk XD

[JNAProductions]

You can be proficient with a club, but only a Monk can be proficient with unarmed strikes. And unarmed strikes do nonlethal damage if you aren’t a Monk.

Maybe I’m just spoiled with 3.5e’s Monk XD

Maybe you're confusing 3.5 for 5E, because there's no such thing as Nonlethal damage in 5E. And everyone is proficient in them-they just do chip damage unless they've got a rocking Strength score.

[Angelalex242]

In fairness, the 20 str fighter is still bitching in a bar brawl because 1+5 is still 6 points of damage per punch.

[CTurbo]

I wanted to play a brawler type Goliath Barbarian that did NOT do a ton of damage, but also didn't want to be really far behind the curve either so I begged the DM to adjust the Tavern Brawler feat to have scaling damage if I promised to never use a melee weapon. He obliged and allowed unarmed damage to be d6 at level 6 and then a d8 at level 12. This obviously didn't break anything and it's something I would allow anytime at my table. He even tossed in an extra damage die on a crit all on his own which I thought was unnecessary considering Barb's already brutal crits.

It did make for some really fun moments. I crit kicked a giant beetle(or similar) and it exploded and got guts all over everybody and I crit kicked a guy into a pit of acid. But I also killed a guard on accident when I tried to stomp his face/head to knock him out but I accidentally crit that lol. DM ruled that since I was raging, I was unable to "hold back" enough to deal non lethal damage.

Anyway, I would allow some scaling damage with some feat tax but certainly not to the degree that you're proposing.

[Mellack]

No way a punch should be as good as a club or dagger standard. There is a reason people prefer to use weapons and why they are not allowed around important people. How would that work where your nobles can be easily killed by by a commoner throwing a punch?

[Tanarii]

There is a reason people prefer to use weapons and why they are not allowed around important people.
Yes, and it's mostly because it's pretty freakin hard to parry a weapon when you're unarmed. Much harder than a punch or kick. Force of blows or stabbing power is an important consideration, but less so when compared to the advantage gained in the ability to cause a damaging strike on the first place.

Which 5e doesn't really model at all.

[CTurbo]

I agree for the most part that a punch should not be as strong as hitting something with a club, but Tavern Brawler and Monk makes it happen.

I also think that a 20 Strength Halfling should not be as strong as a 20 Strength Goliath, but they are.

Logic gets thrown out the window all the time in D&D. Honestly, I could see a punch from a 8ft tall, 330lb Goliath being more brutal that a 3ft tall, 40lb Halfling hitting you with a 2lb Warhammer(d8)

[Unoriginal]

You can be proficient with a club, but only a Monk can be proficient with unarmed strikes. And unarmed strikes do nonlethal damage if you aren’t a Monk.

Maybe I’m just spoiled with 3.5e’s Monk XD

As said before, everyone is proficient in unarmed strike, and in 5e you only do non lethal damage if you wish to.

[Kwinza]

Maybe I’m just spoiled with 3.5e’s Monk XD

How can you be spoiled with one of the worst classes in 3.5e when comparing it to one of the better ones in 5e.... 0.o

5e Monk >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3.5e Monk.

[Waazraath]

How can you be spoiled with one of the worst classes in 3.5e when comparing it to one of the better ones in 5e.... 0.o

5e Monk >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3.5e Monk.

Guess that was irony?

[Unoriginal]

Guess that was irony?

Which part are you saying is ironic?

[Waazraath]

Which part are you saying is ironic?

This part:




Maybe I’m just spoiled with 3.5e’s Monk XD

[Bubzors]

Yea, I really dont see where you are coming from on this. As others have stated, Monk is a great class and doesnt need a buff. Also 1+str is fine for unarmed unless you are trained, ala a feat or class ability

[MeeposFire]

The monk is actually rather awesome but there are some things I would consider changing but the base damage is not one of them. The things I would change are things like still mind and I have been working with giving martial arts bonus action attacks and flurry more attacks at the higher levels (11+)to bring its late damage up, or reducing ki costs or action costs at higher levels for certain low level abilities (step of the wind being kiless at very high levels).

[Laserlight]

"The First Rule of Unarmed Combat: Don't be unarmed."