Opinions on fighters with Unarmed Fighting style?

[Citadel97501]

Hello all, I was wondering how everyone feels about the Unarmed Fighting Style from the Class Feature Variant Unearthed Arcana? It seems like an interesting style to use with a character who keeps one hand open? This is just a thought experiment but I was thinking it could be a lot of fun although I am quite sure there is some further optimization available.

Basic Idea
Basically the idea is to take Unarmed Fighting and Dueling then you sacrifice one of your melee attacks to begin a grapple, unlike normal this still gives you a tiny bit of damage due to the Unarmed Fighting Style, you also guarantee advantage whenever your grapple works.

Fighter - Any: 5
Rogue - Swashbuckler: 1
Options: Technically fighter isn't required as all 3 classes got this benefit?

Fighting Style: Unarmed Fighting
Expertise: Athletics
Feat: Grappler

Attacks:
Grapple: Opposed with a +10 to your skill roll, Damage: 1d4 Bludgeoning...
Rapier: Advantage: +7 to hit, Damage: 1d8 piercing + attribute + 1d4 bludgeoning + 1d6 Sneak Attack
Total Damage: 16 damage isn't fantastic but its still very reasonable, although the loss of 2 AC hurts a great deal.

[Amechra]

I would go Fighter 1/Monk 19, honestly. It's a massive damage bonus for the Monk. Go Loxodon or Simic Hybrid for hands-free grappling, and go to town.

[Misterwhisper]

I would go Fighter 1/Monk 19, honestly. It's a massive damage bonus for the Monk. Go Loxodon or Simic Hybrid for hands-free grappling, and go to town.

The same issue as most monks, you are not going to find magic unarmed modified weapons laying around.

There is one item, in one campaign book for it.

If I was going to go fighter 1 monk x, I would just take Mariner Style, or if your dm is lenient Dueling.

[Citadel97501]

The same issue as most monks, you are not going to find magic unarmed modified weapons laying around.

There is one item, in one campaign book for it.

If I was going to go fighter 1 monk x, I would just take Mariner Style, or if your dm is lenient Dueling.

I see your point on the unarmed damage, but just so its clear I am not suggesting you actually use your punches. You are just grappling then stabbing with a sword. This is all about getting Grapple to be your control method along with it giving a damage boost. I also am expanding this out to a complete build using another grapple trick :) the spell Grease. :)

[ragnorack1]

The non-magical damage is a pain but being as you said you intend on using a one handed weapon that shouldn't be a problem. As you using the class features UA I would recommend battlemaster, the restraining strike manouver gives you a really nasty bonus action grapple that restrains, 5 level of that and rest on rogue to give yourself advantage for sneak attacks, combine with riposte for reaction sneak attacks when they miss due to disadvantage and commanding strike if another rogue is in the party to give them a second sneak attack. If using a dagger the snipe manouver for bonus actions thrown dagger would be nice too.

Personally I have a build I really want to try with battlemaster/barbarian/rogue for an armed/unarmoured/non magical thug who can go into a situation unarmed but after grappling a foe disarm them and then (weapon type allowing) shank them with it.

[Citadel97501]

The non-magical damage is a pain but being as you said you intend on using a one handed weapon that shouldn't be a problem. As you using the class features UA I would recommend battlemaster, the restraining strike manouver gives you a really nasty bonus action grapple that restrains, 5 level of that and rest on rogue to give yourself advantage for sneak attacks, combine with riposte for reaction sneak attacks when they miss due to disadvantage and commanding strike if another rogue is in the party to give them a second sneak attack. If using a dagger the snipe manouver for bonus actions thrown dagger would be nice too.

Personally I have a build I really want to try with battlemaster/barbarian/rogue for an armed/unarmoured/non magical thug who can go into a situation unarmed but after grappling a foe disarm them and then (weapon type allowing) shank them with it.

Those are really good additions, and your other idea could be alot of fun, but how often DM's use creatures without weapons could be very annoying, I also would be tempted to toss the Mage Slayer feat into your build as that would help you out against a lot of things. I also love the idea of a mage getting popped in the mouth every time he raises his hands to cast :)

[ragnorack1]

Aye definitely not fully optimised if relying on enemy weapons, but he can't still be reasonable with out a weapon against large or smaller creatures with unarmed attacks and the amount of control he can provide. I'm thinking that in more social based situations he can be unarmed but if dungeoneering bring a magic dagger for those his attacks won't affect. To be fair the rogue levels are more for out of combat expertise, uncanny dodge/evasion and some more flavour but it feels a shame to have the sneak attack damage and not make use of it on occasion.

Mage slayer is very tempting, as is healer feat to make him a real non magical jack of all trades. Always find mage slayer a little disappointing though, just wish you could interrupt the spell with the reaction attack to have a chance at stopping mages teleporting/misty stepping away. Silence would be a great thing to have been n this character to help with that and for also doing silent take downs if infiltrating but bard doesn't quite fit the the flavour as much as rogue, a homebrew item or spell storing ring would be very handy. Though at the end of the day it's a team game and I suppose you should have to work with your party rather than try do it all yourself :D