Help Optimizing Unarmed Striker Fighting Style for Fighter

[Pallock44]

I want to play an unarmed striker fighter but I don’t want to go Monk. Would Eldritch Knight be any good? Thanks

[JNAProductions]

I want to play an unarmed striker fighter but I don’t want to go Monk. Would Eldritch Knight be any good? Thanks

Unarmed Fighting Style gives you a 1d6 unarmed strike (1d8 if you don't use a shield).

After that... You know, just build whatever Fighter you like.

[LudicSavant]

Unarmed Fighting Style gives you a 1d6 unarmed strike (1d8 if you don't use a shield).

After that... You know, just build whatever Fighter you like.

Unfortunately, the unarmed strike fighting style for Fighters is kind of pants. The "deal 1d4 damage to one target you've grappled once per round" thing is so little damage as to be negligible. And the rest of the Fighting Style is... basically giving you a worse-than-normal weapon. Instead of dealing (with the one-handed option) 1d8+2+stat, you'll be dealing 1d6+stat, losing a little over 3 damage per hit (why a little over? Because crits exist). And that adds up fast given how many attacks a Fighter makes.

What makes it extra troublesome is that the Fighter's fists are nonmagical, and nonmagical attack resistance is very common (193 monsters in MM, Volo's, and MToF have it). So you'll be losing even more output that way.

One way you can get around that is to be a race that has natural weapons that can be used for unarmed strikes, and then cast Magic Weapon or Elemental Weapon or the like on those. But you're still basically going to be looking at a lesser Fighter for your troubles.

[JNAProductions]

Unfortunately, the unarmed strike fighting style for Fighters is kind of pants. The "deal 1d4 damage to one target you've grappled once per round" thing is so little damage as to be negligible. And the rest of the Fighting Style is... basically giving you a worse-than-normal weapon. Instead of dealing (with the one-handed option) 1d8+2+stat, you'll be dealing 1d6+stat, losing a little over 3 damage per hit (why a little over? Because crits exist). And that adds up fast given how many attacks a Fighter makes.

What makes it extra troublesome is that the Fighter's fists are nonmagical, and nonmagical attack resistance is very common (193 monsters in MM, Volo's, and MToF have it). So you'll be losing even more output that way.

To the nonmagical bit, ask your DM for magic gauntlets to make your fists magic, or something similar.

To the rest of it... True, but even with a less than optimal weapon, Fighters are fine.

[Witty Username]

Their isn't much to optimize unfortunately, you might me able to get something off of the crusher feat but that is about it.
Weapons will almost always be better, that is why they were invented.

[gorfnab]

To the nonmagical bit, ask your DM for magic gauntlets to make your fists magic, or something similar.

Or you could just re-flavor the Insignia of Claws from Hoard of the Dragon Queen into hand wraps or something.

[CheddarChampion]

As already mentioned, the Unarmed fighting style is inherently weaker than most fighting styles.

You can build an Unarmed fighter the same way you'd build a normal fighter and just have lower damage and lower AC, or you can lean into the unique advantage of the style: grappling.

First ask your DM if you can use Brass Knuckles/a Cestus to let your unarmed attacks count as piercing damage for a build you had in mind. Then go with something like this:

Half-Orc Rune Knight or Champion
16/10/16/10/13/10 or 17/10/16/10/11/10 (at level 1)
Take some mix of Tavern Brawler, Piercer, Grappler, Skill Expert (for Athletics expertise), Max out Str, Max out Con if you want high DCs as a Rune Knight, Resilient (for Wisdom saves), Mage Slayer, Alert, Lucky, and Mobile.

With Half-Orc + Piercer, your critical hits deal 4d8+Str damage.
Grappler/shoving an enemy prone grants you advantage on attack rolls to help get those crits.
Champion helps you land crits more often and gives you another fighting style (Defense, Interception).
Rune Knight allows you to grapple larger things, gives you extra damage on a crit via Fire Rune, and gives you several interesting abilities.

[Waazraath]

I want to play an unarmed striker fighter but I don’t want to go Monk. Would Eldritch Knight be any good? Thanks

Is monk also out as a multi-class? Cause if not, it's a pretty strong dip if you can spare the stats, 1 level for bonus action extra attack is very nice, 3 levels for the occasional 2 extra attacks (and some other stuff, like from the subclass) as well.

If this doesn't fit your concept, I'd try to focus on action economy. Pick a class like rune knight, that has several good features that require a bonus action to activate, and a race like Firbolg, Lizard Folk or Shifter that also has nice bonus action abilities. It gives you the first rounds of combat something 'extra' to do in addition to the relative weak attack that you have.

Another option is focus on disarming with Battle Master, very nice against several foes, and you have free hands to pick up the weapon you disarmed (denying them the possiblity to pick it up in their own turn).

As others have mentioned: check your DM first for items. There are a few that enhance natural and unarmed attacks (a tattoo in Tasha's and an item in Hoard of the Dragon Queen), and custom gaulets or cestus could work as well, but if those aren't available and/or your DM rolls randomly for items, this build simply doesn't work very well at higher levels.

[Dork_Forge]

Ignore any naysaying, it's a perfectly viable build that you'll have plenty of fun with if it's what you want to play.

Personally I'd go for Battle Master and pick up Skill Expert (Athletics) and double down on grappling, you can use Trip Attack to get your shove equivalent in without losing an attack if you like.

For multiclassing, there's always doubling down on the grappling thing by being a Battlerager to grab a little extra auto damage and enhance your unarmed strikes (and give you a bonus action attack if you like).

[loki_ragnarock]

You are going to have to lean into niche cases that require a free hand.

So... spells with somatic components, grappling, that kind of thing. Fully leaning in would be grappling while casting spells with somatic components?

So one of the things that gets overlooked when people talk about crazy high AC shenanigans for an Eldritch Knight is that wielding a shield and casting Shield requires at least one free hand for somatic components.
- If you're punching enemies in the throat, though, your throat punching hand is free to wiggle a shield spell into place. Congratulations; 25 AC on the fairly regular is within striking distance.
- You've got a weapon bond ability that allows you to pull a magic weapon you've found from thin air in those moments where you do have to overcome damage resistance.
- You can grapple when you want to, since that free hand is open.
- Because you're already using a shield in this scenario, you can use the Shield Master to bonus action shove someone you've grappled as part of the attack action, saving all your extra attacks for kneeing them in the groin repeatedly. This basically eliminates their movement and makes your knee to the groin attacks have advantage, as would your other curb-stompy friends.

So by taking the unarmed style, you can play an ultra high ac, throat punching battlefield controller.

Are you doing much damage? Heck no. But that's not the point. Drop a level or two into rogue or take a feat so you can have access to Athletics expertise and you're golden. You won't be able to grapple huge creatures until you reach 8th level and can cast Enlarge (which also has somatic components), but you do gain that capability as time passes. It's concentration, so you'd be better off if someone else casts it should you need to grapple a giant or a dragon into submission... but with proficiency in con saves and maybe the Warcaster feat, you've got a pretty good shot at not having to worry about it anyway.

Reflavor your ranged cantrips as "throwing my shield and having it ricochet back to my hand," put a star on your chest, play Captain America and punch supervillains for the allies.


You can probably also make use of this as a shield using Rune Knight, but I won't be pushing that option.

[AgenderArcee]

I definitely rec a 1-level dip in monk, up to 3 if you want (Open Hand ideally). Get that bonus action attack and unarmored defense at minimum, and potentially some ki abilities you'll be able to use a couple times per short rest as well as a speed boost.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The Eldritch Claw Tattoo (uncommon, attuned) from Tasha's solves the nonmagic damage issue. It gives +1 to attack and damage, so I'd assume a +2 and +3 version could exist at the same rarity as weapons of the same bonus.

If you want to be grappling your opponents, Rune Knight is probably the best route to go on this. If possible pick a race that gets multiple grappling limbs, like a Loxodon or Simic Hybrid from Ravnica. Use a shield and take shield master so you can shove them prone as a bonus action, grappled creatures have speed zero and can't stand up from prone until they escape the grapple.

[Pallock44]

Thanks for the input y’all

[Waazraath]

Thanks for the input y’all

You're welcome! Maybe I'm the only one, but I'm curious how you're gonna build it!

[carrdrivesyou]

My personal favorite unarmed build is a Barbarian with the Tavern Brawler feat. Go Beast barbarian for those times you really need to throw down. My barb used a chain for a while before swapping to a candelabra, before moving to a pair of frying pans. Improvised weapons deal damage based on what they most closely resemble, and when you get serious, you throw literal hands and claws.

[quindraco]

My personal favorite unarmed build is a Barbarian with the Tavern Brawler feat. Go Beast barbarian for those times you really need to throw down. My barb used a chain for a while before swapping to a candelabra, before moving to a pair of frying pans. Improvised weapons deal damage based on what they most closely resemble, and when you get serious, you throw literal hands and claws.

I'd rather just be a Simic Hybrid than burn a feat on Tavern Brawler.

[GooeyChewie]

As others have mentioned, Unarmed Fighting lags behind other Fighting Styles in terms of damage. Your role won't be pure damage, but you'll bring some control to the battlefield in the form of grappling. You can make sure an opponent doesn't move from a certain spot, and you can even move them around the battlefield (albeit at half your speed).

Unarmed Fighting can combo well with EK. If you forego a shield, you can grapple with one hand while leaving the other free for casting spells. It can also combo well with Battle Master, which can take Grappling Strike as a maneuver so that you don't need to replace one of your normal attacks. Champion can do the same one they get a second Fighting Style by choosing the one which grants Maneuvers. I haven't really thought through other subclasses.

Your attacks do bludgeoning damage, so they do qualify for the Crusher feat. That gives you an additional movement control option, allowing you to push targets 5 feet away. This one combos well with Champion as well, since the improved critical range also improves your chances of granting advantage on subsequent attacks. Mind you, while Unarmed+Crusher Champion is fairly intricate for Champion, which is to say still fairly straightforward overall.

[ImproperJustice]

Also gonna add Tavern Brawler and Battlemaster to the mix.

Knock em down with trip attack, punch with advantage, hold them.
Now they can’t get up.
Drag them into the nearest unpleasant thing.
Drag them back to your front line.
Drag them into optimum position for a Fireball or other spell effect that they will auto fail.

When a friend comes to help, do the the same to him. You can grapple more than one target. It’s weird but maybe you leg lock one dude, while Ranger chokeholding another.

It’s fine.
Grab Mobile somewhere along the way and bust through the enemy frontline like a line backer.

Use Disarm to take away someone’s fancy weapon.
You have free hands. Pick it up it and punch them with your off hand now while waving it around and asking them they want it back. Then throw it somewhere they can’t get it while you drag them away.

Need a magic weapon? Pick up someone’s magic lantern, or horn, or sending stones and use Tavern Brawler to cave in somebody’s head.
Worlds your Oyster.