Two Weapon Fighting and Unarmed Strike

[Kaihaku]

Quick question, I figured I'd get an answer here faster than looking it up myself...

Can a character fighting with a two handed weapon, such as a greatsword or spear, and use unarmed strike (kicking or what not) as their "off-hand" weapon as part of two weapon fighting?

[AmberVael]

Yes, because an unarmed strike does not have to be with your hand.

[Tsotha-lanti]

I think this is a contested matter, and don't recall if there's any FAQ on it. I'd rule no, because to me the point is that you either get to use a two-handed weapon (for Power Attack), a weapon and a shield (for suck), or TWF (for sneak attack).

Logically, though, I see no reason why not. It's a familiar tactic from other games, to me - like old RuneQuest, where any proper Humakti will use Fanaticism with a greatsword and use the action that can't be used to parry to kick instead...

[Kaihaku]

Tsk, I was hoping that there had been an official ruling.

I don't think it's a "broken" tactic considering that it also costs a feat and doesn't deal a remarkable amount of damage.

[Deepblue706]

I rule yes, simply because it makes sense, and the TWF penalties are enough that most attempts at abuse really won't work out that well.

I've never had to deal with any monks, however, so I have no idea how well it works out on that end.

[Fax Celestis]

This is primarily in reference armor spikes as a secondary weapon, but there's no reason you can't substitute "unarmed strike" for "armor spikes" for most of this question.

Just how and when can you use armor spikes? If you’re
using two weapons already, can you use armor spikes to
make a second off-hand attack? What if you’re using a
weapon and a shield? Can you use the armor spikes for an
off-hand attack and still get a shield bonus to Armor Class
from the shield? What if you use a two-handed weapon?
Can you wield the weapon in two hands and still make an
off-hand attack with the spikes? What are your options for
using armor spikes in a grapple? Can you use them when
pinned? If you have another light weapon, can you use that
and your armor spikes when grappling?

When you fight with more than one weapon, you gain an
extra attack. (Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and greater
Two-Weapon Fighting give you more attacks with the extra
weapon.) Armor spikes are a light weapon that can be used as
the extra weapon.

If you attack only with your armor spikes during your turn
(or use the armor spikes to make an attack of opportunity), you
use them just like a regular weapon. If you use the full attack
action, you can use armor spikes as either a primary light
weapon or as an off-hand light weapon, even if you’re using a
shield or using a two-handed weapon. In these latter two cases,
you’re assumed to be kicking or kneeing your foe with your
armor spikes.

Whenever you use armor spikes as an off-hand weapon,
you suffer all the penalties for attacking with two weapons (see
Table 8–10 in the PH). When using armor spikes along with a
two-handed weapon, it is usually best to use the two-handed
weapon as your primary attack and the armor spikes as the offhand
weapon. You can use the armor spikes as the primary
weapon and the two-handed weapon as the off-hand attack, but
when you do so, you don’t get the benefit of using a light
weapon in your off hand.

You cannot, however, use your armor spikes to make a
second off-hand attack when you’re already fighting with two
weapons. If you have a weapon in both hands and armor spikes,
you can attack with the weapons in your hands (and not with
the armor spikes) or with one of the weapons in your hands and
the armor spikes (see the description of spiked armor in
Chapter 7 of the PH).

When grappling, you can damage your foe with your spikes
by making a regular grapple check (opposed by your foe’s
check). If you succeed, you deal piercing damage to your foe
(see Table 7–5 in the PH) rather than the unarmed strike
damage you’d normally deal when damaging your foe with a
grapple check. Since you can use armor spikes as a light
weapon, you can simply use them to attack your foe. You
suffer a –4 penalty on your attack roll when attacking with a
light weapon in a grapple (see page 156 in the PH), but if your
foe is bigger or stronger than you, this might prove a better
tactic than trying to deal damage through a grapple check
because there is no opposed roll to make—you just have to hit
your opponent’s Armor Class. You can’t attack with two
weapons when grappling, even when one of those weapons is
armor spikes (see the section on grappling in Chapter 8 of the
PH).

You can’t attack and damage your foe if he has you pinned.
If you break the pin and avoid being pinned again, you can go
back to attacking your foe. If your attack bonus is high enough
to allow multiple attacks, you might break the pin and then use
your remaining attack to damage your foe. To accomplish this,
you must first use an attack to break the pin. You can break a
pin using the Escape Artist skill, but trying to do so is a
standard action for you; once you use the standard action to
attempt escape, you can’t make any more attacks during your
turn.

[Kaihaku]

Thanks much, subbing in unarmed strike for armor spikes makes sense.

Edit: Also, bingo, official ruling.