Attack of opportunity and Brawling

[Brar]

Fact is you don't make attack of opportunity while brawling because you suffer one (I assume it is that)

Now, would it not makes sense to get them when you have the Improved Brawling feat as you don't provoke attack of opportunity anymore.

Another thing, I don't know if it is the case already or not, but would it not make sense that higher skill in brawling gives higher damage?
I don't ask for top supra damage, but let's say it could give the damage of a warhammer at grandmaster (I don't know if it is already the case or not, I ahve no idea how brawling damage are defined )
Just so that it gives a way to have it scales with other weapons (the dream would be to have it do magical damge at GM much like a monk do but that is just a dream and will stay a dream I think), or is it possible to make "weapons" for brawling? I have no idea if it feasible or not codewise.

Another stupid idea by Brar

[Kallias]

The d20 d&d system just isn't set up for nonweapon melee combat (besides special classes). Which isn't that bad in p&p, but is kind of rough in FK...since it's so easy to disarm in our current mechanics.

I can't, with good conscience, support nonmonks receiving weapon like damage with fists. But I do recognize the need for change in regards to how easy it is to disarm someone. I wouldn't be against improved brawling raising your damage die one tier, since it's relatively useless otherwise given that you're totally boned if you're not using a weapon in this combat system...with or without improved brawling.

[Brar]

I can't, with good conscience, support nonmonks receiving weapon like damage with fists. But I do recognize the need for change in regards to how easy it is to disarm someone. I wouldn't be against improved brawling raising your damage die one tier, since it's relatively useless otherwise given that you're totally boned if you're not using a weapon in this combat system...with or without improved brawling.

Well, I don't really agree with that... If I raised it to master (and soon grandmaster, it is because my character did most of his adventuring with is lots and lots of hour, fighting barehanded so it is feasible, just harder but then it's not bad for something to be harder when you go the unusual way (only thing is that right now it is broken as it do only one attack per turn but when fixed it is ok).
ICly speaking, one of his fighting style is dual shielding... (Don't ask it is a too long story), Codewise it use brawling, which I have no problem with.
My only thought is that you can raise other weapons skills damage by finding a better weapon, you can't raise brawling damage, or then, we could make it scales depending on armor wore on the hands, could be fun too. So you do light damage when bare handed, while you do more damage with full plate gauntlet.

Edit (as I can't understand myself after rereading my post) : So my point is, Brawling is viable as it is, but I think it would be nice to add some flavors in it.

Yet my main request is for those attack of opportunity, it will make the difference between the one with the feat and the one without it while sparring for example and makes the feat more interesting

Brar

[Briek]

I agree with Kallias here, monks are lethal unarmed because the class focuses around it from a combat point of view much like a wizards spells I couldn't see any other class even a fighter or warrior sub type having that kind of skill. I also agree that it is far too easy to disarm someone even a fighter with the grip skill, I mean a Grandmaster of the longsword is not going to be dropping his sword like a beginner unless his/her opponent is extremely skilled at disarm and this skill is very slow to improve at.

Getting back to brawling though I believe from my understanding (I could be very wrong) that in P&P you received more actions per round unarmed because you are only fighting with fist and thus faster? this would depend on the armour being worn of course, a man in full armour isn't going to be making as fluid movements. Even so perhaps it could be coded that you receive more attacks than normal if brawling?

Also some weapons that qualify under the brawling skill could be introduced (if that aren't already, I can't be sure) spiked gloves etc just an example.

[Brar]

Well, in pnp it is even worse than that> At High levels, monks do more damage with their fist/legs/knees/elbow than a fighter with a 2handed magical maul and gets more attacks per round.

I would not want to have anything like that, only add something to makes it change from one character to another. Right now, brawling is brawling and the exact same for everyone, no customization possible like you could do with different weapons.
I don't even ask for more attacks, it is a feat in DnD (which anybody can take, just that monk gets it for free).

Just would like those attack of opportunity (yet nobody answers about that part of the subject :p ) as it would already make a huge difference.
And why not brawling weapons to have more crits, do more damage (not uber damage, just normal damage), change to slashing/piercing damage (claws/katar) (not both at the same time of course) thus I am not sure those are doable codewise but I think it would add a flavor to it.

[Keltorn]

My only thought is that you can raise other weapons skills damage by finding a better weapon, you can't raise brawling damage, or then, we could make it scales depending on armor wore on the hands, could be fun too. So you do light damage when bare handed, while you do more damage with full plate gauntlet.

In theory, the equivalent to finding a better weapon would be... Finding better fists. You've got the right idea with gauntlets, though there's other options, too. Just last week, I saw someone selling brass knuckles. That'd do the trick, I'll bet.

I'm of the mind that brawling damage shouldn't be increased (except for by equipping gauntlets or the like). Weapons are supposed to deal more damage than your hands and feet. Sure, your character could be a martial arts master and, in a sense, be a master at "wielding" his body as a weapon. However, that's already represented by the Brawling skill. If I understand correctly, that just represents accuracy, not damage. I can't see any reason why grandmasters in Brawling should get any benefits that grandmasters in any other weapon skill don't get.

That all changes when it's the monk class. Doing more unarmed damage is simply their class feature. That being said, I really don't think this game is ready for a class that doesn't need (and, in fact, doesn't want) piles and piles of items.