So, we all know that unarmed combat is a bit.. meh. Several people have attempted to fix this, but none have fully grasped what I fell is the epitome of pugilism. There are a few things that I feel need to be worked on. 1. Scaling unarmed strikes with the One Handed skill and character levels. Use the bases at level 1 of 22, 10, or 7 damage for Khajiit (this includes the claws skill), Argonian, and everyone else respectively. Every 3 levels, starting at 3rd level, add 1 to the damage. Add 1/3 of your one handed skill to damage as well. 2. Allow blocking. This means you wouldn't strike with your off hand per se; instead each left click would alternate hands. If you hold block and then power attack, you do the 3 swing attack. You lose off hand power attacks, but I think it is worth it. 3. Allow unarmed strikes to benefit from the Backstab and Assassin's Blade Perks. 4. Allow unarmed strikes to benefit from the One Handed Perks: Armsman, Bone Breaker, Dual Flurry, Dual Savagery, Fighting Stance, Critical Charge, Savage Strike*, and Paralyzing Strike. *Savage Strike would not decapitate. Instead, your hand would burst through the enemy's chest (leaving the NPC with a Briarheart like cavity) 5. A few more finishers. The chest eruption listed above, and for sneaking or rear finishers, grabbing the enemy's head and snapping their neck. I believe these changes, with possibly a bit of tweaking to the scaling of damage, would make unarmed a viable and equally amazing method of obliterating your foes.
