I don't remember where I read it, but I've seen it writ that hand-to-hand combat is affected by the dual wielding perks in the One Handed tree.

Firstly, is this true? Is anyone willing to test it? (I'm not able to)

Secondly, do other perks, One Handed or nay, affect unarmed combat?

And finally, is it too much to ask for all One Handed perks (except the weapon specialization perks, obviously [and they don't even work right]) to affect unarmed combat? If Hand-to-Hand isn't a skill, it would be nice if an ambiguously-named skill was relevant to it

Edit: Like most everyone, I'm well aware of the Fists of Steel perk. I'm also aware that it only adds the base armor rating of gauntlets, meaning that armor rating and Heavy Armor skill are inconsequential. I am not aware whether this is a bug or was intentional.

Even if that got "fixed" (or changed, supposing it is not a bug), I'm philosophically opposed to Khajiit in heavy armor, and more specifically unarmed characters in heavy armor. Furthermore, I'm not about to put fur on my cat; I prefer my Khajiit decked out in monk's robes using Alteration

There is a perk in the heavy armour tree, but I think that's it.

Righto, forgot to mention the obvious.

I dearly hope for an update on this. What do you and others think of having all One Handed perks, except for the weapon specializations, affect unarmed combat? It'd add a whole new interesting dimension, I'd say, especially for Khajiit--their unarmed bonus would then be comparable to having a passive +15 weapon damage bonus, making H2H combat much more attractive.

If you look for it on youtube, you will find a video that shows that unarmed combat is very viable to play (if you are a smith that is).

The one-handed perks do affect unarmed, though the base damage not racial bonuses.

And cause the in-game info is presented incorrectly. Humans and Mer do 4dmg with unarmed strikes. Argonians and Khajiit deal 10dmg based unarmed. Khajiit's passive ability adds another 12.
So without enchanting fortify unarmed a Khajiit could get up to 32dmg.

While I'd appreciate a link, I already mentioned that the Fists of Steel perk only adds the base armor rating of a pair of gauntlets, regardless of whether the armor is improved or you're a master of Heavy Armor. That means that Deadric Gauntlets will only ever add 18 points of damage. Don't know how much the enchantment for unarmed damage caps out to or how many pieces it can be put on (I'd imagine just hand pieces and rings), but even all of that combined with the Khajiit's +15 damage isn't much.

Still, I'd like to see that video.

Fist of steel is bugged, (or badly designed), and as you level you will get weaker and weaker exponentially as enemies grow in power and you barely get more dmg. Especially on harder difficulties it ends up nearly impossible.

If it was fixed, fists would be viable for all settings and levels.

The videos you see of it being viable are low level, but hell low level makes the spray spells seem good too.

You are correct about the base damages, but are you quite sure that all One Handed perks (or at least the +20% damage perks) affect unarmed damage? I would prefer tests and results, but I'll eventually do it myself if I must. Just can't get on the game right now or anytime soon.

I'd say that the Fists of Steel perk wouldn't even need to be "fixed" if BGS implemented this simple idea. Just make One Handed perks affect unarmed attacks, and there you have it. For that matter, if Fists of Steel was done correctly, that would leave two paths for unarmed players.

I thought we were talking about one perk, not the whole game.

ya honestly both would do the trick. can't find any mod that does either smoothly tho Prolly requires CK.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhBiNx749Zw

I am at office right now and can not check the "low level" argument. I did not try it either, I just believed the guy in the video ^^.

Requires more than that if console gamers want in on the fun. And I, for one, am on PS3

Thank you We can continue to discuss without bothering you (I really want to advise against being on the forums while at work), and you're welcome to join any time you're free.

I cannot express how annoying it is that the uploader only uses his right hand. It takes patience to watch that horrid video, but if it has good information, I'll sit through it.