[Basic/MA] Wierd Dual Wielding Combat Question

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Landwalker

I've always been horribly confused about why unarmed striking skills receive competency-based damage modifiers, especially since this applies even when they are used to make an armed strike (Bladed Hands being the most common example that I encounter), but armed striking skills receive no such bonus (unless, of course, you're in Weapon Master territory).

Tradition I suspect.

They got these early on, when it compensated for lousy damage some, to allow you to play an unarmed fighter that could actually hurt things, and never lost them when other rules that could have been used to compensate for lousy damage (Claws, Striker (Limbs), Exotic Hand Strike, I think they even predate brass knuckles and hard boots...) came along. Lots of people have suggested just dropping them, but there are always loud objections.