Monk-like Martial Arts? Fist fighting has always felt more like a drunken bar fight to me, lacking finesse in the hand-to-hand department. With their attention to animations in Skyrim so far I would like to see more finesse behind the punches and maybe even some kicks in there? Disarming attacks and the like.. Hey, if magic users can learn a ton of spells then why should unarmed combat be as shallow as it is?

I agree that this would be cool, but, this being Skyrim, I imagine there will be a few drunken brawls. And I really don't see drunks throwing high kicks at each other. Though it would be funny to see.

Now I hope there are drunken fights breaking out in mead halls. That could be epic.

Couldn't hurt. "Unarmed" has needed a significant upgrade for quite a while.
I want to make an archer with unarmed for melee, so I'm down for some martial arts stuff.

Man I really hope there's some form of unarmed combat, it was a really interesting combat choice.

Well I meant unarmed but that sounds like it should be also included. Unarmed combat with unarmored perks. They always gave you a lot of pre-war clothing in Fallout 3 but never an incentive to use it. I think that the perks could have handled that better. Of course you shouldn't be able to do certain power attacks and moves while drunk without falling down or something. But then I think that a perk called "Drunken Master" or something would be AMAZING. I really want that now.. I want to be a drunk master of unarmed combat. Then maybe a perk that negates the negative effects of alcohol.

They had a drunken master style in Jade Empire, with your companion throwing you bottles have alcohol, so you stayed drunk. That would be awesome to have.

I think the real question is if the skill is even still in the game.
I can really see them removing it just because "It didn't add anything to gameplay"

It isn't useless though. If you were out and about and your weapon breaks on you or you are a marksman and run out of arrows it is always nice to have a basic attack that you can use as a last resort. Kind of an "oops I sold all my weapons" anti-screw up weapon. I also think that naturally anyone knows how to swing their fists to punch.

Yeah, but if you can be disarmed, then you have to be able to at least punch whoever is attacking you. Otherwise you would just get killed looking on the ground for your sword, or axe or what have you. And just going into your inventory to equip another weapon would just be stupid.

Maybe there could be seperate branches of Perk Tree's that represent different fighting styles. Like brawling, kung fu, and submission. Brawling could be your typical bar fight style, that focuses on brute force. Kung Fu would be quick, accurate and flowing. And Submission could be based on wrestling and trying to subdue your opponent without killing him. I really hope unarmed is handled this way in skyrim.

how about grapple moves when you hold the button instead of just clicking it?

grabbing an enemy with one hand and striking him/her/it with the other hand (or one handed weapon)

of course, you wouldn't be able to do these grapples on elemental enemies and of bigger stature.

I did say "skill" not the removal of the ability to punch. :blush:

Sorry, got a little overzealous there. I am one that never liked the way they implemented unarmed combat in the ES. Do you remember Morrowind? "Let me try to hit you, then when I actually do connect, let me wear you down. Then when you're finally knocked out, let me try to hit you, then when I do actually connect, you take damage. Hopefully you won't wake up while I am missing you so I have to start over again." Very freakin aggravating! Oblivion was better, but just punches got old. The kicker was, that when you got to Shivering Isles, there were monsters there that could kick. Oh, I was pissed.

In the Beth Studios tour, Todd bragged on their lead animation developer who's a martial arts trainer. The h2h could be some of the best animation work in the game.

Well, hopefully seeing as in the oblivion DLC monsters could do it it should be a pretty easy process to allow it for player characters. Just sayin' it would be nice to have more combat options available for unarmed users. It would most definitely add more replayability to the game. (I know you are agreeing with me, I am not being argumentative). Could you imagine stomping on someone's foot and as they hop around briefly you could follow up with a kick or upper cut? Fun thoughts.

Want CQC moves copy/pasted from MGS cut scenes

Can't wait to see more info on this.

oh man good point! That is a VERY good point and something I think a lot of people missed in that behind the scenes vid. Maybe we will see something better in the unarmed combat section?

It would be rather silly to allow the ability to punch but not the ability to get better at punching.

At any rate, I will kill a dragon with just my fists. Its gunna happen.

Slip of the fingers, I meant unarmed

I made a nord ''knuckle-fighter'' in oblivion. Came up to lvl 14 with only hand-to-hand, really funny actually.