An unarmed strike isn’t a spell or magical feature and is used with the attack action, so it has to fall under melee weapon attack, even though you’re not using a real weapon. Improved Divine Smite requires you hit a creature with a melee weapon, thus you wouldn’t benefit from the additional damage on unarmed strikes.
Is an unarmed strike a light melee weapon?
An Unarmed Strike is not a “light weapon”, so it can’t be Two Weapon Fighting.
Is an unarmed strike a melee weapon attack sage advice?
Yes. Stunning Strike works with melee weapon attacks, and an unarmed strike is a special type of melee weapon attack. The game often makes exceptions to general rules, and this is an important exception: that unarmed strikes count as melee weapon attacks despite not being weapons.
Can you sneak attack with an unarmed strike?
Strictly speaking, unarmed strikes are not finesse weapons and cannot be used for Sneak Attack. Instead of using a weapon to make a melee weapon attack, you can use an unarmed strike: a punch, kick, head‑butt, or similar forceful blow (none of which count as weapons). So unarmed strikes don’t count as weapons.
Can a war caster use a melee attack?
As a bonus: I’m not sure why you have noted that a character with War Caster makes the attack with disadvantage. You only have disadvantage on Ranged attacks while in melee. So while you might have disadvantage on that Fire Bolt or Eldritch Blast, a War Caster can use a melee spell as a reaction very effectively.
Can You Make your fists / unarmed strikes count as melee?
Unarmed strikes count as melee weapon attacks, but there is no way to make your fists into melee weapons for spells or the like. If you talk to your DM about your idea, you might be able to get it approved for his campaign though.
Can you use an unarmed strike instead of a weapon?
Instead of using a weapon to make a melee weapon attack, you can use an unarmed strike: a punch, kick, head-butt, or similar forceful blow (none of which count as weapons). On a hit, an unarmed strike deals bludgeoning damage equal to 1 + your Strength modifier. You are proficient with your unarmed strikes.
Can a war caster draw a weapon on their turn?
Even for a character that has War Caster, you spellcast with disadvantage. If you are a ranged class with no reason to have a melee weapon in your hand during combat, you couldn’t make an opportunity attack at all following RAW. You can draw a weapon on YOUR turn to make an attack with it. you can’t do that for a reaction on someone else’s turn.
