History Main / BareFistedMonk

** Luffy’s grandpa Garp is also one of the few characters who doesn’t use any weapons at all (with one of his monikers being [[RedBaron "the Fist"]]), just his legendary fists and incredible strength [[CharlesAtlasSuperPower honed through decades of training as a Marine]]. However unlike his grandson Garp has no Devil Fruit power, which makes him taking on the likes of Shiki (whose a GravityMaster) and countless other superpowered Pirates all the more impressively badass. Then we learn he's a master of Armament Haki, a technique which can be used to negate Devil Fruits. Thus why even Luffy can feel his gramps's punches.

** Luffy’s grandpa Garp is also the few characters who doesn’t use any weapons at all, just his legendary fists and incredible strength [[CharlesAtlasSuperPower honed through decades of training as a Marine]]. However unlike his grandson Garp has no Devil Fruit power, which makes him taking on the likes of Shiki (whose a GravityMaster) and countless other superpowered Pirates all the more impressively badass. Then we learn he's a master of Armament Haki, a technique which can be used to negate Devil Fruits. Thus why even Luffy can feel his gramps's punches.

* Franchise/SpiderMan is also this after losing his Spider-Sense and [[BoxingLessonsForSuperman studying martial arts under Shang-Chi]]. He even developed his own style of Kung Fu called "The Way of the Spider". After regaining his powers it works well with his CombatParkour.

* [[VideoGame/FZero Captain Falcon]] and [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Ganondorf]] in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' share a moveset that only utilizes physical attacks. The main difference between them is that Ganondorf is [[MightyGlacier slower and much more powerful]] while Falcon is the second fastest character in the game. VideoGame/{{Sonic|TheHedgehog}} also takes this approach in ''Brawl'', except weaker and ''much much'' faster. Franchise/DonkeyKong also fits into this trope, as his moveset is all physical attacks, bar his Final Smash in ''Brawl'' onwards. Unlike the aforementioned three, he both moves fast and hits hard, making him a LightningBruiser.

* Sonic & Knuckles from ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'', particularly in spin off titles, ''VideoGame/SonicBattle'' and ''VideoGame/SonicChroniclesTheDarkBrotherhood''. They're the only characters who don't use weapons, gadgets, or any ability outside their physical ones. Sure, Sonic has SuperSpeed, but outside of that he fights either using himself as a projectile or using just his legs.

*** As mentioned above, ''Skyrim'' does away with both classes (including Monk) and the Hand-to-Hand skill itself. While you can still attack with your fists while unarmed, there is no way to increase your effectiveness, nor are there any weapon perks to help. Instead, you need to build up your Heavy Armor skill until you unlock the "Fists of Steel" perk, which adds your gauntlets' ''armor'' rating to the base damage of your punches. If you find the Gloves of the Pugilist item, which has a unique "Fortify Unarmed" enchantment, you can apply it to your own equipment for even more damage. Once you have these boosts, you suddenly go from long, grueling fist fights, to merely counting the seconds before [[WrestlerInAllOfUs the brutal unarmed kill-animations]] occur.
*** Also in line with what is mentioned above, Khajiit are an excellent candidate for this sort of build. Right at the start of the game, they can actually hit harder than ''two-handed swords'', with 22 base damage. Add Fists of Steel and Fortify Unarmed, they can ''out-DPS Destruction mages'' and their proficiency with Sneak can let them close distance and get the drop on enemies.
* ''VideoGame/EternalSonata'' has Falsetto, who, despite using no weapons, is still capable of dealing massive damage.

* [[VideoGame/{{Tekken}} Heihachi]] was announced as the [=PS2=]-exclusive character in ''Videogame/SoulCalibur II'', fighting bare-handed in a weapons-based game.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'': When he must fight, the [[CelestialParagonsAndArchangels empyreal lord]] Korada specializes in unarmed combat. He's quite proficient at this, fighting as a 20th level monk and being able to use any combat style in existence.

* ''Videogame/{{Dungeonmans}}'': One of the character classes / skill trees: Psychomanser. Acrobatic jumps, kicks, and barefisted punching are the rule of the day.

* ''Manga/SnowWhiteWithTheRedHair'': Obi surprises Zen and Shirayuki when he slips away from them at a festival and enters a fighting competition under a name which he created in the past specifically for earning winnings from martial arts events. He wins, and has thus far proven unmatched in unarmed combat, but unlike many others on this page isn't crazy enough to go up against armed opponents without weapons of his own if he can avoid it and is always covered in hidden throwing knives with at least two daggers hanging at his belt. He has however shown that he can very quickly disarm a single opponent with a sword without any weapons of his own, and that was accidentally in a fight he was trying to ''loose''.

* {{Literature/Parker}} is perfectly willing to use guns, knives, clubs and booby trapped amusement parks as weapons, but he prefers to work with his hands.
-->'''Stegman''': I don't see no gun on you. I don't see no weapon!
-->'''Parker''': ''([[KnuckleCracking cracks knuckles]])'' You see two of them. They're all I need.

[[folder: Other]]

* Thunderlord from ''ComicBook/GlobalGuardians'' is what you get when mixing Buddhism, martial arts and mutant powers of the MakeMeWannaShout variety.

* In ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD'', Sairaorg Bael is essentially the demon version of MuggleBornOfMages. His solution is to train his body and martial arts to the point where his punches can all but cause LudicrousGibs on mooks with each strike, and can even contest Issei's Balance Breaker.

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'':
** By controlling Akira's [[PoweredArmor augmented suit]], Alpha can give him hand-to-hand combat lessons simulating what it's like to fight a real opponent. Even with the augmented suit's abilities, Akira handily gets his butt kicked and would have gotten his head smashed like a watermelon from an axe kick of hers had she been real. She can also use his suit to force him to perform complex CombatParkour and martial arts at the expense of severe strain on his body.
* Princess Amelia from the series ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'' is the only major protagonist who does not use a bladed weapon of any kind in battle, preferring to use physical attacks. She even invented her own [[ElementNumberSix Astral magic]] attack to fit into her fighting style. Her history reveals why she refuses to wield a weapon: [[spoiler: witnessing her mother's assassination traumatized her to the point that wielding a weapon, as shown in the final episode of ''Slayers TRY'', makes her uneasy.]]

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'': A character's Brawling skill reflects their aptitude in hand-to-hand combat. That said, while cutscenes and in-game dialogue imply that just about any character proficient in the Brawling skill is capable of fighting barehanded, characters are limited to fighting using [[PowerFist Gauntlets]] unless they have the class ability Unarmed Combat. The ''Cindered Shadows'' DLC reintroduces War Monks/War Clerics from ''Awakening'' and retools them to specialize in Brawling, providing a literal example.

** Other characters that fit this mold within the series include [[BearsAreBadNews Bark the Polar Bear]], [[KickChick Rouge the Bat]], [[DumbMuscle Storm the Albatross]], [[BoisterousBruiser Vector the Crocodile]], [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Sonic the Werehohg]] and, surpisingly enough, [[GeniusBruiser Dr. Eggman]] when forced to go without his machines.

** Apart from a single moment of rage, [[TheMentor White Chain]] never once used a weapon, prefering her style of [[RapidFireFistcuffs Empty Palms]]. From Book 3 onwards, she often wears traditional monk garb and from book 4 she officially takes on [[TheHero Allison]] as a student of Empty Palms.

* Black Belt from Webcomic/EightBitTheater is based on the character class from the original ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''. Not only is he capable of highly effective hand to hand combat but either his training or his Munchausen-esq foolishness allows him to utterly defy the laws of physics.

* The ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' implementation of this trope is mocked in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick: On The Origin of [=PCs=]'', when Belkar bullies a monk for having had to train ceaselessly his whole life and swear himself to chastity in order to be as effective barehanded as any random mook would be just by picking up a sword.

* By cross-training your dwarves in ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' with various tasks like mining, crafting professions and bookkeeping (yes) they can become legendarily strong, agile and tough. Then train them as wrestlers and they will literally scatter limbs and body parts of their enemies across the landscape with their bare hands. Or even better, go on Adventure mode, level up Striker as far as it goes, and see yourself killing bandits by way of punches to the face. Few things are more satisfying than seeing the description of your character punching someone so hard they drive bits of skull through their brains.

* ''Anime/JewelpetKiraDeco'': most members of the Kira Deco 5 fight physically (which is odd for ''Jewelpet'' since it is a magical fantasy show) -- [[TheLeader Retsu]] with his fists, [[TheLancer Blue Knight]] with his legs, [[TheSmartGuy Midori]] does kung fu, [[TheBigGuy Kiichi]] does sumo. Meanwhile, [[TheChick Pink]] can't do anything until she receives the ability to cast magic… in the second-to-last episode.

** Might Guy and his pupil Rock Lee utilize a style that emphasizes incredible speed and power and neither character uses other techniques (Rock Lee being literally unable to), and they don't often use weapons, either. That said, when Guy ''does'' bust out his [[FightingWithChucks nunchaku]], you know [[LetsGetDangerous shit's getting real.]]

** Averted when [[spoiler:his TYL self gets [[CoolPet Kangaryu]] to make him some [[PowerFist super healing boxing gloves]] for the occasion of fighting against a giant storm snake.]]

->''"A fist... is the first and most powerful weapon that men can have in their entire lives. It is a man's soul in material form, the ultimate melee weapon!"''

-->''Actually, we already carry various weapons on us at all times. That’s why there’s no point in carrying other ones. A student who gets in a fight on his way to school can use his backpack... you can use a fan you just happen to have in your pocket... in a pinch, maybe a belt, too... your shoes are also okay... at the most, is acceptable to use a knife in your attacker's hands. Those are all the thing you might end up using. But nothing else is allowed! Even a pencil... or a fistful of sand.... as soon as you arm yourself in preparation for a fight, you’re tipping the scales! And tossing away your pride in the process!''

* ''Anime/JewelpetKiraDeco'': most members of the Kira Deco 5 fight physically (which is odd for ''Jewelpet'' since it is a magical fantasy show) -- [[TheLeader Retsu]] with his fists, [[TheLancer Blue Knight]] with his legs, [[TheSmartGuy Midori]] does kung fu, [[TheBigGuy Kiichi]] does sumo. Meanwhile, [[TheChick Pink]] can't do anything until she receives the ability to cast magic... in the second-to-last episode.

** [[ChefOfIron Sanji]] is the only member of the Straw Hat Pirates who doesn't use any weapons or Devil Fruit powers. Hell, he doesn't even use his hands, [[ExtremityExtremist he only uses his legs and feet]] so when he's fighting he doesn't risk injuring his hands, a chef needs his hands to cook after all. He is perfectly capable of using knives to great effect, but refuses to do so because they are for cooking, not combat. He makes one exception when fighting an opponent who uses weaponized noodles (seriously!) in combat. It’s revealed later Sanji was actually trained in swordplay by his father, but he still refuses to use one in combat. Given Sanji can [[WreckedWeapon break]] steel swords with his feet, he probably doesn’t need weapons.

* ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'': Shang-Chi a master martial artist who was trained by his immortal warrior king father so that even the world's most dangerous people couldn't kill him. Even as a child he could defeat multiple trained Ten Rings members by himself. According to WordOfGod, his fighting style includes several Kung Fu styles (Tai chi, Wing Chun, and Wushu) along with Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Silat, Krav Maga, Jujutsu, and boxing. [[spoiler:He later learns Ta Lo's ancient martial arts style after coming to his mother's village.]]

Subtrope of AnAdventurerIsYou and WeaponOfChoice. Supertrope to BoxingBattler. Contrast with the HeavyEquipmentClass, who are defined by the heavier weaponry they use.

** Throughout the series (until ''Skyrim'' did away with both classes and the Hand-to-Hand skill), the Monk class is a premade class. Hand-to-Hand is it's primary combat skill, with [[MartialArtsStaff Blunt Weapon]] often a secondary skill. By selecting the class, or otherwise developing your Hand-to-Hand skill, you can play as this trope, crossing over with HeroesFightBarehanded.

* Monks in ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic VII'' ''can'' be this (they're the only ones that can become Grandmaster in Unarmed and Dodge), or they can use [[MartialArtsStaff staves]]. Though by the end-game it is fairly likely you'll have switched to staves even if you started out focusing on unarmed combat -- the Grandmaster bonus for the Staff skill (which Monks are the only ones who can get) is that using a staff counts as being unarmed for the purposes of the Unarmed skill.

** Throughout the series (until ''Skyrim'' did away with both classes and the Hand-to-Hand skill), the Monk class is a premade class. Hand-to-Hand is it's primary combat skill, with [[SimpleStaff Blunt Weapon]] often a secondary skill. By selecting the class, or otherwise developing your Hand-to-Hand skill, you can play as this trope, crossing over with HeroesFightBarehanded.

* Monks in ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic VII'' ''can'' be this (they're the only ones that can become Grandmaster in Unarmed and Dodge), or they can use [[SimpleStaff staves]]. Though by the end-game it is fairly likely you'll have switched to staves even if you started out focusing on unarmed combat -- the Grandmaster bonus for the Staff skill (which Monks are the only ones who can get) is that using a staff counts as being unarmed for the purposes of the Unarmed skill.