Unarmed Combat

While any character might engage in fisticuffs, not all characters may do so with great skill. Unarmed combat, therefore, is a separate proficiency, just like simple or martial weapons. Characters without this training can still fight unarmed, they just do not gain their proficiency bonus.
Characters may gain proficiency in unarmed combat a number of different ways:

• Class Ability: Some classes include training in unarmed combat and gain proficiency. They include Barbarians, Fighters, and Monks. In addition, clerics of Arimathica, who may wield no weapon, gain training in self defense.
• Feat: Some feats focus on unarmed strikes. The feats of Grappler and Tavern Brawler grant proficiency in them (in addition to their other abilities)
• Natural Weapons: Some races have natural weapons that they may use either in lieu of, or in addition to other weapons. While not proficient in unarmed combat, per se, both Tzecheni'korak and Wemic are proficient when using their claws to attack.
• Racial Ability: Several races, such as Elynthi, Flind, Orks and Soulmeliti emphasis unarmed combat in their childhoods and automatically gain this proficiency. Flind forms emphasize holds and throws while Ork forms focus on powerful attacks. Both use strength as their attack and damage modifiers. Soulmeliti forms flow, using enemy moments against them and Elynthi forms take advantage of their athleticism to incorporate acrobatic movements and a flurry of attacks. Both have the finesse feature and can user either strength or dexterity as their attack and damage modifiers.