Pummeling Pummeling includes most attacks made with hands, fists, elbows, and the like. Humanoid and partially humanoid creatures with racial intelligence of at least low can make pummeling attacks. Nonhumanoid creatures with racial intelligence of at least average and with manipulative appendages at least as large and strong as human hands and arms also can pummel. Humans, demihumans, orcs, ogres, giants, centaurs, and similar creatures can make pummeling attacks. Great cats, octopi, oozes, horses, and other creatures who lack intelligence or prehensile appendages cannot. Common sense must apply. For example, the DM might allow androsphinxes to make pummeling attacks if they retract their claws. Generally, however, creatures with natural attacks use them in preference to pummeling attacks.

Pummeling requires at least one free hand, although the attacker may wear a metal gauntlet or similar item. A character may also use a weapon pommel or an improvised weapon, such as a mug or bottle, in a pummeling attack. Attacks with improvised weapons provoke attacks of opportunity just as other brawling attacks do.

The target of a pummeling attack must be alive, non-vegetable, organic, and non-fluid. Undead, shambling mounds, golems, and jellies are among the many creatures that cannot be pummeled.

Pummeling is ineffective against creatures who can be harmed only by special or magical weapons unless the attacker functions as a magical weapon powerful enough to hurt the creature (see DMG, Table 46; note that character levels never apply to the table). Elementals, fiends, and most extraplanar creatures are immune to pummeling unless attacked by similar creatures or by characters using magical weapons.

Creatures immune to blunt (type B) weapons are immune to pummeling attacks.

No creature can pummel an opponent more than one size larger than itself unless the target is not standing up (prone, kneeling, or sitting) or the attacker has a height advantage or can fly. For example, a halfling usually cannot pummel a hill giant.

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