Addressing a nuance in the PH errata: the rule lets melee weapon attacks use unarmed strikes, despite those strikes not being weapons. — Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) June 10, 2015 @corymacdonald It's in the errata document: "Instead of using a weapon to make a melee weapon attack, you can use an unarmed strike …" — Jeremy […]

@HairlockFor a Monk / Sorcerer, does Shocking Grasp count as an Unarmed Strike for Martial Arts? No, the spell would tell you if it counted as an unarmed strike. — Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) June 3, 2015

@JeremyECrawford With respect to 5e, what about monk unarmed and monk weapons? Is it RAI with respect to monk weapons for finesse? — Lino Ciaralli (@ReaperCDN) June 9, 2015 The Martial Arts feature doesn't give monk weapons and unarmed strikes the finesse property. https://t.co/yo5dCs83rn — Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) June 10, 2015

Addressing a nuance in the PH errata: the rule lets melee weapon attacks use unarmed strikes, despite those strikes not being weapons. — Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) June 10, 2015 @Arksorn1Is intent that monk stunning strike which req “hit…with a melee weapon attack” will not work with unarmed strike? You can make a melee weapon attack […]

@TheMarknight @eerongalbut according to Alter Self aren’t bite and claw attacks considered unarmed strikes? claws and bites are treated as weapons iirc — Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) March 14, 2015

@eerongaldoes a shapeshifted monk/druid benefit from increased damage die from monk? nope – not unless the attack is specifically an unarmed strike, as opposed to a claw or bite — Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) October 8, 2014