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About this mod
A very simple mod adding the Fortify Unarmed alchemy effect to Bear Claws and Tundra Cotton allowing you to make a Fortify Unarmed potion.
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Reasons
The basic game lacks any alchemy means to enhance unarmed combat and while some mods do include it, they also come with other changes that you may not like and/or can't run due to compatibility issues with other mods, so I decided to make this simple change.
Math
I hadn't known anything about modding before so I kept it as simple as possible. The alchemy effect is just a copy of the basic Fortify Unarmed effect that gives a flat bonus to damage, as opposed to % modifier for one-handed, two-handed or bow damage. It is well beyond my ken to create a % modifier for unarmed from scratch, so I decided to just roll with the flat bonus.
Unfortunately, that means that making the potion balanced with Fortify One/Two-Handed/Marksman is quite tricky, because different weapons have different base damage and fists or claws can't be improved via smithing (which seems to be factored before potion bonuses). I decided to go by the ratio between the permanent bonus from enchantment and a temporary bonus from a potion. Running the numbers with Ordinator installed (but Ordinator is not a requirement for the mod to work) and without any loop etc exploits, the strongest Fortify One/Two-Handed/Marksman potion with maxed-out Alchemy, relevant perks and "naturally" occurring Alchemy gear (Circlet/Necklace/Gauntlets of Peerless Alchemy) gives a 92% bonus. The strongest enchantment with Enchanting maxed-out, relevant perks and a Fortify Enchantment potion created with the naturally occurring alchemy gear gives 40% bonus, i.e. the potion is 2.3x stronger than the enchantment.
So, since the strongest Unarmed enchantment you can get with the same setup is 15, I set the strength of the potion so that with the same setup it too gives you 2.3x times more, which is 34.5, rounded up to 35.
That means that (again, running Ordinator numbers) even with Alchemy at 25, no perks and no gear, it will give you a bonus of 7, which is kind of a lot for such low level and makes playing a low level Khajiit or Argonian even easier, so I guess either enjoy if you like that, or use restrain if you don't. It will catch up and become more balanced with weapon bonuses as you level up.
Ingredients
There are only two ingredients and thus only one way to create the potion. I picked Bear Claws, for symbolism, where it replaces the Restore Stamina effect, which you can get from plenty other ingredients and Tundra Cotton where it replaces Fortify Barter, which, I think, is a rarely used potion and even if you use it often, you can still get it from Dragon's Tongue + Butterfly Wings, both of which are easily found and acquired. Both ingredients are either really (Tundra Cotton) or relatively (Bear Claws) common, which is more or less in line with how common ingredients for One/Two-Handed/Marksman potions are.
Compatibility
As far as I can tell, should be compatible with about anything that doesn't change the effects of Tundra Cotton or Bear Claws, so anything that isn't an Alchemy overhaul should be good.
Installation and load order
Whatever mod manager you use. Use LOOT for load order.
Feedback and suggestions
Are welcome and appreciated.
The basic game lacks any alchemy means to enhance unarmed combat and while some mods do include it, they also come with other changes that you may not like and/or can't run due to compatibility issues with other mods, so I decided to make this simple change.
Math
I hadn't known anything about modding before so I kept it as simple as possible. The alchemy effect is just a copy of the basic Fortify Unarmed effect that gives a flat bonus to damage, as opposed to % modifier for one-handed, two-handed or bow damage. It is well beyond my ken to create a % modifier for unarmed from scratch, so I decided to just roll with the flat bonus.
Unfortunately, that means that making the potion balanced with Fortify One/Two-Handed/Marksman is quite tricky, because different weapons have different base damage and fists or claws can't be improved via smithing (which seems to be factored before potion bonuses). I decided to go by the ratio between the permanent bonus from enchantment and a temporary bonus from a potion. Running the numbers with Ordinator installed (but Ordinator is not a requirement for the mod to work) and without any loop etc exploits, the strongest Fortify One/Two-Handed/Marksman potion with maxed-out Alchemy, relevant perks and "naturally" occurring Alchemy gear (Circlet/Necklace/Gauntlets of Peerless Alchemy) gives a 92% bonus. The strongest enchantment with Enchanting maxed-out, relevant perks and a Fortify Enchantment potion created with the naturally occurring alchemy gear gives 40% bonus, i.e. the potion is 2.3x stronger than the enchantment.
So, since the strongest Unarmed enchantment you can get with the same setup is 15, I set the strength of the potion so that with the same setup it too gives you 2.3x times more, which is 34.5, rounded up to 35.
That means that (again, running Ordinator numbers) even with Alchemy at 25, no perks and no gear, it will give you a bonus of 7, which is kind of a lot for such low level and makes playing a low level Khajiit or Argonian even easier, so I guess either enjoy if you like that, or use restrain if you don't. It will catch up and become more balanced with weapon bonuses as you level up.
Ingredients
There are only two ingredients and thus only one way to create the potion. I picked Bear Claws, for symbolism, where it replaces the Restore Stamina effect, which you can get from plenty other ingredients and Tundra Cotton where it replaces Fortify Barter, which, I think, is a rarely used potion and even if you use it often, you can still get it from Dragon's Tongue + Butterfly Wings, both of which are easily found and acquired. Both ingredients are either really (Tundra Cotton) or relatively (Bear Claws) common, which is more or less in line with how common ingredients for One/Two-Handed/Marksman potions are.
Compatibility
As far as I can tell, should be compatible with about anything that doesn't change the effects of Tundra Cotton or Bear Claws, so anything that isn't an Alchemy overhaul should be good.
Installation and load order
Whatever mod manager you use. Use LOOT for load order.
Feedback and suggestions
Are welcome and appreciated.