I'm not one for min/maxing or theorycraft really, but I'm legitimately curious if there's a good character build anyone's used for doing unarmed combat.

Always wanted to try and run one, and yes I know in a galaxy of guns it's stupidly unproductive, but that doesn't stop my curiosity.

So, anyone built up a character to use this rarely used combat?

I haven't, but I can theorycraft.

You'd probably (ironically), want to be using Ascension for this, as Ascension has a bunch of talents that really help unarmed combat (think there's one that removes the Primitive quality from fists, and cause unarmed attacks to deal 1d10+SB damage).

Or, you could always just go for a Psyker, specializing in Biomancy and Pyromancy, and getting the flaming hands and Hammerhand powers.

Yeah, I think without Ascension, or one of the other games in the line, which introduce the unarmed combat Talents, Unarmed is just going to be flat out bad in Dark Heresy. The fact that you are using a d5 for damage really punishes you, even without the primitive quality.

Truthfully I don't think this is a problem, as the unarmed fighter isn't really a major trope in 40k.

Only War introduced a bunch of unarmed Talents that make it not suck as much (but introduce problems of their own), so if your GM allowed talents from other games you might be able to make it work. Beyond that, as has been said, in DH core unarmed isn't really viable.

If you play with disciples of the dark gods are there always the molten man psyker power, it giving you a really good packet solution for when you want to throw fisticuffs with its +3 toughness bonus and the new lovely dam of 1d10 plus the pen of 5. Play a multi schooled psyker and throw a hammerhand in the mix and you are a force to be reckoned with

Yeah, psykers are the only group I see pulling this off.

Hmmm...

Depending on your definition of 'Unarmed,' I can see one potentially helpful build:

With a good quality Bionic Arm you get 10 to Strength. Add that to naturally high Strength, (40 or so.) Take 'Street Fighter'. Take 'Crushing Blow.' Take a best-quality pair of Brass Knuckles.

You'll deal something along the lines of D5+9 damage in Close Combat, with a +10 to hit and pen of 2.

It's just not really possible. Unless you somehow get improved natural weapons, unarmed is essentially and will always be useless.

Or Good-Craftmanship Synthmuscle Graft from "The Lost Dataslate" -> Unnatural Strength (x2), but -10 to Ag.

It's just not really possible. Unless you somehow get improved natural weapons, unarmed is essentially and will always be useless.

Unless you are in the situation when you don't have any weapon.

Well obviously, but at that point you have a better shot of talking your way out of it than passing out from a fistfight.

I am a fan of the radical adept even though they are not combat heavy.

Take "Thy Name I Keep" background from the radical handbook on page 37 to get the Boon of Leech Life Force from the Dark Pact of Survival. All damage you deal to wounds heals you or grants additional temporary wounds.

Take the Malefic Scholar alternative career path also found in the radical handbook on page 50 to pick up sorcery.

Pick up the sorcery power "Living Weapon" for +20 WS, +20 S, +10 T, +10 Ag. Stack on Hammerhand or Molten Man as other suggested above.

There are also the transgenic grafting on page 203 of the radical book that lets you pick up traits and talents from alien species. Go for claws to get natural weapons.

Living Weapon is a nice substitute for not having access to cheap WS characteristic increases. Also the class is very good with out of combat actions, and sorcery will allow for unrestricted access to psy powers.

Thank you for that radical clerk. I haven't used a paper pusher yet against my team

I would allow for an Assassin to trade in one of his weapon training talent for Unarmed Warrior at rank 1.
Unarmed Master sounds like a nice rank 4 or 5 talent.

Problem solved?

In only war its more than possible. The talents Unarmed master; feat of strength; crushing blow; thunder charge; puglist and another one I forget the name of have my HWS landing punches at 1d10+13 with concussive (2) which cant be dodged or parried on an opposed WS test

Out of curiosity, have you found Thunder Charge to be useful? It has very high prerequisites and costs a lot of XP, and while I haven't seen it in action, knocking down a few enemies who aren't your target doesn't seem particularly strong.