What does “melee weapon attack” mean: a melee attack with a weapon or an attack with a melee weapon?
It means a melee attack with a weapon. Similarly, “ranged weapon attack” means a ranged attack with a weapon. Some attacks count as a melee or ranged weapon attack even if a weapon isn’t involved, as specified in the text of those attacks. For example, an unarmed strike counts as a melee weapon attack, even though the attacker’s body isn’t considered a weapon. Here’s a bit of wording minutia: we would write “melee-weapon attack” if we meant an attack with a melee weapon.
https://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/SA_Compendium_1.03.pdf
[–] 6kNNRQ [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago (edited ago)
Thank you.
I'll have to re-read the Monk page and see if they have a specific rule for fists being melee weapon attacks, which would then mean that Paladins shouldn't smite with a fist...
Nope, because in the 5e errata it clearly states that unarmed strikes are melee weapon attacks for everyone.
[–] [deleted] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago (edited ago)
[–] 6kNNRQ [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Thank you, sounds likely.