The Clawing skill is one of several barehanded attack skills available. Damage is based on the user's STR and level. This is the default melee attack skill when not wielding a weapon for the Quetzecoatl and Dragon character race however Serpentmen also have the ability. This ability cannot be learnt from skill scrolls and is only available to the three races that have claws on their hands.

Clawing's damage and speed are higher than punching, but it's not quite as effective as karate is at equal levels. If you're fighting barehanded as a Quetzalcoatl or a Serpentman (because you're a monk or a Gaea worshipper perhaps), you'll generally benefit from using karate if it's available unless your clawing skill is much higher level. Keep in mind that weapons, if available, are typically more damaging and useful as they can have elemental attack types, grant resistances from wielding them, and can have slaying properties which grants a massive damage bonus against specific enemy types.

For Dragons (who can't wield weapons), the clawing skill is typically vastly more useful than karate is as eventually by gaining levels and swapping through all 4 elemental forms, dragons can gain claws that do fire, ice, electric, and poison damage all at once per hit, allowing them to tear through enemies with elemental damage using their claws. Enemies will reliably take damage unless they're totally immune to physical, fire, elec, and ice all at once, which is rather rare! The karate skill on the other hand does not benefit from their elemental claws, dealing only physical damage plus whatever elements their equipment may give (and equipment that gives you an elemental attack type is very rare), meaning it's generally less useful and not worthwhile investing time in raising karate as a Dragon.

Other non-weapon based attack skills include karate, flame_touch and punching.

If you want to adjust which skill you default to when barehanded, use the unarmed_skill command.

Nothing

Makes clawing your active attack.