Hot answers tagged monk
29
There are conditions that prevent characters from taking actions altogether (stunned, unconscious, dying, etc). This prevents free actions, but a "No Action" power could still be used. Also note that most powers that enhance your initiative are No Action because you are using them before combat technically begins.
For example, a Deva could use the Memory of ...
26
The Monk class is one of the weakest in the game. It has extremely few powerful or useful features, and those that are useful tend to have extremely tight limits on how often they can be used. The only major exceptions, namely their Unarmed Strikes, AC Bonus, Flurry of Blows, Evasion, and their bonus feats, all happen in the first two levels. There is almost ...
15
Necessary but insufficient
It would help. It would more than help; I have a hard time imagining them being functional without it. The necklace of natural attacks or scorpion kama are generally necessary for Monks. That said, the necklace of natural attacks does exist (as do similar items in Pathfinder), and it’s not nearly enough to make the Monks ...
13
Essentially, sixth level is the end of Monk as an independent class.
Monk's biggest and most pervasive problem is that it can't play well with itself. More than any other class in the game, a Monk's features demand exclusivity of use, even to the point where you can't use other Monk features if you want to use certain ones. Looking at the SRD entry for Monk ...
12
No, they're not considered proficient before level 6. (But see the note at the end.)
Monks of the empty hand are proficient with the shuriken only. (Pathfinder Reference Document)
Though such a monk gets class abilities before 6th level that affect improvised weapons, they're all only situationally useful: Versatile Improvisation is only useful when ...
11
You don't.
Monks suffer from many things (things that are also present in other classes to a greater or lesser degree that also suck).
Multible Ability Dependancy (Str, Wis, Dex, Con).
Lack of a full attack bonus (like a fighter).
Inability to move and do your attack routine (this is a problem for more or less every melee class in 3.x ever).
There ...
10
Yes, as per Player's Handbook FAQ
Found reference here:
Attack powers that have a target line and deal damage are attacks (See: Magic Missile). Ergo, Flurry of Blows is an attack.
This is clarified in the FAQ for Player's Handbook, in case anyone was wondering where it's coming from.
And the relevant original text is here (item 38):
What ...
9
The monk description mentions the Improved Unarmed Strike feat which says that it is an unarmed strike which is listed on the weapon table as bludgeoning. Thus, it's not slashing and doesn't bypass the damage reduction. The ki strike being considered magical would only make a difference when fighting a creature with DR 5/magic such as a barghest.
9
Monk Multiclassing
If your group actually enforces the Monk multiclassing restriction, and you want to go back to Monk for some reason, Monastic Training from Eberron Campaign Setting allows you to multiclass Monk with any one other class. The only good use of this feat is Tashalatora (see Psionics below), since it’s very rare for anyone to leave Monk ...
8
I would argue No.
a Melee basic attack specifics that the target is "One Creature" this power goes further and specifies that the controlled enemy must target one of your enemies, however it does not subsume the targeting rules of the MBA.
Because I do not believe you are a valid target for your own MBA (I think it would specify that you could be included ...
7
Grappling. Grappling is a horribly broken rule set, so take advantage of Improved Grapple (+4). Throw in a potion of Enlarge Person or some such to give expanded reach and that extra +4 for size, and a +1 to strength, have a decent strength score, and when you consider the monk's high movement rate on top of that, and you give your monk a ridiculous +9 bonus ...
7
A Monk of Empty Hands does not take the -4 nonproficiency penalty for improvised weapons.
James Jacobs, Paizo creative director, clarifies this on the Pathfinder RPG forums:
The monk of the empty hand treats improvised weapons as if she were proficient in them, and can wield normal weapons as improvised weapons. This effectively has the same end effect ...
7
Yes
From PHB3, p217, Full Discipline (emphasis mine):
Separate Actions: Each of the techniques in a full discipline power requires a separate action to use. The action types are specified in the power. You can use the techniques in whatever order you like during a round, and you can use one of the techniques and not the other during a particular round.
...
7
Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus as Phill's answer, but damage includes the full Strength bonus.
A monk applies his full Strength bonus to his damage rolls for all successful attacks made with flurry of blows, whether the attacks are made with an off-hand or with a weapon wielded in both hands.
7
OK, starwed’s answer is pretty good, but relying on the FAQ is not a good idea since the FAQ authors are frequently wrong, and moreover were never given authority by WotC to actually state rules (i.e. “FAQ is not RAW”).
The answer is yes.
Manufactured Weapons
An unarmed strike is considered a “manufactured weapon” for the ...
7
Page 105 of Complete Adventurer has Ascetic Mage (also available here in questionable legality form) which allows you to mix sorcerer and monk levels.
To multiclass into any class using Wizards-only material, ask to use the modifications to the Monk class made by Oriental Adventures.
Beyond that, there may be a smaller publisher which has created a similar ...
6
In the Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 Index - Prestige Classes it lists the Master of the South Wind which is a rogue/monk combination prestige class that is in Dragon Magazine 314 p35.
Also there is the Monk of the Long Death in the Players Guide to Faerun p65 but not sure if that is as good a match.
6
Barring any fancy feats or abilities, a Monk has two main options against a flying creature:
1. Ranged basic attacks with a thrown weapon.
2. Ready an attack.
The latter is probably the more effective - you can use better abilities, and the monsters have to come to you eventually (even if they have fly-by or some other ability that allows them to ...
6
Pathfinder addressed the issue of Monk's BAB in an elegant fashion (IMO).
Monks keep their medium progression BAB (3/4 level) but, when she uses Flurry of Blows, she applies her entire class level as BAB albeit a penalty for using the equivalent of Two-Weapon Fighting.
So, at 1st level, she has BAB pf +0. But if she takes a full-round action to flurry, she ...
6
No
A Ki Focus is a category of implement, like Staff, Holy Symbol and Rod. This would be like asking if a Wizard who multiclassed Cleric could use a Holy Symbol as a Staff. They're just different things.
If you look on PHB3.p62 you'll see that the monk has "Ki focuses, weapons with which you are have proficiency" listed as the implements that they can use. ...
6
Yes.
The Monk's Unarmed Strike is considered a weapon. As is any other Unarmed Strike (1d4 no proficiency bonus, improvised one handed melee weapon). Therefore the powers that target a weapon could be used on the "monk's unarmed strike" weapon.
If they can also target implements they should be used on the Ki Focus with which the monk is channeling his ...
6
No. Your claw/claw/bite or your complement of monk-punches is what you get for a full-round attack, not both. You don't become supernaturally fast enough to both punch and claw simultaneously with the same hand just because you have claws now.
Though in hybrid form you're already using your hands as part of your unarmed attacks, you aren't using your bite. ...
5
Given the restriction of Pathfinder only, this is not possible, based on my research. There is no feat, prestige class, race, or magic item that will make a wizard use Wisdom for their spells, or make a monk use Intelligence for their special abilities. Depending on exactly what you're looking for, you might be able to use Magus instead of Monk. ...
5
Outside of trivial answers like: hybrid, multiclass, half-elf (especially in paragon), there are some potentially interesting item combinations.
While far more appropriate for an essentials character, a Farslayer Weapon provides an excellent backup-weapon for the monk (with melee training), as monk bonus-damage comes from flurry of blows. The far far more ...
5
Dexterity + Implement Bonus
Like all other implement casters, you do not get weapon proficiency damage, because you don't use weapons as weapons. While it is slightly counterintuitive, the implement design of monk allows them to be mostly weapon agnostic and not attracted to fullblades like assassins. However, monks always attack NADs, so you're attacking ...
4
My monk recently picked up Weapon Finesse (Unarmed) and an Amulet of Shocking Fists (the +1 to hit was switched to a +1d6 shock damage), both of which have made him a decent offensive fighter. The party's barbarian is still the big hitter, but the monk provides solid front line support.
The party mage has Bull's Strength, Enlarge Person and Mage Armour on ...
4
A Wand of Mage Armour that the party wizard (if any) could use, would help defense since with +Wis bonus as well, the AC will still be quite high. Every grapple monk needs some potions of Balor Nimbus (spell compendium: 2nd level wizard or cleric spell, +6d6 fire damage to anything you're grappling for 1 round/level) if its allowed. Monk/wizards are fairly ...
4
While not being a prestige class, this feat does the trick.
ASCETIC ROGUE -
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, sneak attack.
Benefit: When you use an unarmed strike with a sneak attack to deliver a stunning attack, you add 2 to the DC of your stunning attempt.
For example, a human 5th-level rogue/1st-level monk would deal 1d8 points of damage with ...
4
As a note, if the monk doesn't have at least an 16 (and that's absurdly low) after post-racial bonuses, it may be best to consider having a chat with the player and the DM saying "D&D doesn't like it when primary stats suck. What can we do to fix this?"
Feats:
Superior Implement Proficiency: Accurate Dagger/Ki Focus
Implement Expertise (Light ...
4
This is covered by the FAQ. The answer is yes (but all natural attacks are considered secondary, with the -5 penalty and only half strength to damage). A monk can also use TWF as part of a flurry. (The section on monks is pretty long!)
Can a monk who has natural weapon attacks (such as a centaur monk) attack unarmed and still use his natural weapons? ...
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