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I am wondering if I can apply Martial Arts Modified Weapon Damage

You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.

To the Bonus action of Polearm master if I am using a quarterstaff instead of dealing d4?

When you take the Attack action and attack with only a glaive, halberd, or quarterstaff, you can use a bonus action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon. The weapon's damage die for this attack is a d4, and the attack deals bludgeoning damage.

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2 Answers 2

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Yes, though you may not want to bother.

The Polearm Master Feat allows you to make an extra attack with the polearm in question as a bonus action- since the extra attack is with the butt end, the attack is treated as coming from a quarterstaff. As you stated, you can substitute damage from a quarterstaff for monk damage... but because Martial Arts already allows you to make an extra attack as a bonus action- granted, an unarmed attack, but it will deal the same damage- you don't gain anything thereby.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Thanks for giving a possible answer, The reason i want it to be possible is because just in case the quarterstaff is either +3 or has an On-hit effect it will do a much better job than unarmed strikes. \$\endgroup\$ Sep 24, 2017 at 5:07
  • \$\begingroup\$ You do bring up an interesting question with the combination of monk damage and Polearm Master, though- could you use Monk damage instead of the 1d4 when wielding a glaive? Say, as a fighter/monk? I'd say so, and that would be one way to effectively get the Martial Arts bonus attack without a monk weapon. \$\endgroup\$ Sep 24, 2017 at 5:13
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    \$\begingroup\$ But a quarterstaff is- and that's the question. Does using the butt end of any polearm with Polearm Mastery count as using a quarterstaff? \$\endgroup\$ Sep 24, 2017 at 5:21
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    \$\begingroup\$ Good point, I'm not entirely sure of the subject yet hence i'm asking but from what i understand using the butt end of a monk weapon is still using a monk weapon and using the butt end of non-monk weapon is using a non-monk weapon hence invalidates it. Not 100% sure so dont lose hope just yet. Lets try to wait for more peoples answer and maybe they notice your question too. \$\endgroup\$ Sep 24, 2017 at 5:36
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    \$\begingroup\$ No, you're right. Martial Arts only applies when you're only wielding a monk weapon. Oh well. \$\endgroup\$ Sep 24, 2017 at 5:55
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From the feat:

The weapon's damage die for this attack is a d4

From the class feature:

You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon.

So the feat changes the damage die, but the feature replaces whatever die the weapon has. The difference is subtle, but means that the feature supersedes the change brought by the feat: you can use your martial arts damage die.

This only works with a quarterstaff, though and brings no mechanical benefit, unless you wield a magical weapon (as you could use your bonus action to attack with martial arts anyway).

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