CB error or am I missing something?

I'm A Banana · Feb 28, 2012

So, I'm building a Thri-Kreen Ranger (with Monk multiclass feats) in the CB, and it seems like this should be okay, but the CB isn't quite doing things right, so I figured I'd check with the braintrust here.

It seems that I should be able to get the Unarmed Strike capability, and then wield it in both hands (since it's off-hand). As a ranger, since a lot of my powers use more than one attack, and require me to wield two weapons, I'd like to "dual weild" unarmed strikes.

Balance-wise, it should be fine (it doesn't seem any more potent than dual-wielding any other d8/+3 weapon, at the cost of a feat no less), and the Unarmed Strike is specifically called out as being off-hand.

It would also seem to me that the unarmed strike is considered kind of both wielding and not wielding a weapon, no? A monk with an unarmed strike in their hand is considered not to have a weapon in their hand, it appears (US even mentions that you must have "a hand free" to use it), but also that it IS a weapon...

Just trying to get the numbers straight on this one, thanks!

chitzk0i · Feb 28, 2012

I remember this question coming up, but I don't have a source for this answer, but I recall the technical answer being that you only have one Monk Unarmed Strike. Regardless of how logical this is especially for a race with 4 arms...), the Character Builder only gives you one, so you can't duel wield with just your MUS. Toss a long sword in your other hand and the Character Builder should give you identical results.

I'm A Banana · Feb 28, 2012

Ah! Seems like I found the problem: on the Equipment tab, I only had one Unarmed Strike. I added another, and now I can dual-weild just fine. I can now realize my dream of adding +4 or more to each melee attack with Fighting Fury.

Thanks, though, [MENTION=34584]chitzk0i[/MENTION] !

Infiniti2000 · Feb 28, 2012

Ah, seeing threads like this remind of the good ole days.

Thanks, [MENTION=23094]Patryn of Elvenshae[/MENTION]!

keterys · Feb 28, 2012

If I were your DM, I'd be totally good with it. I only wish there were _more_ support for monks not using weapons.

I'm A Banana · Feb 28, 2012

Infiniti2000 said:
Ah, seeing threads like this remind of the good ole days.

I'm mostly excited because I'm level 6, and I can now have four seperate melee attacks in a turn (fluffed as four seperate arm attacks): Dual Strike + two minor-action encounter-level attack powers that use the "off hand."

If I REALLY wanted to, I suppose I could fluff it as four swords or somesuch -- it's mechanically nearly identical, save for the fact that I've got two or three less feats.

The backdoor str bonus (or extra str bonus) on attacks from the monk's Fighting Fury utility is mostly icing on the cake.

Patryn of Elvenshae · Feb 29, 2012

Infiniti2000 said:
Ah, seeing threads like this remind of the good ole days. Thanks, [MENTION=23094]Patryn of Elvenshae[/MENTION]!

*sniff*

It's been a long, long time, eh?

spinmd · Jul 27, 2012

Kamikaze Midget said:
Ah! Seems like I found the problem: on the Equipment tab, I only had one Unarmed Strike. I added another, and now I can dual-weild just fine. I can now realize my dream of adding +4 or more to each melee attack with Fighting Fury.

Thanks, though, [MENTION=34584]chitzk0i[/MENTION] !

Sorry for the thread necromancy, but I am trying to add a second monk unarmed strike and can't figure out how to do this.

The inventory tab doesn't allow me to change quantities, except to lower them by removing items, and the marketplace searching doesn't list a monk unarmed strike to add another one.

What am I missing to be able to do this?

I'm A Banana · Jul 27, 2012

If you go into the Marketplace, look up Unarmed Strike, and add it to your character via the "add" button on the bottom (or buy it, I suppose -- I don't think it has a GP cost), you should be able to get as many armed strikes as you want!

You'll be able to "equip" it in your off-hand and your main hand just fine, then, and the power cards should be correct.

FWIW, I'm still playing this character in my normal Monday games, we've hit level 8, and fighting fury with unarmed dual strikes is kind of crazy awesome. I took out a standard monster in the encounter in 3 hits, without Quarry. Given that strikers are expected to take out a standard monster in 4 (and that this monster might've been lower-level or low HP or whatever), I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that I can solo a standard monster like this (presuming I hit with my four attacks). It takes a few rounds to set up (Quarry and Fighting Fury are both minor actions), but it IS pretty awesome running into a monster and killing it entirely by myself with an at-will and a few encounters (or a daily).

It also helps that I have an 8 speed from being a Marauder. My strategy is to stay at distance hurling chatchkas with Twin Strike until I build up my Fighting Fury and/or Quarry, then come in, use Twin Strike (or use that ranger at-will that lets you ranged attack and move and then melee attack for the Marauder attack bonus), minor action to Off-Hand Strike, quarry damage and/or flurry damage if I hit (not an action for either of them; I've also got a daily poison for a bit more damage), and activate my daily Quick attack if I'm feeling especially punchy (free action attack), and maybe pile on an action point for another twin strike or something if it seems to take that well.

Next round, I get the hell out of melee range if the thing lived, recover from whatever was done to me, and repeat. The few rounds of build-up help on big critters because then the defender can get in and mark and the other characters can soften it up a bit before I run in and rip it to shreds.

Depending on the fluff and the number of targets and how many daily resources I want to spend in a round that's 5-8 instances of damage against a single target, each weapon attack dealing about 1d10+10 damage.

What normally balances me out me is bad rolls, since a chain of low rolls will gut my damage. But the Marauder attack bonus and the use of Ruffling Sting and possible flanking can help mitigate that for a little while. Accuracy is tough to get a hold of in 4e, so I try to make up for it by spamming attacks so that I'm never caught doing NOTHING in a round (though I'm sometimes caught blowing several encounter powers on whiffs).

spinmd · Jul 27, 2012

Kamikaze Midget said:
If you go into the Marketplace, look up Unarmed Strike, and add it to your character via the "add" button on the bottom (or buy it, I suppose -- I don't think it has a GP cost), you should be able to get as many armed strikes as you want!.

That's the problem. When I go to the marketplace and look up monk unarmed strike or unarmed strike it doesn't find it. If I look up unarmed, then I get a choice for unarmed attack, but that is the improvised one that there is no proficiency for and d4 for damage. I am using the search functionality, should I be using something different?

Thanks for your help though.