Magic ki focus + magic weapon?

[RangerWickett]

If my executioner assassin has a +3 ki focus and a +1 lightning bola, can I have my bola deal lightning damage but use the +3 enhancement bonus from the ki focus?

 

[Grydan]

No.

"However, you must choose to use the enhancement bonus, properties, and powers of the ki focus, rather than the weapon you're wielding, or vice versa. You can't use both when you use a power." - Player's Handbook 3, pg 203

 

[RangerWickett]

Ok. What if I have a +3 ki focus, ki focus expertise, and a +1 lightning bola, and I want to deal lightning damage with my bola. Do I get to apply ki focus expertise to my attack? I'm okay with a 2 point hit to my attack bonus, but not a 4 point one. (I have the dragonmark of lightning, so a lightning bola lets me slide enemies 1 square and then trip them.)

 

[Grydan]

No, because if you're using the bola to deal lightning damage, you are not making an attack with the ki focus. The feat only applies "to implement attack rolls and weapon attack rolls that you make with your ki focus".

 

[RangerWickett]

Sometimes 4e is full of fail. It's hard to make a character who can do a lot of interesting things. So much is geared to 'specialize in this one thing'.

Well, I suppose I could go for Master of Arms, and just buy a bunch of +1 weapons with nifty abilities.

 

[ceiling90]

Couldn't you just get a Lightning Ki Focus?

 

[Grydan]

Couldn't you just get a Lightning Ki Focus?

There isn't one. Because Ki Focuses aren't a weapon, but a kind of implement, they cannot be given weapon enchantments.

The closest thing is the Forked Lightning Ki Focus, which can only convert melee damage into lightning, not ranged.

Also, if I'm not misinterpreting, [MENTION=63]RangerWickett[/MENTION] is trying to come up with ways in which he can have various magical effects at his disposal, not for a way to do lightning damage with any weapon.

 

[Saagael]

I think "various magical effects" are sufficiently covered under powers, wonderous items, and the vast array of head/arm/hand/waist/foot/ring/tattoo items. You don't need magic weapons for all those cool abilities.

Besides, you can already use any weapon you want with a ki focus; that's pretty much the opposite of "specialize in a single weapon." The only limitation is you don't get to mix and match any magic enhancement you want, and that makes complete sense.

 

[Infiniti2000]

The compendium has a little bit longer of a paragraph:

If you have a magic ki focus and wield a magic weapon, you choose before you use an attack power whether to draw on the magic of your ki focus or to employ the magic of your weapon. Your choice determines which enhancement bonus, critical hit effects, and magic item properties and powers you can apply to attacks with that power. You can’t, for example, use the enhancement bonus of your ki focus and the property of your magic weapon with the same attack power.

I don't see any problem with it and don't count it as a fail. It is, in fact, a significant benefit over another class that doesn't have the option to decide which to use just prior to using the power.

 

[WalterKovacs]

Actually, the Tools of the Trade playtest article has Ki Weapon Technique which works identically to Ki Focus Expertise (as long as you are wielding a weapon and a ki focus) but applies the bonus to attacks using either the weapon or the ki focus ... so it would be what you are looking for in this example. [It's not legal yet, but assuming that makes it through the playtest it will be).