D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] Monks and two weapons

[Macbrea]

With the change of Monk's BAB to be the same as everyone elses it appears to have cured the problem with the monk taking another class and still fighting with their fists. But upon reading completely through Unarmed Strike & Flurry of blows, I cannot figure out if a monk is prevented from using Two weapon fighting with these abilities. From the general reading of it a monk armed with a quarterstaff or two monk weapons seems to be able to use two weapons and benefit if they take two weapon fighting. Has anyone else found a spot where it prevents a monk from taking the Two weapon fighting feat and benefiting from it?

 

[Plane Sailing]

I can't tell you exactly where, but yes, the monk is expressly prevented from using TWF at the same time as Flurry of Blows.

For monks with a STR bonus flurry is miles better anyway.

 

[Gilwen]

This is fromt he SRD:

A monk fighting with a one-handed weapon can make an unarmed strike as an off-hand attack, but she suffers the standard penalties for two-weapon fighting. Likewise, a monk with a weapon (other than a special monk weapon) in her off hand gets an extra attack with that weapon but suffers the usual penalties for two-weapon fighting and can't strike with a flurry of blows.

This means TWF (and ambidex for that matter) only applies to the monk if he is using non monk weapons or wanting to strike with a combination of monk weapon and non monk weapon. He is not prevented from taking them as feats.

If he is only using monk weapons or attacking unarmed he uses flurry of blows which is like Ambidex and TWF rolled into one for him.

Currently in 3.0 monk weapons are: a kama, nunchaku, or siangham.

In 3.5 they add: Quarterstaff and Sai

Depending on the flavor of you campaign I would sugesst adding to these the one from OA. (which i think includes the three section staff but you have to spend an exotic weapon feat to use it as a monk weapon)

HTH,
Bryan

 

[The Iron Mark]

Why does everyone keep on quoting the SRD for 3.5 questions when it hasn't even been updated yet?! >_<

 

[Darklone]

Why does everyone keep on quoting the SRD for 3.5 questions when it hasn't even been updated yet?! >_<

Habitude.

 

[Gilwen]

Why does everyone keep on quoting the SRD for 3.5 questions when it hasn't even been updated yet?! >_<

I was using it to help illustrate my point. I know the text has changed in the new edition but that doesn't mean it's not saying the samething as what's in the SRD.

Bryan

 

[sithramir]

[Sarcasm] I am reading my 3.5 books and apparently monks can't wield 2-handed weapons....wait...they also can't wield one-handed weapons!...wtf? It also says they gain no special monk weapons and that they should go back to the temple and pray for more "enlightenment". Wow thats an interesting paragraph....
[/Sarcasm]

 

[Gilwen]

LOL

 

[Camarath]

As far as I can tell there is nothing in the 3.5 Monk entey that prevents the monk from using Flurry of Blows and TWF with monk weapons. The Quarterstaff seems especially well suited for this. The monks unarmed strike says that the monk has no off-hand weapon (attack) when fighting solely unarmed but you can use them as an off-hand attack even when your hands are full. So to use both Flurry and TWF you need to use a monk weapon(s).


There could be additional rules that pervent the monk form using Flurry and TWF together but they are not it the monk class entry or any where else I looked.

 

[Gilwen]

As far as I can tell there is nothing in the 3.5 Monk entey that prevents the monk from using Flurry of Blows and TWF with monk weapons. The Quarterstaff seems especially well suited for this. The monks unarmed strike says that the monk has no off-hand weapon (attack) when fighting solely unarmed but you can use them as an off-hand attack even when your hands are full. So to use both Flurry and TWF you need to use a monk weapon(s).


There could be additional rules that pervent the monk form using Flurry and TWF together but they are not it the monk class entry or any where else I looked.

If the scans of the PHB 3.5 from www.gamingreport.com are accurate this is what the new entry says:

"When using flurry of blows, a monk may attack only with unarmed strikes or with speical monk weapons(kama, nunchaku,quarter staff, sai, shuriken, and siangham). She may attack with unarmed strikes and speical monk weapons interchangeably.."

So, to me at least, prevents you from making unarmed attacks mixed with armed attacks with flurry of blows (of course i am including the monk weapons in the unarmed portion).

If you wanted to attack with say a sword AND an unarmed attack you would have to rely on the Two weapon fighting rules as normal and could not use FoB.

Bryan