D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Monk's Belt striking

[Hypersmurf]

The 3.5 Monk's Belt grants a non-monk the unarmed damage of a 5th level Monk.

Is this:

a. 1d8 damage (likely non-lethal, as the character's normal unarmed damage),
b. 1d8 damage, lethal or non-lethal as desired, or
c. 1d8 damage, lethal or non-lethal, treating the character as "armed" for purposes of threatening and not-provoking AoOs?

-Hyp.

 

[Crothian]

I would go with C

 

[Celtavian]

re

C for me as well. Person wearing monk belt effectively gains Improved Unarmed Strike and can hit for 1d8 lethal/non-lethal damage per choice.

 

[Deset Gled]

I would go with A. I believe the monk's unarmed damage is different from their Unarmed Strike class ability.

 

[Eldorian]

I would go with A. I believe the monk's unarmed damage is different from their Unarmed Strike class ability.

I think this description is poorly worded. It would seem that "If the character is not a monk, she gains the AC and unarmed damage of a 5th-level monk. This AC bonus functions just like the monk’s AC bonus." would give a non monk character the AC bonus class ability of the monk, which allows him to add his wisdom bonus to AC while unarmored. This seems to make the item way overpowered for it's price, making it a premier druid item. I would instead word it so that the wearer gains the Unarmed Strike monk class ability as a 5th level monk, and a +1 dodge bonus to his AC while unarmored.

As it's written, it's to vague to pick if it's A, B, or C.

Eldorian Antar

 

[youspoonybard]

A.

You get the Unarmed Damage of the Monk, but not the Unarmed Strike. Unarmed Damage is the listing in the table; the heading where everything is explained is Unarmed Strike.

 

[Darklone]

I'd go with Eldorians interpretation of the AC bonus and C).

 

[The Souljourner]

I think the intention was likely C - you strike as a 5th level monk would - i.e. 1d8 damage, lethal or non-lethal,and you count as being armed. Also the AC is a +1 dodge bonus, not the monk's wisdom bonus to AC.

I think most people would agree that this is balanced for the cost and neither under nor over powered.

If all you got was +1 dodge bonus to ac and increasing your non-lethal unarmed damage to 1d8, no one would ever bother with this item.

-The Souljourner