D&D 5E Agile Parry + Dual Wielder AC

[Snoring Rock]

Ok, I searched but did not find it so here goes. Can a kensei monk use agile parry adding +2 to is AC for the round and dual wield at the same time, using an unarmed attack and add the +1 AC bonus for a total bonus of +3 AC?

Two-Weapon Fighting:

When you take the Attack Action and Attack with a light melee weapon that you’re holding in one hand, you can use a Bonus Action to Attack with a different light melee weapon that you’re holding in the other hand. You don’t add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus Attack, unless that modifier is negative.

If either weapon has the Thrown property, you can throw the weapon, instead of making a melee Attack with it.”

NOTE: Instead of using a weapon to make a melee weapon attack, you can use an unarmed strike: a punch, kick, head-butt, or similar forceful blow (none of which count as weapons). On a hit, an unarmed strike deals bludgeoning damage equal to 1 + your Strength modifier. You are proficient with your unarmed strikes.

Dual Wielder Feat:

You master fighting with two weapons, gaining the following benefits:

· You gain a +1 bonus to AC while you are wielding a separate melee weapon in each hand.

· You can use two-weapon fighting (see rules above for this) even when the one-handed melee weapons you are wielding aren’t light.

· You can draw or stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.

Agile Parry:

If you make an unarmed strike as part of the Attack action on your turn and are holding a kensei weapon, you can use it to defend yourself if it is a melee weapon. You gain a +2 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn, while the weapon is in your hand and you aren’t incapacitated.

Can you stack both bonuses for +3 AC?

 

[Oofta]

I don't see why not. Nothing requires a monk to have a free hand to do an unarmed strike, if you meet all the requirements - make an unarmed strike, wielding two weapons - I don't see why it would not stack.

An unarmed strike could be kicking, head butting, elbow bash, anything you want.

 

[Iry]

As a DM, I would allow it in a heartbeat.

RAW, Two-Weapon Fighting requires you to attack with weapons you are holding. You can get around this by making one attack with your primary weapon, the second attack as an unarmed strike (probably a kick, knee, or elbow), and a bonus action to attack with your off-hand weapon.

 

[Fenris-77]

Anything to help out our poor under-powered monk brothers and sisters. Sure.

 

[NotAYakk]

Yes, but the dual wielder feat is a not really great one for a monk.

The off-hand d8 weapon sucks without attribute-bonus-to-damage. You already have a MA 1d4+stat damage off-hand, which does more damage. On the Kensai, it costs you a 2 handed longsword attack (pre-5 only when you don't want to agile parry), losing an additional point of damage on your main attack(s).

And in exchange you get 1 point of AC.

Then, as you gain levels it gets worse. Your MA die keeps on advancing.

But yes, that is legal.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yes, it's fine, in 5e AC bonuses stack unless there is something to say otherwise.

As you point out, you do not have to have a hand free in order to make an unarmed strike.

It's not the best use of a feat though. Look at defensive duelist if you want your kensai to have a better AC.

 

[loverdrive]

Yeah, it works. You can also throw defensive duelist in the mix for some extra ac

 

[Oofta]

As a DM, I would allow it in a heartbeat.

RAW, Two-Weapon Fighting requires you to attack with weapons you are holding. You can get around this by making one attack with your primary weapon, the second attack as an unarmed strike (probably a kick, knee, or elbow), and a bonus action to attack with your off-hand weapon.

There's nothing about attacking with your weapons for dual wielder:

Dual Wielder​

You gain a +1 bonus to AC while you are wielding a separate melee weapon in each hand.​

You can use two-weapon fighting even when the one-handed melee weapons you are wielding aren't light.​

You can draw or stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.​

 

[DND_Reborn]

There's nothing about attacking with your weapons for dual wielder:

I believe @Iry said Two-Weapon Fighting, not Dual Wielder. With TWF:

you must actually attack with a light melee weapon. Dual wielder removes the Light restriction, but you still have to have a weapon you are holding in each hand.

Anyway...

Remove TWF and you are good to go as you really don't need it. Dual Wielder does not require you to attack, just hold two weapons (one in each hand). So, as long as the weapons are drawn you get the +1 AC bonus. Use your action to Attack with an Unarmed Strike (gaining the +2 AC bonus because you are holding a kensei weapon (maybe two even LOL). Then use your bonus action for another attack via the monk and get your DEX modifier to damage.

So, you get the +3 to AC and can make two unarmed strikes.

Now, your damage suffers a bit if you are making two unarmed strikes and not attacking with an actual weapon, but really IMO by the time your martial arts die is a d6, the difference is negligible.

The other reason for removing TWF is otherwise it doesn't work RAW. If you use the Attack action to attack with a kensei weapon (required for TWF) you can't replace the second weapon attack with an unarmed strike because then you are not making an attack with a weapon you are holding in your hand (again, required for TWF) because unarmed strikes do not count as weapons.

Since you can't then make an Unarmed Strike as part of the Attack action, no Agile Parry...

Of course, once you have Extra Attack, you can Attack with your Kensei weapon (gaining maybe 1 point of damage, shrug), make an Unarmed Strike via Extra Attack (Agile Parry triggers), make a bonus action attack with your other Kensei weapon (but no DEX mod to damage). Frankly, you are still better off using your bonus action for an unarmed strike via Martial Arts as you will get to add your DEX mod to damage.

So, just forget TWF really. You don't need it and it isn't helping you any.

 

[Undrave]

Poor Monk... no wonder they get a bonus to jumping, considering how many hoops they have to jump through to be good!