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Message: <blockquote data-quote="tetrasodium" data-source="post: 8249764" data-attributes="member: 93670"><p>I think that people are getting stuck in a pointless argument about the BoD that distracts from the real problem of magic item availability between, wotc designing everything as if no magic items will ever be present, & then that design capping the whole thing off by assuming a given bonus will be equally effective no matter who is using it or how many attacks they get to trigger it on each round.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>It's <em>exactly</em> just "<strong>something</strong>"</p><p>[ATTACH=full]135715[/ATTACH]</p><p>It's literally a situation where everyone else got a magic item that in some cases multiplies each round with extra attack & the monk got a downgrade from a magic shield to one with zero mechanical effect on anything but very weak fluff.  That something is an issue deliberately created by wotc & bragged about as if it were a good thing.  When Wotc says "magic items are optional" so that 5e would have maximum compatibility with Cubicle 7's adventures in middle earth game  where I believe magic items are pretty much not a thing they did so at the expense of 5e itself.  Wotc designs everything pegged to a bar set with the faulty assumption that rogues & fighters will not have magic items.  That faulty assumption results in classes that are less magic item dependent or even less capable of using them having no way to bridge the gap created by giving magic items to classes like fighter/rogue/paladin.  Even worse is that in the name of simplification they cut off avenues for the GM to provide those other classes magic items that do so.  Take <a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/characters/classes/monk/" target="_blank">this</a> 3.5 monk guide where a bunch of magic items are listed</p><p>[spoiler]</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ki Focus<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">PHB</a> (+1): This would be great if it also allowed the weapon to use your unarmed strike damage, but as written it's not very useful.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Scorpion Kama<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">MIC</a>: A +1 kama which uses your unarmed strike damage. You can use a cheaper mundane or magical kama for special attacks, or you can use your unarmed strikes to hit things, and you can magically enhance your hands, so this doesn't really offer anything useful except the ability to attach weapon crystals.</li> </ul><h3>Rings</h3> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Counterspells<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">DMG</a>: Not an especially exciting option, the Ring of Counterspells is frequently overlooked. Monks can get a lot from permanent spells, but the problem with permanent spells is that if they are dispelled they're gone forever and you lose all of that gold you spent. Enter the ring of counterspells, which you can fill with three spells. I recommend Dispel Magic, Greater Dispel Nagic, and either a second greater dispel magic or Reaving Dispel depending on your level. Suddenly you're protected against your biggest counter.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fanged<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">DM</a>: Improved Natural Weapon (Unarmed Strike) on a ring. See the Feats section, above. It's interesting to note that sincer unarmed strikes technically aren't a natural weapon, Improved Natural Weapon (Unarmed Strike) should be an invalid feat. However, this ring seems to indicate that it's allowed.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Force Shield<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">DMG</a>: The description specifies that the shield effect is encumbrance-free, so your DM may allow you to use this without interrupting your Monk AC bonus. If that's the case, this can be a helpful way to get some more AC once your cheaper options have been enhanced quite a bit.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Adamantine Touch<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">MIC</a>: If you give up Ki Strike (Adamantine) this is a cheap way to replace it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Protection<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">DMG</a>: With such poor AC, Monks need all of the help they can get.</li> </ul><h3>Wands</h3> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mage Armor<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">PHB</a>: With no ability to wear armor, a wand of Mage Armor is a fantastically economical option. I don't recommend the eternal version because 2 hours may not be enough to get you through a day, but 50 charges should last long enough for you to upgrade to Greater Mage Armor.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mage Armor, Greater<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">PHB</a>: As a third level spell, the minimum caster level is 5 so you get 5 hours per charge. Get an eternal wand and you're covered for 10 hours a day for just over 10,000gp. That's somewhere between the cost of +3 and +4 armor or bracers of armor, and you're getting +6 instead.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Magic Fang<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">PHB</a>: 750gp gets you 50 hours of +1 hands, which may be enough to get you by until you can afford to permanently enhance your hands. Of course, you still need a caster who can use it, but Magic Fang is on nearly every full caster's spell list.</li> </ul><h3>Wondrous Items</h3> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Amulet of Natural Armor<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">MIC</a>: The AC boost is great, but Periapt of Wisdom does more for the Monk.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Amulet of Mighty Fists<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">MIC</a>: This is a trap. See Greater Magic Fang under Permanent Spells, below. For less than the price of a +2 amulet you can make your hands permanently +5.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Armbands of Might<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">MIC</a>: Fantastic if you want to use Power Attack and/or special attacks like Trip.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Belt of Battle<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">MIC</a>: A fantastic way to get some extra actions. Use on charge to get a move action, then move into place to make a Flurry of Blows.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Belt of Strength<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">MIC</a>: The bonus to hit and damage are crucial.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bracers of Armor<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">DMG</a>: A trap for people who don't like wands. A wand of mage armor will do much better for much less gold.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cloak of Resistance<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">DMG</a>: Vest of Resistance is identical and takes up a much less useful slot.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gauntlets of Strength<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">DMG</a>: Great for the Strength bonus, but it's usually better to get a belt so that you can get Gloves of Dexterity.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gloves of Dexterity<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">DMG</a>: Great for your AC, and the boost to Reflex saves is always nice with Evasion.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Monk's Belt<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">MIC</a>: Tempting, but the effects total to +1 to AC and a tiny bit of unarmed strike damage. Leave this for Clerics and Druids.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Necklace of Natural Weapons<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">SS</a>: Throw some elemental enhancements on this. You don't need to make it +1 before applying enhancements, so you can use permanent greater Magic Fang to get +5 hands, and add caustic/flaming/shocking to the amulet for piles of energy damage.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Periapt of Wisdom<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">DMG</a>: Essential for many Monk abilities, including the AC bonus. However, the Necklace of Natural Weapons is probably a better choice. Ask your DM if he'll let you move this to your head slot.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rags of Restraint of Wisdom<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">MIC</a>: A very cheap healing mechanic exclusive to Monks and Ninjas, but wands of Lesser Vigor are very cheap, and someone in your party should know how to use one.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rapidstrike Bracers<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">MIC</a>: +2 to your attacks with Flurry of Blows, but only 3/day.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vest of Resistance<a href="https://rpgbot.net/dnd35/abbreviations/" target="_blank">MIC</a>: Same cost as a cloak, and takes up the largely useless "torso" slot.</li> </ul><p>[/spoiler]</p><p>Those slots were important for balancing things like these & even moreso so were flat +N attribute bonus items.</p></blockquote><p></p>

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