D&D 5E Giving the Monk the TWF fighting style

[CTurbo]

I have a level 5 Monk in my campaign and he wants to dual wield a pair of Sai. They would be a re-skinned dagger or light hammer. This is not important so lets move on.

He wants to be able to use both sai effectively, but according to RAW, he would be better off punching with his offhand than he would be attacking with his offhand sai. Admittedly, I like the idea of him duel wielding sai as it's a pretty cool theme for a Monk and a little on the rare side. My only counter argument is, is it necessary? He already gets two attacks at level 5. He could just attack once with each hand and then use some other form of unarmed strike with his bonus action. He's wanting to essentially get 3 attacks with the sai. I guess that ultimately it's not going to matter considering that each attack would be 1d6+4 no matter what. I think I'll just let him have it the more I think about it. What do you guys think? Overpowered or almost un-noticeable?



Side note: He wants me to make up a Sai master feat too which I'm ok with. I was thinking about maybe granting +1 to AC against melee weapon attacks while holding 2 sai and possibly allowing a parry option. Maybe once or twice per long rest or maybe his Wis mod per rest. Makes since considering the Sai's defensive capabilities.

 

[i_dont_meta]

Don't quote me on this, but I think the sai was used as a Disarming weapon as well...If so, think about incorporating that into your Feat.


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[KahlessNestor]

Why make it so complicated? A single level of fighter and the dual weilding feat gets you what you want.

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[Yunru]

Why make it so complicated? Just let them use Monk weapons for Martial Arts and Flurry of Blows.

 

[Li Shenron]

He's wanting to essentially get 3 attacks with the sai.

If you can find something in the PHB that allows it, then of course you should suggest him to use that.

Otherwise, I'd say no.

He gets 3 attacks at level 5 when he can combine Extra Attack with either Martial Arts or Two-Weapon Fighting, there is no reason why he should get it earlier. After all, the Wizard player isn't asking to get 2nd level spells at 1st level, so why should the Monk player have this privilege?

That said, one thing you could do to help, is to allow attacking with a Monk weapon instead of unarmed strike as part of Martial Arts, as well when using Flurry of Blows (which by the RAW only allow unarmed strike), but eventually use the same damage as unarmed strike, so that this is only a narrative change. But then the player can say he's doing 4 sai attacks when using Flurry.

I think that the RAW not allowing to always use a Monk weapon instead of unarmed strike is a design mistake. At least for me it gets in the way of the narrative that a lot of monsters (fiends, undead, and other filthy monstrosities) are creatures that no one would ever want to touch, not even with a quick punch.

 

[CTurbo]

Yes Sai are used as disarming weapons. I have considered adding that into the feat, but that is a strong feature, and I don't want the feat to be too OP.

I would not make him take a level of fighter just for TWF.

 

[CTurbo]

He gets 3 attacks at level 5 when he can combine Extra Attack with either Martial Arts or Two-Weapon Fighting, there is no reason why he should get it earlier. After all, the Wizard player isn't asking to get 2nd level spells at 1st level, so why should the Monk player have this privilege?

What do you mean get it earlier? He is level 5 now.

 

[Li Shenron]

What do you mean get it earlier? He is level 5 now.

Ok, I didn't read it carefully.

So how about my suggestion? Allow the Martial Arts additional attack with the sai, but use the unarmed strike damage, so you are sure that nothing changes mechanically. As long as the sai doesn't have additional magical properties...

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Make sai master feat as follows:
+1 AC
You may use a sai instead of an unarmed attack if you use martial arts off hand attacks.
-when you use flurry of blows you may try to disarm your target as part of the flurry attacks. Once per turn. Str or dex saving throw to resist. Two handed weapons give advantage.

 

[Aldarc]

I don't understand this issue because I have imagined that when monks are wielding weapons, even two weapons, that they are using a combination of weapon and unarmed attacks. They may be holding those sais, for example, while also pummeling their foes. And it's not difficult for me to imagine that the "unarmed strikes" are just rapid weapon attacks that do less than standard weapon damage, though improving with their unarmed damage increases.