Monk Fighters

[Romotre]

This is not a house rule so it shouldn't go there. All i want to know is if you guys think I should have let this go. In my campaign there's this monk character. He took straight monk for about 7 or 8 levels, but realized he needed feats for a prestige class (He needed to focus more on some combat elements of his monkness in order to begin some advancement theory) so anyway, he takes no levels on fighter, giving him the two feats he needs. But he asked me what he should do about monk unarmed attack and the fighter bab, would it allow the extra attacks that the higher bab would allow him. Ok so his monk unarmed bab gives him +6/+3 lets pretend. then he gets a fighter lvl, his bab would go to +7/+4 or +7/+4/+1. i allowed it, saying he was only focusing on his unarmed fighter for the two levels, so he would get the extra attacks. however, i made him give up all the proficenices (sp? i don't care) a fighter has that a monk doesn't. you think this was a fair trade? does this make any sense? what are your thoughts?

 

[Gargoyle]

If a penalty doesn't really cost anything, it's not a penalty. Taking away the weapon and armor proficiencies doesn't hurt if he was never going to use them. It's like if a dual-wielding ranger wanted to multiclass into fighter but have an extra bonus feat in exchange for taking away medium and heavy armor proficiency and shield proficiency. It seems like something for nothing.

But it probably doesn't make much of a difference either way; I don't think you'll see a significant effect on your game, and I wouldn't be afraid to customize classes in small ways to get what you want.

I guess my opinion is that I wouldn't have done it, but I don't see it as a big deal.

 

[hong]

i allowed it, saying he was only focusing on his unarmed fighter for the two levels, so he would get the extra attacks. however, i made him give up all the proficenices (sp? i don't care) a fighter has that a monk doesn't. you think this was a fair trade? does this make any sense? what are your thoughts?

There's nothing particularly wrong with multiclassing from monk to fighter. The only restriction in the PHB is on monks and paladins gaining more monk/paladin levels after multiclassing, and even that rule is a bit dodgy.

 

[Ruvion]

It's not a big deal, and heck, IMC I even allow BABs from other classes to stack with monk's BAB for purpose of the monk's more favourable attack progression, as long as you are using a finessed weapon (unarmed or monk weapons usually). YMMV

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I'm with Gargoyle on this one. I wouldn't have done it your way (I think you need to take the penalties with the advantages of multiclassing, and the loss of unarmed BAB is the penalty for getting those fighter feats,) but I don't think it's a big deal. It shouldn't cause any problems.

 

[Dark Psion]

You might want to check out the new "Beyond Monks" at RPGNow.

Beyond Monks-The Art of The Fight

It has a new Martial Artist class for multiclassing, varriant rules for monks multiclassing and exchanging abilities for feats. A bunch of new feats, many are great for fighters and rogues. Several prestige classes, inculding a psionic monk. A section on class combos if you do allow multiclassing; Sorcercer Monk, Barbarian Monk and Cleric Monk. It also focuses on a few of a Monks special abilities, such as jumping(how to jump 705 ft) and speed(at 90ft, you start Hydroplaning). New uses for skills also includes how to use Balance to undo a sucessful Bluff(Feint) and how to use Concentration to enhance your attack.

Still reading it, but this is a great book so far.

 

[Gargoyle]

shameless bump.

Dark Psion: Thanks for the kind comments on Beyond Monks, and thanks for buying it!

The multiclass archetypes are for combinations with the martial artist, btw, not the monk, i.e. martial artist/rogue = ninja, etc. But you could apply the same logic to combos with the monk class.