monk weapons

[zedarian]

i was curious though I'm more than likely wrong. It's just not explained well in the players handbook, but if I'm using nunchaku or another monk specialty weapon that i can use with flurry of blows. I'm a higher lvl and say i do 1d8 or 1d10 unarmed dmg, will the monk special weapons do that same dmg or is it still 1d6 if i attack with nunchucks? it would just seem to me then that the monk weapons are useless at higher lvls. (unless you want to disarm or trip someone) cause then even if they are masterwork or magic then monk weapons are just weak except for the first few levels.

will also the ki strike (magic, lawful, adamantine) also be conveyed with monk weapons or does it have to be strictly unarmed to gain that bonus?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

It only applies to unarmed strikes. And really, monk weapons are weak from the start. You'd do best to focus on unarmed attacks. Get Versatile Unarmed Strike to cover other damage types (slashing, piercing) when needed. Have a caster ally put greater magic weapon/fang (either will help you) on you each day.

In the early days I guess they figured the high level choice was crappy base damage but magic enhancement bonuses with weapons or good base damage but having ot pay a ridiculous triple normal cost to get magical enhancements (amulet of mighty fists) with unarmed. Later on, people realized monk was just really weak and there was no good reason to put up with that enhancement bs when level 3 spells covered them all day anyway, and largely ignored the original dilemma. Monk weapons are terrible compared to any other weapon of similar type generally. I don't recommend ever using them aside for back up weapons for fringe cases (silver weapon for lycanthropes, kama to cut your way out of the belly of a monster that swallows you, etc...). Sling isn't awful as a ranged weapon, nor is club (yes, they have a range increment! ), for what it's worth.

 

[Herobizkit]

As a random aside, back in the 1e Oriental Adventures days, a person who learned a martial arts style did in fact use the better damage dice (unarmed vs actual weapon) when using a martial arts weapon as specified in their style. It's a pretty easy houserule, and I doubt itd be unbalancing at ALL.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The main reasons for using a Monk weapon don't include base weapon damage.

You use a Monk weapon when:

1. You need Reach
2. You're fighting a creature you don't want to touch with your bare hands
3. The weapon in question has enchantments/enhancements your unarmed strikes do not

 

[Jhaelen]

The weapon in question has enchantments/enhancements your unarmed strikes do not

That's the most common reason I've seen. And it doesn't have any disadvantages for a monk, either: Even when wielding two different monk weapons you can still choose to make unarmed attacks whenever you want.

 

[Runestar]

With any luck, your DM will let you acquire the necklace of natural weapons (savage species), letting you add enhancements to your fists, making monk weapons useless for most part.

BTW, which monk weapons allow reach?

 

[Starbuck_II]

Nope, no Monk Weapons in PHB allow reach. There is a ebberon feat allowing longspear to be a monk special weapon I think (one for longsword as well).

I like Quarterstaffs because 2 handed means better at disarming than any other monk weapon (even Sai's and Nunchaku's because they are light).

There is a Magic Sai in Magic Item Compendruim that lets you use the Monk unarmed damage with it.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

True, nothing in the PHB gives the Monk access to a weapon with reach.

However, there are certain Monk variants and Feats- found in Oriental Adventures, PHB2, DCv1, and several books from Eberron and Forgotten Realms- that greatly expand the Monk's weapon list to include extant weapons with Reach. There are also certain books that include new Monk weapons that also have Reach.

In addition, the Longstaff from CompAdv may qualify, but I'm not sure of this, and don't have it on hand at the moment.

 

[smetzger]

Also, if you use Weapon Groups from Unearthed Arcana you can get prof in Polearms.
IMO the most effective monk build is one with a Polearm and then a magic item that allows enlarge. This allows unarmed reash 5-10' out and then the polearm out to 15'.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In addition, the Longstaff from CompAdv may qualify, but I'm not sure of this, and don't have it on hand at the moment.

To correct myself- the Longstaff IS a Monk weapon, but it does not provide Reach.