Monk with a shield?

[Sejs]

- Monks are said to lose their abilities when "wearing armor" (PHB p. 39) -- that is, any armor.

Actually, do note however, that the monk's Evasion ability speciffically notes that they can use it when in Light or No Armor.

So a monk -can- evade with a shield, or chain shirt on, or whatever. But their other monk stuff would still be reduced/subject to ASF as normal if they did so.

 

[dcollins]

Sejs, that's a reasonable point. You may need to re-interpret where I said "lose their abilities" above as shorthand for "face arcane spell failure for special abilities".

I would agree that a shield wouldn't immediately prohibit monk Evasion (that requires medium or heavy armor). But, they would still apply the arcane spell failure chance as for any special ability (that requires only some kind of armor).

 

[Sejs]

*nod* Yep, with ya 100% on the asf%, armor thing - the whole bit. Nah, honestly, I didn't know about the evasion/light armor thing until I checked it today, heh.

 

[Deset Gled]

Sejs, that's a reasonable point. You may need to re-interpret where I said "lose their abilities" above as shorthand for "face arcane spell failure for special abilities".

My understanding is that ASF only applies to acane spells. IIRC, all monk abilities are either Extraordinary or Supernatural, with the exception of Abundant Step (which is spell-like, not arcane). That being said, I don't think ASF would apply to any monk abilities.

 

[Sejs]

Gled~

PHB, p39. Left Colum, toward the bottom of the Weapon and Armor Proficiency section for the Monk class:

"A monk's special skills all require freedom of movement. When wearing armor, a monk loses her Ac bonus for Wisdom, Ac bonus for class and level, favorable multiple unarmed attacks per round, and heightened movement. Furthermore, her special abilities all face the arcane spell failure chance that the armor type normally imposes. In addition, wearing armor heavier than leather imposes check penalties to the skills Balance, Climb,....."

 

[Deset Gled]

Well, I'll be. So it does. Am I still correct in ruling that ASF doesn't apply to any other classes special abilities?

 

[Sejs]

Yep, least as far as I know heh. Just arcane spells and monk special abilities.

 

[Don21584]

Could just go with an Animated Shield.