Need help with Monk

[Argyle King]

I am considering playing a Monk in an upcoming game. I've never played a D&D 4E monk before, so there are a few things I'm unsure of.


Full Discipline

I understand the idea (I think.) Each power has two things I can do; one choice being a move action, and the other being a standard action. This seems simple enough when looking at at-will powers.

However, I'm a little confused about how Encounter powers work. If I decide to use a move action to use the movement part of one of my Encounter powers, does that burn the whole power?

...or can I use both my move and my standard with a power to be able to use the whole thing?


Ki Focus

I'm not quite sure why I need a Ki Focus if I can already use the weapons I'm proficient with as implements.


Heavy Blade Opportunity

IIRC, this feat allows me to use at-will attacks for my attacks of opportunity instead of a basic attack. How would this work with a monk? Could I use a move action to use the movement part of a full discipline at-will during an AoO?

 

[Neonchameleon]

...or can I use both my move and my standard with a power to be able to use the whole thing?

You can use both parts - but you must use both on the same turn.

Ki Focus

I'm not quite sure why I need a Ki Focus if I can already use the weapons I'm proficient with as implements.

In case you want to use your fists or improvised Jackie Chan style weapons.

Heavy Blade Opportunity

IIRC, this feat allows me to use at-will attacks for my attacks of opportunity instead of a basic attack. How would this work with a monk? Could I use a move action to use the movement part of a full discipline at-will during an AoO?

No. You only get the attack action.

 

[Mengu]

However, I'm a little confused about how Encounter powers work. If I decide to use a move action to use the movement part of one of my Encounter powers, does that burn the whole power?

...or can I use both my move and my standard with a power to be able to use the whole thing?

You can use the whole thing. But you must do so in the same turn. You can't use the movement technique of an encounter power this turn, and the attack technique next turn.

I'm not quite sure why I need a Ki Focus if I can already use the weapons I'm proficient with as implements.

Lots of reasons. For one, it's cheaper to have one magic ki focus, than have 3 magic weapons. For instance an elf may want to use their bow occasionally, an offhand dagger to throw when needed, and maybe a club in their main hand. That would be 3 magic weapons, but one ki focus suffices for all 3. Also expertise and implement focus ki focus will give the bonus to attack/damage regardless of what weapon is being used.

IIRC, this feat allows me to use at-will attacks for my attacks of opportunity instead of a basic attack. How would this work with a monk? Could I use a move action to use the movement part of a full discipline at-will during an AoO?

No. You must use an at-will attack for the opportunity attack with HBO. The movement technique is not an attack.

 

[Njall]

Unless I'm mistaken, you can't use HBO with a full discipline power anyway, since HBO requires the "Weapon" keyword, and monk powers are Implement powers.

 

[Argyle King]

Unless I'm mistaken, you can't use HBO with a full discipline power anyway, since HBO requires the "Weapon" keyword, and monk powers are Implement powers.

True, but monks could potentially use a heavy blade as an implement.

 

[Argyle King]

Nevermind, I see what you mean. I had forgotten that HBO does specifically say it needs to have the weapon keyword.