D&D 3E/3.5 Question on D&D 3.5 Monk

[James McMurray]

As for the Kensai... well, I might just ignore that part altogether. Just makes this mess more confusing. It'd be nice if there was some official rule on the number of 'natural weapons' a monk has. I can imagine at least 16 different parts to attack with in various ways. I'll just leave it to the DM to decide.

Then perhaps next time you should ask the question in a more leading manner so that people can point you to the answers you like. You've had two precedents pointed out to you that tell how to price an item for a monk's unarmed strikes and then decided to ignore them both.

What was the answer you were wanting to hear? Perhaps if we knew that we could find something in some 3rd party sourcebook to support it.

 

[SlimeGuru42]

I read a bit more on gauntlets... yes they are still considered an unarmed attack, BUT they could as ARMOR, so my monk would loose a lot of abilities for wearing armor.

As for the Kensai... well, I might just ignore that part altogether. Just makes this mess more confusing. It'd be nice if there was some official rule on the number of 'natural weapons' a monk has. I can imagine at least 16 different parts to attack with in various ways. I'll just leave it to the DM to decide.

Don't worry about the number, a monk just uses their body to attack. The reason it costs three times as much in my mind, is because it's not technically a weapon. An amulet can't be sundered as easily, doesn't have to be drawn, and you can sleep in it. It's also a bit more innocuous to have an enruned necklace (that you could easily hide under clothing) than a big sword. But the amulet of mighty fists seems to be your best bet!

~Derrick

 

[Sidekick]

If you are looking for an item there is a set of bracers from the Magic of Faerun that allows you to enchant a characters natural weapon with normal weapon abilities (ie frost, shock, thundering ect).

Also, in terms of a monks natural attacks, a monk's attack is treated as both a natural and manufactured weapon. So you don't have to base the cost for an amulet of mighty fists on the magic fang spells.

Well that's my 2cp

 

[Artoomis]

Oh the VoP from BoED. Gotcha. I did not like the book of Exalted Deeds. It seemed- weird. Not very useful IMO.

Aaron.

The Vow of Poverty is a very, very nice fit with the monk. Ignore all the Exalted feats that require something special (a relationship with a Fey, etc.) and there is no weirdness at all. Just a really neat way to run a monk.

I would like to be able to do it without the BoED, actually. It's very close to the way I think a monk should be. It has two basic problems:

1. Pretty darn well-balanced only with a group that gets around the DMG suggested treasure amounts. Stray too far from that and it becomes either too weak or too strong.
2. Lack of flexibility. You can get flexibility with the way you spend skill points and with feat selection, but other characters usually have a lot of flexibility in how they develop with magic items.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Don't worry about the number, a monk just uses their body to attack. The reason it costs three times as much in my mind, is because it's not technically a weapon. An amulet can't be sundered as easily, doesn't have to be drawn, and you can sleep in it. It's also a bit more innocuous to have an enruned necklace (that you could easily hide under clothing) than a big sword. But the amulet of mighty fists seems to be your best bet!

~Derrick

That makes sense.

After all, one can conceivably say that the monk would have to enchant...
Knuckles (x2)
Side of hand (for the karate chop) (x2)
Heel of hand (x2)
Elbow (x2)
Knee (x2)
Heel (x2)
Side of foot (x2)
Forehead

That's 15 possible striking surfaces, and I'm sure I'm missing some. Each does the exact same damage, based on the monk's level, and you don't get any more than those allowed by your BAB and level. Nonhuman monks can use even more potential striking surfaces (I'm fond of describing my monk beating people up with his tail).

Figure the Amulet of Mighty Fist's multiplier is because it's an amulet and it's cool and nifty as described above. A Necklace of Natural Weapons is much more flexible, but were I a DM, I'd make you have at least two natural weapons to use it...and you might not find one useful; my group ran across one that was built for a bloody kraken!

Brad

 

[Unseelie]

I was looking at Kensai last night, and it says that in order for the Kensai to enchant his unarmed strikes he has to pay the XP cost as if they were two weapons.

Not exactly, but it does raise an interesting question.

Imbuing Natural Weapons: The process for imbuing a kensai's natural weapons (such as his fists) is the same as for a manufactured weapon, except all of a kensai's natural weapons of one type are imbued at 100% of the cost + 10% per natural weapon. For example, a human kensai who has the who has the Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike) may turn his fists into signature weapons for 120% of the XP cost. - CW, pg. 51

However...

A monk’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons. - 3.5 SRD

The statement in CW applies to those who fight unarmed, but Monks are special cased by design. That seems reasonable to me.

Now, if you want one frost fist and one flaming fist, that one I would handle as per double weapons, ie. each is paid for separately.

 

[Pax]

You should also get the item "monks tattoo", if yoru DM allows stuff from Magic of Faerun. Makes your unarmed attack damage the same as a monk four levels higher. The offensive counterpart to the monk's belt. ^_^ Costs 80,000gp, though ... not cheap.

Doesn't take up an item "space", and can't be taken away from you (well, not without takingyur SKIN off, anyway), so it has a couple other (extra) advantages over most magic items, too.