Question re Monk's Flurry and BAB from other class

[PaulKemp]

In the case of a multiclass monk, does the BAB from the non-monk class stack with the flurry of blows attack bonus? As an example, does a fighter 1/monk 1 have a flurry of blows attack bonus of -1/-1 (taking account of the fighter BAB of +1) or at -2/-2 (not factoring in the fighter's BAB). It seems as if the BABs from other classes should stack, but I cannot find a clear rule on the issue.

If anyone can help, I'd be grateful.

Paul

 

[Tilenas]

BAB does stack (general multiclass rule) and since there is nothing in the flurry description that overrules it, stacking applies normally. So, a Monk 1/Fighter 19 would have a BAB of +19 and a flurry attack of +17/+17.

 

[PaulKemp]

That's what I'd hoped (and kinda figured). Thanks, Tilenas.

 

[irdeggman]

Applicable text:

Base Attack Bonus: Add the base attack bonuses acquired for each class to get the character’s base attack bonus. A resulting value of +6 or higher provides the character with multiple attacks.

Flurry of Blows (Ex): When unarmored, a monk may strike with a flurry of blows at the expense of accuracy. When doing so, she may make one extra attack in a round at her highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a –2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round. The resulting modified base attack bonuses are shown in the Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus column on Table: The Monk. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects attacks of opportunity the monk might make before her next action. When a monk reaches 5th level, the penalty lessens to –1, and at 9th level it disappears. A monk must use a full attack action to strike with a flurry of blows.

When using flurry of blows, a monk may attack only with unarmed strikes or with special monk weapons (kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, and siangham). She may attack with unarmed strikes and special monk weapons interchangeably as desired. When using weapons as part of a flurry of blows, a monk applies her Strength bonus (not Str bonus x1-1/2 or x1/2) to her damage rolls for all successful attacks, whether she wields a weapon in one or both hands. The monk can’t use any weapon other than a special monk weapon as part of a flurry of blows.

In the case of the quarterstaff, each end counts as a separate weapon for the purpose of using the flurry of blows ability. Even though the quarterstaff requires two hands to use, a monk may still intersperse unarmed strikes with quarterstaff strikes, assuming that she has enough attacks in her flurry of blows routine to do so. When a monk reaches 11th level, her flurry of blows ability improves. In addition to the standard single extra attack she gets from flurry of blows, she gets a second extra attack at her full base attack bonus.

Note though that the decrease in penalty is based on the monk class levels not on total class levels (unlike BAB).

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Just a note. You might have been confused because in 3.0, the opposite was true. Instead of just granting extra attacks, flurry of blows had its own BAB progression separate from the standard, and multiclassing in other classes did not let the regular BAB and flurry BAB stack.

IMO, this was one of the best changes from 3.0 --> 3.5

 

[PaulKemp]

Thanks, all, for helping me pin this down. Much appreciated.

Paul

 

[irdeggman]

Just a note. You might have been confused because in 3.0, the opposite was true. Instead of just granting extra attacks, flurry of blows had its own BAB progression separate from the standard, and multiclassing in other classes did not let the regular BAB and flurry BAB stack.

IMO, this was one of the best changes from 3.0 --> 3.5

Actually it didn't.

The table was confusing in its layout but the text pretty much said the same thing as it does in 3.5.

 

[Christian]

Actually it didn't.

The table was confusing in its layout but the text pretty much said the same thing as it does in 3.5.

Well, not exactly. The BAB for the unarmed strikes stacked, but the progression of -3 per additional attack (instead of -5) only applied to the BAB from the monk class for multiclass characters ...

The monk is a special case because her additional unarmed attacks are better than her base attack bonus would suggest. For a multiclass monk fighting unarmed, the character must either use the additional attacks given for her monk levels (only) or the additional attacks that are standard for her combined base attack bonus, but not both. For instance, a 10th-level monk/7th-level wizard has a combined attack bonus of +10 (+7 for the monk class, +3 for the wizard class). Normall, this would give her an additional attack at +5 ... but she can instead take the two additional unarmed attacks listed for a 10th-level monk, +4 and +1 ...

(pg. 55)

(Lordy, why do I still have a 3.0 PHB? )

 

[irdeggman]

Well, not exactly. The BAB for the unarmed strikes stacked, but the progression of -3 per additional attack (instead of -5) only applied to the BAB from the monk class for multiclass characters ...

(pg. 55)

(Lordy, why do I still have a 3.0 PHB? )

Not quite.

That text was talking about the extra attacks based on a characters BAB and the fact that a monk gets an additional number of attacks (based on monk class level) - but would still use the BAB (character) at the listed penalty.


So a fighter 12/monk 1 would have a BAB of +12 and would get normal attacks at +12/+7/+2 but could instead take a flurry of blows for +10/+10 and lose out on the normal extra attacks.

Flurry of Blows: The monk may strike with a flurry of blows at the expense of accuracy. When doing so, she may make one extra attack in a round at her highest base attack, but this attack and each other attack made that round suffer a –2 penalty apiece. For example, at 6th level, Ember gets two unarmed attacks at +7 and +4. If she executes a flurry of blows, she gets three attacks at +5, +5, and +2. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it affects attacks of opportunity the monk might make before her next action. The monk must use the full attack action (see page 124) to strike with a flurry of blows. A monk may also use the flurry of blows if armed with a special monk weapon (kama, nunchaku, or siangham). If armed with one such weapon, she makes the extra attack either with that weapon or narmed. If armed with two such weapons, she uses one for the regular attack (or attacks) and the other for the extra attack. In any case, her damage bonus on the attack with her off hand is not reduced.

Remember that a flurry of blows takes a full-attack action so you can either do that or make a full attack (which relies on your BAB for the number of attacks) but not both.

Similar logic to why you can't use manny shot with a full-attack - that is you don't get to add in extra arrows for each attack made with a full attack. Many Shot requires a standard action and you can't do both a standard action and a full attack action in the same round (normally).