Stunning Attack Feat Chain

[Technik4]

There's a debate going in the rules forum about stunning attack. Its over 4 pages, but I will boil it down. The feat states it is a supernatural ability, and supernatural abilities require a standard action to perform, thus it could not be used as part of a full-attack action. This lends to a more focus-the-ki-then-strike sort of effect, which is still useful, though obviously not as powerful as it "used to be" for everyone that used it with multiple attacks.

Therefore:

Instant Stunning Attack [Feat]
You gather your ki at a moments thought.
Prerequisite: Stunning Fist
Benefit: You may make a stunning attack as part of any attack action as a free action once per round.
Normal: A stunning attack is a supernatural ability which requires a standard action to use.

Stunning Smite [Feat]
Your stunning attack is especially powerful.
Prerequisite: Stunning Fist, BAB +7
Benefit: Once per day you may declare one of your stunning attacks to be a stunning smite. This is a powerful attack which grants your WIS modifier to attack roll (if positive) and your monk level to damage.
Special: You may take this feat more than once, each time you do you may use Stunning Smite 1 additional time per day.

Ki Focus [Feat]
You are very enlightened.
Prerequisite: Monk Level 4+
Benefit: The DC for any of your special attacks are at +2. You also have a +2 bonus against any other monks' special attacks.



Just some ideas, I think it could work either way but would probably leave it up to the-would-be-monk player!

Technik

 

[IceBear]

Remember, a supernatural ability only takes a standard action to use if it's not part of another action. That's the debate (and I could see it either way) with stunning fist - is it it's own action or is it part of the attack?

Anyway, just wanted to clarify that before someone states that not all supernatural abilities takes a standard action to use.

IceBear

 

[karn smackdrim]

Ok the phb actualy states, a supernatural ability is a standard action(unless defined otherwise by the ability description)
(This is from the updated phb)
And Stunning fist definately does not state otherwise but, a Ki Strike is considered a supernatural ability, so if it took a standard action to attack once with a +1 like magical bonus, this ability would totaly suck big floppy donkey *****

Just to add to the confusion anyway. . .I think it should be totaly up to the DM, or someone could just email WOTC and ask they reply with in a day or two

And the +2 DC thing is already included in the Oriental Adventures book, under the style mastery stuff

 

[karn smackdrim]

I GOT IT

Ok this question bothered me so much I just had to email WOTC
here is the report

To: Wizards Customer Service
Subject: question


What is the ruling on the monks stunning fist, it is super natural and doesn't so anywhere that it is other than a standard action, so is it a standard action?


Stunning Fist is not supernatural and is a free action announcement at the beginning of your attack.


If you have any questions please feel free to contact the game support number
below.
Thanks!
******************************************************************
Bryan Z.

 

[Technik4]

Thanks for the follow-up! Well, thats a load off my shoulders

Technik

 

[drdevoid]

Technik,

If you are allowing OA stuff, your player might want to consider taking the Improved Grapple and Choke Hold route. A human at 1st level could have both of these abilities but he'd be highly advised to have his high attributes by Strength and Wisdom. There's a few other feats from OA (and Rokugan to a much lesser degree) that work with Stunning Fist in interesting ways. There's a hint of some of that in my thread over in Gen RPG about wrestling. Thanks to you and karn for bringing this up so the whole Stunning Fist thing got cleared up.