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Pen & Paper Roleplaying Central => Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion => Topic started by: Berger King on May 23, 2006, 01:13:25 PM

Title: PHB2 Alternate Monk ability question
Post by: Berger King on May 23, 2006, 01:13:25 PM
The PHB2 allows a monk to exchange his flurry of blows for an ability that lets you strike once for double damage. The rules are a little vague on this. What damage is doubled? Only the damage coming directly from the weapon/fist? Energy damage (flaming, shocking, etc.)? What would happen on a critical hit?

Also. was there a (non-monk) feat in the PHB2 that let you do this with iterative attacks? I thought there was but I don't have the book in front of me.
Title: PHB2 Alternate Monk ability
Post by: Sobek on May 23, 2006, 02:57:51 PM
I would say that it'd be just like a crit, in terms of what was doubled.  In the event of an actual crit, increase the multiplier by one.  That seems to stay with the convensions of d20.
Title: PHB2 Alternate Monk ability
Post by: jcfiala on May 24, 2006, 12:31:03 PM
I've been crunching numbers with folks on enworld about how strong a character class a Monk is, and although it's an interesting idea, I don't think I like the ability so much.  The monk's problem isn't what damage they do with a blow - their problem is that their blows don't land often enough.  I would rather have given them some kind of 'Careful Blow' ability, that would be a full attack action which gave them a bonus to hit, and normal damage.

Of course, I rather think the Monk class deserves a full BAB anyway.  The whole point of the class is to hit things - why are they restricted from hitting things?
Title: PHB2 Alternate Monk ability
Post by: Dr. Tran on May 26, 2006, 11:55:42 PM
I've been toying with giving monks their Wisdom bonus in either AC or AB.  Either choice lasts a whole round and you can choose again when your initiative comes around.
Title: PHB2 Alternate Monk ability
Post by: Trainz on May 27, 2006, 02:12:03 AM
Well, you could create a martial artist monk subclass with, i don't know...

- Full bab
- Monk unarmed attack and damage (including flurry of blows)
- double dex bonus on AC (instead of dex AND wis) when unarmored
- Keep AC bonus
- Good ref saves
- Evasion
- Uncanny Dodge
- A few knacks, such as elemental damage at level 6 (1d6), aligned and material DR bypassing properties for unarmed strikes and such...
- A few bonus feats with some martial arts flavor (Blind-Fight, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Iron Will...)
- Minus all other monk benefits

Mmmm... :ponder: