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With the changes to the brass knuckles and the new weapons in Ultimate Combat, what is the best weapon for a monk?
Urumi seems to be a pretty good choice for a hungry ghost monk if they retained their 18-20 threat range.
Also, is there any way for a monk to replace his unarmed damage with something more useful? 2d6 aren't that good if they have a critical of 20/x2 and enhancement bonuses are capped and expensive.
Is there a two-handed equivalent of the temple sword?
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o-O changes to brass knuckles?
They got changed in the Errata to the Adventurer's Armory and will also be changed in the APG according to SKR. No more unarmed damage.
ErrataI'd prefer to not discuss the brass knuckles' change further in this thread as it already derailed previous ones.
So they re-re-changed brass knuckles in UC and now the monk doesn't add use his unarmed strike damage but uses the 1d3?
Also why do you want a two handed equivalent of the temple sword?
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So they re-re-changed brass knuckles in UC and now the monk doesn't add use his unarmed strike damage but uses the 1d3?
Yes, start a new thread if you want to discuss it or use this one: Link
Also why do you want a two handed equivalent of the temple sword?
Higher base damage. Although the temple sword has the benefit that you can wield it one-handed to use Deflect Arrows when you don't attack with it.
(Flurry of Blows only grants normal strength bonus on damage, but the bonus Power Attack is based on how you wield the weapon, so a temple sword in two hands still allows -1/+3).
Also why do you want a two handed equivalent of the temple sword?Higher base damage. Although the temple sword has the benefit that you can wield it one-handed to use Deflect Arrows when you don't attack with it.
(Flurry of Blows only grants normal strength bonus on damage, but the bonus Power Attack is based on how you wield the weapon, so a temple sword in two hands still allows -1/+3).
Thank you i haven't thought of that. Anyway i can see the higher base damage reason but i don't think that there are any monk weapons two handed with greater than 1d8 19-20/x2.
Correct me if i am wrong but the monk needs to spend a feat for temple sword right? A feat that he can't spend on first level right?
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Thank you i haven't thought of that. Anyway i can see the higher base damage reason but i don't think that there are any monk weapons two handed with greater than 1d8 19-20/x2.
Correct me if i am wrong but the monk needs to spend a feat for temple sword right? A feat that he can't spend on first level right?
Temple Sword: Heavy blades typically used by guardians of religious sites, temple swords have distinctive crescent-shaped blades, appearing as an amalgam of a sickle and sword. Many have holes drilled into the blade or places on the pommel where charms, bells, or other holy trinkets might be attached. Monks are proficient with the temple sword.
The urumi has a critical of 18-20/x2, but it's an exotic weapon, so the monk can't be proficient with it before 3rd level unless he's a half-elf. Since I don't have UC yet, I can't say for sure, but it's listed under monk weapons in the preview.
Thank you again for the temple sword part, for some reason i didn't read the last sentence.
But yes you are right about the urumi, if they don't include a similar sentence then only half elves can take at 1st level and everyone else must spend a feat on it. What's the damage die of urumi?
in the ISWG it was 1d8 18-20/x2 and 10ft reach, plus can hit adjacent squares. So, a bit ridiculous.
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in the ISWG it was 1d8 18-20/x2 and 10ft reach, plus can hit adjacent squares. So, a bit ridiculous.
It had reach in the 3.5 Campaign Setting, but in the ISWG, it's just a one-handed weapon with 1d8 18-20/x2. UC seems to have added a bonus on feinting, but the fact that it's now a monk weapon is more important.
You can wield a one handed weapon in two hands to get the power attack bonus.
Benefit: You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonus on all melee damage rolls. This bonus to damage is increased by half (+50%) if you are making an attack with a two-handed weapon, a one handed weapon using two hands, or a primary natural weapon that adds 1-1/2 times your Strength modifier on damage rolls. This bonus to damage is halved (–50%) if you are making an attack with an off-hand weapon or secondary natural weapon. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every 4 points thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the bonus to damage increases by +2. You must choose to use this feat before making an attack roll, and its effects last until your next turn. The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage.
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With the changes to the brass knuckles and the new weapons in Ultimate Combat, what is the best weapon for a monk?
Urumi seems to be a pretty good choice for a hungry ghost monk if they retained their 18-20 threat range.
Also, is there any way for a monk to replace his unarmed damage with something more useful? 2d6 aren't that good if they have a critical of 20/x2 and enhancement bonuses are capped and expensive.
Is there a two-handed equivalent of the temple sword?
The most interesting new monk weapons for me are:
Emei Piercer: d3, 19-20, P, ***
Sansetsukon (3-section staff): 2-hand, d10, B, 19-20 x2, disarm and block
Nine-section whip: 1-hand, d8, 19-20 x2, blocking distracting and trip
Kusarigama: d3/d6, x2, reach trip and grapple
Rope Dart: d4, x2, 20 ft. range, blocking and distracting
The Urumi is no longer a monk weapon but is d8, 18-20 x2, distracting
The emei piercer has text stating:
It consists of an 8- to 10-inch-long, dual-pointed steel spike set on swivels and mounted on a ring, so that it can be spun around at high speeds when slipped over the wielder’s ring finger. The ring prevents the wielder from being disarmed and turns unarmed strikes into piercing attacks.
My reading of that is that it does not let you apply the greater crit range or any weapon enhancements to your unarmed strikes. If you want to use those, you have to use the terrible d3 damage. Also, I'm having a hard time imagining a 10-inch spike being attached to my ring finger and being any kind of effective weapon.
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The Urumi is no longer a monk weapon but is d8, 18-20 x2, distractingIt wasn't before, either. It just appeared in the list of monk weapons in the first blog preview.
Is the monk proficient with any of those weapons or does he have to spend a feat on them?
There's no mention of proficiency anywhere, but the Unarmed Fighter archetype gets proficiency with all monk weapons, even the exotic ones. It would be super silly to not give the same to monks, so I think this will be an FAQ item at some point.
Or else pretty much all monks will take a dip into fighter.
Any word on how the Kusarigama's Grapple works? Is similar to the current grapple weapons (IE, the mancatcher)?
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Any word on how the Kusarigama's Grapple works? Is similar to the current grapple weapons (IE, the mancatcher)?
They've standardized the grapple property on weapons. Now you can attempt a grapple as a free action if you crit. This grapple attempt provokes an AOO if you're in their threatened squares. You still get the grappled condition and can only move or damage them on your turn.
Any word on how the Kusarigama's Grapple works? Is similar to the current grapple weapons (IE, the mancatcher)?They've standardized the grapple property on weapons. Now you can attempt a grapple as a free action if you crit. This grapple attempt provokes an AOO if you're in their threatened squares. You still get the grappled condition and can only move or damage them on your turn.
So its critical Grab, minus the +4 bonus? No way to trigger it at will?
I'll admit I was hoping you could use the Kusarigama to start a grapple with reach :/
Oh well.
in the ISWG it was 1d8 18-20/x2 and 10ft reach, plus can hit adjacent squares. So, a bit ridiculous.It had reach in the 3.5 Campaign Setting, but in the ISWG, it's just a one-handed weapon with 1d8 18-20/x2. UC seems to have added a bonus on feinting, but the fact that it's now a monk weapon is more important.
My mistake, I was indeed thinking of the campaign setting
The Urumi is no longer a monk weapon but is d8, 18-20 x2, distractingIt wasn't before, either. It just appeared in the list of monk weapons in the first blog preview.
Is the monk proficient with any of those weapons or does he have to spend a feat on them?There's no mention of proficiency anywhere, but the Unarmed Fighter archetype gets proficiency with all monk weapons, even the exotic ones. It would be super silly to not give the same to monks, so I think this will be an FAQ item at some point.
Or else pretty much all monks will take a dip into fighter.
If there is no mention of prof. (in the weapon text or in the weapons chapter) then the monks aren't automatically proficient with those weapons.
as far as I can tell, the temple sword is hands down the the best monk weapon which one has proficiency in from the start.
all the other initial monk weapons seem only to be useful in that you can make a combat maneuver as part of a flurry with them, while the temple sword remains viable as a actual weapon til 8th lvl.
If one's willing to spend a feat on proficiency though, i would think either the 7-branched sword, 9-section whip or 3-section staff would be the pick of the litter.
The emei piercer has text stating:
It consists of an 8- to 10-inch-long, dual-pointed steel spike set on swivels and mounted on a ring, so that it can be spun around at high speeds when slipped over the wielder’s ring finger. The ring prevents the wielder from being disarmed and turns unarmed strikes into piercing attacks.
My reading of that is that it does not let you apply the greater crit range or any weapon enhancements to your unarmed strikes. If you want to use those, you have to use the terrible d3 damage. Also, I'm having a hard time imagining a 10-inch spike being attached to my ring finger and being any kind of effective weapon.
If you watch the show "Deadliest Warrior" they featured emei piercers once. It was pretty impressive when they were put to work. You may be able to look it up on you tube for a view.
I'm guessing Composite Longbow isn't the answer you're looking for?
My favorite is probably nine section whip since it has decent base stats and gives a nice +1 AC bonus when using Crane Style...which any monk I make would probably be doing. Rope dart is decent for extended the reach of the last hits on your flurry of blows if you finish off anyone within melee reach before it's over.
Of course, UC messed up and didn't actually say that monks gained proficiency with the monk weapons in that book (but "hilariously" unarmed fighters do get the proficiencies), so...
Honestly any monk build I make is going to use the crusaders furry feat allow me to flurry with a scythe, scimitar and etc for damage
A good build I saw a friend use is sai he disarmed everything in a few rounds it made playing at his table to easy
The urumi has a critical of 18-20/x2, but it's an exotic weapon, so the monk can't be proficient with it before 3rd level unless he's a half-elf. Since I don't have UC yet, I can't say for sure, but it's listed under monk weapons in the preview.
Temple sword is exotic as well. You need the feat in order to be proficient in it.
If a weapon is specified as a monk weapon, does that mean that monks are automatically proficient with that weapon?No. It means that they can use this weapon while using flurry of blows. It does not mean that it is added to the list of weapons that a monk is proficient with, unless the weapon description says otherwise.
Temple sword is exotic as well. You need the feat in order to be proficient in it.
If a weapon is specified as a monk weapon, does that mean that monks are automatically proficient with that weapon?No. It means that they can use this weapon while using flurry of blows. It does not mean that it is added to the list of weapons that a monk is proficient with, unless the weapon description says otherwise.
Ah, but the temple sword description DOES say "Monks are proficient with the temple sword."
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Any word on how the Kusarigama's Grapple works? Is similar to the current grapple weapons (IE, the mancatcher)?They've standardized the grapple property on weapons. Now you can attempt a grapple as a free action if you crit. This grapple attempt provokes an AOO if you're in their threatened squares. You still get the grappled condition and can only move or damage them on your turn.
Ok, question on that. Say you have four iterative attacks per round, and you score a crit with your kusarigama on the first hit... you make a grapple check and you succeed. Congratulations! you are now in a grapple, thanks to your weapon twisted around your foe's neck....... and you can't take the other 3 iterative attacks????? ('cause I'm thinking one can't make a grapple check in lieu of a iterative attack... grapple being one of those maneuvers that require a standard action...)
Temple sword is the best I've found at low levels. For my own trip-monk I'll possibly be doing a dip in unarmed fighter at level 7 for weapon proficiencies.
The one I have my eye on is double-chained kama, as it is a reach weapon.An unarmed fighter is proficient with all monk weapons, including exotic monk weapons.
I like this one very much.
Waveblade. They may not be the best weapon for monks, but they're definitely the best monk weapon. --If the wakizashi is everything the scimitar wishes it were, then the waveblade is what wakizashis are jealous of.