Catfolk monk, claw blades, and Feral Combat Training


Advice


I don't really have the time and attention right now to make a full build out of it, but it strikes me that claw blades are pretty much what monks have been looking for - you strap it onto your natural weapon and you can enchant it right up as you please. With Feral Combat Training you can use your flurry and other party tricks with it, and Claw Pounce is something monks have always hungered for even if the BAB requirement means it comes late.

The only potential fly I see in the ointment is the line about treating the claws as a light slashing weapon instead of a natural weapon when the claw blades are on, since it's not entirely clear what that means with regards to Feral Combat Training usability.


Benly wrote:

I don't really have the time and attention right now to make a full build out of it, but it strikes me that claw blades are pretty much what monks have been looking for - you strap it onto your natural weapon and you can enchant it right up as you please. With Feral Combat Training you can use your flurry and other party tricks with it, and Claw Pounce is something monks have always hungered for even if the BAB requirement means it comes late.

The only potential fly I see in the ointment is the line about treating the claws as a light slashing weapon instead of a natural weapon when the claw blades are on, since it's not entirely clear what that means with regards to Feral Combat Training usability.

That line is not likely going to interact with FCT in any real way (it is still a claw). Normally claws (aka natural weapons) inflict B and S types of damage. When using the claw blades you would only be inflicting S type, so DR/B might become an issue. Also certain feats or abilities that rely on weapon type (weapon finesse for example) are still eligible. What you might have an issue with is not being able to do your normal natural attack routine while they are on, meaning technically in order to use both claws in a full attack action, you would need two weapon fighting, flurry of blows, or +6 BAB. It stopped being a natural attack/weapon and now is no longer eligible for the primary/secondary attack routines in a literal sense.

I don't think that is the intent but... you know how it goes sometimes with RAW.

Grand Lodge

Maneuver Master, or Master of Many Styles is the probably the choice archetypes foe Catfolk monks.
Agile Claw Blades are where it is at.


Skylancer4 wrote:
What you might have an issue with is not being able to do your normal natural attack routine while they are on, meaning technically in order to use both claws in a full attack action, you would need two weapon fighting, flurry of blows, or +6 BAB. It stopped being a natural attack/weapon and now is no longer eligible for the primary/secondary attack routines in a literal sense.

Yeah, but that's not really a problem for this application. The point is that with FCT "you can apply the effects of feats that have Improved Unarmed Strike as a prerequisite, as well as effects that augment an unarmed strike" as well as use Flurry of Blows - which means that monks now functionally once again have a way to apply materials and enchantments to their unarmed strikes without paying double for an Amulet of Natural Attacks. I'm sure that if a ruling is ever made it'll get hit with the same bat as brass knuckles were, but it's nice to keep in mind for the moment.

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