Pretty sure I understand this, but wanted to make sure I had it right. Brass knuckles allow a monk to use her unarmed strike damage in place of the damage the knuckles would normally do. However, this would not count as an Unarmed Strike correct?
In other words, a monk's attacks with brass knuckles would not necessarily count as magic/silver/cold iron/lawful/etc. just based on her level as her regular unarmed strikes would. It also means the enhancements from an Amulet of Mighty Fists would not be applied to attacks made with the knuckles correct?
This would seem to make sense as otherwise it would get fairly cheesy fairly quick with enough coin, but just wanted to make sure. Of course, its still useful to have both as the knuckles could, for instance, be used to get around DR that the monk does not normally get, or to apply extra effects that you cannot afford to put into the Amulet (given it can only get a +5 enhancement).
Brass Knuckles: These close combat weapons are designed to fit comfortably around the knuckles, narrowing the contact area and therefore magnifying the amount of force delivered by a punch. They allow you to deal lethal damage with unarmed attacks. You may hold, but not wield, a weapon or other object in a hand wearing brass knuckles. You may cast a spell with a somatic component while wearing brass knuckles if you make a concentration check (DC 10 + the level of the spell you're casting). Monks are proficient with brass knuckles and can use their monk unarmed damage when fighting with them.
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advanced/advancedGear.html
I would say that the material of the weapon itself overrides the material the unarmed strike by itself would deal. If you wanted knuckles that overcomes DR/cold iron then you need cold ironknuckles. For DR/magic you need +1 knuckles. For DR/lawful you need either +1 axiomic or +5 knuckles.
The advantages are knuckles are a manufactured weapon and you can put +10 worth of enhancement bonuses on them. You can buy them in whatever flavor you want (cold iron, Adamantine, Mithral, etc.). The can't be disarmed. Frees up the amulet slot. This also allows you to put certain other enhancements onto your weapon that you would otherwise be unable to put on an Amulet of Mighty Fists.
Disadvantages: Only the hand that wears the single knuckle gets the bonus. Once you buy a particular material type you can only overcome that type of DR unless you buy multiples or enhance it. Concentration check for spell casting - this applies to SLAs given by the Qinggong
archetype.
The "can use their monk unarmed damage" part was removed when the brass knuckles were reprinted in Ultimate Equipment. So, sadly, you can no longer use your enhanced unarmed damage with them.
Disadvantages: Only the hand that wears the single knuckle gets the bonus. Once you buy a particular material type you can only overcome that type of DR unless you buy multiples or enhance it. Concentration check for spell casting - this applies to SLAs given by the Qinggong
archetype.
Well, since one FAQ said you can use the same weapon for all your hits, then you could just buy the one brassknuckle. That would leave the other hand free for spells or crane style. But.... SLAs lack somatic components, so they would be unaffected by the brass knuckles. Unless I am misunderstanding something about the qinggong archetype.
As Are said, the brass knuckle no longer does the unarmed strike damage thing it seems, so you might just be better off with the cestus instead (from the same source as brass knuckles; basically a spiked glove with the stats of a dagger). It doesn't have the same inconvenient language as the brass knuckle, and only affects precise work like disable device.
Also, the sohei archetype actually can use the ki strike (which is what allows unarmed strikes to bypass DR) through their weapons after they get that weapon training for it.
Yup, brass knuckles are just another weapon now, not a monk booster.
Well, shoot. :p
Was hoping to use the knuckles to get around other forms of DR. Oh well. Can always just get regular monk weapons enchanted then I suppose.
Thanks for the replies everyone!
|
Well, shoot. :p
Was hoping to use the knuckles to get around other forms of DR. Oh well. Can always just get regular monk weapons enchanted then I suppose.
Thanks for the replies everyone!
You could always barter with your DM into letting the Brass Knuckles use your IUS damage. I think Monks deserve it at the least :(
Get some UMD and a wand of Versatile Weapon.
Get some UMD and a wand of Versatile Weapon.
This works in theory. However, as I dumped Cha in CharGen, will be difficult in practice. Even multiclassing to get UMD as a class skill would only help a little. No complaints though, there are plenty of ways to take care of the DR issues, even if they are not ideal.
@Kaz: That is also a possibility. The GM is pretty cool, so she might allow it if I decide to go that route. As mentioned though, I'm not too terribly concerned about it. It was more that I happened to flip through the book and see the knuckles and say "Hey, that's pretty cool!" :)
The "can use their monk unarmed damage" part was removed when the brass knuckles were reprinted in Ultimate Equipment. So, sadly, you can no longer use your enhanced unarmed damage with them.
I'm finding far too many chats arguing things one way or the other. If there is an official ruling on it, could someone give me a link to it please? I.e. not heresay, should-be's, or opinions, but something that meets the definition in the FAQ for rules in effect.
Otherwise, what I see under brass knuckles is: "These weapons fit snugly around the knuckles and allow you to deal lethal damage with an unarmed strike." This itself indicates you can make an unarmed strike while wearing them, and the text of the item doesn't need to talk about enhanced unarmed damage - that is covered under Unarmed Strike in the monk class abilities. I would expect that text was removed as being redundant.
On a separate issue, I heard from a venture captain a few months ago that the rule in the core rulebook about monks not being able to add their natural attacks in with a flurry of blows, was overturned, and that now they can. If this is correct, anyone know where to find this one as well?
You seem to be confusing several issues but i'll try to help
1) IF you want to know what the official view is on an item, either a) check what the PRD on the item says or the book it comes from. b) also check for FAQ from that book.
So in the case of that item the quote you were given tells you your answer. IT was updated in ultimate equipment
2) On the original item it was not redundant at all. Without that wording you are unable to do monk damage with a weapon. Brass knuckles at no point were ever unarmed strikes. They were a WEAPON that allowed you to convey unarmed strike damage. This is now no longer the case
3)On flurry of blows part of my answer is go back to the First answer i gave you. Has the wording of the PRD changed is there a FAQ for the core rulebook indicating this has changed?
However, There is a feat called Feral combat training.
But really always check the Physical books first, and or the PRD