Drackstin's page

I have been reading over the forums about how bad the elemental fist archetype is and poorly worded and some of the rules are for it. as someone who likes the archetype but knows its limitations do to the way it was wrote, i think a few things could be changed so the archetype flows better and is more versatile. As It stands there are some major drawbacks without making up for it in the trade offs. and i believe some very minor tweaks could make this a viable archetype.

First off the ability Elemental Strike gives Elemental Fist as a bonus feat without prerequisites and everything else in this ability is not useful because that's how the ability works normal. as it stands elemental fist is very under powered as it is, it also reduces the capabilities of the class. also the wording of this ability make me think elemental fist was mistaken for something else. how i would fix this is make it similar to when many people suggest as an alternative.

Elemental Strike (Ex)
An elemental monk can imbue his natural attacks with an energy type: acid, cold, electricity, or fire, as a swift action. Causing them to deal damage normally plus 1d6 points of damage of the chosen energy type for 1 rounds. These attacks count as elemental fist attacks as the feat. Elemental strike can be used a number times per day equal to the elemental monks level, plus one more time per day for every four levels he has in classes other than monk. Feats that add addition attempts of elemental fist also add additional uses of elemental strike. Elemental strike count as having the feat elemental fist for all perquisites needing the feat.

The next part of the archetype many people seem to have trouble understanding is the Genie Style ability. and i think this can be solved very easily.

Genie Style (Ex, Sp)
At 2nd level, an elemental monk gains Djinni Style, Efreeti Style, Janni Style, Marid Style, and Shaitan Style as bonus feats, even if she doesn’t meet the prerequisites. when a elemental monk is using a genie style feat, they may activate Elemental strike as a free action, but must chose the energy type effected by the style feat. this still take 1 use for elemental strike.

This replaces evasion, purity of body, and diamond body. (For an unchained monk, this replaces the 10th-level ki power instead of diamond body.)

Now i believe these two changes would definitely clear up a lot of the problems this archetype has. but i would also like to make two addition suggestions. Elemental Precision say the elemental monk overcomes all damage reductions of creatures with the air, earth, fire, or water subtypes except DR/— and DR/epic. i think it should also state from all sources of damage from the elemental monk. as its stated, only his unarmed strike overcomes these damage reductions. but Djinni Spin, Efreeti Touch, Janni Rush, Marid Coldsnap, and Shaitan Earthblast do not count as unarmed strike, they only deal unarmed damage so they would not overcome this damage reduction.

Next i think the elemental monk should gain Elemental Blast Ki power at some point in its progression and let the energy type be based of the elemental strike energy type. this power seems to fit the archetype very well and would be a great capstone.

Anyone else have input on this? To me all this would to would make someone look shellshaded. i see no problem with it working on unarmed strike. but that's why I'm asking.

I have 2 levels in monk, so would that qualify me then?

The question is more, do fist count as weapons in my hand, because the spell is written oddly.

I'm playing in a game as a warpriest sacred fist, i casted dimensional blade on myself. My GM said that the text of the spell makes it so that i cant target my fist because they are not in my hand. is this correct? unarmed strike counts as a weapon, i don't see why dimensional blade wouldn't work on them.

i see something you have not taken into account in your formula, although cost and CR are two major factors, caster level is what matters the most. without the ability to make something, the cost to CR ratio means little to nothing. maybe just arranging them in CL would work out to see what is the most cost effective per level.

Not sure if this will help, but i came up with a build that should work fine, you might not be that good in combat, but you would do good in a lot of places. this is also built for PFS but will work anywhere.
20 point buy, 8Str,17Dex,12Con,14Int,7Wis,18Cha.

Start with level 1 bard arcane duelist, and take the feat realistic likeness. this adds power and versatility.

pick the trait magical knack, and transmuter of korada, pick bull, or cat. this will help in combat.

next take 2 levels of kitsune trickster. the Int to bluff and diplomacy helps. take false friend as your rogue talent. take your first tail at 3rd level.

from here you want to go bard all the way, with 2 more levels of rogue. and start taking tails. if you go rogue early, take honey worded, this will ensure that you are the party face, and can get them out of anything. remember to take the bard favored class so you bluff is sky high.

this should be a good build. its more RP the combat, but you can change that by swapping out the rogue talents.

I was directed to this post from someone when i asked about Multiweapon fighting and i was wondering if some things could be cleared up, since RAW is vague on the topic.

If i have a character with 3 arms or more,and i take Multiweapon fighting it would make my attacks a -4/-4/-4, if i use a light off handed weapon is this then reduced to -2/-2/-2/-2? of is -4 the lowest it can get to?

Also Multiweapon fighting says it replaces TWF for characters with more then 2 hands, dose this allow ITWF or would i need to take TWF to qualify for it?

these questions are centered around a build i was trying out with a Half-elf synthesis summoner.