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In the Pathfinder Beta, it states that a monk's unarmed strike "is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons."
A player in my game was wondering if this counted for something like Create Magic Arms and Armor, like permanently making his natural attacks a +1 enhancement bonus for 2,000 GP? Is that possible, or does a monk need to stick to other items like the Amulet of Mighty Fists for that?
I am not sure how to respond since, as it currently says, it doesn't LOOK possible, but the AoMF is pretty expensive and I was looking for alternate methods.
Ideas? Suggestions?
Also, can plain clothing be enhanced like armor for a monk? Just some no stat robes?
Until the player can tell you where you got those masterwork hands, he's out of luck, and needs to stick to magic weapon spells and amulets of mighty fists (which are easier for a monk to get now since wisdom items are headbandy now).
Which of course also means that all those nifty weapon enchantments are still out for a monk.
However there are robes that can be found that give armor bonuses, and if you have a cleric magic vestment specifically states it can be used on clothing.
Sorry I was didn't say quite what I wanted to, I was presenting multiple alternatives. Magic vestments on clothing, or robes of the archmagi.
However Robes of the Archmage specifically state they give an Armor bonus to AC not and enhancement bonus, so an enhancment bonus could be added on top of them from Magic Vestment, which provides an armor enhancement bonus. It's just a matter of the base 'clothing' you are starting on already has an armor bonus greater than +0. But the spell does state that it only functions on "regular" (probably meaning none magical) clothing so I could be wrong on that point there.
This wouldn't work for bracer's of armor or a ring of force shield at all though becuase they are not of the types of items that the Magic Vestment spell states it can work on (only shields and armor, clothing counting as armor).
Also the monk would have to find a way to be an arcane caster or some way to UMD the robes for a long time (instead of just a round), both being problematic for a single class monk, AND the monk's belt item is now the Monk's Robe which leads to other problems as well if the monk in question wants that too (at very least it costs more to stack the two on one Robe).
Better?
So it seems clear that you can't enchant a monk's body/natural weapons, but what about cloth armor? It doesn't seem like it, but I want to be sure.
I'd say that you can. You can enhance bracers, after all.
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I didn't mean crafting a Robe of Armor, I meant treating regular clothing as "Cloth Armor" with a +0 armor bonus and let him enhance it that way. No robe necessary, just use Craft Arms and Armor. Since some spells treated Cloth Armor that way it seemed like there was a precedent, it just doesn't appear as if the rules cover it.
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Until the player can tell you where you got those masterwork hands, he's out of luck, and needs to stick to magic weapon spells and amulets of mighty fists (which are easier for a monk to get now since wisdom items are headbandy now).
Actually, since you can make either magic fang or greater magic fang permanent, theoretically you could allow for the monk to have further enhancements be done, as granting your fist a permanent +1 enhancement bonus should trump the whole masterwork clause of the enchanting process.
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Here's the response from my player about no magic 'arms' and the problem with armor.
"Its more the principle of the thing for monks. They really are the most screwed when it comes to items. They cannot wear any armor and using Magic Vestment and Magic Weapon on them requires a mage to waste a spell or spend huge amounts of money on scrolls that need to be cast almost every day for those "just in case" encounters that Always happen at the worst times. Every other character can upgrade weapons and armor and make themselves more defensive/offensive (yes, even Sil can get magical armor with no spell failure chance). I get my wisdom to my AC Because I don't get armor, but it is much easier and quicker to upgrade a persons armor then for a monk to gain levels to get higher AC. As for bracers of Armor, they cost a huge amount for minor gain.
If a monk takes a weapon though, then he might as well have just been a 2 weapon fighter and been better in a lot of ways. Then he could have enhanced armor and weapons, a better chance to hit and probably better damage because he didn't need a large wis to protect himself. Sure, he would be slightly slower (10 ft becuase of boot of striding and springing, would have had a lower Will/Ref (although those more or less come from having high Wis/Dex then points) and wouldn't be able to evade, but everything else the monk has done is done better by a 2 wep fighter build. (Sure, I have been able to do crazy jumps, but every single time, there has been a mondane way to get to the same spot without all the jumping, that just wasn't as fun). I do the least amount of damage then everyone but Sil and that is only because he choses not to take any spells that deal damage (1d8 +1 without magic enhance). I only get two attacks and most of the time one misses, I can get 3 if I chose to use one of my limited abilites per day, while Luaran gets 3 attacks all at a higher chance to hit than mine.
To me, a monk loses his appeal when weilding weapons as that is not how I see the true masters, but without a weapon it seems, my monk is pretty much useless."
My response:
"I guess you'll just have to see how awesome some of the NPC monks with weapons are then. :)
I think that you're expecting the wrong thing from a Monk if you want to do more damage. I think that the armor penalty is quickly shored up because you get your Wisdom, Dex, AND can still get an armor bonus with Bracers of Armor (which really aren't that much more expensive then enchanted armor). Your fists do pretty high dice damage later on, and the penalty for flurrying is quickly lost. Granted, you aren't going to do as much damage as a fighter or a scout, but that's to be expected. You're meant to be the guy that can get everywhere, get to the caster, bounce past the web to the wizard, grapple this guy, trip that guy. Monks are not meant to be the biggest damage dealers, they're meant to be the best at harassing. Some call them the caster killers because really, you can easily do that. Get up to a caster and just start readying punches for when they cast, or grapple them so they can't."
Anyone else have something to add?
As for enhancing...allowing them to switch fighting styles as a swift action would be great. The monk is quite obviously based off of a Kung-Fu theme and not an Elizabethan theme. The feat from 3.5 was called 'VERSITILE STRIKE', it allowed the monk to change the damage type he struck with using natural weapons. (Bludgeon, Slashing, Piercing)
Another feat that you might find useful is 'FIERY FISTS' or ('FIST OF IRON') which is NOT OGL, but very much still accessible. It provides 1d6 fire damage to all attacks for 1 round aka flurry, with a use of a stunning fist. This would have to be converted to meet the new Ki Pool mechanic, but answers the damage problem in another manner. Depending on you DM you might also ask to change the energy type (similar to 'ENERGY AFFINITY' feat for spells) or allow the feat to stack with itself giving you an additional 1d6 every 3 levels or so.
My request for the Monk would be that they add abilities similar to 'FIERY FISTS' and 'VERSITILE STRIKE' to the Monks Ki Pool Powers AND perhaps even give them a 'Rogue-Talent type tree' to place them in and choose from.
As for the previous posts... If you are having problems making the monk seem 'useful' and/or 'upgradable', get yourself a weapon proficiency with a 'reach weapon'. It doesn't matter which one because you already threaten 5 foot, this is scary and gives you something to enchant. You get most of the Combat Expertise tree as an option for just being a monk, no need to waste feats. Or... perhaps a 'ranged weapon', again since you already threaten 5 foot, you can fire the bow/xbow/sling until enemies engage and still have the ranged weapon in hand.(working toward 'Shot on the Run') Monks usually have quite a high Dex, shame to waste it. NOTE: A level of Fighter is probably best for the archer build, possibly being human as well.
If it's magic items you're looking for, again, why not just ask the DM to create a few specifically designed for an unarmed strike attack/Unarmored (aka cloth armor)? Ring(s) of Impact, Gauntlet(s) of Focus(brass knuckles/arm guards/shin guards, etc.), Monk's Outfit +1 (thru +5).
The monk pays a steep price for NOT NEEDING ANY EQUIPMENT, however with a little bit of creativity there are always possibilities. Feats, Magic, or otherwise.
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There's a feat in the Pathfinder Campaign Setting that does exactly what versatile strike mentions. Basically, you can switch your damage type each round between the three, and if you switch it every round consecutively (Piercing to start, Slashing next, then Piercing again or Bludgeoning, etc.) the monk's crit range increases by one step each time until he either misses a round of switching or crits, in either case it resets.
I reminded him that he could make use of spells like Greater Magic Fang and Magic Vestment, so hopefully those will help him out some.