| 5 people marked this as FAQ candidate. Answered in the FAQ. |
Since there is now a Monk archetype that has a whole improvised weapon aspect to it, I think it's appropriate to re-ask the questions we've been having about them.
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Here's some old threads that raised some points (the spoiler is the main questions of each thread):
Improvised weapons, throw anything, and throwing real weapons
How do you figure out how much damage a weapon not intended to be thrown does?
Improvised usage of legit Weapons
Can weapons be used in atypical ways count as improvised weapons?
If yes, then does ammunition get used up still, or since improvised weapons aren't destroyed, can it be used over and over?
Also, if weapons can be used in improvised ways, do their magical enhancements still work in those uses?
What if you wanted to knock someone over the head with the pommel (of a longsword), doing bludgeoning damage. Should this be considered similar to the sap or light mace (since the bludgeoning end is so small), or the club or warhammer (since the longsword itself is so big)?
If you have weapon focus (longbow), and/or weapon training (bows), do they apply when using the bow as an improvised club? How about if it's masterwork?
Do you still threaten normally with an improvised weapon? Can you threaten around you with a ranged weapon because you can swing it like a bat if anyone gets close?
Can you take Weapon Focus/Specialization (improvised weapon)? Would it be a bad idea as a GM to allow a fighter to have weapon training in "improvised melee and thrown weapons"?
Using an actual weapon as an improvised weapon
But is it possible to use an actual weapon as an improvised weapon?
For example, suppose a level 1 monk takes the feat Catch Off-Guard (that removes the penalty for using an improvised weapon) and smacks someone over the head with a greatsword. Would that be an improvised weapon that does 2d6 damage (with a 20/x2 critical)?
Suppose the same monk uses a Large dwarven waraxe instead. Would that be an improvised weapon that does 2d8 damaqe (with a 20/x2 critical)?
On the one hand, it seems odd to me to treat Catch Off-Guard as a sort of Weapon Proficiency (everything). But on the other hand, it seems odd to treat a big chair as a greatclub, but not treat a greatclub as a greatclub.
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New questions regarding the Monk of the Empty Hand:
Do you still use the damage type of the improvised weapon, or do slashing and piercing weapons turn into bludgeoning?
Is the way they use weapons as improvised weapons how we should be treating it for everyone else, or was this specific to the class? The quarterstaff seems a Monk thing, but the light hammer and club seem fairly universal in application (damage-wise).
Does a weapon's magical enhancements function for the Monk when using it as an improvised weapon, or only when wielded normally? Is it a case by case thing (using a spear as a quarterstaff is hitting with it's non-pointing ends, typically, which are called out as important enough when defining materials like cold iron and silver)? How about for anyone else using a weapon in an improvised way, are they different from the Monk?
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Hopefully those of you that were interested in getting these answers before will FAQ this post too.
I hate doing this, but time to bump this back up for more visibility.
Now that more people are getting their hands on the APG, and seeing the Monk of the Empty Hand...
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For the Monk of the empty hand, the answers are in the class:
A monk of the empty hand treats normal weapons as improvised weapons
with the following equivalencies (substituting all of their
statistics for the listed weapon): a light weapon functions as
a light hammer, a one-handed weapon functions as a club,
and a two-handed weapon functions as a quarterstaff. This
replaces the normal monk weapon proficiencies
(bold mine)
So, the following is true:
Light weapons are all blunt (as per light hammer)
one-handed weapons are all blunt (as per club)
and two-handed weapons are all blunt, double weapons (as per quarterstaff)
Then @ 3rd level they gain the following:
Versatile Improvisation (Ex): At 3rd level, as a
swift action, a monk of the empty hand may use an
improvised weapon to deal damage as if it were another
type (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing) for 1 round,
regardless of the weapon’s normal damage type. This
ability replaces still mind.
Now, as it comes to other classes, I would rule it the same way. They only do blunt damage when they improvise with a weapon, and treat them the same way (at least from a balance point of view, some weapons, like a great axe, do not make much sense to have it act as a double, but it would still be a 2 handed 1d6 improvised weapon (since they would be using the handle)).
So at that point, they can choose what type of damage the weapon does as a swift action.
Also, from what I read, the monk of the empty hand ignores any enchantment on the weapon when they use it, this is why they get the Ki Weapons ability @ 5th level.
A question I have run into is whether or not the monk has proficiency with these improvised weapons.. An unfamiliar weapon, as well as an improvised weapon has a -4 penalty to using it if the wielder is untrained. I would take this to mean that the Monk of the Empty Hand still requires "Catch Off Guard" to not take a penalty on their use.
Or am I reading too hard into things?