I want to play a Kensai whose chosen weapon is the unarmed strike. However d3 damage isn't very efficient.
So I was wondering is there a way to increase the die type for this guy's unarmed strike *without* level dipping into monk? Preferably a feat that can be taken. Pathfinder, 3rd PP, and 3.5 are all acceptable.
In the book "Book of the 9 swords" you can take Superior Unarmed strike where it'll upgrade damage based on level.
another option is multiclass with ninja (a lot) and get "Unarmed Combat Mastery"
Improved Natural Attack is also a pathfinder feat, and you can only take it once per type natural attack type.
A two level dip into Monk would get you Improved Unarmed Strike, +3 to Fort, Reflex, Will, two bonus feats, some sort of Stunning Fist variation, and Evasion. I think its an awesome choice.
Master of Many Styles is a great choice.
In the book "Book of the 9 swords" you can take Superior Unarmed strike where it'll upgrade damage based on level.
I knew a feat like superior unarmed strike existed in 3.5, but I couldn't remember where. It was bugging. I was thinking it was in a Forgotten Realms book. I had completely disregarded Bot9S.
Thanks.
For everyone saying INA, it won't work. UAS aren't natural attacks. Only a monk can take it.
I'd say just use a cestus and flavor it as hand wraps or something for your guy.
Early on that d3 might hurt, but eventually it's not going to be significant when you're doing dozens of damage per hit with spellstrike. What does hurt is the crappy crit threat range - no amount of monk dipping or feats will fix that - best you'll ever get is 19-20/x2.
There is a Kensai ability that allows you to increase your multiplier.
For everyone saying INA, it won't work. UAS aren't natural attacks. Only a monk can take it.
I'd say just use a cestus and flavor it as hand wraps or something for your guy.
wait a monk can take INA?
Early on that d3 might hurt, but eventually it's not going to be significant when you're doing dozens of damage per hit with spellstrike. What does hurt is the crappy crit threat range - no amount of monk dipping or feats will fix that - best you'll ever get is 19-20/x2.There is a Kensai ability that allows you to increase your multiplier.
For spell strike it's not about the multiplier, it's about the crit range. The weapon's multiplier only effects the weapon's damage, but its crit range acts as your spell's crit range (though its multiplier is still always 2).
wait a monk can take INA?For everyone saying INA, it won't work. UAS aren't natural attacks. Only a monk can take it.
I'd say just use a cestus and flavor it as hand wraps or something for your guy.
He doesn't want to dip monk and the monk specifically calls out his attacks are treated as natural and manufactured. But in general, characters can't take INA.
Monk's Robes?
I don't know how common an item like that would even be, so it seems kind of unlikely for it to be an easy find.
Character options are one thing, but assuming that you can find any magical item in the world conveniently is something else entirely. I'm saying a highly specialized magical item might not be readily available from an in-game perspective.
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Character options are one thing, but assuming that you can find any magical item in the world conveniently is something else entirely. I'm saying a highly specialized magical item might not be readily available from an in-game perspective.
You're the mean DM that picks on unique characters?
It's a Core Rulebook item that benefits just about any unarmored character.
You're right, I'm sure they're sold at every corner drug store >.>
That said, if I was DMing I'd probably allow a fist based character to start with one because it can be assumed they looked all over and found one sometime in the past, but besides that you're going to need to dig a bit to hopefully find one.
I know what you mean, but as a player I think I prefer the DM putting some reasonable limits on what a place has for sell based on the size of the city, prosperity, etc. Makes it less saving up for that one super optimized item for my build so I can focus on other things and get excited when I find what I need (if its an uncommon item of course).
I also don't really see it as that restrictive. It just makes sense from the perspective of the game world that they might have common items (magical or mundane) but look at you funny if you ask for a robe that lets you punch people in the face better :P
I'm not talking about price, I mean how often do you think a guy who owns a random magic shop comes across someone who asks for an item like that? I can see the belts/headbands that boost stats being best sellers (and thus often in stock), but a specialized robe for fist fighters? It's probably common somewhere but probably not in a place that deals with general magical goods.
A kensai is unarmored anyways so depending on the game, I'd definately go with the Monk.
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I'm not talking about price, I mean how often do you think a guy who owns a random magic shop comes across someone who asks for an item like that? I can see the belts/headbands that boost stats being best sellers (and thus often in stock), but a specialized robe for fist fighters? It's probably common somewhere but probably not in a place that deals with general magical goods.
Man, you're rougher than PFS.
Play the way that makes you happy.
I'm not talking about price, I mean how often do you think a guy who owns a random magic shop comes across someone who asks for an item like that? I can see the belts/headbands that boost stats being best sellers (and thus often in stock), but a specialized robe for fist fighters? It's probably common somewhere but probably not in a place that deals with general magical goods.
Its an item of primary interest to one of the core classes. Its a class that is used repeatedly in many modules and adventure paths for NPC's and the background material for Golarion a tleast writes Monks into many aspects of the game.
How is that an item with little interest or a Niche market? Does the DM restrict say +2 dragon bane swords? because they cost more than the robes and Monks are more common than dragons.
It seems a tad silly to restrict the robes.
I never looked at modules or used the Golarion setting. That said, yeah I would say that the average shop doesn't have a dragon bane sword sitting around unless its an area that's known for lots of dragons/dragon attacks/ or has a history of such lately. That's not to say that you couldn't have one made. Also looking at monks, with all their mystical flavoring and being proficient with some more obscure weaponry, I don't think its unreasonable to think that monks are uncommon, though not unheard of. That's how I'd run it anyway, unless it was taking place in or around an area known for monks/unarmed fighting styles.
The damage at the end of the attack is more important than base damage of the weapon. A TWF'ing fighter with his 1d3 unarmed strike can out damage a flurrying monk.
Monk's can't take INA because the devs say it does not count as a natural attack for the purpose of that feat.
The damage at the end of the attack is more important than base damage of the weapon. A TWF'ing fighter with his 1d3 unarmed strike can out damage a flurrying monk.
Monk's can't take INA because the devs say it does not count as a natural attack for the purpose of that feat.
That, and monks aren't allowed nice things.
Now, has that been officially FAQ'ed, or is it a footnote?
Before we got the FAQ up and running official statements were issued on the forums. I doubt that the activation of the FAQ suddenly made official statements less official though. If the original question was to be asked again it would only get the same result.
In short the intent is clear. It is up to each group to decide if they wish to follow it or not.
Here is the post.
Note that the post is says it is official errata. They did forget to errata the bestiary though.
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3.5 Tome of Battle - Superior Unarmed Strike
My thought exactly, and it's probably the only viable alternative for a character that wants to fight unarmed without going up the monk class. For those who don't know, here's the feat in question:
Superior Unarmed Strike
Your unarmed strikes have become increasingly deadly, enabling you to strike your foes in their vulnerable areas.
Prerequisite: Improved Unarmed Strike, base attack bonus +3
Benefit: You deal more damage with your unarmed strikes, as shown on the table below:
3rd: 1d4
4th-7th: 1d6
8th-11th: 1d8
12th-15th: 1d10
16th-20th: 2d6
Special: If you are a monk, you instead deal unarmed damage as a monk four levels higher.