new to pathfinder

[w01fe01]

and ive been reading the core book but some things still elude me. for example. i have this monk. stats are

STR 17
Dex 15
Con 15
Int 13
Wis 18
Cha 12

weapons i take staff, sling, and unarmed

When i flurry of blows...what negatives do i get at level 1 when using the staff or unarmed? how do you figure this out? When flurrying i can use hands, elbows, knees, and feet? so i can hold the staff and do flurry of blows with my unarmed strike i if i want?

I feel very...confused in general with pathfinder and how attacking works and where i get +dmg, +hit, and -hit effects from.

[Alcomus]

OK. Let's break this down. You are a level one monk with some pretty good stats. When using your Flurry of Blows at level one, if you look under the flurry of blows column, it says -1/-1, therefore you get 2 attacks at -1 each. This replaces any base attack bonus you receive from being a monk. In addition, you use your strength modifier to hit, which with a strength of 17 is +3. So when you use your flurry of blows, you are making two attacks at +2. (-1 from flurry, +3 from strength)

If you do not flurry, it is only one attack at +3 (in this case, you would add your base attack bonus instead of the flurry of blows, however at level 1 monk's base attack bonus is 0. STR mod of 3 + BAB of 0 = 3 to hit.)

You can, as a monk, use any part of your body or weapon to attack. If you are not using your weapon, you will use the damage from your unarmed strike. If you are using your weapon, damage will come from the weapon. In addition, you can attack with both. So at level one, you can attack twice with the staff, or twice with unarmed weapons(i.e. kicks, punches, headbutts, knee to the face, whatever) or once with each.

Your bonus to damage will come from your strength as well. At level 1 with your current stats, your looking at 1d6+3. Monk unarmed at lvl 1(and quarterstaff) both deal 1d6, and strength mod of 3. IF you use the quarterstaff as a two handed weapon, only attacking with one end, then you use your strength mod x1.5 for additional damage, so 1d6+4.

There are feats that modify things like your to-hit (weapon focus and weapon finesse come to mind) but those are in the descriptions of the feats themselves.

[w01fe01]

but wouldnt i recieve -hit while flurrying with the staff? according to two weapon fighting feat itd be -2/-2, meaning at level 1 id be rolling unmodded dice for my to hit rolls. or is this not the case?

my main reason for taking quarterstaff is cuz we like homebrewing stuff so hes really a druidmonk, not a druid/monk, but a druidmonk, no split in levels. so i can shillelagh it.

edit: and TY for replying! im taking this char to dnd tommorrow after work.

[Alcomus]

Well, make sure that your GM is ok for homebrewing things, first. What it sounds like you are trying is a Gestalt character, and most GM's will be wary of that unless all the players are doing it.

Second, you do not and can not use two weapon fighting in conjunction with flurry of blows. Flurry of blows and two weapon fighting don't stack. However, using flurry, you can still make the two attacks with the staff, and they will be at +2 (-1 from flurry, +3 from strength) as a full attack action. I am 90% sure that you can still make two attacks with the staff using the normal rules for two-weapon fighting as a standard action, but you would ignore the fact that you have flurry of blows completely in that case.

[w01fe01]

can you explain what a gestalt char is? and im pretty sure its ok as he had all of us pick any 2 of the core classes and mash them together.

this is taken from d20psrfd.com

Starting at 1st level, a monk can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action. When doing so he may make one additional attack using any combination of unarmed strikes or attacks with a special monk weapon (kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, and siangham) as if using the Two-Weapon Fighting feat (even if the monk does not meet the prerequisites for the feat). For the purpose of these attacks, the monk's base attack bonus from his monk class levels is equal to his monk level. For all other purposes, such as qualifying for a feat or a prestige class, the monk uses his normal base attack bonus

it says "as if" using two weapon fighting feat. so i guess i just assumed.

[Alcomus]

Ok, that is what a gestalt character is.

Flurry is almost the same as two weapon fighting, but you can't use two weapon fighting with flurry. The difference is that flurry allows you to use your monk levels as your base attack bonus, which is a big plus.

Also, druidmonk is the best gestalt combo IMHO other than possibly wizard + cleric/mystic theurge + class.(whatever you feel like, maybe druid for the wild casting, who cares? go crazy, you are already a god from being a cleric and a wizard.)

[w01fe01]

so i do NOT get negatives to hit when flurrying other then the -1 at first level. ok. i assumed id get a -2/-2 cuz it listed "as if you had two weapon fighting feat" and thats what it does.

ya im trying to decide which way to go. im thinking about dropping the grappling feats for more attack focus.

[Alcomus]

Essentially it is a -2/-2, using your monk level as the base attack bonus, but they give you the chart to make it easier. If you don't have access to the chart for whatever reason, and you are a 3rd level monk, you know that the flurry of blows attack would be made at +1/+1 because 3(your level) - 2(from treating flurry as two weapon fighting) = 1.

On the druid side, if you focus on your wildshaping, combined with being a monk you will deal a significant amount of damage.

[w01fe01]

ok so it is -2/-2 when using flurry with a staff. then depending on level you get + hit affects when flurrying (-1 at 1, 0 at 2, 1 at 3, etc) along wit your other modifiers like strength, enchants, etc.

so at level 1, without shillelagh, i should be able to flurry with the staff at +0/+0 (+3 to hit from STR, -2 to hit from using the staff during flurry, -1 from flurry at level 1) correct?

[Alcomus]

No, sorry, I must have not been clear in my explanation. There is no difference between using flurry with a weapon or without a weapon. However, instead of using your normal base attack bonus, you use your monk level. Let me give you a breakdown of how regular and two weapon fighting works with fighters, then compare it to monks and their flurry.

lvl 1 Fighter with strength 17 standard attack:
1 (base attack bonus of a fighter) + 3 (Strength mod) = 1 attack at +4
lvl 1 Fighter with strength 17 two weapon attack using light weapons:
1 (BAB) + 3 (Str) - 2(Penalty from two weapon fighting) = 2 attacks at +2
lvl 1 monk with strength 17 standard attack:
0 (BAB) + 3 (Str) = 1 Attack at +3
lvl 1 monk with strength 17 Flurry of blows attack:
1 (Class level instead of BAB, per the flurry rules) + 3 (str) - 2 (penalty from flurry being treated as two weapon fighting) = 2 attacks at +2

As you can see, as a monk you are getting the same bonus as a two weapon fighter on your attacks with flurry of blows, but when only making a standard attack you are behind the fighter in your to-hit. Thus, if possible always flurry, because as you progress it will eventually become more accurate than your normal attacks.

If you cast Shillelagh on your staff, it will be 1( Class level) +1 (shillelagh) +3(str) -2(flurry) = 2 attacks at +3.

The table for flurry of blows just gives you a faster reference so you don't need to take the time to calculate it, just add your strength score and any other additional modifiers to it and your ready to go.

[w01fe01]

ah ok, so the flurry of blows chart has everything already factored in, i didnt realize that! thanks!

[Chemlak]

Everything except your ability score bonus and any bonuses you may get from the weapon (usually from a masterwork weapon or a magic weapon), plus any outside buffs (usually spells or magic items).