ok so i have relented to my DM and decided to not have my old pc raised, so ive decided to make a zen archer.
my question is about the ki pool ability.
do my bow shots bypass DR as per the ki pool ability?
if not, when i use the ki arrows ability will the DR breaking ability kick in then?
or, will it only matter when i decide to kick someone?
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Ki Arrows (Su)At 5th level, a zen archer may spend 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action to change the damage dice of arrows he shoots to that of his unarmed strikes. This lasts until the start of his next turn. For example, a Medium zen archer’s short bow normally deals 1d6 damage; using this ability, his arrows deal 1d8 damage until the start of his next turn.
Ki Focus Bow (Su)
At 17th level, as long as he has at least 1 point of ki in his ki pool, a zen archer may treat arrows fired from his bow as if they were ki focus weapons, allowing him to use his special ki attacks as if his arrows were unarmed attacks.
Ki Focus
DESCRIPTION
This special ability can be placed only on melee weapons.
The magic weapon serves as a channel for the wielder's ki, allowing her to use her special ki attacks through the weapon as if they were unarmed attacks. These attacks include the monk's ki strike, quivering palm, and the Stunning Fist feat (including any condition that the monk can apply using this feat).
The Ki Arrows ability changes the damage dice, but nothing else.
The zen archer cannot use his arrows to bypass DR until he gains the Ki Focus Bow ability at 17th level. Note that the Ki Focus enchantment cannot be placed on a bow - this is an ability of the monk himself, not a property of the weapon.
Neither your Ki Pool nor your Ki Arrows abilities will help your arrows bypass DR. However, archers have the easiest time bypassing DR of any class anyway, so I wouldn't worry.
Get an Endless Quiver (or multiple quivers!) and make sure you have a mix that includes the following:
Durable Adamantine Arrows
Durable Mithril Arrows (for DR/Silver--it ends up cheaper)
Durable Cold Iron Arrows
Durable Blunt Arrows, possibly with some being the above materials
Durable Arrows of any sort pre-treated with Ghost Salt Blanch (it lasts indefinitely once applied)
Oh, and eventually, you can get Clustered Shots anyway.
Edit:
I forgot to mention this before: never use Ki Arrows. If you're spending a ki to attack, it should be on making an extra shot, not to slightly increase the base damage die. Your static mods should always be high enough that adding another arrow is superior.
What mpl said. See if your DM will let you get Clustered Shots at level 7 instead of waiting till 9. Clustered Shots can only be used when full attacking, and you always have full BAB when full attacking (unless you chose not to flurry, but that's statistically never a good idea by 7th level anyway).
Yeah, I missed the edit, but agree completely. Ki Arrows is basically never worth using, ever. Not only will the damage increase be tiny, it won't even be an increase until like level 10 or so. While as an extra attack is getting your base arrow damage, str bonus, enhancement bonus, weapon specialization...