Need a hand understanding the Monk FoB chart...

[mdkangas]

I am 99% sure I am reading this wrong. but....

Level 1:
Base Attack Bonus = +0
Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus = -1/-1

..when I roll for attack success, i add 0 to my roll to determine hit/miss. if i hit, i roll 2d6 and subtract 1 from each roll and add +str modifier to determine total damage?

Level 8:
Base Attack Bonus = +6/+1
Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus = +6/+6/+1/+1

...huh? why a 2nd BAB? Flurry of Blows is now 4 attacks?

thanks much.

sorry, i am very very much a newb who's just trying to ramp up as fast as possible while actually playing the game.

[Are]

Basically, when you use Flurry of Blows, you only use its bonus, and completely ignore the regular BAB. The flurry of blows column already incorporates all of the rules pertaining to it (such as using level as BAB instead of regular BAB, using TWF rules, and so on).

So: At level 1, you roll d20 and subtract 1 to see if the first attack hits, then you roll another d20 and subtract 1 to see if the second attack hits.

At level 8, you gain a fourth attack as part of flurry of blows because the ability grants the benefits of the "improved two-weapon fighting" feat. As mentioned above, though, all of that is already incorporated in the FoB column.

[Kazumetsa]

It's kind of like this...

Say your total attack roll modifier NOT INCLUDING BAB is +4 from Str mod(let's say that's all you have outside of BAB) and you are level 1. You would take the modifier from FoB in coordination with your level. At level one it's a -1/-1 on both attacks. So both attacks would effectively grant you a +3/+3 total modifier on that attack roll.

If you had just made one Single Standard attack action, it would be using your normal BAB which is a +0(unfortunately). So that one standard attack will be +4 total.

Let's say you are now level 12.

Let's say you have a +5 enhancement from Amulet of Mighty Fists, +4 from Str, and +1 from Weapon Focus. That would be +10 total, NOT INCLUDING BAB.

Now your BAB when using Flurry of Blows, would be +10/+10/+5/+5/+0
First swing would be +20, second +20, third +15, fourth +15, fifth and final flurry attack +10.

Does that help at all?

Eventually you may as well just constantly use FoB since it actually grows a wee bit past your normal BAB. Notice at 20 it's first two attacks are +18/+18, and your normal BAB is +15.

[Kazumetsa]

Keep in mind Flurry has a BAB all it's own.

The class basically has Two BABs. It's kinda silly but meh, whatever. Monks are still pretty cool :3

Also keep in mind that monks are not high damage dealers necessarily. More often than not, you will be topped by someone else. Don't get deterred.

If you want to Flurry of Blows often, I recommend taking up feats that enhance your Trip or Stunning abilites further so that you can keep opponents stationary. That will open up another opportunity for flurry the next round. Trip not only prevents them from necessarily moving away from you, but will also give you a +4 to hit them with melee.(technically it lowers their AC by 4 vs melee)

[mdkangas]

thanks much, i think that was all very helpful.

to make sure i have this right...

From table 3-10 in the core handbook, the Base Attack Bonus and the Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus are not interdependent in any way. They are related information but based on my attack decision, I am going to use one column or the other.

If I were to decide to use a "standard attack", I would use the Base Attack Bonus column. Using that, I get a 2nd attack started at 8th level monk and a third attack at 15th level monk.

Should I choose to use Flurry of Blows I use the other column and ignore the Base Attack Bonus completely. Now I start at 1st level monk with 2 attacks. I now get a third attack starting at level 6.

did i learn that correct?

thanks again

[MurphysParadox]

You are correct. The BAB column is for any attack that is not the flurry of blows. The Flurry column is only for flurry of blows.

Possibly confusing explanation of 'why': It is a summary of several other rules related to flurry. When you flurry, you use your level for your attack bonus and get an additional attack but are at a -2 because of it but you also get bonus attacks every 6 points of this adjusted BAB per normal rules. Since that is rather confusing, the designers just added the Flurry column and it does all the math for you. This is a good thing for everyone, heh.

[Kazumetsa]

Sounds like you got it dude!