I'm curious as to what people think is the best way to use the limited enhancement slots on the AoMF for a strength based monk? Obviously, Agile would not be needed for a Str build. Is it better to simply go with the straight up +5 to hit and damage (assuming you get it maxed out) or do people prefer to sacrifice a bit of accuracy in favor of properties (likely designed to avoid DR).
I'm a bit on the fence myself. On the one hand, getting past DR doesn't do much if you don't hit in the first place. Additionally, the monk can obtain other weapons to help with those DR's that he can't bypass by virtue of his ki strike.
On the flip side, it gets awfully expensive awfully quick to be buying extra weapons just to get around DR. Additionally, certain properties might be able to provide particularly nice damage boosts in certain situations.
In any event, just trying to decide in what direction to look as my monk is finally getting around the level where he can start investing.
Erm...the +1s also increase your ability to avoid DR anyway. By the time you get to +5 you can bypass everything but DR/- and DR/Epic.
Properties are generally lackluster at best, especially for a Monk. There are a few here and there that are worth it (Agile for Dex builds, Furious and Courageous for Barbarians, and so on), but usually a +1 to-hit/damage is going to blow an extra 1d6 Fire damage or whatever out of the water.
Well, straight +'s actually do help with DR. You get past cold iron and silver with a +3, adamantine with a +4, and alignment with a +5.
Of course, until you get to the point where you can buy a AoMF like that, you are kind of out of luck. a +4 holy AoMF might be a good idea, since most of the opponents with alignment based DR that you will likely fight have DR/evil anyway.
Of course, there are other forms of DR, such as with damage type. Luckily, bludgeoning damage is also the typical type for that, and it is generally the strongest weapon damage type, so monks are in luck there. Would it be too much to grab tiger or boar style to deal with slashing? They do have other rather nice benefits.
Natural attacks rarely face such a problem though, since the typical bite/claw/claw always covers bludgeoning and slashing. Part of my discussion here has been from the perspective of a natural attack build, since monks have their own ways of getting though DR other than most alignments, and it tends to come earlier than when they could afford the appropriate AoMF.
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Holy is usually worth it. Wounding can be worthwhile as a monk has a LOT of attacks to stack the bleed damage. Vorpal is just cool because you can rip off someones head with your bare hands. It's not really worth it because it takes up your maximum bonus, and you have to be using Tiger or Boar style. But it is really cool.
Go for simple +5. You want to hit and you want what you hit to feel it!
Holy is usually worth it. Wounding can be worthwhile as a monk has a LOT of attacks to stack the bleed damage. Vorpal is just cool because you can rip off someones head with your bare hands. It's not really worth it because it takes up your maximum bonus, and you have to be using Tiger or Boar style. But it is really cool.
It's cool, but compared with other combat classes you will be at -5 to hit and damage at that point, on top of your -2 to -4 penalties that a monk will typically rack up, and then -2 or more from lack of a boost too hit...you won't rip heads off often, is all I can say.
Similarly, Holy looks great but that effective penalty you will gain just blows.
@lemeres:You can only get a +3 Holy AoMF, not +4. Holy is a +2 bonus.
whoops, forgot that. Hmmm...how common is dr/adamantine?
Although KahnyaGnorc is right, you could just spend 12,000 on a +1 holy bodywrap of mighty strikes. It seems good for the somewhat situational nature of holy. It also means that you might have something to fall back on in case of a sunder/steal attempt on the amulet (it is enough to go through DR/magic at least)
Well DR/magic isn't a big deal due to ki strike, but I do appreciate the advice about the body wraps, had forgotten about them. Thanks for the replies, it seemed like going for the bigger plus to hit and damage made sense, but it's always good to get confirmation. :)
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Similarly, Holy looks great but that effective penalty you will gain just blows.
Actually, if you are in an evil-fighting campaign and will be encountering evil enemies primarily, Holy rocks. Because you still have a +5 enhancement bonus, but you also have an extra 2d6 damage at almost no cost to you if you can manage it. At least, in my experiences. YMMV.
(it is enough to go through DR/magic at least)except monks don't really need to worry about DR/magic. ki strike magic is the first one they get.
As I said before, I am also considering the other primary user of AoMF: natural attack builds. Plus, not all unarmed strike builds include enough monk levels to even get ki strike (dipping at least one level is still a fairly wise choice, since it has better damage dice and it is never off hand...plus it is a bonus feat)
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Similarly, Holy looks great but that effective penalty you will gain just blows.Actually, if you are in an evil-fighting campaign and will be encountering evil enemies primarily, Holy rocks. Because you still have a +5 enhancement bonus, but you also have an extra 2d6 damage at almost no cost to you if you can manage it. At least, in my experiences. YMMV.
Holy no longer grants an extra +2 bonus in Pathfinder, it only grants +2d6 damage.
I really do not see why they just didn't give ki-strike an enhancement bonus, it really needs one for the monk to keep pace with the other combat classes.
That, or allow the amulet of mighty fists to have a higher enhancement. It would still leave the monk behind other classes, particularly since a lot of classes will use the neck slot for a variety of other things, but at least the attack enhancements could scale well with the rest of the classes.