So... Flurry of Blows...
This ability fails on so many levels... It has three huge problems:
1- It turns a supposedly mobile class into a particularly crappy variety of stand-still-or-suck syndrome.
2- It forces unarmed Monks to pay twice as much for half the benefit. (You have to charge twice as much for the AoMF because otherwise non-monks could use TWF with IUS and get double the benefit for the price of a single weapon).
3- It makes any archetype that loses the class feature struggle with low accuracy... Rogue Style!
So... Here is my idea to deal with these problems:
Step 1 - Remove the "use Monk level instead of BAB" thing and simply give Monks (as well as Brawlers and any other class that gets FoB) a +1 to all attack rolls made with unarmed strikes, monk weapons or natural attacks (plus any other weapon they would be capable of flurrying with). This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter (maximum of +5 at 20th level).
This allows archetypes to remain effective even if they lose FoB.
Step 2 - Remove the "There is no such thing as a Monk's off-hand unarmed strike..." line form his Improved Unarmed Strike class feature (this is to allow the fix for AoMF, keep reading).
Step 3 - Replace FoB with this variant:
Follow-up Strike (Ex): At 1st level, once per turn, when the Monk successfully hits an enemy with an unarmed strike or monk weapon, he can spend a free action to make an additional attack. This attack uses his total attack bonus and must be made with a monk weapon, unarmed strike or natural attack (This attack will henceforth be referred to as "Follow Up Strike").
At 8th level, during a full attack, the Monk can use this ability twice per turn. The second Follow Up Strike suffers a -5 penalty.
At 15th level, during a full attack, the Monk can use this ability three times per turn. The second Follow Up Strike suffers a -5 penalty and the third one a -10 penalty.
This ability cannot be used in conjunction with Two-Weapon Fighting.
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(Notice that archetypes and feats that allow characters to use FoB with unusual weapons would allow them to use this ability with those weapons as well).
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This has 2 main advantages:
1- The first Follow Up Strike doesn't require a Full Attack, which allows Monks to move and make two attacks, giving them an incentive to move and attack. It's not as powerful a a full attack, of course, but it's a good thing.
2- Since it doesn't use TWF mechanics, it allows the creation of a more sensible AoMF without giving double enhancements for unarmed non-Monks:
Amulet of Mighty Fists, Lesser: This amulet can be enhanced as a normal weapon (same price and same enhancement limitations). The enhancements added to it are applied to the user's unarmed strikes (but not natural attacks or off-hand attacks).
Amulet of Mighty Fists: Works as the normal one... It's there for TWFing unarmed combatants and creatures with natural attacks. (I'd give it the enhancement limit of normal weapons, though. I don't see why it should be capped at +5).
So what do you guys and gals think? Any suggestions?
Step 1: Why not just give the monk a full BAB? They should have been a full BAB class to begin with.
Step 2: That's a pretty big nerf as the monk relies heavily on Power Attack to really do some serious damage.
Step 3: I'm not crazy with this new FoB.
I also don't understand why the change with amulet of mighty fists.
I personally thought of making the TWF feat grant the ability to perform a special attack that's basically vital strike where the bonus damage uses the off-hand's damage dice. *Shrug*