from what i've gathered so far, the unchained monk:
(-) didn't address the class' MADness or staggeringly dumb unarmed combat conditions in terms of item slots and WBL
(+) gave them full BAB and equivalent HD
(+) gave them lots of ki abilities (some of which are actually maybe kinda decent until they get nerfed)--that even work with qinggong stuff
(-) didn't give them more ki with which to use these abilities
(+/-) gave them less attacks with flurry and at a slower rate, but with better accuracy
(-) nerfed and/or removed/optionalized most of the passive defensive abilities of the class
(-) made a good deal of previous archetypes unusable due to said removal/optionalization of several class abilities
(+) finally gave them Monk weapon proficiencyHave I missed anything particularly stellar that tips the class variant from 'weird side-grade' to 'unchained rogue-tier buff' (see: still not spectacular, but acceptable)?
Im really hoping theres something in the pdf.
You forgot Style Strikes, but I can't think of anything else other than that. From what I've seen so far in these threads, this is what I've gathered as well.
@Mark/PDF Owners, how does One Touch interact with Combat Maneuvers, if at all? I'm sure you can't grapple with it (unless you've got the grab special ability or something), but I'm curious about how it would interact with Disarm/Trip/Sunger which can all be substituted for any attack (plus Dirty Trick in some cases).
Could one, conceivably, make a Trip attempt against a Touch based CMD? How would that even work?
or our druid vmc (monk) overlords.
@tels: funny conincidence, i literally just editted the post to mention those
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(+/-) gave them less attacks with flurry and at a slower rate, but with better accuracy
This needs to be addressed once and for all. Unchained monks have the same number of attacks as the core monk in a flurry for all of levels 1-7 and 11-14. That's more than half your total progression, and almost all the levels most people play at.
Moreover, all the attacks are at better accuracy. Compare +11/+11/+11/+6/+1 to +9/+9/+4/+4/-1, or even +10/+10/+5 to +8/+8/+3/+3 (how much benefit are you really getting from the extra attack at -7, and how much are you losing from the -2 to everything else?).
There's no +/- on the new flurry. It is hands-down a solid upgrade.
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A Flurry is defines as a Full Attack Action, not a full round action. Because of that the Natural weapons rule in universal monster rules applies:
Creatures with natural attacks and attacks made with weapons can use both as part of a full attack action (although often a creature must forgo one natural attack for each weapon clutched in that limb, be it a claw, tentacle, or slam). Such creatures attack with their weapons normally but treat all of their natural attacks as secondary attacks during that attack, regardless of the attack's original type.
A flurry is specifically with unarmed strikes or monk weapons, and is a full attack action. Natural attacks are not treated as weapons, and therefore wouldn't be blocked by the The additional attacks with other weapons clause. Therefore, you would be able to add your natural attacks as secondary attacks in addition to your Flurry.
I get that that wasn't intentional, but that's really how I read it. To make it so that is not allowed by the rules, you would need to change the text to specifically disallow it like the old flurry, or change flurry to a special full round action, not a full attack (but this would cause other problems.)
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I figured out why a few of them are at 7th: at one point ki powers came at odd levels. I'd definitely make them 6th. Also, when people talk about adding more, remember that there is limited pagecount allotted. When checking my list of ki powers, there's a few really cool ki powers that didn't make the cut for pagecount, which I'll be likely to share with you guys once the book is out! (the one that reduces the cost of all ki powers by 1, minimum 1, seems like it would be of particular interest to many...)
(+/-) gave them less attacks with flurry and at a slower rate, but with better accuracyThis needs to be addressed once and for all. Unchained monks have the same number of attacks as the core monk in a flurry for all of levels 1-7 and 11-14. That's more than half your total progression, and almost all the levels most people play at.
Moreover, all the attacks are at better accuracy. Compare +11/+11/+11/+6/+1 to +9/+9/+4/+4/-1, or even +10/+10/+5 to +8/+8/+3/+3 (how much benefit are you really getting from the extra attack at -7?).
There's no +/- on the new flurry. It is hands-down a solid upgrade.
but not at 9-10 (which is pertinent for folks who like pummeling charge) and 15+ which can be important for people not playing PFS, but i will say that the added accuracy on the attacks is a WAY larger boon than having extra crappy iteratives.
i'll alter that note shortly.
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Natural attacks are not treated as weapons,
I think this is the part where your idea falls apart. Natural attacks are weapons. They aren't manufactured weapons, but otherwise things that apply to "weapons" (like, for example, inspire courage's bonus to weapon damage) applies to them.
(+/-) gave them less attacks with flurry and at a slower rate, but with better accuracyThis needs to be addressed once and for all. Unchained monks have the same number of attacks as the core monk in a flurry for all of levels 1-7 and 11-14. That's more than half your total progression, and almost all the levels most people play at.
Moreover, all the attacks are at better accuracy. Compare +11/+11/+11/+6/+1 to +9/+9/+4/+4/-1, or even +10/+10/+5 to +8/+8/+3/+3 (how much benefit are you really getting from the extra attack at -7?).
There's no +/- on the new flurry. It is hands-down a solid upgrade.
but not at 9-10 (which is pertinent for folks who like pummeling charge) and 15+ which can be important for people not playing PFS, but i will say that the added accuracy on the attacks is a WAY larger boon than having extra crappy iteratives.
i'll alter that note shortly.
Do note: If you take and use elbow smash, you get another attack at –5, which puts you at the same or more than the old monk.
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More Seriously: . . . Does the Unchained Monk truly not limit Natural Attacks? That'd be hilarious on my future Dragon Monk idea.
They simply added a clause in flurry of blows simply saying that you can't add any other additional attacks, so secondary attacks natural weapons are additional attacks, so they can't be used with flurry of blows.
extra attack that is nonlethal only, no? and cant be used with the apparently popular flying kick until 15th (or was it 10th?), correct?
extra attack that is nonlethal only, no? and cant be used with the apparently popular flying kick until 15th, correct?
Both correct. Still, you can flying kick in on the first round and then do an elbow smash later when you don't need to move (or with Pummeling, you can just elbow smash all the time). Those limitations don't exist on hammerblow, which doubles your dice on a single attack just like Vital Strike, but that does less damage. May be worth it though, especially since it can add to a high accuracy attack.
extra attack that is nonlethal only, no? and cant be used with the apparently popular flying kick until 15th, correct?
Flying Kick is *only* useful at around 10th level or so when the bonus movement from Fast Movement actually becomes worth a damn. Even then, it's only useful if you need to move. If you're already in a creature's face, Elbow Smash takes precedence over Flying Kick.
(the one that reduces the cost of all ki powers by 1, minimum 1, seems like it would be of particular interest to many...)Curious - would that stack with the Ring of Ki Mastery. (Not that there are currently, nor likely to be many ki abilities which cost 3+ ki normally.)
Funny you should ask. It did have "This ability does not stack with the effect of the ring of ki mastery and similar effects." in it.
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I figured out why a few of them are at 7th: at one point ki powers came at odd levels. I'd definitely make them 6th. Also, when people talk about adding more, remember that there is limited pagecount allotted. When checking my list of ki powers, there's a few really cool ki powers that didn't make the cut for pagecount, which I'll be likely to share with you guys once the book is out! (the one that reduces the cost of all ki powers by 1, minimum 1, seems like it would be of particular interest to many...)I think you mentioned somewhere up thread, a setup for a Monk to have a scaling Enhancement Bonus or some such that didn't make it in because it "seemed to complicated". If I'm recalling correctly, can I assume you'll be sharing that with us as well?
My scaling enhancement bonus (and other math number things usually on magic items) idea that I wanted to get into the book got in—they totally found the pages for it! :happydance: It's for everyone, and it lives in Chapter 4. Don't miss it!
Funny you should ask. It did have "This ability does not stack with the effect of the ring of ki mastery and similar effects." in it.(the one that reduces the cost of all ki powers by 1, minimum 1, seems like it would be of particular interest to many...)Curious - would that stack with the Ring of Ki Mastery. (Not that there are currently, nor likely to be many ki abilities which cost 3+ ki normally.)
SIGH.
edit: by thwe way, i find you being so open and involved with folks here great, mark. regardless of my personal gripes.
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I figured out why a few of them are at 7th: at one point ki powers came at odd levels. I'd definitely make them 6th. Also, when people talk about adding more, remember that there is limited pagecount allotted. When checking my list of ki powers, there's a few really cool ki powers that didn't make the cut for pagecount, which I'll be likely to share with you guys once the book is out! (the one that reduces the cost of all ki powers by 1, minimum 1, seems like it would be of particular interest to many...)
Should make a PDF about it, including any extras you can think of.
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I figured out why a few of them are at 7th: at one point ki powers came at odd levels. I'd definitely make them 6th. Also, when people talk about adding more, remember that there is limited pagecount allotted. When checking my list of ki powers, there's a few really cool ki powers that didn't make the cut for pagecount, which I'll be likely to share with you guys once the book is out! (the one that reduces the cost of all ki powers by 1, minimum 1, seems like it would be of particular interest to many...)Should make a PDF about it, including any extras you can think of.
Contractually totally can't do that...but there are other ways to get cool stuff to you guys. Getting stuff out there for you is what's important.
extra attack that is nonlethal only, no? and cant be used with the apparently popular flying kick until 15th, correct?Flying Kick is *only* useful at around 10th level or so when the bonus movement from Fast Movement actually becomes worth a damn. Even then, it's only useful if you need to move. If you're already in a creature's face, Elbow Smash takes precedence over Flying Kick.
That's fine, I think; pounce-type abilities being locked to level 10 seems to be the general rule in Paizo's eyes (unless you're a Druid hurr durr).
@Mark: Do you have any insight as to future support for the Unchained Monk? Will this be considered the "Official Monk" for future releases, meaning that later hardcovers and splat books will include archetypes and ki powers designed for this Monk rather than the original?
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Contractually totally can't do that...but there are other ways to get cool stuff to you guys. Getting stuff out there for you is what's important.I figured out why a few of them are at 7th: at one point ki powers came at odd levels. I'd definitely make them 6th. Also, when people talk about adding more, remember that there is limited pagecount allotted. When checking my list of ki powers, there's a few really cool ki powers that didn't make the cut for pagecount, which I'll be likely to share with you guys once the book is out! (the one that reduces the cost of all ki powers by 1, minimum 1, seems like it would be of particular interest to many...)Should make a PDF about it, including any extras you can think of.
There's always the Paizo Blog, they did that for the cantrips left out from Ultimate Magic (but which sadly pfs decided not to add, I guess because it can't be bought :-p).
There's always the Paizo Blog, they did that for the cantrips left out from Ultimate Magic (but which sadly pfs decided not to add, I guess because it can't be bought :-p).Contractually totally can't do that...but there are other ways to get cool stuff to you guys. Getting stuff out there for you is what's important.I figured out why a few of them are at 7th: at one point ki powers came at odd levels. I'd definitely make them 6th. Also, when people talk about adding more, remember that there is limited pagecount allotted. When checking my list of ki powers, there's a few really cool ki powers that didn't make the cut for pagecount, which I'll be likely to share with you guys once the book is out! (the one that reduces the cost of all ki powers by 1, minimum 1, seems like it would be of particular interest to many...)Should make a PDF about it, including any extras you can think of.
...Indeed. That's to what I was slightly alluding. ;)
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funny how devs tend to think making things needlessly limiting for monks is a buff. unarmed combat is so prohibitive that it's literally more cost-effective to cut off your arm and get a prosthesis than to use the limb you were born with to hit things. and lovely slaps in the face like the bodywraps of mighty strikes and the brawling armor enchant.
Sadly this still won't work with Flying Kick as the leg is not enchantable. :-(
Edit: Ha! I guess this would fall under the genre of SteamMonk
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funny how devs tend to think making things needlessly limiting for monks is a buff. unarmed combat is so prohibitive that it's literally more cost-effective to cut off your arm and get a prosthesis than to use the limb you were born with to hit things. and lovely slaps in the face like the bodywraps of mighty strikes and the brawling armor enchant.Sadly this still won't work with Flying Kick as the leg is not enchantable. :-(
Edit: Ha! I guess this would fall under the genre of SteamMonk
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I was curious about this too. Will the Unchained Rogue and Monk be taken into account for future releases and archetypes?
I'm pretty sure they are the new standard. As early on as several months ago on the shameless boost for rogues thread Erik Mona was using his divination powers to predict that there would be much love coming the rogue's way with Unchained.
Note that the book is named Unchained and not Unchanged...
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extra attack that is nonlethal only, no? and cant be used with the apparently popular flying kick until 15th, correct?Flying Kick is *only* useful at around 10th level or so when the bonus movement from Fast Movement actually becomes worth a damn. Even then, it's only useful if you need to move. If you're already in a creature's face, Elbow Smash takes precedence over Flying Kick.
Did they change Monk bonus speed? Because looking at a core Monk, I'm seeing +20 feet at 6th level, and +30 at 9th.
30 is certainly more useful than 20, but 20 is pretty solid. 10 is admittedly less than useful, but not even Druids get Pounce before 6th level.
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extra attack that is nonlethal only, no? and cant be used with the apparently popular flying kick until 15th, correct?Flying Kick is *only* useful at around 10th level or so when the bonus movement from Fast Movement actually becomes worth a damn. Even then, it's only useful if you need to move. If you're already in a creature's face, Elbow Smash takes precedence over Flying Kick.Did they change Monk bonus speed? Because looking at a core Monk, I'm seeing +20 feet at 6th level, and +30 at 9th.
30 is certainly more useful than 20, but 20 is pretty solid. 10 is admittedly less than useful, but not even Druids get Pounce before 6th level.
Even 10 is useful when you consider it is actually 15 as you can combine it with a 5ft step.
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There are ways around this...funny how devs tend to think making things needlessly limiting for monks is a buff. unarmed combat is so prohibitive that it's literally more cost-effective to cut off your arm and get a prosthesis than to use the limb you were born with to hit things. and lovely slaps in the face like the bodywraps of mighty strikes and the brawling armor enchant.Sadly this still won't work with Flying Kick as the leg is not enchantable. :-(
Edit: Ha! I guess this would fall under the genre of SteamMonk
^I think you'd still be kicking with your now leg-arm and punching with your arm-leg
funny how devs tend to think making things needlessly limiting for monks is a buff. unarmed combat is so prohibitive that it's literally more cost-effective to cut off your arm and get a prosthesis than to use the limb you were born with to hit things. and lovely slaps in the face like the bodywraps of mighty strikes and the brawling armor enchant.Sadly this still won't work with Flying Kick as the leg is not enchantable. :-(
Edit: Ha! I guess this would fall under the genre of SteamMonk
Um if that's what has everyone nervous about the 'use of specific body parts' - unless I'm totally mistaken - if you get an amulet it works on your entire body as a monk.
Same thing with magic fang. For the idea of FoB when you use that each attack is using 'your body' the specific body parts are only flavor text (well outside of if you have that specific body part unavailable for some reason).
When you use a style strike - you make an attack and do damage with it (including the kick) - it's just an 'unarmed strike' - without special rules regarding damage.
Secondly - regarding natural attacks.
Yes the way I read it - they won't work with FoB - however the monk can attack with any weapon they are holding as *part* of a FoB.
It's frustrating to not just post the text but to me I read that as different than (say) TWF. Currently if you (for whatever reason) have 3 'hands' and 3 'weapons' you can only use two max (TWF) - FoB doesn't have this limitation - thus if you have a +5 defender, and a +5 vorpal, and a +5 bane you could use your last FoB attack on your defender for the AC boost without giving up the other weapons.
That's just a thought - like I said before I'm thinking tails, vestigial arms, and other weird ways to have extra limbs (fleshcrafting!) which could setup interesting combos with weapon effects previously impossible to do, due to the 'wielding' rules requiring you to make an attack with the weapon, and the rules not supporting these extra limbs.
Does this mean the limbs actually give you more attacks? No - but they can be used to wield during a flurry.
I think that the Monk Variant Multi-Class gave unarmed strike (Fairly sure someone mentioned that)... but I don't know if it does anything to shore up you're defense.
It gives you unarmed strike at 3rd level, as a monk 2 levels lower.
It gives you a +3 dodge bonus to AC at 15th level, which of course is way too late to plan your build around.
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I think that the Monk Variant Multi-Class gave unarmed strike (Fairly sure someone mentioned that)... but I don't know if it does anything to shore up you're defense.It gives you unarmed strike at 3rd level, as a monk 2 levels lower.
It gives you a +3 dodge bonus to AC at 15th level, which of course is way too late to plan your build around.
Guys, it isn't always about the builds. Haven't you ever played in a game where the party gets split up? When your opponents attack in the dead of night when you are asleep and not wearing armor? Been through a scenario when you don't have access to your weapons or magic items?
I have. Plenty of times.
Being able to punch like a monk of just a few levels beneath yours, having flurry of blows, getting a +3 dodge bonus to AC, and gaining a ki pool are all good things for when the unexpected happens. And if I am reading these posts right, the VMC (variant multi-class) Monk doesn't require you to be lawful to gain those abilities.
MA
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When your opponents attack in the dead of night when you are asleep and not wearing armor?I think that the Monk Variant Multi-Class gave unarmed strike (Fairly sure someone mentioned that)... but I don't know if it does anything to shore up you're defense.It gives you unarmed strike at 3rd level, as a monk 2 levels lower.
It gives you a +3 dodge bonus to AC at 15th level, which of course is way too late to plan your build around.
No. That's why all of my armored characters have a chain shirt (with armor spikes) by level 3 at the latest. It's their PJs.
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No. That's why all of my armored characters have a chain shirt (with armor spikes) by level 3 at the latest. It's their PJs.When your opponents attack in the dead of night when you are asleep and not wearing armor?I think that the Monk Variant Multi-Class gave unarmed strike (Fairly sure someone mentioned that)... but I don't know if it does anything to shore up you're defense.It gives you unarmed strike at 3rd level, as a monk 2 levels lower.
It gives you a +3 dodge bonus to AC at 15th level, which of course is way too late to plan your build around.
Yeah, that is one rule that I (and my group) toss right out the window. You do NOT sleep in metal armor. Or studded leather. Much less anything with armor spikes. Same with swimming in plate . . . ain't gonna happen.
MA
I think that the Monk Variant Multi-Class gave unarmed strike (Fairly sure someone mentioned that)... but I don't know if it does anything to shore up you're defense.It gives you unarmed strike at 3rd level, as a monk 2 levels lower.
It gives you a +3 dodge bonus to AC at 15th level, which of course is way too late to plan your build around.
Guys, it isn't always about the builds. Haven't you ever played in a game where the party gets split up? When your opponents attack in the dead of night when you are asleep and not wearing armor? Been through a scenario when you don't have access to your weapons or magic items?
I have. Plenty of times.
Being able to punch like a monk of just a few levels beneath yours, having flurry of blows, getting a +3 dodge bonus to AC, and gaining a ki pool are all good things for when the unexpected happens. And if I am reading these posts right, the VMC (variant multi-class) Monk doesn't require you to be lawful to gain those abilities.
MA
I haven't. My characters either don't need armor, or wear it to bed. And it takes a whopping Move action to pick up a weapon.
Besides which, trading your 3/7/11/15/19th level Feats for the safety and security of knowing you'll be slightly less likely to die when ambushed while bathing is a bad trade.
If you want the Unarmed Strike, dip Monk or Brawler and take Monastic Legacy.
No. That's why all of my armored characters have a chain shirt (with armor spikes) by level 3 at the latest. It's their PJs.When your opponents attack in the dead of night when you are asleep and not wearing armor?I think that the Monk Variant Multi-Class gave unarmed strike (Fairly sure someone mentioned that)... but I don't know if it does anything to shore up you're defense.It gives you unarmed strike at 3rd level, as a monk 2 levels lower.
It gives you a +3 dodge bonus to AC at 15th level, which of course is way too late to plan your build around.
Yeah, that is one rule that I (and my group) toss right out the window. You do NOT sleep in metal armor. Or studded leather. Much less anything with armor spikes. Same with swimming in plate . . . ain't gonna happen.
MA
If my Fighter can rip Cthulhu a new a#@@+*$, why can't he swim in heavy armor?
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Yeah, that is one rule that I (and my group) toss right out the window. You do NOT sleep in metal armor. Or studded leather. Much less anything with armor spikes. Same with swimming in plate . . . ain't gonna happen.MA
I disagree - but your group can do what they want.
However - you can't be in a rules discussion and assume that others play with your house-rules when discussing balance etc.
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Yeah, that is one rule that I (and my group) toss right out the window. You do NOT sleep in metal armor. Or studded leather. Much less anything with armor spikes. Same with swimming in plate . . . ain't gonna happen.
MA
Both sleeping in armor and swimming in plate armor can and have been done by real people. Just for the record
Though maybe not with armor spikes, and I might even disallow that one myself, as it sounds like a terrible plan. Well...maybe if you worship Zon-Kuthon.
funny how devs tend to think making things needlessly limiting for monks is a buff. unarmed combat is so prohibitive that it's literally more cost-effective to cut off your arm and get a prosthesis than to use the limb you were born with to hit things. and lovely slaps in the face like the bodywraps of mighty strikes and the brawling armor enchant.Sadly this still won't work with Flying Kick as the leg is not enchantable. :-(
Edit: Ha! I guess this would fall under the genre of SteamMonk
Um if that's what has everyone nervous about the 'use of specific body parts' - unless I'm totally mistaken - if you get an amulet it works on your entire body as a monk.
Same thing with magic fang. For the idea of FoB when you use that each attack is using 'your body' the specific body parts are only flavor text (well outside of if you have that specific body part unavailable for some reason).
When you use a style strike - you make an attack and do damage with it (including the kick) - it's just an 'unarmed strike' - without special rules regarding damage.
bolded mine: avoiding the twice-as-expensive-with-a-smaller-cap amulet tax is literally the reason for chopping your arm off in the first place.
that it (and the HILARIOUSLY backhanded bodywraps) are the only means short of magic weapon/fang to gain an enhancement bonus to the most iconic weapon of an entire class is TERRIBLE. it makes me incredibly angry at whoever thought it was a good idea, and the worse part is that any NEW options that appear for unarmed combat are nerfed or made so incredibly specific as to be useless for fear of making the natural-attack builds (see: druids) more powerful than they already are.
but back to my point:
The monks' whole THING is "my entire body is a weapon, i can kill you even carrying these orphans with both hands, my back, and both legs". having style strikes require a certain limb to use (specifying 'elbow' and 'kick', for example) sets a BAD precedent that could be used to yet further hurt unarmed combat in the future, like needlessly specific punch-only feats, or (terrible) gm's going "sorry you're entangled, you cant [kick] things--regardless that you've spent four feats makign them comparable to just using a longsword."
i mean unarmed combat isnt whip or crossbow-tier yet (both of which also make me incredibly angry at devs), but i really, REALLY dont want to see it slip further than it has.
Yeah, that is one rule that I (and my group) toss right out the window. You do NOT sleep in metal armor. Or studded leather. Much less anything with armor spikes. Same with swimming in plate . . . ain't gonna happen.
MA
I played a Ranger in an aquatic campaign once. Know how we solved this problem? Enchanted the armor so she sank like a rock and then walked to shore because she could breathe underwater and was immune to the pressure of the depths.
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funny how devs tend to think making things needlessly limiting for monks is a buff. unarmed combat is so prohibitive that it's literally more cost-effective to cut off your arm and get a prosthesis than to use the limb you were born with to hit things. and lovely slaps in the face like the bodywraps of mighty strikes and the brawling armor enchant.Sadly this still won't work with Flying Kick as the leg is not enchantable. :-(
Edit: Ha! I guess this would fall under the genre of SteamMonk
Um if that's what has everyone nervous about the 'use of specific body parts' - unless I'm totally mistaken - if you get an amulet it works on your entire body as a monk.
Same thing with magic fang. For the idea of FoB when you use that each attack is using 'your body' the specific body parts are only flavor text (well outside of if you have that specific body part unavailable for some reason).
When you use a style strike - you make an attack and do damage with it (including the kick) - it's just an 'unarmed strike' - without special rules regarding damage.
To quote Deckard Cain, "Stay a while and listen"
Here's how things stood for Monk Classic:
• So you can FoB with a single weapon. If you choose to only flurry with that weapon you'll only need to enchant it. You can enchant this weapon to up to +10 bonuses
• However, if you want to FoB with your unarmed strikes you'll need either the AoMF or the Body Wrap of Mighty Strikes (BWoMS).
• The AoMF will enhance all your weapons, but costs 200% of the cost of enchanting a single weapon and only goes to a total bonus of +5.
It also takes up the neck slot which other classes often use for the Amulet of Natural Armor, which would be great for the armor restricted monk.
• The BWoMS only enhances one attack plus one for each iterative attack you have (though they don't need to be used on the iterative attacks). It costs 150% of the cost of enchanting a single weapon and only goes up to +7 in bonuses. This will not cover all of your FoB attacks. It also takes up the body slot which could have been used for a Monk's Robe or an even better item the Hamatulatsu Robe.
The Unchained Monk now gets style strikes which are awesome.
• Style strikes require that you use them with your unarmed strikes and with specific body parts
• The single weapon monk will now probably like to use these style strikes, which will mean he will also want an BWoMS or an AoMF. So he'll need to spend more money.
• The unarmed Monks are still paying twice as much as single weapon class and still limited in the amount of bonus the can apply with the AoMF
• Additionally, ki became a much more central part of the Monk's ability set, and he'll likely require more than before, yet his Ki pool was not increased. One way to recharge ki is to gain critical strikes with a weapon made of wyroot and crit. So now the Unarmed Monk is more likely to consider switching over to a Wyroot Weapon as their main weapon.
Unrelatedly, but frustrating for both Monk Classic and Unchained Monk is that they often use Mage Armor or Bracers of Armor, which are more expensive than actual armor but is partially offset by the Monk's AC Bonus and Wisdom Bonus to AC.
• ACG included a new armor enchantment only available on light armor called Brawling which gives an untyped +2 bonus to Attack, Damage, CMB. It's great and there are two main classes (and a few archetypes) that would love to have this: Brawlers and Monks.
• However, Bracers of Armor aren't technically Light Armor (though at 1-lb it's hard to think of "Armor" that's any lighter).
•Which means that the Monk is unable to get the Brawling enhancement
•For a low level Monk this enhancement would be equivalent to the flurry at full BAB of the Unchained Monk and an additional + 2 damage
Summary: Monk's, who are often depicted as poor carrying only their begging bowl and their clothes (you can even take a vow for this), would require more money for weapons than a TWF build. In addition to the increased price they take up Wondrous Item slots which would be of great use for other items. Inspite of this, both Monk Classic and Unchained Monk do less damage with their unarmed strikes Than a similarly equipped Brawler with the brawling enchantment.
In addition to some of the new Scaling Bonus/Scaling Item gear that subsystems in Unchained that might help*, here are some solutions that could easily be
1) I don't mind paying for Bracers of Armor, but let Brawling be an allowed enchantment for it. Maybe raise it's maximum bonus to +10? (any non-monk would probably rather use a Haramaki or Silken Ceremonial Robes)
2) A Single Wondrous Item [chest slot maybe?] priced to be the same as enhancing a single weapon and with a bonus of up to +10,
"This pit-stained shirt grants a character with the Unarmed Strike class feature enhancement bonus of +1 to +5 on attack and damage rolls with unarmed attacks and natural weapons to which the Feral Combat Training feat has been applied.
Additionally, this shirt can grant melee weapon special abilities, so long as they can be applied to these attacks. See Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities for a list of abilities. Special abilities count as additional bonuses for determining the market value of the item, but do not modify attack or damage bonuses. An Monk's Old T-shirt cannot have a modified bonus (enhancement bonus plus special ability bonus equivalents) higher than +10. An Monk's Old T-shirt needs to have a +1 enhancement bonus to grant a melee weapon special ability.
* Doesn't like that the scaling bonus enhancements can't be use on Bracer's of Armor, that only discriminates against one class.
** You could call it this or "Your Granny's Old Lacy Bra" or what have you, they'd still sell like hotcakes!
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To paraphrase Deckard Cain
"I know way too much about the story and current events than I have any right to, considering I died within the first act! How in the world did my pages make their way to heaven?"
I'm really disappointed that Monk didn't get any needed item love in Unchained. Especially considering there is ample ground to make their money problems worse, they could have just introduced items that are so good you'd have to buy them before shelling out an absurd amount of money on work-arounds to improve your unarmed strikes. (Or more seriously, a competitor to the Monk's Robe, perhaps one that granted more Ki rather than improved unarmed strikes?)