Horn of the Cryosphinx on Monks - How Does it Work?

[The Shaman]

I was checking through some feats mentioned on the forums and I came across "Horn of the Cryosphinx". Now, being able to add twice rather than 1.5 times the strength bonus to damage on a two-handed weapon sounds nice in certain cases, but then I saw this:

"A monk can use this feat as long as he is wielding a two-handed weapon or both his hands are empty."

So, two questions. First, if a monk has both hands empty, s/he is probably fighting unarmed, and the fists are counted as light weapons iirc. So what does HotC do in that case?

Second, if a monk is using a two-handed monk weapon (i.e. seven-brached sword or even a staff), does s/he get any benefit from the feat if s/he flurries with it? I think in a flurry the monk only gets the standard one-time bonus from high strength despite effectively using the two-weapon fighting rules. Or am I wrong here and a monk flurrying with, say, a seven-branched sword makes all flurry attacks with 1.5x the strength bonus to damage, 2x with this feat?

[Sumutherguy]

Flurrying normally always applies 1x strength no matter how many hands are being used. This feat, however, is a specific exception, so a monk with pounce of some kind could indeed two-handed flurry with a 2x strength bonus. The Unarmed Strikes also get 2x strength, as this is an exception made specifically for the monk in this feat.

[The Shaman]

Was there an FAQ on that somewhere? I am specifically curious about unarmed strikes, because the feat spefically applies to two-handed weapons, and unarmed strikes are not.

[Protoman]

The feat is allowing a SPECIAL clause for monks to use it while unarmed despite fists not being a two-handed weapon, as long as the monk has both hands empty. It's basically allowing the monk the thematically rush in and attack with "two fists as one" while treating it as one attack roll (per attack if the monk indeed has a "pounce" effect active): one roll of the unarmed damage dice + 2xStrength modifier.

[Dekalinder]

How about it works exactly as it says? People always amaze me for their knack in complicating things by reading what is not written.
You are a monk? You have both hands free? Then you do 2xSTR while charging. In short, KISS

[Byakko]

The Shaman,

The feat is poorly worded. As written, the monk would only gain x2 Str when charging with a two-handed weapon, despite the special clause. However, we can probably assume that the intent was to allow the monk x2 Str on an unarmed strike charge as well (and this is what I would go with).

I am curious whether this FAQ would apply in a situation where this feat is combined with a pounce.

[Nocte ex Mortis]

No, it isn't poorly worded. It states "A Monk can use this Feat as long as he is wielding a two-handed weapon, or both of his hands are empty."

It spells out an alternate means specifically for the Monk to be able to gain all the benefits of said Feat.

[Byakko]

It is poorly worded, but not terribly so. A better phrasing would have been:

Benefit(s): Whenever you make a successful charge attack with a two-handed weapon wielded in both hands, add two times your Strength bonus to the damage roll.

Special: A monk also gains the benefits of this feat on a charge with an unarmed strike, as long as both his hands are empty.

[-Grijm-]

What happens if the monk has more than 2 hands? =D

[Metal Sonic]

Horn of the Cryosphinx + Dragon Style + Dragon Ferocity + Pummeling Style/Charge = STR x3 at first attack, STR x2.5 to all other?

If my math is right, that's gonna hurt as hell.