The only real use I can think of is to be a monk with a reach weapon, or alternatively to pick up as a character that multi-classes into monk. It's not good enough for typical armed monks, as it is written, in my opinion, which is a pity.
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You can use it with stance feats, just not Crane Style. Only Crane style says you must attack with Crane Wing. All the other monk style say you can use the stance specific attack.
The only real use I can think of is to be a monk with a reach weapon, or alternatively to pick up as a character that multi-classes into monk. It's not good enough for typical armed monks, as it is written, in my opinion, which is a pity.
Alternatively, Monk MC Fighter going for the Dueling Parry feats.
And yeah, that's super narrow too.
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If I were writing the book, I'd have just given monks Monastic Weaponry, as without it they have no ranged options. Unless Paizo decides "flight" means "but no more than 5 feet off the ground" that's a lot of useless for our monks.
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Monks should be trained with monk weapons by default, with monastic weaponry providing the other benefits.
Here's my question: Monastic Weaponry says:"...and you can use melee monk weapons with any of your monk feats or monk abilities that normally require unarmed attacks..."
Brawling Focus says: "You gain access to the critical specialization effects of weapons of the brawling group."
The brawling group includes: Fist, Gauntlet, Spiked Gauntlet. Now gauntlet and spiked gauntlet aren't unarmed, so monk isn't proficient with them, even if takes Monastic Weaponry. He also can't Flurry with them, that specifies unarmed.
So I guess my question is, did they specifically (and kind of obtusely) write that feat in such a way that you pretty much can only use it with unarmed strikes, even if you have Monastic Weaponry? Because if so, that makes me sad. The first character I'm trying to build is a Str Monk that uses weapons, and doesn't use any of the styles or Ki (I'm gonna multiclass him to fighter, probably.)
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Brawling Focus lets you get the critical specialization effect with your fists/feet/elbows/etc., that's what it's for.
I don't think there is, as it stands, a way for a monk to get the critical specialization for a temple sword, short of multiclassing fighter.
Monastic Weapons are still compatible with styles (just not crane)- you don't get the special unarmed attack associated with the style, but you get the other benefits - Can step 10 with tiger stance, resistance 2 in Mountain Root stance, etc.
I get that that's the purpose of it, I just don't get why you'd say (paraphrasing) "You can use this list of weapons as if you were unarmed" and then turn around and say "except this. this otherwise kind of generic ability only works with your actual unarmed strikes, and a couple weapons you aren't even proficient in." I mean, you can even use Quivering Palm with a monk weapon. Flying Kick doesn't specify that it has to actually be a kick, or even an unarmed strike, so you can use flying kick to strike with a weapon too. But you can't get the ability to get critical specialization effects unless you do the actual unarmed thing. (or multiclass)
I feel like for the most part the styles are important because they upgrade your 1d6 unarmed attacks to 1d8 unarmed attacks (or 1d10 for dragon style) while monastic weapons already give access to d8 weapons so the styles are kind of unnecessary.
I agree that there should be more support for weapon-wielding monks in the class feats, and only 3 monk weapons in the class chapter is kind of disappointing (I would like to build a monk who uses a 3, 5, 7, or 9 section staff).
Also, the Sai should have the Parry trait.
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If I were writing the book, I'd have just given monks Monastic Weaponry, as without it they have no ranged options. Unless Paizo decides "flight" means "but no more than 5 feet off the ground" that's a lot of useless for our monks.I went Gnome with First World Magic and chose Ray of Frost. Tada.
I'm looking at Shurikens. 0 reload, thrown adds strength and it has the monk trait [Monks can use these weapons with their abilities that normally require unarmed attacks] so you can flurry and such with them. They also have no bulk so you can carry as many as you want.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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Monks should be trained with monk weapons by default, with monastic weaponry providing the other benefits.
100% this.
Don’t make monks spend a feat to have ANY weapon proficiencies. They should always have training in at least 1 weapon by default - to let them attack an ooze for example without burning their hands. Preferably have monks start trained with simple monk weapons, and need the feat for martial monk weapons.