Cobra Fang Strikes

[Crazyhands7]

The cobra fang strike reads as follows: "These deal 1d4 poison damage; are in the [brawling] group; and have the [agile], [deadly d10], [finesse], [nonlethal], [poison], and [unarmed] traits."

Poison reads this: "An effect with this trait delivers a poison or deals poison damage. An item with this trait is poisonous and might cause an affliction."

Can cobra fang strikes apply afflictions such as a injury poisons? If so then what kind poison can it inflict? I think the idea of making an enemy roll a saving throw after being hit is a cool idea, but I don't think it works in RAW.

[Castilliano]

It doesn't work; the ability's telling you exactly what it does.
"...might cause an affliction" references how some poisons do and some don't, but those that do say so. Cobra Fang does not say so, so it doesn't. It's straightforward. There are no hidden aspects.

Of course that's looking at that ability alone. You might gain another source of poison that inflicts an affliction though most PC abilities don't. Instead you'd have to look at purchasing poisons (or perhaps using MCD Alchemist to create poisons).
Applying poisons safely to your hands and whether you're causing a wound (not just damage) with which to apply an injury poison would be the next questions, and likely subject to GM interpretation.

As flavorful as it is, it'd take much investment for this build to become merely functional while simpler Monk builds surpass it.

[beowulf99]

So unfortunately, Cobra Fang Strikes do not deal piercing or slashing damage, which Injury Poisons require to effect a creature.

It's a bit silly, but at this time no, you could not apply additional injury poisons to your cobra strikes. Contact poisons are arguably viable, but then you look at their onset times and that gets Much less interesting. Typically 1 minute or more afaik.

Edit: Buuuut then contact poisons are also not able to be applied via weapon attack, so those are out as well.

[breithauptclan]

Also, contact poisons would affect you if you slather them all over your hands.

[Perpdepog]

Would Handwraps of Mighty Blows count as a weapon for the purposes of applying poison?

[beowulf99]

Perpdepog wrote:

Would Handwraps of Mighty Blows count as a weapon for the purposes of applying poison?

Generally no, as unarmed attacks are specifically not weapons for any purposes that require a weapon.

Handwraps are a worn magical item, not a magical weapon.

Gauntlets on the other hand are Free-Hand weapons, so would qualify if you got yourself a pair of spiked gauntlets or similar.

Now, whether or not that gauntlet would be used while you are using a monk's stance attacks is nebulous afaik. I lean towards no, but I could see a GM allowing such a "work around" based simply on how little trouble something like this could really cause. I mean, Poison is already not too great unless you have a Toxicologist in the party who keeps the DC relevant.

[Crazyhands7]

Thank you guys for the responses. I thought that's how the poison trait worked, but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.