1) Is an unchained monk automatically proficient with any weapon that has the versatile design modification, which adds it to the monk group?
2) Hypothetically, if a 5th level monk had Ascetic Style an Ascetic Form, can their chosen weapon be "Unarmed Strike", which then gives its bonus to all monk weapons, including other weapons that are modified as the previous question?
1) No. The monk weapon group is different from the monk special weapon quality which lets monks flurry with a weapon.
2) A monk with ascetic form would already be able to use it with all monk weapons regardless of the chosen weapon for Ascetic Style, because of the special line in Ascetic Style. Also note, monk weapon refers to weapons with the monk special weapon quality, not weapons in the monk fighter weapon group.
1) I misread, was thinking that UMonks are proficient with monk fighter group weapons.
2)
"Benefit(s): Choose one weapon from the monk fighter weapon group. While using this style and wielding the chosen weapon, you can apply the effects of feats that have Improved Unarmed Strike as a prerequisite, as well as effects that augment an unarmed strike, as if attacks with the weapon were unarmed attacks.
Special: A 5th-level monk or character with the weapon training (monk) class feature can use Ascetic Style with any monk weapon, in addition to the chosen melee weapon."
The feat talks about picking a weapon from the monk fighter group of weapons. Then says if you *this* then you can use it with any monk weapon, not just the one you chose.
How do you know that last mention of a "monk weapon" was a weapon with the monk ability, and not a weapon from the monk fighter group?
But if I did have a Nodachi with the versatile design weapon modification (and had proficiency) then I would be able to flurry with the Nodachi, if that Special line was for monk fighter group. And I would get the +1 to hit from weapon focus (unarmed), as the nodachi gets augmented by Weapon Focus, too.
How do you know that last mention of a "monk weapon" was a weapon with the monk ability, and not a weapon from the monk fighter group?
Because weapon groups are a specific thing in the rules, and nothing that doesn't contain the word "group" ever interacts with them.
But if I did have a Nodachi with the versatile design weapon modification (and had proficiency) then I would be able to flurry with the Nodachi, if that Special line was for monk fighter group.
Nope, Flurry of Blows is not an "[effect] that augment an unarmed strike". To flurry with a non-Monk (melee) weapon, you need Ascetic Form. Ascetic Style's benefits section refers to the weapon group, meaning a nodachi modified with Versatile Design is a valid target for the feat.
Monk class features that now work with the weapon:
● Stunning Fist
● Ki Pool's DR penetration
● The scaling damage (works like Warpriest's Sacred Weapon, i.e. you chose either one)
● Dealing full strength on off-hand attacks (almost never relevant).
Other things that now work with the weapon:
● Feats that enhance US, e.g. Possessed Hand
● Feats that have IUS as a prereq, e.g. Hex Strike
● Traits that enhance US, e.g. Bullied
● Spells that enhance US, e.g. Magic Fang
● Items that enhance US, e.g. Amulet of Mighty Fists (multiple enhancement bonuses don't stack, but other magic weapon abilities can be stacked with them)
Monk class features that do not work with Ascetic Style:
●The extra attack from Ki Pool
● Style Strikes
● Ki Blocker, One Touch, and Quivering Palm
● Flurry of Blows (relevant for tri-point double-edged sword, urumi, and the Versatile Design modification).
Thing I'm not sure about:
● The ability to deal nonlethal damage without penalty (on one hand, that basically comes from the general rules for US, but on the other hand, it explicitly mentioned in the Unarmed Strike class feature)
● Weapon Finesse
● Effects that only apply to natural attacks - the "is treated as (...) a natural weapon [blah]" line does make US better, but only indirectly.
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How do you know that last mention of a "monk weapon" was a weapon with the monk ability, and not a weapon from the monk fighter group?Because weapon groups are a specific thing in the rules, and nothing that doesn't contain the word "group" ever interacts with them.
Respectfully disagree. (That your reading is definite. Agree that it is one possible reading.)
Ascetic Style is all about the Monk Fighter Weapon Group. It's perfectly reasonable that the writer didn't want to repeat the exact same text eight words apart in the same sentence. And while it doesn't say "monk fighter weapon group" it also doesn't say "monk special quality."
Without an author's direct answer there's no way to know. So it's going to be GM's call.
for me. i tend to think that all weapons from the monk fighter weapon group are supposed to be a weapon with the monk special quality and vs versa and any that do not are writer's misses. (but again normal monk is not automatically proficient with every monk weapon, it was FAQed)
this is mostly due to the fact almost all weapons from the group have the 'monk' Special already(except urami and tri point double edge sword, emei piercer and unarmed do not as well, but they count as unarmed attack anyway). it just seem to me that it should be the same group and the 2 that are not in it are writer overlooking and not putting in 'monk' in the 'Special' section. (and if not, the author really should have pointed out that although it's a part of the monk fighter weapon group it is not flurry-able, being only two how hard could it been to write an exception in the info?)
but that is just my rulings.