I was looking at creating a Nyktera monk using Sprite’s Spark, but am very concerned that the damage would be so low as to make the character ineffective.
Powerful Fist doesn’t look like it would change the damage die since it says it increases it for Fist. Sprite’s Spark is an unarmed attack, but it is in the sling rather than brawling group and certainly not a fist. It would allow me to do lethal or non-lethal with no penalty since that section says Unarmed attack rather than a specific type of attack.
Next thing I looked at was Cleric hoping to be able to find a way to use Deadly Simplicity. Once again, Sprite’s Spark isn’t a fist. It is in the sling group, but even Pulura (favored weapon of Sling) doesn’t look like it would qualify.
Next was looking at Thaumaturge Dedication for the Glimpse Vulnerability. Unfortunately that damage bonus doesn’t scale with number of dice. It would give a small boost to start, but once again doesn’t scale at higher level.
The Ki Strike would help on the damage and I see nothing preventing it from working with Sprite’s Spark.
So, have I missed anything and am I correct that damage will be lacking?
You're correct that it will be weak as a primary weapon. But it is also a serviceable back up option which benefits from range and an alternate damage type. Personally, I'd recommend fire over electricity because triggering weakness is nice. When you fight enemies who are immune or resistant to fire, just use Wolf/Tiger/Stumbling/whatever your primary style is. It will also scale with your handwraps. So take the feat! Just don't rely on it exclusively.
Thaumaturge Exploit Vulnerability does scale with level. 2 + half level to be exact. Unless the target has a higher weakness of its own.
Thaumaturge also gives Implement's Empowerment that will add 2 per die to the damage of Sprite's Spark.
Swashbuckler's Flying Blade doesn't work though. An unarmed ranged weapon is not a thrown weapon. Which seems a bit odd, but that is how the traits fall out.
Another option that would work is Rogue Sneak Attack. If you or an ally can regularly get an enemy flat-footed to everything, then that includes your ranged attacks too. Flanking won't work though, it will have to be something more exotic than that.
Thaumaturge Exploit Vulnerability does scale with level. 2 + half level to be exact. Unless the target has a higher weakness of its own.
Sorry if I wasn’t clear enough. Class is Monk. Adding Thaumaturge Dedication gives Glimpse Vulnerability which does not scale.
[snip]
Another option that would work is Rogue Sneak Attack. If you or an ally can regularly get an enemy flat-footed to everything, then that includes your ranged attacks too. Flanking won't work though, it will have to be something more exotic than that.
Rogue Dedication would only give +1d6 Sneak Attack. As you note, this would be difficult to use as well.
This idea SCREAMS Bullet Dancer Archetype if you ask me. You're already going full ham on ranged Monk/Unarmed Attack stuff and playing a Rare Ancestry so I can't see much of a reason why you'd be limited in terms of Access for the Dedication, Equipment, of Feats.
Unfortunately, Bullet Dancer archetype doesn't work with Sprite's Spark as almost everything in the archetype revolves around firearms. Bullet Dancer Stance requires that, "You're unarmored and wielding a simple firearm, bayonet, or reinforced stock". Brawling Focus only applies to unarmed attacks in the Brawling group (Sprite's Spark is in the Sling group). And the remaining feats, except Snap Shot, require a firearm specifically.
Now, if you're suggesting the OP consider using a simple firearm instead of Sprite's Spark for their primary weapon, then... ignore my previous observations ;)
How would Bullet Dancer help with this sort of build?
About the main advantage Sprite's Spark or other ranged unarmed attacks have is that you can use Flurry and other unarmed attack enhancers on them. It's why I want to build a kitsune monk.
If I'm reading the feat right, tho, you're locked into sonic damage as a nyktera. So no using it in space or to burn down things.
I do see what you mean by damage issues, as you're losing both damage die and ability modifiers. And any useful traits. It's more fun to imagine a pixie just flying into someone's face and punching them anyway.
I guess the reason the unarmed ranged attacks are kept weak for a reason, but it does seem to nix them as a primary attack method. Shame, it'd be fun to have a little fox do a flurry of foxfires and take out someone.
I see what people mean about the Wild Winds stance.
WILD WINDS STANCE FOCUS 4
UNCOMMON AIR EVOCATION MONK STANCE
Cast [one-action] somatic
Duration until you leave the stance
You take on the stance of the flowing winds, sending out waves of energy at a distance. You can make wind crash unarmed Strikes as ranged Strikes against targets within 30 feet. These deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage, use the brawling group, and have the agile, nonlethal, propulsive, and unarmed traits. Wind crash Strikes ignore concealment and all cover. While in wild winds stance, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against ranged attacks.
The dice size is one better and it is propulsive meaning you can get some additional damage from strength. It would obsolete the Sprite’s Spark unless there was a weakness. In the case of sonic damage, it would be rather rare.
Will have to think on this, decide if I just discard the idea or not.
I’m not looking to play a Thaumaturge. There are already several sprite thaumaturges locally.
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Oh, just simply that you can get another layer deep into Ranged Monk functionality. It's not that it meshes with the existing Unarmed Attack but merely that it plays to an angle that minimizes the weakness of the Sprite for Monk in that you have 0 Reach with Melee Attacks so that you can have a greater variety of ways in which you can use your Class Abilities with Ranged Attacks.