Monk + Monastic Weaponry + Twin trait weapon + Flurry of Blows

[markrivett]

Hello,

I feel like this is sound logic, but I wanted to run it by the community. I'm thinking about building a monk who wants to be able to do the following...

1st level feat: Monastic Weaponry
https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=434

The important bit here is: "You can use melee monk weapons with any of your monk feats or monk abilities that normally require unarmed attacks, though not if the feat or ability requires you to use a single specific type of attack, such as Crane Stance."

Equipment: Hook Swords in each hand
https://2e.aonprd.com/Weapons.aspx?ID=287

They have the twin trait
https://2e.aonprd.com/Traits.aspx?ID=197
The important bit is: "When you attack with a twin weapon, you add a circumstance bonus to the damage roll equal to the weapon’s number of damage dice if you have previously attacked with a different weapon of the same type this turn."

I assume, based on the text of Monastic Weapon, I can use Hook Swords when using Flurry of Blows
https://2e.aonprd.com/Actions.aspx?ID=9

For one action I "make two unarmed strikes" using a single attack roll with a -5 penalty (Hook Swords are not agile).
If I hit, the damage is 1d6 +strength mod +1d6 +strength mod +1 for twin trait

I'm really just asking whether the "twin" trait circumstance bonus (in this case, +1) is "baked in" to flurry of blows.

I like the versatility of hook swords, but is the +1 damage worthwhile? Should I instead consider Butterfly Swords
https://2e.aonprd.com/Weapons.aspx?ID=275

or is a shield on one arm + kama in the other just a better choice for a front-liner?
https://2e.aonprd.com/Weapons.aspx?ID=54

[The Raven Black]

This is not how Flurry of blows works.

It is mostly an action compressor : for the cost of 1 action, you Strike twice with all the usual rules for Striking twice, including MAP on the second Strike.

IF you hit with both Strikes, you do combine the damage before applying weaknesses and resistances.

[Finoan]

The Raven Black wrote:

for the cost of 1 action, you Strike twice with all the usual rules for Striking twice, including MAP on the second Strike.

The question is: do you also get the circumstance bonus to damage from the Twin trait on that second attack? Or just the penalties?

I think you would get the benefits and bonuses of a second attack on the second Strike of Flurry of Blows.

Whether that +1 bonus to damage is worth it or not is up to the player to decide.

[YuriP]

You get both the twin trait says:

Source Core Rulebook pg. 283 4.0 wrote:

These weapons are used as a pair, complementing each other. When you attack with a twin weapon, you add a circumstance bonus to the damage roll equal to the weapon’s number of damage dice if you have previously attacked with a different weapon of the same type this turn. The weapons must be of the same type to benefit from this trait, but they don’t need to have the same runes.

Nothing states that you need to do this using different actions or something like. If you already made a Strike using your first weapon and will make a second attack no matter if it is compressed in a single action, or in a activity or if it's a reaction or a free-action or if it has MAP or not. If are in your turn the bonus applies.

[The Raven Black]

I feel Gorilla Slam + Shield would be good, with the Slam having both Forceful and Backswing.

And Gorilla Stance works with armor.