A kama tripping monk that springs? [Archive] - Wizards Community

A kama tripping monk that springs? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
nuz8888
02-19-06, 06:55 PM Is there any real reason not to use a kama tripping monk with spring attack?
Crom_Smash
02-19-06, 07:09 PM well... I'll take a shot at the problem.
A kama tripping monk is usable but you could easily do the exact same thing with your unarmed strikes. Since unarmed strikes will usually do more damage, they are a better choice than kamas in general.

I don't seem to understand why you're spring attacking though... If you trip somebody and stay next to them, you can take an AoO at them as they get up (which could result in another trip attack). If you're really nasty, you could add in knockdown so that the turn goes: Enemy stands up and provokes an attack of opporutnity, You hit him for more than 10 damage with your main attack and trip him and then attack him again because of improved trip.
PhaedrusXY
02-19-06, 07:15 PM Since kamas are monk weapons, you can use them interchangeably with your unarmed strikes during a Flurry of Blows. So you can trip with the kama, and if you succeed make the free attack with your Unarmed Strike. If you fail and are counter-tripped, you can just drop the kama. You can't drop an unarmed strike on a failed trip. So yeah, there is no real reason not to use kamas to trip with as a monk.
Crom_Smash
02-19-06, 07:20 PM If you fail and are counter-tripped, you can just drop the kama.

heh. Forgot about that. Another thing I just realized is that you can add the sweeping enchantment to your kama (only a +1 bonus that gives you a bonus to tripping) but you would probably have a hard time getting it on an unarmed strike. Even if you could, getting it on a kama would be cheaper.
nuz8888
02-19-06, 07:30 PM What I meant was, is it advisable to use a kama-tripping monk over a reach weapon-tripping monk.
NinjaDebugger
02-19-06, 07:38 PM What I meant was, is it advisable to use a kama-tripping monk over a reach weapon-tripping monk.

Only if you value your feat slot over defenses. The choice is yours.
PhaedrusXY
02-19-06, 07:40 PM What I meant was, is it advisable to use a kama-tripping monk over a reach weapon-tripping monk.They both have their advantages. Unless you have levels of Shou Disciple or something similiar, you cannot use the reach weapon as part of a flurry. Of course... you do get reach with it, which is great for a Trip build.

If you do have a reach weapon that you can use during a flurry, then go with that. You can make a 5 foot step in the middle of a full attack. So you can repeatedly try to trip them with the reach weapon from 10 ft. away, and once you succeed, step up and finish your full attack with unarmed strikes. I don't think it would be legal to take the 5 foot step before making the free attack from Improved Trip, however.
Crom_Smash
02-19-06, 07:41 PM What I meant was, is it advisable to use a kama-tripping monk over a reach weapon-tripping monk.

I would definitely use a reach weapon if you had ten foot reach (from being large or some other reason) because you can always use an unarmed strike to trip in close range and you would effectively cover a 20ft radius.
When you're a medium creature, I think it would depend on how much emphasis you want to place on tripping and on using the reach weapon (I don't think monks are proficient in any).
nuz8888
02-19-06, 07:42 PM Well, I want to put a lot of emphasis on spring attacking in, tripping, then hitting them with a monk's fist (generally their strongest weapon), then use the second move of the spring attack to go far far away from the opponent.
PhaedrusXY
02-19-06, 07:43 PM I don't know of any reach weapon a monk can flurry with.There might be one in Oriental Adventures. I can't remember for sure. Shou Disciple is a 5 level monk prestige class that lets you make a flurry of blows with any weapon at the 5th level. It is in the Unapproachable East book.Well, I want to put a lot of emphasis on spring attacking in, tripping, then hitting them with a monk's fist (generally their strongest weapon), then use the second move of the spring attack to go far far away from the opponent.If that's the case, then I'd just go with the kama. If you're at max range for the reach weapon, you won't be able to make the free attack with your unarmed strike, because you won't be able to reach them with it. And if you could, then there wouldn't be much point in using the reach weapon in the first place. :P
nuz8888
02-19-06, 07:48 PM There might be one in Oriental Adventures. I can't remember for sure. Shou Disciple is a 5 level monk prestige class that lets you make a flurry of blows with any weapon at the 5th level. It is in the Unapproachable East book.

Unfortunately, I cannot use Faerun or Oriental. I only have access to Core, Complete, and Races.
PhoenixInferno
02-19-06, 08:51 PM Too bad you can't use OA - there's a feat that lets you use a Stunning Fist attempt to force your opponent to become unbalanced (trip them).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
nuz8888 02-19-06, 06:55 PM	Is there any real reason not to use a kama tripping monk with spring attack?
Crom_Smash 02-19-06, 07:09 PM	well... I'll take a shot at the problem. A kama tripping monk is usable but you could easily do the exact same thing with your unarmed strikes. Since unarmed strikes will usually do more damage, they are a better choice than kamas in general. I don't seem to understand why you're spring attacking though... If you trip somebody and stay next to them, you can take an AoO at them as they get up (which could result in another trip attack). If you're really nasty, you could add in knockdown so that the turn goes: Enemy stands up and provokes an attack of opporutnity, You hit him for more than 10 damage with your main attack and trip him and then attack him again because of improved trip.
PhaedrusXY 02-19-06, 07:15 PM	Since kamas are monk weapons, you can use them interchangeably with your unarmed strikes during a Flurry of Blows. So you can trip with the kama, and if you succeed make the free attack with your Unarmed Strike. If you fail and are counter-tripped, you can just drop the kama. You can't drop an unarmed strike on a failed trip. So yeah, there is no real reason not to use kamas to trip with as a monk.
Crom_Smash 02-19-06, 07:20 PM	If you fail and are counter-tripped, you can just drop the kama. heh. Forgot about that. Another thing I just realized is that you can add the sweeping enchantment to your kama (only a +1 bonus that gives you a bonus to tripping) but you would probably have a hard time getting it on an unarmed strike. Even if you could, getting it on a kama would be cheaper.
nuz8888 02-19-06, 07:30 PM	What I meant was, is it advisable to use a kama-tripping monk over a reach weapon-tripping monk.
NinjaDebugger 02-19-06, 07:38 PM	What I meant was, is it advisable to use a kama-tripping monk over a reach weapon-tripping monk. Only if you value your feat slot over defenses. The choice is yours.
PhaedrusXY 02-19-06, 07:40 PM	What I meant was, is it advisable to use a kama-tripping monk over a reach weapon-tripping monk.They both have their advantages. Unless you have levels of Shou Disciple or something similiar, you cannot use the reach weapon as part of a flurry. Of course... you do get reach with it, which is great for a Trip build. If you do have a reach weapon that you can use during a flurry, then go with that. You can make a 5 foot step in the middle of a full attack. So you can repeatedly try to trip them with the reach weapon from 10 ft. away, and once you succeed, step up and finish your full attack with unarmed strikes. I don't think it would be legal to take the 5 foot step before making the free attack from Improved Trip, however.
Crom_Smash 02-19-06, 07:41 PM	What I meant was, is it advisable to use a kama-tripping monk over a reach weapon-tripping monk. I would definitely use a reach weapon if you had ten foot reach (from being large or some other reason) because you can always use an unarmed strike to trip in close range and you would effectively cover a 20ft radius. When you're a medium creature, I think it would depend on how much emphasis you want to place on tripping and on using the reach weapon (I don't think monks are proficient in any).
nuz8888 02-19-06, 07:42 PM	Well, I want to put a lot of emphasis on spring attacking in, tripping, then hitting them with a monk's fist (generally their strongest weapon), then use the second move of the spring attack to go far far away from the opponent.
PhaedrusXY 02-19-06, 07:43 PM	I don't know of any reach weapon a monk can flurry with.There might be one in Oriental Adventures. I can't remember for sure. Shou Disciple is a 5 level monk prestige class that lets you make a flurry of blows with any weapon at the 5th level. It is in the Unapproachable East book.Well, I want to put a lot of emphasis on spring attacking in, tripping, then hitting them with a monk's fist (generally their strongest weapon), then use the second move of the spring attack to go far far away from the opponent.If that's the case, then I'd just go with the kama. If you're at max range for the reach weapon, you won't be able to make the free attack with your unarmed strike, because you won't be able to reach them with it. And if you could, then there wouldn't be much point in using the reach weapon in the first place. :P
nuz8888 02-19-06, 07:48 PM	There might be one in Oriental Adventures. I can't remember for sure. Shou Disciple is a 5 level monk prestige class that lets you make a flurry of blows with any weapon at the 5th level. It is in the Unapproachable East book. Unfortunately, I cannot use Faerun or Oriental. I only have access to Core, Complete, and Races.
PhoenixInferno 02-19-06, 08:51 PM	Too bad you can't use OA - there's a feat that lets you use a Stunning Fist attempt to force your opponent to become unbalanced (trip them).