Monastic Weapons Training [Archive] - Wizards Community

Monastic Weapons Training [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Tectorman
04-23-07, 03:51 PM New General Feat

Monastic Weapons Training (General)

You have taken your training with certain weapons and applied it to ones that your sensei never thought of.
Pre: Proficiency with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, Monk level 1st, BAB +3.
Ben: You may treat any one weapon of your choice as a special monk weapon.

Alright, there it is. My question is this: can you think of any weapons that really shouldn't be allowed to qualify for this feat?
tarkin
04-23-07, 04:04 PM Yes.

Every single non-light weapon.

Or you could just copy the existing 3.0 feat that lets you pick a single light weapon of your choice and use it as a monk weapon.

While it is true that certain other weapons, long sword, long spear have been monkified by feats, they were the exception.

I.E. the author thought about doing what you did and said no.
Bantam
04-23-07, 04:22 PM A feat from dragon magazine 331 or so (the polearm issue) had a feat so that a monk can treat any polearm as a special monk weapon.
Tectorman
04-23-07, 04:30 PM That feat, or one effectively identical to it, is also in Secrets of Sarlona. It has pretty much the same prerequisites as mine does, except it provides the benefit to a preselected assortment of weapons. My feat allows you to pick any one weapon to gain the benefit.
Tectorman
06-07-07, 10:45 AM Any other responses?
BlackFiend
06-07-07, 10:59 AM Its a bad move, all around. Any non-light weapons should be unacceptable for the feat due to Flurry of Blows and cheese.

In secrets of Sarlona, it made it a reach weapon, again, only one weapon that the PC could choose. Not a group or class of weapons. On top of that...its Eberron.
AAB
06-07-07, 11:45 AM yeah... personally if i want a monk with a longsword or something i'd build a swordsage.
Kouk
06-07-07, 02:23 PM In the ECS this feat already exists for Longsword, 2 bladed sword, and longspear. Dragon Compendium also has the Pole Fighter feat (from Dragon 331) that does just what a previous poster said.

Shou Disciple class lets you flurry with about any light weapon.

OA also allows several other weapons as special monk weapons, as long as you had proficiency.

I am not sure about flurrying with greataxes though. It may be a bit safer to limit it to 1 handed at least.
Bionecrosis
06-07-07, 02:24 PM I like the feat. It adds flavor to the monk class. Since expending a feat is a big deal (you get what, 10 by level 20 as a monk), this is a fair trade off. There's a feat in Eberron's Core book that allows a monk to use a two bladed sword as part of his flurry of blows. I find your feat a bit... I dunno. If the weapon's balanced, sure, it'd work for the flurry of blows. But if it's unbalanced, it wouldn't. When I think of a monk using a polearm, I see them using it as a quarter staff with a blade on one end, if they're using it for FoB. But if they're using it for its intended purpose, they're using their normal BAB.
ShinAkuma2
06-07-07, 03:56 PM My feat allows you to pick any one weapon to gain the benefit.

Most people choose and stick with one or two weapons, anyway, so that's not really a balancing factor.
tafkamhokie
06-07-07, 09:21 PM FWIW, I've played D&D for about 25 years and studied kung fu for ten. Toss in all the kung fu action theater I've watched, and here is my opinion.

Monks most definitely use weapons other than the ones listed in the book. I've personally used what D&D would call a halberd, an elven thinblade, a scimitar, and a club in my training. A three sectional staff is similar to a dire flail. A whip chain is like a lighter spiked chain. A rope dart is like nothing in D&D. I've seen others use greatswords, longspears, double hand axes, and tons of other weapons.

But, I think you would need to limit "monk weapons" to light weapons, or maybe cap it at finessable weapons. The point of calling something a monk weapon is that you can flurry with it. I specifically recall working with the halberd...no way in the world you could flurry with that. It is a weapon of power, not of speed and finesse. If you tried to hurry up your maneuvers to get in an extra attack, you would end up at about -10 to your AC. Just no way to do it and keep your balance.
Kouk
06-08-07, 01:21 AM What kung fu weapon would be close to the elven thinblade?
Mirian
06-08-07, 02:51 AM I like it actually. Overly large weapons should maybe not qualify (Such as a fullblade, etc), but it makes sense for medium weapons in a way. I actually came up with something similar back in a modern campaign that turned out to be kind of silly. I was an aesthetic gunman, so when people got to close, I would pistol whip them for immense pain.
duboisjf
06-08-07, 08:26 AM I you look at the actual monk special weapon list there is something interesting about the weapon weight.

All light melle weapons allowed are 2lbs or less

The quaterstaff (two-handed) is 4lbs (think of it as 2lbs by hand)

So a weight limit of 2lbs by hand could be used.

The only weapon (in PHB) that isn't light and weights 2lbs or less is the rapier.
With a limit of 3lbs by hand it add the club and the shortspear.

Of course there is the question of weapons lighter that normal.
Tectorman
06-30-07, 01:56 AM I like it actually. Overly large weapons should maybe not qualify (Such as a fullblade, etc), but it makes sense for medium weapons in a way. I actually came up with something similar back in a modern campaign that turned out to be kind of silly. I was an aesthetic gunman, so when people got to close, I would pistol whip them for immense pain.

Well, 3.5 uses light, one-handed, and two-handed, but I see your point. So I'm thinking any light or one-handed weapon.
Werral
06-30-07, 07:26 AM Maybe if they flurry with a large weapon they end up fatigued?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tectorman 04-23-07, 03:51 PM	New General Feat Monastic Weapons Training (General) You have taken your training with certain weapons and applied it to ones that your sensei never thought of. Pre: Proficiency with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, Monk level 1st, BAB +3. Ben: You may treat any one weapon of your choice as a special monk weapon. Alright, there it is. My question is this: can you think of any weapons that really shouldn't be allowed to qualify for this feat?
tarkin 04-23-07, 04:04 PM	Yes. Every single non-light weapon. Or you could just copy the existing 3.0 feat that lets you pick a single light weapon of your choice and use it as a monk weapon. While it is true that certain other weapons, long sword, long spear have been monkified by feats, they were the exception. I.E. the author thought about doing what you did and said no.
Bantam 04-23-07, 04:22 PM	A feat from dragon magazine 331 or so (the polearm issue) had a feat so that a monk can treat any polearm as a special monk weapon.
Tectorman 04-23-07, 04:30 PM	That feat, or one effectively identical to it, is also in Secrets of Sarlona. It has pretty much the same prerequisites as mine does, except it provides the benefit to a preselected assortment of weapons. My feat allows you to pick any one weapon to gain the benefit.
Tectorman 06-07-07, 10:45 AM	Any other responses?
BlackFiend 06-07-07, 10:59 AM	Its a bad move, all around. Any non-light weapons should be unacceptable for the feat due to Flurry of Blows and cheese. In secrets of Sarlona, it made it a reach weapon, again, only one weapon that the PC could choose. Not a group or class of weapons. On top of that...its Eberron.
AAB 06-07-07, 11:45 AM	yeah... personally if i want a monk with a longsword or something i'd build a swordsage.
Kouk 06-07-07, 02:23 PM	In the ECS this feat already exists for Longsword, 2 bladed sword, and longspear. Dragon Compendium also has the Pole Fighter feat (from Dragon 331) that does just what a previous poster said. Shou Disciple class lets you flurry with about any light weapon. OA also allows several other weapons as special monk weapons, as long as you had proficiency. I am not sure about flurrying with greataxes though. It may be a bit safer to limit it to 1 handed at least.
Bionecrosis 06-07-07, 02:24 PM	I like the feat. It adds flavor to the monk class. Since expending a feat is a big deal (you get what, 10 by level 20 as a monk), this is a fair trade off. There's a feat in Eberron's Core book that allows a monk to use a two bladed sword as part of his flurry of blows. I find your feat a bit... I dunno. If the weapon's balanced, sure, it'd work for the flurry of blows. But if it's unbalanced, it wouldn't. When I think of a monk using a polearm, I see them using it as a quarter staff with a blade on one end, if they're using it for FoB. But if they're using it for its intended purpose, they're using their normal BAB.
ShinAkuma2 06-07-07, 03:56 PM	My feat allows you to pick any one weapon to gain the benefit. Most people choose and stick with one or two weapons, anyway, so that's not really a balancing factor.
tafkamhokie 06-07-07, 09:21 PM	FWIW, I've played D&D for about 25 years and studied kung fu for ten. Toss in all the kung fu action theater I've watched, and here is my opinion. Monks most definitely use weapons other than the ones listed in the book. I've personally used what D&D would call a halberd, an elven thinblade, a scimitar, and a club in my training. A three sectional staff is similar to a dire flail. A whip chain is like a lighter spiked chain. A rope dart is like nothing in D&D. I've seen others use greatswords, longspears, double hand axes, and tons of other weapons. But, I think you would need to limit "monk weapons" to light weapons, or maybe cap it at finessable weapons. The point of calling something a monk weapon is that you can flurry with it. I specifically recall working with the halberd...no way in the world you could flurry with that. It is a weapon of power, not of speed and finesse. If you tried to hurry up your maneuvers to get in an extra attack, you would end up at about -10 to your AC. Just no way to do it and keep your balance.
Kouk 06-08-07, 01:21 AM	What kung fu weapon would be close to the elven thinblade?
Mirian 06-08-07, 02:51 AM	I like it actually. Overly large weapons should maybe not qualify (Such as a fullblade, etc), but it makes sense for medium weapons in a way. I actually came up with something similar back in a modern campaign that turned out to be kind of silly. I was an aesthetic gunman, so when people got to close, I would pistol whip them for immense pain.
duboisjf 06-08-07, 08:26 AM	I you look at the actual monk special weapon list there is something interesting about the weapon weight. All light melle weapons allowed are 2lbs or less The quaterstaff (two-handed) is 4lbs (think of it as 2lbs by hand) So a weight limit of 2lbs by hand could be used. The only weapon (in PHB) that isn't light and weights 2lbs or less is the rapier. With a limit of 3lbs by hand it add the club and the shortspear. Of course there is the question of weapons lighter that normal.
Tectorman 06-30-07, 01:56 AM	I like it actually. Overly large weapons should maybe not qualify (Such as a fullblade, etc), but it makes sense for medium weapons in a way. I actually came up with something similar back in a modern campaign that turned out to be kind of silly. I was an aesthetic gunman, so when people got to close, I would pistol whip them for immense pain. Well, 3.5 uses light, one-handed, and two-handed, but I see your point. So I'm thinking any light or one-handed weapon.
Werral 06-30-07, 07:26 AM	Maybe if they flurry with a large weapon they end up fatigued?