NEW! Martial Arts Feats [Archive] - Wizards Community

NEW! Martial Arts Feats [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
DragonBringerX
08-01-06, 03:33 AM hello, :tiphat:
ok now im not sure if this has already been done b4, (if it has im sorry). But i've an idea for a few feats that improve a characters unarmed strike. I've never liked the fact that only the Monk gets unarmed damage greater than 1d3.
Now, i'm not sure exactly how to do this, but lemme try

Martial Arts [General]
You know how to throw more lethal punches, kicks, knees, and elbows.
Prerequisite:Improved unarmed strike, base attack +1
Benefit: Your unarmed strike now deals 1d6 damage + Strenght modifier. This dose not stack with unarmed damage from monk (or similar) levels.
Normal: Without this feat, you only deal 1d3 damage.

Improved Martial Arts [General]
Your unarmed strikes are now far more lethal.
Prerequisite:Improved unarmed strike, martial arts, base attack +5
Benefit: Your unarmed strike now deals 1d8 damage + Strenght modifier. This dose not stack with unarmed damage from monk (or similar) levels.

Greater Martial Arts [General]
Your unarmed strikes are unmatched by few.
Prerequisite:Improved unarmed strike, improved martial arts, martial arts, base attack +10
Benefit: Your unarmed strike now deals 2d6 damage + Strenght modifier. This dose not stack with unarmed damage from monk (or similar) levels.

so, what do u guys think
too powerful, not powerful enough, not worth it???
Darth Sephiroth
08-01-06, 04:12 AM I think it should be done differently, perhaps a straight bonus to damage or the ability to treat your unarmed attacks as magical weapons or something of the sort and able to select abilities for them. Plus even if you don't like the monks damage boosts for unarmed attacks, well by making feats that do the same thing you weaken the advantages of the Monk which only has a few to begin with as the Monk is the primary martial arts style character. Perhaps something like the following.

Greater Unarmed Strike [General]
You hit harder, period.
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike
Benefit: You make unarmed attacks as if you were one size category larger. Further your threat range for your Unarmed Attack is increased by 1.
Special: This improved threat range is considered to be inate of your attacks and isn't treated as an increase

Martial Arts [General]
Your training in the martial arts has been a focus for you and you have done much with it beyond the norm.
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike
Benefit: You may "improve" your unarmed attacks as if they were weapons with up to a +1 bonus.
Special: You may select this feat multiple times, each time treating your Unarmed Strike as if it had a bonus of 1 higher.

Unarmed Prodigy [General]
You have a gift for unarmed combat rarely matched even with weapons users.
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike
Benefit: When making Unarmed Attacks you gain a bonus to damage equal to 1/2 your Strength modifier.
DragonBringerX
08-02-06, 04:28 AM I really like this way actually. It's a little more "interesting" as oppose to just straight forward.

Unarmed Prodigy [General]
You have a gift for unarmed combat rarely matched even with weapons users.
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike
Benefit: When making Unarmed Attacks you gain a bonus to damage equal to 1/2 your Strength modifier.
so with this feat you would deal 1 1/2 Str mod? If so, then i really like this one.

the only problem i have with your version of Greater Unarmed Strike is it makes monks too powerful. or can they not take this? I know this is just an idea...but i'm thinking about implementing this into my game(s) pretty soon. Maybe even make a "martial arts" weapon style for Rangers.
enlightened
08-02-06, 05:12 AM I think DragonbringerX is looking at this from the point of view of "how can a fighter do what a monk is doing?", but Darth Sephiroth is thinking about "how can a monk improve himself?"

I say include them all :D
Xeviat-DM
08-02-06, 04:19 PM First off, other than the monk, I don't think D&D characters should be fighting "unarmed"; a fighter specialized in their fists really should be using enchanted gauntlets.

To make up for the fact that Unarmed Strike, even with a guantlet, is a cruddy weapon, here's my own ideas:

Improved Unarmed Strike [Fighter] (Revised)
Requirements: Dex 13+ (maybe?)
Benefits: Your unarmed strikes can do lethal damage (you suffer no attack penalty when attempting to deal nonlethal damage with an unarmed strike), and your damage die increases by one size (1d4 for medium). You no longer provoke an attack of opportunity when making an unarmed attack.
Additionally, when making an armed full attack, you may make an unarmed strike as a secondary natural attack (-5 attack penalty, 1/2 str damage) as part of your full attack routine.

My reason for adding the extra attack came from playing way too many fighting games. When fighting with a weapon, it is possible to throw in an elbow, headbut, or knee, so I made it part of this feat.

Greater Unarmed Strike [Fighter] (Revised)
Requirements: Dex 13+, BAB +4
Benefits: Your unarmed strike damage increases by one size (1d6 for medium). Your threat range also increases by +1 (19-20 for most characters).

This makes your unarmed weapon as good as a simple light weapon.

Supreme Unarmed Strike [Fighter] (Revised)
Requirements: Dex 13+, BAB +8
Benefits: Your unarmed strike damage increases by one size (1d8 for medium). Your threat multiplier also increases by +1 (x3 for most characters).

Now your weapon is arguably better than exotics, but you've paid for it with your feats. These feats are still useful to Monks (and Monks can lose the flurry of blows ability, because I think that should be considered Two-Weapon Fighting, but that's just me).

I believe these are just like the unarmed feats in d20 Modern and Star Wars.
DragonBringerX
08-02-06, 05:51 PM I like these...i do agree with the ability to throw in an extra unarmed attack b/c european kinght training included fighting with your weapon and if all possable throw a kick between the legs. (thanx discovery channel :D )
i always agreed with modifing the improved unarmed strike feat to deal 1d4 (medium), but maybe make the ability to throw an extra attack as appart of another feat like greater unarmed strike.

Improved Unarmed Strike [General] (Revised)
Requirements: Dex 13+ (maybe?)
Benefits: Your unarmed strikes can do lethal damage (you suffer no attack penalty when attempting to deal nonlethal damage with an unarmed strike), and your damage die increases by one size (1d4 for medium). You no longer provoke an attack of opportunity when making an unarmed attack.
Special:A fighter may take this as a bonus feat.

Greater Unarmed Strike [General]
Requirements: Dex 13+, BAB +4
Benefits: Your unarmed strike damage increases by one size (1d6 for medium). Your threat range also increases by +1 (19-20 for most characters).
Special:A fighter may take this as a bonus feat. Also this dose not stack with monks unarmed damage.

Supreme Unarmed Strike [General]
Requirements: Dex 13+, BAB +8
Benefits: Your unarmed strike damage increases by one size (1d8 for medium). Your threat multiplier also increases by +1 (x3 for most characters).
Special:A fighter may take this as a bonus feat. Also, this damage dose not stack with a monks unarmed damage.

Martial Arts [General]
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike
Benefit: You may when making an armed full attack, you may make an unarmed strike as a secondary natural attack (-5 attack penalty, 1/2 str damage) as part of your full attack routine.
Special: A fighter may take this as a bonus feat.

Supreme Martial Arts [General]
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, Martial Arts
Benefit: You may when making an unarmed strike as a secondary natural attack you make it at only a -2 attack penalty to attack as a part of your full attack routine.
Special: A fighter may take this as a bonus feat.
Xeviat-DM
08-02-06, 06:06 PM First off, other than the monk, I don't think D&D characters should be fighting "unarmed"; a fighter specialized in their fists really should be using enchanted gauntlets.

To make up for the fact that Unarmed Strike, even with a guantlet, is a cruddy weapon, here's my own ideas:

Improved Unarmed Strike [Fighter] (Revised)
Requirements: Dex 13+ (maybe?)
Benefits: Your unarmed strikes can do lethal damage (you suffer no attack penalty when attempting to deal nonlethal damage with an unarmed strike), and your damage die increases by one size (1d4 for medium). You no longer provoke an attack of opportunity when making an unarmed attack.
Additionally, when making an armed full attack, you may make an unarmed strike as a secondary natural attack (-5 attack penalty, 1/2 str damage) as part of your full attack routine.

My reason for adding the extra attack came from playing way too many fighting games. When fighting with a weapon, it is possible to throw in an elbow, headbut, or knee, so I made it part of this feat.

Greater Unarmed Strike [Fighter] (Revised)
Requirements: Dex 13+, BAB +4
Benefits: Your unarmed strike damage increases by one size (1d6 for medium). Your threat range also increases by +1 (19-20 for most characters).

This makes your unarmed weapon as good as a simple light weapon.

Supreme Unarmed Strike [Fighter] (Revised)
Requirements: Dex 13+, BAB +8
Benefits: Your unarmed strike damage increases by one size (1d8 for medium). Your threat multiplier also increases by +1 (x3 for most characters).

Now your weapon is arguably better than exotics, but you've paid for it with your feats. These feats are still useful to Monks (and Monks can lose the flurry of blows ability, because I think that should be considered Two-Weapon Fighting, but that's just me).

I believe these are just like the unarmed feats in d20 Modern and Star Wars.
Phoenix Knight
08-02-06, 06:16 PM Those are pretty close to the d20 Modern feats:

According to the d20 Modern SRD:

Advanced Combat Martial Arts
Prerequisites: Combat Martial Arts, Improved Combat Martial Arts, base attack bonus +8.
Benefit: When the character scores a critical hit on an opponent with an unarmed strike, the character deals triple damage.
Normal: An unarmed strike critical hit deals double damage.

Brawl
Benefit: When making an unarmed attack, the character receives a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls, and the character deals nonlethal damage equal to 1d6 + his or her Strength modifier.
Normal: Unarmed attacks normally deal nonlethal damage equal to 1d3 + Strength modifier.

Combat Martial Arts
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: With an unarmed strike, the character deals lethal or nonlethal damage (the character’s choice) equal to 1d4 + the character’s Strength modifier. The character’s unarmed attacks count as armed, which means that opponents do not get attacks of opportunity when the character attacks them unarmed. The character may make attacks of opportunity against opponents who provoke such attacks.
Normal: Without this feat, a character deals only 1d3 points of nonlethal damage. Unarmed attacks normally provoke attacks of opportunity, and unarmed combatants cannot normally make attacks of opportunity.

Defensive Martial Arts
Benefit: The character gains a +1 dodge bonus to Defense against melee attacks.
Special: A condition that makes the character lose his or her Dexterity bonus to Defense also makes the character lose dodge bonuses. Also, dodge bonuses stack, unlike most other types of bonuses.

Elusive Target
Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Defensive Martial Arts.
Benefit: When fighting an opponent or multiple opponents in melee, other opponents attempting to target the character with ranged attacks take a –4 penalty. This penalty is in addition to the normal –4 penalty for firing into melee, making the penalty to target to character –8.
Special: An opponent with the Precise Shot feat has the penalty lessened to –4 when targeting the character.

Improved Brawl
Prerequisites: Brawl, base attack bonus +3.
Benefit: When making an unarmed attack, the character receives a +2 competence bonus on his or her attack roll, and the character deals nonlethal damage equal to 1d8 + the character’s Strength modifier.
Normal: Unarmed attacks normally deal nonlethal damage equal to 1d3 + Strength modifier.

Improved Combat Martial Arts
Prerequisites: Combat Martial Arts, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit: The character’s threat range on an unarmed strike improves to 19–20.
Normal: A character without this feat threatens a critical hit with an unarmed strike only on a 20.

Improved Knockout Punch
Prerequisites: Brawl, Knockout Punch, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: When making the character’s first unarmed attack against a flat-footed opponent, treat a successful attack as a critical hit. This critical hit deals triple damage. The damage is nonlethal damage.
Special: Even if the character has the ability to treat unarmed damage as lethal damage, the damage from a knockout punch is always nonlethal.

Knockout Punch
Prerequisites: Brawl, base attack bonus +3.
Benefit: When making the character’s first unarmed attack against a flat-footed opponent, treat a successful attack as a critical hit. This damage is nonlethal damage.
Special: Even if the character has the ability to treat unarmed damage as lethal damage, the damage from a knockout punch is always nonlethal.

Streetfighting
Prerequisites: Brawl, base attack bonus +2.
Benefit: Once per round, if the character makes a successful melee attack with an unarmed strike or a light weapon, the character deals an extra 1d4 points of damage.

Unbalance Opponent
Prerequisites: Defensive Martial Arts, base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: During the character’s action, the character designates an opponent no more than one size category larger or smaller than the character. That opponent doesn’t get to add his or her Strength modifier to attack rolls when targeting the character. (If the opponent has a Strength penalty, he or hse still takes that penalty.)
The opponent’s Strength modifier applies to damage, as usual.
The character can select a new opponent on any action.

Of course, I find it questionable that a person should be able to do more damage without a weapon than with. Why then would real monks/martial artists ever use weapons, when, in fact, they did use them when available?

As a friend said, why would his monk use a quarterstaff, even at level 1, when his unarmed attack dealt as much damage and didn't require him to haul around a 6-foot pole. Perhaps part of the problem is that D&D has only two reach categories: none and really long. The truth is that perhaps all weapon damage should scale with level.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. If you monk's dealing that kind of unarmed damage doesn't bother you, then those feats should be fine.
Xeviat-DM
08-02-06, 08:33 PM Phoenix, the Drunken Master PrC gives an alternate way of doing things: When a Drunken Master wields an improvised weapon, it provides a bonus to their unarmed damage.

Think about it: Martial Artists suposidly train to use a weapon as an extension of their body. If a Martial Artist can deal 2d10 damage with a punch, giving them brass knuckles should increase the damage output of their attack.

Now, I don't know exactly how to impliment this, but it is something to think on.
Darth Sephiroth
08-02-06, 08:58 PM My views on it is that the Monk is more of a general Unarmed specialist, which is why the Monk gets the uber Unarmed Strike abilities to begin with. A normal fighter could climb the Weapon Focus and Specialization trees in Unarmed Strike to do more Unarmed Damage, but they still have a wider variety of tools to do the job and a higher attack bonus to begin with. It's like a Paladins Smite Ability
DragonBringerX
08-03-06, 01:02 AM I guess i'll finish one thing then continue another.
For my ranger idea (using the feats i listed above) for a martial arts combat style it would go like this
1st=improved unarmed strike
2nd=greater unarmed strike
3rd=supreme martial arts

Of course, I find it questionable that a person should be able to do more damage without a weapon than with. Why then would real monks/martial artists ever use weapons, when, in fact, they did use them when available?

As a friend said, why would his monk use a quarterstaff, even at level 1, when his unarmed attack dealt as much damage and didn't require him to haul around a 6-foot pole. Perhaps part of the problem is that D&D has only two reach categories: none and really long. The truth is that perhaps all weapon damage should scale with level.

The reason is simple...damage reduction and range (as in sling...yeah i know it sucks but its all they've got)
monks don't get ki stike (cold iron) or (silver) or (epic)...until their epic then they can get epic but thats a different story. Plus the ability to have like a +3 shocking coldiron quarterstaff of speed would kick butt. 6 attacks (4 of them being at a +18 bonus @ 20th) and the extra shocking damage...come on :rolleyes:
Anyway, sorry for the rant. If you monk's dealing that kind of unarmed damage doesn't bother you, then those feats should be fine.
thanx
Seerow
08-03-06, 01:09 AM Just so you know, Tome of Battle has a feat, only requirement I believe is BAB+4. Gives an unarmed damage progression similar to the monks (caps out at 2d6), or gives the monk a 4 level bonus if he takes the feat. (So a Monk with Monk's Belt and this Feat is dealing damage as if he were 9 levels higher!)
DragonBringerX
08-03-06, 02:28 AM could you copy that feat...were i get my d&d books is always a month late getting them...I want to refrence it to my other feats
unundindur
08-05-06, 05:52 AM Check out my tread on Starwars martial arts converted. Starwars made martial arts less damaging but far more lethal (given the vitality/wound system).

Starwars conversion

And regarding the ranger with martial arts, check theclass in my signature :)
DragonBringerX
08-05-06, 07:37 PM i like the idea of the unarmed combat style you presented in your stalker class...i just might use that. (1st, 4th, & 8th were the level equivalincies)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DragonBringerX 08-01-06, 03:33 AM	hello, :tiphat: ok now im not sure if this has already been done b4, (if it has im sorry). But i've an idea for a few feats that improve a characters unarmed strike. I've never liked the fact that only the Monk gets unarmed damage greater than 1d3. Now, i'm not sure exactly how to do this, but lemme try Martial Arts [General] You know how to throw more lethal punches, kicks, knees, and elbows. Prerequisite:Improved unarmed strike, base attack +1 Benefit: Your unarmed strike now deals 1d6 damage + Strenght modifier. This dose not stack with unarmed damage from monk (or similar) levels. Normal: Without this feat, you only deal 1d3 damage. Improved Martial Arts [General] Your unarmed strikes are now far more lethal. Prerequisite:Improved unarmed strike, martial arts, base attack +5 Benefit: Your unarmed strike now deals 1d8 damage + Strenght modifier. This dose not stack with unarmed damage from monk (or similar) levels. Greater Martial Arts [General] Your unarmed strikes are unmatched by few. Prerequisite:Improved unarmed strike, improved martial arts, martial arts, base attack +10 Benefit: Your unarmed strike now deals 2d6 damage + Strenght modifier. This dose not stack with unarmed damage from monk (or similar) levels. so, what do u guys think too powerful, not powerful enough, not worth it???
Darth Sephiroth 08-01-06, 04:12 AM	I think it should be done differently, perhaps a straight bonus to damage or the ability to treat your unarmed attacks as magical weapons or something of the sort and able to select abilities for them. Plus even if you don't like the monks damage boosts for unarmed attacks, well by making feats that do the same thing you weaken the advantages of the Monk which only has a few to begin with as the Monk is the primary martial arts style character. Perhaps something like the following. Greater Unarmed Strike [General] You hit harder, period. Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike Benefit: You make unarmed attacks as if you were one size category larger. Further your threat range for your Unarmed Attack is increased by 1. Special: This improved threat range is considered to be inate of your attacks and isn't treated as an increase Martial Arts [General] Your training in the martial arts has been a focus for you and you have done much with it beyond the norm. Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike Benefit: You may "improve" your unarmed attacks as if they were weapons with up to a +1 bonus. Special: You may select this feat multiple times, each time treating your Unarmed Strike as if it had a bonus of 1 higher. Unarmed Prodigy [General] You have a gift for unarmed combat rarely matched even with weapons users. Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike Benefit: When making Unarmed Attacks you gain a bonus to damage equal to 1/2 your Strength modifier.
DragonBringerX 08-02-06, 04:28 AM	I really like this way actually. It's a little more "interesting" as oppose to just straight forward. Unarmed Prodigy [General] You have a gift for unarmed combat rarely matched even with weapons users. Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike Benefit: When making Unarmed Attacks you gain a bonus to damage equal to 1/2 your Strength modifier. so with this feat you would deal 1 1/2 Str mod? If so, then i really like this one. the only problem i have with your version of Greater Unarmed Strike is it makes monks too powerful. or can they not take this? I know this is just an idea...but i'm thinking about implementing this into my game(s) pretty soon. Maybe even make a "martial arts" weapon style for Rangers.
enlightened 08-02-06, 05:12 AM	I think DragonbringerX is looking at this from the point of view of "how can a fighter do what a monk is doing?", but Darth Sephiroth is thinking about "how can a monk improve himself?" I say include them all :D
Xeviat-DM 08-02-06, 04:19 PM	First off, other than the monk, I don't think D&D characters should be fighting "unarmed"; a fighter specialized in their fists really should be using enchanted gauntlets. To make up for the fact that Unarmed Strike, even with a guantlet, is a cruddy weapon, here's my own ideas: Improved Unarmed Strike [Fighter] (Revised) Requirements: Dex 13+ (maybe?) Benefits: Your unarmed strikes can do lethal damage (you suffer no attack penalty when attempting to deal nonlethal damage with an unarmed strike), and your damage die increases by one size (1d4 for medium). You no longer provoke an attack of opportunity when making an unarmed attack. Additionally, when making an armed full attack, you may make an unarmed strike as a secondary natural attack (-5 attack penalty, 1/2 str damage) as part of your full attack routine. My reason for adding the extra attack came from playing way too many fighting games. When fighting with a weapon, it is possible to throw in an elbow, headbut, or knee, so I made it part of this feat. Greater Unarmed Strike [Fighter] (Revised) Requirements: Dex 13+, BAB +4 Benefits: Your unarmed strike damage increases by one size (1d6 for medium). Your threat range also increases by +1 (19-20 for most characters). This makes your unarmed weapon as good as a simple light weapon. Supreme Unarmed Strike [Fighter] (Revised) Requirements: Dex 13+, BAB +8 Benefits: Your unarmed strike damage increases by one size (1d8 for medium). Your threat multiplier also increases by +1 (x3 for most characters). Now your weapon is arguably better than exotics, but you've paid for it with your feats. These feats are still useful to Monks (and Monks can lose the flurry of blows ability, because I think that should be considered Two-Weapon Fighting, but that's just me). I believe these are just like the unarmed feats in d20 Modern and Star Wars.
DragonBringerX 08-02-06, 05:51 PM	I like these...i do agree with the ability to throw in an extra unarmed attack b/c european kinght training included fighting with your weapon and if all possable throw a kick between the legs. (thanx discovery channel :D ) i always agreed with modifing the improved unarmed strike feat to deal 1d4 (medium), but maybe make the ability to throw an extra attack as appart of another feat like greater unarmed strike. Improved Unarmed Strike [General] (Revised) Requirements: Dex 13+ (maybe?) Benefits: Your unarmed strikes can do lethal damage (you suffer no attack penalty when attempting to deal nonlethal damage with an unarmed strike), and your damage die increases by one size (1d4 for medium). You no longer provoke an attack of opportunity when making an unarmed attack. Special:A fighter may take this as a bonus feat. Greater Unarmed Strike [General] Requirements: Dex 13+, BAB +4 Benefits: Your unarmed strike damage increases by one size (1d6 for medium). Your threat range also increases by +1 (19-20 for most characters). Special:A fighter may take this as a bonus feat. Also this dose not stack with monks unarmed damage. Supreme Unarmed Strike [General] Requirements: Dex 13+, BAB +8 Benefits: Your unarmed strike damage increases by one size (1d8 for medium). Your threat multiplier also increases by +1 (x3 for most characters). Special:A fighter may take this as a bonus feat. Also, this damage dose not stack with a monks unarmed damage. Martial Arts [General] Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike Benefit: You may when making an armed full attack, you may make an unarmed strike as a secondary natural attack (-5 attack penalty, 1/2 str damage) as part of your full attack routine. Special: A fighter may take this as a bonus feat. Supreme Martial Arts [General] Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, Martial Arts Benefit: You may when making an unarmed strike as a secondary natural attack you make it at only a -2 attack penalty to attack as a part of your full attack routine. Special: A fighter may take this as a bonus feat.
Xeviat-DM 08-02-06, 06:06 PM	First off, other than the monk, I don't think D&D characters should be fighting "unarmed"; a fighter specialized in their fists really should be using enchanted gauntlets. To make up for the fact that Unarmed Strike, even with a guantlet, is a cruddy weapon, here's my own ideas: Improved Unarmed Strike [Fighter] (Revised) Requirements: Dex 13+ (maybe?) Benefits: Your unarmed strikes can do lethal damage (you suffer no attack penalty when attempting to deal nonlethal damage with an unarmed strike), and your damage die increases by one size (1d4 for medium). You no longer provoke an attack of opportunity when making an unarmed attack. Additionally, when making an armed full attack, you may make an unarmed strike as a secondary natural attack (-5 attack penalty, 1/2 str damage) as part of your full attack routine. My reason for adding the extra attack came from playing way too many fighting games. When fighting with a weapon, it is possible to throw in an elbow, headbut, or knee, so I made it part of this feat. Greater Unarmed Strike [Fighter] (Revised) Requirements: Dex 13+, BAB +4 Benefits: Your unarmed strike damage increases by one size (1d6 for medium). Your threat range also increases by +1 (19-20 for most characters). This makes your unarmed weapon as good as a simple light weapon. Supreme Unarmed Strike [Fighter] (Revised) Requirements: Dex 13+, BAB +8 Benefits: Your unarmed strike damage increases by one size (1d8 for medium). Your threat multiplier also increases by +1 (x3 for most characters). Now your weapon is arguably better than exotics, but you've paid for it with your feats. These feats are still useful to Monks (and Monks can lose the flurry of blows ability, because I think that should be considered Two-Weapon Fighting, but that's just me). I believe these are just like the unarmed feats in d20 Modern and Star Wars.
Phoenix Knight 08-02-06, 06:16 PM	Those are pretty close to the d20 Modern feats: According to the d20 Modern SRD: Advanced Combat Martial Arts Prerequisites: Combat Martial Arts, Improved Combat Martial Arts, base attack bonus +8. Benefit: When the character scores a critical hit on an opponent with an unarmed strike, the character deals triple damage. Normal: An unarmed strike critical hit deals double damage. Brawl Benefit: When making an unarmed attack, the character receives a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls, and the character deals nonlethal damage equal to 1d6 + his or her Strength modifier. Normal: Unarmed attacks normally deal nonlethal damage equal to 1d3 + Strength modifier. Combat Martial Arts Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1. Benefit: With an unarmed strike, the character deals lethal or nonlethal damage (the character’s choice) equal to 1d4 + the character’s Strength modifier. The character’s unarmed attacks count as armed, which means that opponents do not get attacks of opportunity when the character attacks them unarmed. The character may make attacks of opportunity against opponents who provoke such attacks. Normal: Without this feat, a character deals only 1d3 points of nonlethal damage. Unarmed attacks normally provoke attacks of opportunity, and unarmed combatants cannot normally make attacks of opportunity. Defensive Martial Arts Benefit: The character gains a +1 dodge bonus to Defense against melee attacks. Special: A condition that makes the character lose his or her Dexterity bonus to Defense also makes the character lose dodge bonuses. Also, dodge bonuses stack, unlike most other types of bonuses. Elusive Target Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Defensive Martial Arts. Benefit: When fighting an opponent or multiple opponents in melee, other opponents attempting to target the character with ranged attacks take a –4 penalty. This penalty is in addition to the normal –4 penalty for firing into melee, making the penalty to target to character –8. Special: An opponent with the Precise Shot feat has the penalty lessened to –4 when targeting the character. Improved Brawl Prerequisites: Brawl, base attack bonus +3. Benefit: When making an unarmed attack, the character receives a +2 competence bonus on his or her attack roll, and the character deals nonlethal damage equal to 1d8 + the character’s Strength modifier. Normal: Unarmed attacks normally deal nonlethal damage equal to 1d3 + Strength modifier. Improved Combat Martial Arts Prerequisites: Combat Martial Arts, base attack bonus +4. Benefit: The character’s threat range on an unarmed strike improves to 19–20. Normal: A character without this feat threatens a critical hit with an unarmed strike only on a 20. Improved Knockout Punch Prerequisites: Brawl, Knockout Punch, base attack bonus +6. Benefit: When making the character’s first unarmed attack against a flat-footed opponent, treat a successful attack as a critical hit. This critical hit deals triple damage. The damage is nonlethal damage. Special: Even if the character has the ability to treat unarmed damage as lethal damage, the damage from a knockout punch is always nonlethal. Knockout Punch Prerequisites: Brawl, base attack bonus +3. Benefit: When making the character’s first unarmed attack against a flat-footed opponent, treat a successful attack as a critical hit. This damage is nonlethal damage. Special: Even if the character has the ability to treat unarmed damage as lethal damage, the damage from a knockout punch is always nonlethal. Streetfighting Prerequisites: Brawl, base attack bonus +2. Benefit: Once per round, if the character makes a successful melee attack with an unarmed strike or a light weapon, the character deals an extra 1d4 points of damage. Unbalance Opponent Prerequisites: Defensive Martial Arts, base attack bonus +6. Benefit: During the character’s action, the character designates an opponent no more than one size category larger or smaller than the character. That opponent doesn’t get to add his or her Strength modifier to attack rolls when targeting the character. (If the opponent has a Strength penalty, he or hse still takes that penalty.) The opponent’s Strength modifier applies to damage, as usual. The character can select a new opponent on any action. Of course, I find it questionable that a person should be able to do more damage without a weapon than with. Why then would real monks/martial artists ever use weapons, when, in fact, they did use them when available? As a friend said, why would his monk use a quarterstaff, even at level 1, when his unarmed attack dealt as much damage and didn't require him to haul around a 6-foot pole. Perhaps part of the problem is that D&D has only two reach categories: none and really long. The truth is that perhaps all weapon damage should scale with level. Anyway, sorry for the rant. If you monk's dealing that kind of unarmed damage doesn't bother you, then those feats should be fine.
Xeviat-DM 08-02-06, 08:33 PM	Phoenix, the Drunken Master PrC gives an alternate way of doing things: When a Drunken Master wields an improvised weapon, it provides a bonus to their unarmed damage. Think about it: Martial Artists suposidly train to use a weapon as an extension of their body. If a Martial Artist can deal 2d10 damage with a punch, giving them brass knuckles should increase the damage output of their attack. Now, I don't know exactly how to impliment this, but it is something to think on.
Darth Sephiroth 08-02-06, 08:58 PM	My views on it is that the Monk is more of a general Unarmed specialist, which is why the Monk gets the uber Unarmed Strike abilities to begin with. A normal fighter could climb the Weapon Focus and Specialization trees in Unarmed Strike to do more Unarmed Damage, but they still have a wider variety of tools to do the job and a higher attack bonus to begin with. It's like a Paladins Smite Ability
DragonBringerX 08-03-06, 01:02 AM	I guess i'll finish one thing then continue another. For my ranger idea (using the feats i listed above) for a martial arts combat style it would go like this 1st=improved unarmed strike 2nd=greater unarmed strike 3rd=supreme martial arts Of course, I find it questionable that a person should be able to do more damage without a weapon than with. Why then would real monks/martial artists ever use weapons, when, in fact, they did use them when available? As a friend said, why would his monk use a quarterstaff, even at level 1, when his unarmed attack dealt as much damage and didn't require him to haul around a 6-foot pole. Perhaps part of the problem is that D&D has only two reach categories: none and really long. The truth is that perhaps all weapon damage should scale with level. The reason is simple...damage reduction and range (as in sling...yeah i know it sucks but its all they've got) monks don't get ki stike (cold iron) or (silver) or (epic)...until their epic then they can get epic but thats a different story. Plus the ability to have like a +3 shocking coldiron quarterstaff of speed would kick butt. 6 attacks (4 of them being at a +18 bonus @ 20th) and the extra shocking damage...come on :rolleyes: Anyway, sorry for the rant. If you monk's dealing that kind of unarmed damage doesn't bother you, then those feats should be fine. thanx
Seerow 08-03-06, 01:09 AM	Just so you know, Tome of Battle has a feat, only requirement I believe is BAB+4. Gives an unarmed damage progression similar to the monks (caps out at 2d6), or gives the monk a 4 level bonus if he takes the feat. (So a Monk with Monk's Belt and this Feat is dealing damage as if he were 9 levels higher!)
DragonBringerX 08-03-06, 02:28 AM	could you copy that feat...were i get my d&d books is always a month late getting them...I want to refrence it to my other feats
unundindur 08-05-06, 05:52 AM	Check out my tread on Starwars martial arts converted. Starwars made martial arts less damaging but far more lethal (given the vitality/wound system). Starwars conversion And regarding the ranger with martial arts, check theclass in my signature :)
DragonBringerX 08-05-06, 07:37 PM	i like the idea of the unarmed combat style you presented in your stalker class...i just might use that. (1st, 4th, & 8th were the level equivalincies)