Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 AboveJester Mar 13, 2015 21:05:40	According to the Player's Handbook...   "At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don’t have the two-handed or heavy property. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a shield:"   and ability number 3 of Martial Arts says "When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn."   So my question is, since I can use that ability while wielding monk weapons, plural, can I then attack with two shortswords, and then make a unarmed strike as a bonus action? Since the rules on unarmed strikes is pretty vague, its hard to know whether or not it MUST be a weaponless hand to attack, or can I also kick, elbow, or even punch whilst holding my shortsword to use an unarmed strike?
#2 Macv12 Mar 13, 2015 22:02:25	A DM could rule either way. Some might think it's important that your economy of equipment is maintained in a certain way, and require that all attacks made must reference the contents of one of your hands. 4e worked this way, after all (90% sure at least). Such a DM may require a free hand to be used when making an unarmed attack.   5e does not make this explicit. If a DM is willing to go either way but enforces that you need an empty hand because the rules say so, it's legitimate to point out that the rules don't say any such thing. They are perfectly consistent with both situations; you can make an unarmed attack with or without an empty hand.   However, it's important to note that you can't use Two-Weapon Fighting and Flurry of Blows in the same turn. The second TWF attack and FoB both use your bonus action, and you only get one of those per turn. But in my own estimation, you could be holding two weapons and still use FoB (or the bonus action attack from Martial Arts).
#3 Kalani Mar 13, 2015 22:22:46	AboveJester wrote:
#4 Macv12 Mar 14, 2015 0:09:31	There are two situations I can think of where this is an advantageous combo, though.   The first is if you are multiclassed, picked up the Two-Weapon Fighting style (from Ranger, etc), and your Unarmed Strike damage is still 1d4. Then using your bonus action to attack with a shortsword is better than the Martial Arts attack, but Flurry of Blows to make two attacks is stronger still.   The other is basically the same, but you have two magical shortswords, and the enchantment is such that it's stronger than your Unarmed Strike, but weaker than Flurry of Blows. Or, you're an Open Hand monk and the perks of Open Hand Technique are better than the magic weapon.
#5 CaliMafioso Mar 15, 2015 22:05:23	I don't believe when attacking with two "weapons" the second attack is considered a "bonus action".
#6 Sea-Envy Mar 15, 2015 22:19:14	CaliMafioso wrote:
#7 CaliMafioso Mar 15, 2015 22:29:07	Anyone who is able "wield" two weapons can attack with each. If you do not have two-weapon proficiency then you don't get the damage bonus for the second attack. For instance, a Rogue can attack with two daggers at any time. But without the proficiency the second attack only get his dex bonus on the attack and not the damage.   Then if he gets a bonus action that turn such as from "Cunning Action", the Rogue can then either "Dash, Disengage or Hide Actions".
#8 CaliMafioso Mar 15, 2015 22:31:22	Nevermind, I reread it. You are correct.
#9 Illithidbix Mar 16, 2015 17:20:47	CaliMafioso wrote:
#10 BRJN Mar 17, 2015 18:09:30	Kalani, Deflect Missiles uses your Reaction, not a Bonus Action.   Otherwise, yah, I'm not going to MonkX/Rogue2 anytime soon, because I'll waste too much time at-table deciding how best to spend my Bonus Action - so many possibilities!
#11 Talreign Mar 18, 2015 14:30:34	An unarmed strike doesn't have to be made with your hand. It could be a kick, headbutt, or anything else. If you have two people held in grapple with both hands, you can still kick them. It's why you have unarmed damage different from the weapon's until the unarmed damage eclipses the weapon's. Monks are versatile like that. And a grapple counts as an attack, so you can use your bonus action to make an unarmed attack while grappling.
#12 Varden_Khol Mar 18, 2015 20:52:42	Even better, use a quarterstaff or spear two-handed for a d8 damage and kick everyone to death with your free unarmed strikes. In a pinch you can even throw that spear at someone.