Monks typically wield Monk Weapons, and go without Armor and Shield, because that interferes with some of their abilities. However rules as written... it doesn't interfere with all of them.
So we'll assume a Monk with the appropriate Armor training and Weapon Proficiencies (through Species, Multiclassing, or Feats), what parts of the core Monk Class can still be used?
I'm ignoring the ASIs, the Epic Boons, and the 20th-level Capstone, as those would all work regardless.
Level 1
Martial Arts: Prohibited. This prohibits the Bonus Unarmed Strike, the Dexterous Attacks ability, and the Martial Arts Die. Martial Arts is not listed as a prerequisite for the other Monk Abilities. The Martial Arts die is used in a fair number of Monk abilities, however. For these purposes, I will assume that the ability is not completely disabled if it would normally roll a Martial Arts Die, just that the result is assumed to be 0.
Unarmored Defense: Prohibited.
Level 2:
Monk's Focus - Partially Operational: There are no weapon or armor requirements on having, expending, or regaining Focus Points.
Flurry of Blows - Partially Operational; Cannot use the benefits of Dexterous Attacks, but can still make STR-based normal Unarmed Strikes.
Patient Defense - Fully Operational
Step of the Wind - Fully Operational
Unarmored Movement - Prohibited.
Uncanny Metabolism: Partially Operational. Can regain Focus Points, but Heals 0 HP without Martial Arts die.
Level 3:
Deflect Attacks - Partially operational. Deflecting Attacks works as described. Redirecting the attack limited to Dex Modifier in damage.
Level 4:
Slow Fall - Fully Operational
Level 5:
Extra Attack - Fully Operational
Stunning Strike - If using Monk Weapon or Unarmed Strike, Fully Operational.
Level 6:
Empowered Strikes - Fully Operational, but same issue as Flurry of Blows without Martial Arts.
Level 7
Evasion - Fully Operational.
Level 9:
Acrobatic Movement: Prohibited.
Level 10
Heightened Focus: Partially operational. Heightened Flurry of Blows lets you make more bad punches, Heightened Patient Defense has no effect, Heightened Step of the Wind is fully operational.
Self-Restoration: Fully operational
Level 13:
Deflect Energy: Fully operational, but see Deflect Attacks, above.
Level 14:
Disciplined Survivor: Fully Operational.
Level 15:
Perfect Focus: Fully Operational.
Level 18:
Superior Defense: Fully Operational.
That's a lot more abilities than I was expecting. I'm actually a little surprised by Deflect Attacks working as much as it does
A quick glance over the Subclasses:
Warrior of Mercy: Level 3: Hand of Harm and Hand of Healing only have damage or healing effects equal to Wisdom Modifier. All other features are fully operational.
Warrior of Shadows: If the Monk character is trained in the Armor being worn, Monk can cast the Subclass Spells. All other features are fully operational.
Warrior of the Elements: Level 6: Elemental Burst is harmless without a Martial Arts Die. If the Monk character is trained in the Armor being worn, Monk can cast the Subclass Cantrip. All other features are fully operational.
Warrior of the Open Hand: Level 6: Wholeness of Body only regains hit points equal to Wisdom Modifier. All other features are fully operational.
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🎵I'm on top of the world, looking down on creation, wreaking death and devastation with my mind.
As the power that I've found erupts freely from the ground, I will cackle from the top of the world.🎵
I don't think I agree that wearing armor means you can't roll the Martial Arts die for any reason at all. The benefit that's prohibited by wearing armor is the ability to roll that die in place of the normal damage for unarmed strikes and Monk weapons. Outside of that the phrase "martial arts die" is just being used as a shorthand for the progression defined in the class features table.
I don't think I agree that wearing armor means you can't roll the Martial Arts die for any reason at all. The benefit that's prohibited by wearing armor is the ability to roll that die in place of the normal damage for unarmed strikes and Monk weapons. Outside of that the phrase "martial arts die" is just being used as a shorthand for the progression defined in the class features table.
I would agree. The Martial arts die for features is different than using Martial Arts unarmed strikes/monk weapons.
This might be a consideration for someone doing a specific STR build with martial weapons from a feat or MC. I don’t have time to look but I wonder m, other than new features in 2024 class, what is different than the same with 2014 class.
Monks typically wield Monk Weapons, and go without Armor and Shield, because that interferes with some of their abilities. However rules as written... it doesn't interfere with all of them.
So we'll assume a Monk with the appropriate Armor training and Weapon Proficiencies (through Species, Multiclassing, or Feats), what parts of the core Monk Class can still be used?
I'm ignoring the ASIs, the Epic Boons, and the 20th-level Capstone, as those would all work regardless.
Level 1
Martial Arts: Prohibited. This prohibits the Bonus Unarmed Strike, the Dexterous Attacks ability, and the Martial Arts Die. Martial Arts is not listed as a prerequisite for the other Monk Abilities. The Martial Arts die is used in a fair number of Monk abilities, however. For these purposes, I will assume that the ability is not completely disabled if it would normally roll a Martial Arts Die, just that the result is assumed to be 0.
Unarmored Defense: Prohibited.
Level 2:
Monk's Focus - Partially Operational: There are no weapon or armor requirements on having, expending, or regaining Focus Points.
Flurry of Blows - Partially Operational; Cannot use the benefits of Dexterous Attacks, but can still make STR-based normal Unarmed Strikes.
Patient Defense - Fully Operational
Step of the Wind - Fully Operational
Unarmored Movement - Prohibited.
Uncanny Metabolism: Partially Operational. Can regain Focus Points, but Heals 0 HP without Martial Arts die.
Level 3:
Deflect Attacks - Partially operational. Deflecting Attacks works as described. Redirecting the attack limited to Dex Modifier in damage.
Level 4:
Slow Fall - Fully Operational
Level 5:
Extra Attack - Fully Operational
Stunning Strike - If using Monk Weapon or Unarmed Strike, Fully Operational.
Level 6:
Empowered Strikes - Fully Operational, but same issue as Flurry of Blows without Martial Arts.
Level 7
Evasion - Fully Operational.
Level 9:
Acrobatic Movement: Prohibited.
Level 10
Heightened Focus: Partially operational. Heightened Flurry of Blows lets you make more bad punches, Heightened Patient Defense has no effect, Heightened Step of the Wind is fully operational.
Self-Restoration: Fully operational
Level 13:
Deflect Energy: Fully operational, but see Deflect Attacks, above.
Level 14:
Disciplined Survivor: Fully Operational.
Level 15:
Perfect Focus: Fully Operational.
Level 18:
Superior Defense: Fully Operational.
That's a lot more abilities than I was expecting. I'm actually a little surprised by Deflect Attacks working as much as it does
A quick glance over the Subclasses:
Warrior of Mercy: Level 3: Hand of Harm and Hand of Healing only have damage or healing effects equal to Wisdom Modifier. All other features are fully operational.
Warrior of Shadows: If the Monk character is trained in the Armor being worn, Monk can cast the Subclass Spells. All other features are fully operational.
Warrior of the Elements: Level 6: Elemental Burst is harmless without a Martial Arts Die. If the Monk character is trained in the Armor being worn, Monk can cast the Subclass Cantrip. All other features are fully operational.
Warrior of the Open Hand: Level 6: Wholeness of Body only regains hit points equal to Wisdom Modifier. All other features are fully operational.
You don't get the bonus unarmed strike nor Flurry of blows with any armor or shield. FOB's is just an enhanced bonus unarmed strike. So basically you miss out on the most important feature: multiple attacks early on.
You don't get the bonus unarmed strike nor Flurry of blows with any armor or shield. FOB's is just an enhanced bonus unarmed strike. So basically you miss out on the most important feature: multiple attacks early on.
If Flurry of Blows was merely an enhancement of the Bonus Unarmed Strike, and under exactly the same requirements, that would be spelled out in the rules, as is done with the level 10 Monk feature Heightened Focus:
Level 10: Heightened Focus
Your Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind gain the following benefits.
Flurry of Blows. You can expend 1 Focus Point to use Flurry of Blows and make three Unarmed Strikes with it instead of two.
Patient Defense. When you expend a Focus Point to use Patient Defense, you gain a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die.
Step of the Wind. When you expend a Focus Point to use Step of the Wind, you can choose a willing creature within 5 feet of yourself that is Large or smaller. You move the creature with you until the end of your turn. The creature’s movement doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks.
That is how the PHB displays features that enhance other existing features. The Flurry of Blows feature listing does not even mention the Bonus Unarmed Strike feature.
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🎵I'm on top of the world, looking down on creation, wreaking death and devastation with my mind.
As the power that I've found erupts freely from the ground, I will cackle from the top of the world.🎵
You don't get the bonus unarmed strike nor Flurry of blows with any armor or shield. FOB's is just an enhanced bonus unarmed strike. So basically you miss out on the most important feature: multiple attacks early on.
Bonus Unarmed Strike is part of the Martial Arts feature.
Flurry of Blows is part of the Monk's Focus feature.
Martial Arts requires the Monk to be wearing no armor and no shield. Monk's Focus has no requirements other than having a focus point available to spend. You are not required to be able to use Bonus Unarmed Strike to use Flurry of Blows. In fact, they can not be used together. They each require expending your bonus action. You use one or the other, but not both.
You don't get the bonus unarmed strike nor Flurry of blows with any armor or shield. FOB's is just an enhanced bonus unarmed strike. So basically you miss out on the most important feature: multiple attacks early on.
Bonus Unarmed Strike is part of the Martial Arts feature.
Flurry of Blows is part of the Monk's Focus feature.
Martial Arts requires the Monk to be wearing no armor and no shield. Monk's Focus has no requirements other than having a focus point available to spend. You are not required to be able to use Bonus Unarmed Strike to use Flurry of Blows. In fact, they can not be used together. They each require expending your bonus action. You use one or the other, but not both.
Flurry of Blows is just two unarmed strikes using the bonus action. And cannot be used if you are using armor and/or a shield. You are free to spend a Focus Point as much as you have left, but they won't activate FoB or the normal bonus unarmed strike. Just spent FP's.
You don't get the bonus unarmed strike nor Flurry of blows with any armor or shield. FOB's is just an enhanced bonus unarmed strike. So basically you miss out on the most important feature: multiple attacks early on.
Bonus Unarmed Strike is part of the Martial Arts feature.
Flurry of Blows is part of the Monk's Focus feature.
Martial Arts requires the Monk to be wearing no armor and no shield. Monk's Focus has no requirements other than having a focus point available to spend. You are not required to be able to use Bonus Unarmed Strike to use Flurry of Blows. In fact, they can not be used together. They each require expending your bonus action. You use one or the other, but not both.
Flurry of Blows is just two unarmed strikes using the bonus action. And cannot be used if you are using armor and/or a shield. You are free to spend a Focus Point as much as you have left, but they won't activate FoB or the normal bonus unarmed strike. Just spent FP's.
You are inventing a House Rule that is not in the Player's Handbook, and attempting to "canonize" it through repetition. Rules-as-Written, they are independent Monk Features, with independent requirements. There are no secret rules.
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🎵I'm on top of the world, looking down on creation, wreaking death and devastation with my mind.
As the power that I've found erupts freely from the ground, I will cackle from the top of the world.🎵
You don't get the bonus unarmed strike nor Flurry of blows with any armor or shield. FOB's is just an enhanced bonus unarmed strike. So basically you miss out on the most important feature: multiple attacks early on.
Bonus Unarmed Strike is part of the Martial Arts feature.
Flurry of Blows is part of the Monk's Focus feature.
Martial Arts requires the Monk to be wearing no armor and no shield. Monk's Focus has no requirements other than having a focus point available to spend. You are not required to be able to use Bonus Unarmed Strike to use Flurry of Blows. In fact, they can not be used together. They each require expending your bonus action. You use one or the other, but not both.
Flurry of Blows is just two unarmed strikes using the bonus action. And cannot be used if you are using armor and/or a shield. You are free to spend a Focus Point as much as you have left, but they won't activate FoB or the normal bonus unarmed strike. Just spent FP's.
You are inventing a House Rule that is not in the Player's Handbook, and attempting to "canonize" it through repetition. Rules-as-Written, they are independent Monk Features, with independent requirements. There are no secret rules.
No you are inventing a house rule that's not in the PHB. It literally says "take two unarmed strikes as a bonus action".
Flurry of Blows is just two unarmed strikes using the bonus action. And cannot be used if you are using armor and/or a shield. You are free to spend a Focus Point as much as you have left, but they won't activate FoB or the normal bonus unarmed strike. Just spent FP's.
You are inventing a House Rule that is not in the Player's Handbook, and attempting to "canonize" it through repetition. Rules-as-Written, they are independent Monk Features, with independent requirements. There are no secret rules.
No you are inventing a house rule that's not in the PHB. It literally says "take two unarmed strikes as a bonus action".
Yes, it does. And nothing in your level two feature places any limitations on using that feature if you're armored. Nor is there a general rule of the class that you can't use its powers while armored.
Now, you don't get to use the level 1 feature, because it does place armor limitations, which means you don't get the good damage die, but you can absolutely flurry armored.
(Does it make thematic sense? Not really. But most monks won't be wearing armor because of the level 1 feature, so it' doesn't really matter.)
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Monks typically wield Monk Weapons, and go without Armor and Shield, because that interferes with some of their abilities. However rules as written... it doesn't interfere with all of them.
So we'll assume a Monk with the appropriate Armor training and Weapon Proficiencies (through Species, Multiclassing, or Feats), what parts of the core Monk Class can still be used?
I'm ignoring the ASIs, the Epic Boons, and the 20th-level Capstone, as those would all work regardless.
That's a lot more abilities than I was expecting. I'm actually a little surprised by Deflect Attacks working as much as it does
A quick glance over the Subclasses:
Warrior of Mercy: Level 3: Hand of Harm and Hand of Healing only have damage or healing effects equal to Wisdom Modifier. All other features are fully operational.
Warrior of Shadows: If the Monk character is trained in the Armor being worn, Monk can cast the Subclass Spells. All other features are fully operational.
Warrior of the Elements: Level 6: Elemental Burst is harmless without a Martial Arts Die. If the Monk character is trained in the Armor being worn, Monk can cast the Subclass Cantrip. All other features are fully operational.
Warrior of the Open Hand: Level 6: Wholeness of Body only regains hit points equal to Wisdom Modifier. All other features are fully operational.
🎵I'm on top of the world, looking down on creation, wreaking death and devastation with my mind.
As the power that I've found erupts freely from the ground, I will cackle from the top of the world.🎵
Charisma Saving Throw: DC 18, Failure: 20d6 Psychic Damage, Success: Half damage
I don't think I agree that wearing armor means you can't roll the Martial Arts die for any reason at all. The benefit that's prohibited by wearing armor is the ability to roll that die in place of the normal damage for unarmed strikes and Monk weapons. Outside of that the phrase "martial arts die" is just being used as a shorthand for the progression defined in the class features table.
pronouns: he/she/they
I would agree. The Martial arts die for features is different than using Martial Arts unarmed strikes/monk weapons.
This might be a consideration for someone doing a specific STR build with martial weapons from a feat or MC. I don’t have time to look but I wonder m, other than new features in 2024 class, what is different than the same with 2014 class.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
You don't get the bonus unarmed strike nor Flurry of blows with any armor or shield. FOB's is just an enhanced bonus unarmed strike. So basically you miss out on the most important feature: multiple attacks early on.
If Flurry of Blows was merely an enhancement of the Bonus Unarmed Strike, and under exactly the same requirements, that would be spelled out in the rules, as is done with the level 10 Monk feature Heightened Focus:
That is how the PHB displays features that enhance other existing features. The Flurry of Blows feature listing does not even mention the Bonus Unarmed Strike feature.
🎵I'm on top of the world, looking down on creation, wreaking death and devastation with my mind.
As the power that I've found erupts freely from the ground, I will cackle from the top of the world.🎵
Charisma Saving Throw: DC 18, Failure: 20d6 Psychic Damage, Success: Half damage
Bonus Unarmed Strike is part of the Martial Arts feature.
Flurry of Blows is part of the Monk's Focus feature.
Martial Arts requires the Monk to be wearing no armor and no shield. Monk's Focus has no requirements other than having a focus point available to spend. You are not required to be able to use Bonus Unarmed Strike to use Flurry of Blows. In fact, they can not be used together. They each require expending your bonus action. You use one or the other, but not both.
Flurry of Blows is just two unarmed strikes using the bonus action. And cannot be used if you are using armor and/or a shield. You are free to spend a Focus Point as much as you have left, but they won't activate FoB or the normal bonus unarmed strike. Just spent FP's.
You are inventing a House Rule that is not in the Player's Handbook, and attempting to "canonize" it through repetition. Rules-as-Written, they are independent Monk Features, with independent requirements. There are no secret rules.
🎵I'm on top of the world, looking down on creation, wreaking death and devastation with my mind.
As the power that I've found erupts freely from the ground, I will cackle from the top of the world.🎵
Charisma Saving Throw: DC 18, Failure: 20d6 Psychic Damage, Success: Half damage
No you are inventing a house rule that's not in the PHB. It literally says "take two unarmed strikes as a bonus action".
Yes, it does. And nothing in your level two feature places any limitations on using that feature if you're armored. Nor is there a general rule of the class that you can't use its powers while armored.
Now, you don't get to use the level 1 feature, because it does place armor limitations, which means you don't get the good damage die, but you can absolutely flurry armored.
(Does it make thematic sense? Not really. But most monks won't be wearing armor because of the level 1 feature, so it' doesn't really matter.)