How exactly does this work with Bows/Arrows and Crossbows/Bolts?
For example:
An arrow would hit a monk and the monk uses 1 ki point to Deflect Missile and reduces the damage it would deal to 0. If that arrow would deal 7 damage would the deflected arrow then do 7 damage? Or is it roll 1d4+mods because now it's a pseudo improvised weapon? We were discussing whether or not it's the bows damage or the arrows damage since arrows don't really have a damage roll.
This has been referenced in the Sage Advice Compendium:
"When a monk using Deflect Missiles catches and throws a projectile, what is the damage of the attack? A missile counts as a monk weapon if it is thrown using Deflect Missiles; it deals its damage or Martial Arts damage (the monk’s choice)."
For thrown weapons, this is straightforward. For ammunition, I've seen some disrepancy. Some go for the damage of he weapon (after all, the damage of a longbow is done via the arrow), unless the Martial Arts die is larger. Some go with "Martial Arts only, an arrow has no damage on its own". I'd suggest the former; nothing breaks, strict wording seems to imply a tie between weapon and ammunition damage, and options are nice to have.
Whichever you go for, the deflection is a ranged attack by the monk - you roll it normally, and add all your modifiers for the attack and damage rolls for that type of attack.
Also keep in mind, Errata mentions that the range for this attack is 20/60 - you can't throw back the arrow of a ranger at 200 ft.
I played a couple of monks and I used the ability to return an arrow that I deflected once. It's such a small amount of damage for using a Ki point and monks don't have that many Ki points available. It wasn't worth it when I was using most of my Ki points on other things in every combat.
I think Deflect Arrows is worth it because it both prevents some damage for the monk, and potentially does some damage to the target. The important bit, usually, is the former, especially if you have no healer.
But I've seen fringe situations that are much more interesting. For instance, Readying a defend to a weakened companion, or catching and returning a very dangerous flask a baddie tossed to the group. The theme is as important as the rule, I think. :)
I used it every time I was attacked with a ranged attack to deflect some or all of the damage. What wasn't worth it was spending a Ki point to throw the weapon back at the opponent who attacked me.
Catching and returning a dangerous flask would be a different story of course, but our DM didn't do that to us.
As a correction Deflecting a missile doesn't cost a Ki point.
as a ReAction (once a turn and uses your ReAction) when hit with a missle weapon you can reduce the damage by 1d10+Dex Mod+Monk Lvl.
IF this reduces the damage to 0 and you spend a Ki point you can throw the missile back.
I think the only other point to bring up is if it's ammo is it still enchanted by the weapon the fired it? IE: if you throw back an arrow fired from a +1 bow (which enchants the arrow), will it keep counting as +1 arrow when you throw it back as a monk weapon... ditto for if it has a property like flaming.
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How exactly does this work with Bows/Arrows and Crossbows/Bolts?
For example:
An arrow would hit a monk and the monk uses 1 ki point to Deflect Missile and reduces the damage it would deal to 0. If that arrow would deal 7 damage would the deflected arrow then do 7 damage? Or is it roll 1d4+mods because now it's a pseudo improvised weapon? We were discussing whether or not it's the bows damage or the arrows damage since arrows don't really have a damage roll.
Thanks!
This has been referenced in the Sage Advice Compendium:
"When a monk using Deflect Missiles catches and throws a projectile, what is the damage of the attack?
A missile counts as a monk weapon if it is thrown using Deflect Missiles; it deals its damage or Martial Arts damage (the monk’s choice)."
For thrown weapons, this is straightforward. For ammunition, I've seen some disrepancy. Some go for the damage of he weapon (after all, the damage of a longbow is done via the arrow), unless the Martial Arts die is larger. Some go with "Martial Arts only, an arrow has no damage on its own". I'd suggest the former; nothing breaks, strict wording seems to imply a tie between weapon and ammunition damage, and options are nice to have.
Whichever you go for, the deflection is a ranged attack by the monk - you roll it normally, and add all your modifiers for the attack and damage rolls for that type of attack.
Also keep in mind, Errata mentions that the range for this attack is 20/60 - you can't throw back the arrow of a ranger at 200 ft.
I played a couple of monks and I used the ability to return an arrow that I deflected once. It's such a small amount of damage for using a Ki point and monks don't have that many Ki points available. It wasn't worth it when I was using most of my Ki points on other things in every combat.
Professional computer geek
I think Deflect Arrows is worth it because it both prevents some damage for the monk, and potentially does some damage to the target. The important bit, usually, is the former, especially if you have no healer.
But I've seen fringe situations that are much more interesting. For instance, Readying a defend to a weakened companion, or catching and returning a very dangerous flask a baddie tossed to the group. The theme is as important as the rule, I think. :)
I used it every time I was attacked with a ranged attack to deflect some or all of the damage. What wasn't worth it was spending a Ki point to throw the weapon back at the opponent who attacked me.
Catching and returning a dangerous flask would be a different story of course, but our DM didn't do that to us.
Professional computer geek
As a correction Deflecting a missile doesn't cost a Ki point.
as a ReAction (once a turn and uses your ReAction) when hit with a missle weapon you can reduce the damage by 1d10+Dex Mod+Monk Lvl.
IF this reduces the damage to 0 and you spend a Ki point you can throw the missile back.
I think the only other point to bring up is if it's ammo is it still enchanted by the weapon the fired it? IE: if you throw back an arrow fired from a +1 bow (which enchants the arrow), will it keep counting as +1 arrow when you throw it back as a monk weapon... ditto for if it has a property like flaming.