What do you guys think of using a Druid's Wild Shape Natural Weapon attacks as Monk weapons? Also, what about Natural Armor being considered 'unarmored'?
As a DM in my games, I allow this as I think they fit the type-casting of simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property. I DO NOT allow the use of the animal's multiattack action. I also consider their Natural Armor to be unarmored since it can not doff it's skin, allowing for the Monk to benefit from Unarmored Movement and gaining some small bonus from Unarmored Defense.
My interpretation, based on the text itself and what I have read from Sage Advice and other sources is as follows: the beast's natural weapons are considered weapon attacks, so they do not qualify for any monk weapon bonuses and a beast cannot make a regular Martial Arts unarmed attack as a bonus action after using natural weapons. However, they are permitted to use Flurry of Blows if they use the Attack action(not the Multiattack option). Those would be done with the monk's unarmed attacks and not the creature's natural weapons, however. In addition, not allowing Multiattack at all seems silly. Druids can normally use Multiattack actions while wild shaped. Druids aren't particularly broken after 5th level or so anyway, so I don't really see it as being a balancing factor.
As far as the Natural Armor, I would consider that just a separate calculation, though that's not explicitly called out. It's like having the Barbarian Unarmored Defense and the Monk Unarmored Defense at the same time. It's one or the other. So if the animal form has 14 DEX and the druid has 16 WIS, the result would be 15 AC, even if the animal form normally has, let's say 14 AC with Natural Armor. The creature is not wearing armor, so anything that would require not wearing armor would still apply, but for AC it would go by either calculation.
I am working a Druid/Monk and Made a Druidic Martial Arts: Because of your Specialize training your Beast Shape take that of Martial Art Beast IE. Snake,Tiger,Panther,Crane,Dragon (more discussed later) While in Beast Form You can use your Martial arts Training to Add your Proficiency Bonus attack rolls to hit. also Your natural attacks count as Unarmed attacks per Martial Arts for Monk also Ki Abilities. Cause he going back and Forth form Druid and monk and most likely only hit ever 10/10 informed them open palm was only monk tradition though thinking of making my own Way of the Nature tradition just playing it by ear as a DM He doesn't want it to be OP but fun and balanced as well so far it at 6th lvl hasn't caused any issues in game but he the druid(way of the wild) 4 and monk 2. thought instead of Elemental form he could go Young dragon at 10 which is a CR 10 max and maybe just a young Gold or something
What do you guys think of using a Druid's Wild Shape Natural Weapon attacks as Monk weapons? Also, what about Natural Armor being considered 'unarmored'?
As a DM in my games, I allow this as I think they fit the type-casting of simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property. I DO NOT allow the use of the animal's multiattack action. I also consider their Natural Armor to be unarmored since it can not doff it's skin, allowing for the Monk to benefit from Unarmored Movement and gaining some small bonus from Unarmored Defense.
My interpretation, based on the text itself and what I have read from Sage Advice and other sources is as follows: the beast's natural weapons are considered weapon attacks, so they do not qualify for any monk weapon bonuses and a beast cannot make a regular Martial Arts unarmed attack as a bonus action after using natural weapons. However, they are permitted to use Flurry of Blows if they use the Attack action(not the Multiattack option). Those would be done with the monk's unarmed attacks and not the creature's natural weapons, however. In addition, not allowing Multiattack at all seems silly. Druids can normally use Multiattack actions while wild shaped. Druids aren't particularly broken after 5th level or so anyway, so I don't really see it as being a balancing factor.
As far as the Natural Armor, I would consider that just a separate calculation, though that's not explicitly called out. It's like having the Barbarian Unarmored Defense and the Monk Unarmored Defense at the same time. It's one or the other. So if the animal form has 14 DEX and the druid has 16 WIS, the result would be 15 AC, even if the animal form normally has, let's say 14 AC with Natural Armor. The creature is not wearing armor, so anything that would require not wearing armor would still apply, but for AC it would go by either calculation.
I am working a Druid/Monk and Made a Druidic Martial Arts: Because of your Specialize training your Beast Shape take that of Martial Art Beast IE. Snake,Tiger,Panther,Crane,Dragon (more discussed later) While in Beast Form You can use your Martial arts Training to Add your Proficiency Bonus attack rolls to hit.
also Your natural attacks count as Unarmed attacks per Martial Arts for Monk also Ki Abilities. Cause he going back and Forth form Druid and monk and most likely only hit ever 10/10 informed them open palm was only monk tradition though thinking of making my own Way of the Nature tradition just playing it by ear as a DM He doesn't want it to be OP but fun and balanced as well so far it at 6th lvl hasn't caused any issues in game but he the druid(way of the wild) 4 and monk 2. thought instead of Elemental form he could go Young dragon at 10 which is a CR 10 max and maybe just a young Gold or something