I am currently playing a Way of the Open Hand monk in our campaign, and last night my DM asked me a question, that I'm struggling to answer. He makes an effort to narratively describe the mechanical elements of class abilities & spell, rather than just "you do a thing", which we all appreciate at the table.
His question, was specifically in regards to Open Hand Technique, and one of the effects it conveys to Flurry of Blows, and how I imagined that being described:
It can't take reactions until the end of your next turn.
The prone and shove effects of Open Hand Technique he's got down with no issues, but neither one of us could come up with something that made sense for removing a target's reactions. In some respects, it feels like a mini Stunning Strike, but it's also not.
DMs: How do you describe Open Hand Technique's reaction stripping for your monks?
Oh I love the idea of being required to do that, I choose to do it when appropriate. Let’s se, for stopping reactions:
Backward handstand kick to the face, therefore you have left before they can respond.
double slap to ears - disorientating for the second it takes fo disengage
If you have baggy clothes and are going past the enemy, an elbow to the face/an attack towards the eyes which brings your clothes into their entire field of vision, as you leave.
Describe it with Ki, you hit them and disrupt their electrical flow, blocking movement for an instant/ aiming straight for a nerve centre (if you want to be less mystic)
Go comical and just hit them and then point behind them (the narrative just has to achieve the same thing as the ability so feel free to improve interpretations)
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D&D, Youth Work and the Priesthood sadly do not typically interact... I do what I can!
In some respects, it feels like a mini Stunning Strike, but it's also not.
That's basically it, exactly. Remember that Shocking Grasp achieves the same effect, so basically you can describe it as someone who is dazed a bit, but not entirely stunned. Could be a strike to the solar plexus knocking the wind out of them for a moment, a nerve strike that leaves them spasming in pain for a second, or even a kiai that scrambles their senses temporarily.
I am currently playing a Way of the Open Hand monk in our campaign, and last night my DM asked me a question, that I'm struggling to answer. He makes an effort to narratively describe the mechanical elements of class abilities & spell, rather than just "you do a thing", which we all appreciate at the table.
His question, was specifically in regards to Open Hand Technique, and one of the effects it conveys to Flurry of Blows, and how I imagined that being described:
It can't take reactions until the end of your next turn.
The prone and shove effects of Open Hand Technique he's got down with no issues, but neither one of us could come up with something that made sense for removing a target's reactions. In some respects, it feels like a mini Stunning Strike, but it's also not.
DMs: How do you describe Open Hand Technique's reaction stripping for your monks?
Monks: How do your DMs describe it?
Oh I love the idea of being required to do that, I choose to do it when appropriate. Let’s se, for stopping reactions:
Backward handstand kick to the face, therefore you have left before they can respond.
double slap to ears - disorientating for the second it takes fo disengage
If you have baggy clothes and are going past the enemy, an elbow to the face/an attack towards the eyes which brings your clothes into their entire field of vision, as you leave.
Describe it with Ki, you hit them and disrupt their electrical flow, blocking movement for an instant/ aiming straight for a nerve centre (if you want to be less mystic)
Go comical and just hit them and then point behind them (the narrative just has to achieve the same thing as the ability so feel free to improve interpretations)
Agreed.
Bashing a dizzying strike to the head or temple...
Cupped-hands to the ears...
"Three Stooges" eye poke...
Kick them in the nuts...
Throat punch...
Pocket sand...
That's basically it, exactly. Remember that Shocking Grasp achieves the same effect, so basically you can describe it as someone who is dazed a bit, but not entirely stunned. Could be a strike to the solar plexus knocking the wind out of them for a moment, a nerve strike that leaves them spasming in pain for a second, or even a kiai that scrambles their senses temporarily.
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty
To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
Look up spear(not the weapon) tactics U.S. cops are trained i and its use it does have a lot of open hand strikes too.