I really want to enjoy this subclass, but I want to able to -do- things with my cool arms beyond just attacking with reach. If you look at it RAW, the arms are only weapons, while also being the physical manifestation of your astral self... So they can't interact with objects, or grapple, but they -do- let you use your real arms and body use wisdom in place of strength for checks and saving throws. The wording lends the idea that using the arms, you can use your wisdom (with the arms) to do things like lift a fallen tree or portcullis (with the arms) in place of using a poor strength score (because they're arms). But it only says they count as monk weapons, not giant-punching-mage-hands that can pick up that poor goblin who failed his save and toss him through a window.
Am I reading this all wrong? Is everything I'm saying possible and I'm just overcomplicating things?
Precisely the point. The entire early game aesthetic of the subclass is flavored around the arms, pulling them from the astral plane into this one... But all they do is attack. The arms don't grapple, I do (I need a hand free), they don't interact with objects so they can't do any lifting or moving, but they can hit enemies with enough force to cause damage). All of the games, anime, and ideas that inspired this subclass fall flat when dice hit the table.
But all they do is attack. The arms don't grapple, I do (I need a hand free), they don't interact with objects so they can't do any lifting or moving, but they can hit enemies with enough force to cause damage).
Keep in mind they don't do physical damage, they do energy damage (radiant or necrotic). So they don't "hit with enough force to cause damage," they hit to cause damage with their special property. The fact that they do energy damage also lends itself to the idea that they are non-physical same as spells that create spectral weapons/entities.
I suppose I don't envision them in the same way I do their inspirations. Why allow wisdom in place of strength for checks and saves only when the arms are summoned if they aren't doing anything? What changes for the monk, who does the work while the arms pose in the background?
The damage type I assumed has to do with them being a product of the astral realm, but also thematic to the monks spirit, and less that they weren't interacting with a physical force.
I suppose I am just unclear with the direction the path wants me to take. I see something like Nero from devil may cry 4.
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I really want to enjoy this subclass, but I want to able to -do- things with my cool arms beyond just attacking with reach. If you look at it RAW, the arms are only weapons, while also being the physical manifestation of your astral self... So they can't interact with objects, or grapple, but they -do- let you use your real arms and body use wisdom in place of strength for checks and saving throws. The wording lends the idea that using the arms, you can use your wisdom (with the arms) to do things like lift a fallen tree or portcullis (with the arms) in place of using a poor strength score (because they're arms). But it only says they count as monk weapons, not giant-punching-mage-hands that can pick up that poor goblin who failed his save and toss him through a window.
Am I reading this all wrong? Is everything I'm saying possible and I'm just overcomplicating things?
You can certainly flavor all of those things as being the arms. As long as you remember that the only thing they can do from 10 feet away is attack.
Precisely the point. The entire early game aesthetic of the subclass is flavored around the arms, pulling them from the astral plane into this one... But all they do is attack. The arms don't grapple, I do (I need a hand free), they don't interact with objects so they can't do any lifting or moving, but they can hit enemies with enough force to cause damage). All of the games, anime, and ideas that inspired this subclass fall flat when dice hit the table.
Keep in mind they don't do physical damage, they do energy damage (radiant or necrotic). So they don't "hit with enough force to cause damage," they hit to cause damage with their special property. The fact that they do energy damage also lends itself to the idea that they are non-physical same as spells that create spectral weapons/entities.
I suppose I don't envision them in the same way I do their inspirations. Why allow wisdom in place of strength for checks and saves only when the arms are summoned if they aren't doing anything? What changes for the monk, who does the work while the arms pose in the background?
The damage type I assumed has to do with them being a product of the astral realm, but also thematic to the monks spirit, and less that they weren't interacting with a physical force.
I suppose I am just unclear with the direction the path wants me to take. I see something like Nero from devil may cry 4.