Monk with a Sword

[zoobob9]

Is there any feat/prestige class that lets a monk use a Sword (specifically a katana) for flurry of blows?

[Mystral]

Shou Disciple, Unapproachable East

[Othesemo]

Is there any feat/prestige class that lets a monk use a Sword (specifically a katana) for flurry of blows?

Two my knowledge, only the kama and nunchacku can be used in a flurry. If there is such a feat or PrC, it's in a very obscure book.

[drakir_nosslin]

Shou Disciple, Unapproachable East


Two my knowledge, only the kama and nunchacku can be used in a flurry. If there is such a feat or PrC, it's in a very obscure book.

That was actually quite funny.

[Mystral]

In fact, you can flurry with ANY monk weapon, not just the kama and the nunchaku. So you can flurry with quarterstaff (nice for two handed) or shuriken (nice for ranged attack) or sai and siangham (nice for.. um.. piercing damage?)

[Aharon]

@Mystral
actually, two-handed doesn't do anything for flurries, since any attack used as a part of a flurry only adds 1xstrength damage.

[Mystral]

Well, we don't want to make the monk to powerfull, do we? So I guess that is entirely reasonable.

But! You could flurry of blows with sais. Do you think this would work out with master thrower, somehow?

[Steward]

Well, we don't want to make the monk to powerfull, do we? So I guess that is entirely reasonable.

That's true. They have so many class abilities, ranging from Perfect Body to Tongue of Sun and Moon. Making their prestige classes even more versatile could well bump them into Tier 1 territory.


Shou Disciple, Unapproachable East

Isn't that one 3rd edition? I think the OP could probably adapt it to 3.5 if it is.

[Hunter Killer]

Eberron has a series of feats that allow you to use non-traditional weapons in the Monk's Flurry of Blows:

Double Steel Strike (Two-Bladed Sword), Serpent Strike (Longspear), and Whirling Steel Strike (Longsword).

[Mystral]

I don't see how shou disciple can't be just used as is. Well, you better ignore the insane ramblings of it's sidebar.

Or you could just play a swordsage. (Sorry)

[Zombimode]

Isn't that one 3rd edition? I think the OP could probably adapt it to 3.5 if it is.

While Unapproachable East its technically not a 3.5 product, there is nothing on the Shou Disciple that could be adapted, not even skill names. The class is useable as-is for 3.5

[Mystral]

To quote mentioned insame ramblings for your reading pleasure:


A Shou Disciple with monk levels adds his monk base attack bonus and his Shou disciple base attack bonus and uses the unarmed attack progression of a monk with the same base attack bonus. For example, a monk 6/Shou disciple 5 has a base attack bonus of +4 from his monk levels and +5 from his shou discplie levels, totaling +9 and uses the unarmed attack bonus of a monk with a +9 base attack bonus.
The Character does not use his base attack bonus from any other class levels in this determination, unless the class allows unarmed attacks like the monk's. For example, a monk 6/fighter 2/ Shou disciple 5 has a base attack bonus of 11, but an unarmed base attack bonus of only +9. A character can always choose to use his base attack bonus progression instead of his unarmed attack bonus to make unarmed attacks. It will usually be to his advantage to do so if he has several levels that are in neither monk nor Shou disciple

I'll leave that uncommented.

[Siosilvar]

I'll leave that uncommented.

I won't.

Monks in 3.0 got attacks based on BAB every +3 instead of every +5. So the monk in that sidebar would have +11/+6/+1 with normal weapons or +9/+6/+3 unarmed. So, that sidebar pretty much means (or ought to mean) nothing in 3.5.

[avr]

All the feats in the ECS which add weapons to the monk list have weapon focus in that weapon as a prerequisite. They're really too expensive in feats unless you're multiclassing as a cleric with the War domain or as a fighter or something, and even then they're of dubious value.

[Darrin]

While Unapproachable East its technically not a 3.5 product, there is nothing on the Shou Disciple that could be adapted, not even skill names. The class is useable as-is for 3.5

Actually, Unapproachable East was officially updated to 3.5 (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/UnapproachableEast_Errata02062006.zip).

Unfortunately, it was updated badly, so you have to ask your DM how to interpret some of the requirements and class abilities:

1) Qualifying for region-specific material with 2 ranks of Knowledge (Local-Shou) was removed from 3.5 with the PGtF.
2) What to do with the sidebar at the bottom of page 33, which still assumes that monks have a separate BAB for unarmed strikes.
3) Whether or not "Martial Flurry" grants the Flurry of Blows ability even if the Shou Disciple doesn't have any levels of monk.

[nyarlathotep]

Unorthodox flurry from Dragon magazine lets you flurry with anything.

[GoatBoy]

There's a few exotic weapons in Pathfinder which require exotic weapon proficiency, but can be used in a flurry by a proficient user. At least two of them are swords, there might be more.

[NNescio]

Unorthodox flurry from Dragon magazine lets you flurry with anything.

...including with a gnome, I hope?

[Metahuman1]

Unorthodox flurry from Dragon magazine lets you flurry with anything.

Which Issue?

[nijineko]

unorthodox flurry was updated to 3.5 in dragon compendium.

flowing blade feat allows flurry with mind blade which can also be many weapons. especially with the dragon mind blade feats. combine with monastic training and tashalatora for more fun usefulness. especially if you pick up the official 3.5 soulknife prestige and swordsage.

bastard sword == katana per comp war, iirc.

[ThiefInTheNight]

Technically, all katanas are at-least-masterwork bastard swords, but not all bastard swords can be said to be katanas. In particular, a non-masterwork bastard sword could not be a katana. They are different weapons, sort of, they just have identical stats, proficiencies, and count as the same weapon for feats and class features...

[Curmudgeon]

Actually, Unapproachable East was officially updated to 3.5 (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/UnapproachableEast_Errata02062006.zip).
Errata and version updates are different things. An errata file could also include 3.0->3.5 version changes, but this one does not.

Unfortunately, it was updated badly, so you have to ask your DM how to interpret some of the requirements and class abilities:

1) Qualifying for region-specific material with 2 ranks of Knowledge (Local-Shou) was removed from 3.5 with the PGtF.
Yes, this is one of the things a DM will need to adjust. The easiest change is to simply make that a Knowledge subskill (same as Knowledge (local) only for cost purposes) which does not correspond to a Forgotten Realms region but is instead specific to the prestige class, and offers no other benefit than qualifying for Shou Disciple.

2) What to do with the sidebar at the bottom of page 33, which still assumes that monks have a separate BAB for unarmed strikes. You don't have to change anything there. The sidebar still results in two different possible results, and you pick which one is better. The fact that the table you reference afterward has changed from 3.0 to 3.5 doesn't keep the PrC from being usable.

3) Whether or not "Martial Flurry" grants the Flurry of Blows ability even if the Shou Disciple doesn't have any levels of monk.
It never has, according to the RAW.

[ClothedInVelvet]

You could put the Ki Focus weapon enhancement (+1) on it and use it.

"The magic weapon serves as a channel for the wielder’s ki, allowing her to use her special ki attacks through the weapon as if they were unarmed attacks. These attacks include the monk’s stunning attack, ki strike, and quivering palm, as well as the Stunning Fist feat. Only melee weapons can have the ki focus ability." (SRD)

It doesn't specifically mention flurry, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Not a feat or prestige class, but probably cheaper than both.