Monk's Belt / Monk's Robe

[Chystraim]

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Monk%27s_Belt

Belt, Monk’s: This simple rope belt, when wrapped around a character’s waist, confers great ability in unarmed combat. The wearer’s AC and unarmed damage is treated as a monk of five levels higher. If donned by a character with the Stunning Fist feat, the belt lets her make one additional stunning attack per day. If the character is not a monk, she gains the AC and unarmed damage of a 5th-level monk. This AC bonus functions just like the monk’s AC bonus.



From that, if a NON-Monk was to wear that belt, what bonuses would they get. Someone is arguing that they get the Monk Ex Ability "AC Bonus (ex)" instead of the +1 AC from being unencumbered and unarmored and damage of a 5th level monk.

[Chystraim]

Unfortunately, I was wrong... and it does do that.

As per the 3.5 erratta book.... it does give Wisdom to AC and the +1 and Unarmed damage. All for 13k, as long as you are unarmored and unencumbered:

"Does a monk’s belt (DMG 248) grant a non-monk
wearer his Wisdom bonus to AC?
Yes. Note, however, that the wearer gains the AC bonus
only when unarmored and unencumbered, since the belt clearly
states that “this AC bonus functions just like the monk’s AC
bonus.”"

[Kelb_Panthera]

Since you've already answered your question, I just thought I'd give you a heads-up. Dandwiki is not a good reference site. It has a lot of homebrew along with the official stuff and it's all poorly labeled, making it very easy to mix up what is and isn't utter crap cooked up by some random dink on the internet and posted to a site with no quality control or even peer feedback as far as I can tell.

I'd suggest d20srd.org for core stuff and dndtools.eu for anything else.

[Ansem]

I'd suggest d20srd.org for core stuff and dndtools.eu for anything else.

I vouch for this, but never forget to double check the books as well to confirm, both still have some minor errors either from old versions, misinterpretation or errata. Such as spell-effects and feats doing more or doing less than their book or having important details missing. (Example: dndtools.eu Blood Wind spell refers to a single attack whereas SpC also states Full-attacks/natural weapons apply, which is left out)

[Urpriest]

Unfortunately, I was wrong... and it does do that.

As per the 3.5 erratta book.... it does give Wisdom to AC and the +1 and Unarmed damage. All for 13k, as long as you are unarmored and unencumbered:

"Does a monk’s belt (DMG 248) grant a non-monk
wearer his Wisdom bonus to AC?
Yes. Note, however, that the wearer gains the AC bonus
only when unarmored and unencumbered, since the belt clearly
states that “this AC bonus functions just like the monk’s AC
bonus.”"

That's FAQ, not errata.

[Angelalex242]

Since the only class that can use these items besides an actual monk are wizards and sorcerers...

Is it a good idea for them to wear them? Assuming they for some reason have 18 wisdom? (Lucky dice rolls, whatever...)

[Chronos]

Anyone can use them. Where do you get the idea that it's only wizards and sorcerers? The Monk's Belt is especially useful for druids.

And if you've got a good wisdom, why wouldn't you wear one?

[Angelalex242]

Druids normally wear hide armor, and the bonuses of armor are generally better then a monk's belt. Wizards/sorcs can't wear armor.

[Urpriest]

Druids normally wear hide armor, and the bonuses of armor are generally better then a monk's belt. Wizards/sorcs can't wear armor.

Druids only wear hide armor if the bonus is better than that of a Monk's belt, though. And if their hide armor is enchanted to work in wild shape, or is barding, or the like.

[Angelalex242]

Does Monk belt apply in wildshape? Because the whole point of a druid wearing one seems dependent on that.

[AlltheBooks]

Does Monk belt apply in wildshape? Because the whole point of a druid wearing one seems dependent on that.

It's an item subject to all the normal rules concerning wildshape and items.

Wilding clasps can change that. You can also have someone put the belt on after you wildshape depending on the form.

[Kristinn]

Druids normally wear hide armor, and the bonuses of armor are generally better then a monk's belt. Wizards/sorcs can't wear armor.

A +1 Hide armor (you don't put higher +x on armor since special qualities are much better) give an armor bonus of 4. After level 8 all Druids have at least 20 Wisdom.

[eggynack]

Does Monk belt apply in wildshape? Because the whole point of a druid wearing one seems dependent on that.
You need to pick up a wilding clasp (MIC, 190) for 4,000 GP to get it to work, but that's not that expensive. As for which one, out of the monk's belt and hide, makes for a superior option, the answer is generally the monk's belt. First of all, the base AC bonus is quite a bit higher. Hide only grants 3 AC, while the monk's belt grants wisdom+1, which is usually at least 5, and often significantly higher. Seriously, imagine a 10th level anthropomorphic bat druid with a +4 periapt of wisdom. That adds up to 30 wisdom, which comes out to a +10 modifier, and a +11 AC bonus.

Second, the monk's belt counts for touch AC, as well as flatfooted AC, while the armor doesn't, and the armor has ACP, speed penalties, and importantly for certain desmodu hunting bat type wild shape forms, a maximum dexterity bonus. These issues are pretty self explanatory. Third, the items have comparable prices, with the wild armor running you 16,165, and the monk's belt/wilding clasp combo running you 17,000. This means that you're not paying much for the quality difference. Fourth, the monk's belt provides its bonus when unarmored, and luminous armor doesn't qualify as armor, so luminous armor stacks with a monk's belt while it doesn't stack with the hide.

Ultimately, if you're playing a core only game, your armor options are going to be generally limited to wild armor of some kind, because a lot of these things are non-existent. However, as extra books and resources open up, the monk's belt becomes more and more appealing, and it likely surpasses hide as soon as you get the MIC, and thus the ability to use it when wild shape'd. For a quick armor bonus recap, our anthropomorphic bat, wild shape'd into a desmodu hunting bat, at level 10, with both a monk's belt and luminous armor, will have 36 AC, with an effective 40 against melee attacks. You can also go with greater luminous armor for a 39/43, but I tend to like the lesser version at a good number of levels.

[Chronos]

Even in core-only, the belt is likely to be better, since it's not too hard to take the belt off and put it back on (or get a party member to put it on you) after changing (much easier than putting on armor after changing, and you wouldn't be able to use the same armor in all forms).

Though to be fair, you can do better than hide. A dragonhide breastplate isn't too expensive, and is consistent with a druid's vows and proficiencies.

[Gwazi Magnum]

Extension on the question here.

If I had a non-Monk character who wore the belt?
Could I still use feats like Cardemine Monk which changes which ability score is used for the Monk's AC bonus?

[Psyren]

That's FAQ, not errata.

Note however that in this instance, the FAQ is correct by RAW: Monk's Belt gives you the "AC Bonus" class feature from the Monk, which includes Wis to AC.

[AstralFire]

Extension on the question here.

If I had a non-Monk character who wore the belt?
Could I still use feats like Cardemine Monk which changes which ability score is used for the Monk's AC bonus?

I don't know this feat in particular, but that's the usual rule, yes. Be aware that some DMs dislike taking feats based on items which aren't clearly intended to do so, however.

[Psyren]

Carmendine Monk requires you to be a monk (specifically, you have to be part Deneir's Zealots of the Written Word monk order), rendering the question moot. Kung Fu Genius also requires you to have an actual monk level.

[Ansem]

Druids normally wear hide armor, and the bonuses of armor are generally better then a monk's belt. Wizards/sorcs can't wear armor.
Wild > Hide

[danzibr]

What's this Monk's Robe?

[Psyren]

What's this Monk's Robe?

Pathfinder item; nerfed version of the belt.

[Scow2]

A +1 Hide armor (you don't put higher +x on armor since special qualities are much better) give an armor bonus of 4. After level 8 all Druids have at least 20 Wisdom.It's weapons you don't put higher +X's on because the attack rolls are trivial and a special damage type is better than a +1 and you can Greater Magic Weapon it for max bonus anyway. Higher than +1 for armor is much more common.

[tyckspoon]

It's weapons you don't put higher +X's on because the attack rolls are trivial and a special damage type is better than a +1 and you can Greater Magic Weapon it for max bonus anyway. Higher than +1 for armor is much more common.

The same logic applies to armor, really; things like the Death Ward property are more valuable than +1 AC and you can Magic Vestments it for better bonus anyway. The main difference is that Magic Vestments is less available than (Greater) Magic Weapon, as there are fewer casters that work off the Cleric list than off the Sorc/Wiz list.

[Epsilon Rose]

I vouch for this, but never forget to double check the books as well to confirm, both still have some minor errors either from old versions, misinterpretation or errata. Such as spell-effects and feats doing more or doing less than their book or having important details missing. (Example: dndtools.eu Blood Wind spell refers to a single attack whereas SpC also states Full-attacks/natural weapons apply, which is left out)

Actually, that's just because blood wind was listed in both Savage Species and Spell Compendium, but the two versions are different. dndtools lists both. The version you're talking about is the savage species one. The Spell Compendium one can be found here (http://dndtools.eu/spells/spell-compendium--86/blood-wind--3975/).

That said, you should still double check actual books.

[Thrawn183]

Since the only class that can use these items besides an actual monk are wizards and sorcerers...

Is it a good idea for them to wear them? Assuming they for some reason have 18 wisdom? (Lucky dice rolls, whatever...)

With Luminous and Greater Luminous Armor spells, clerics can really benefit from a monks belt.