Level 40 Pathfinder Monk Unarmed Damage?

[Luciandevine]

The name pretty much says it all. If we assume that we're using the rules on page 406 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook, in your guys' opinion, would a monk's unarmed damage continue to increase since it, like many of it's other abilities, goes up at a set rate, or stay at 2d10?

[Kudaku]

There really aren't rules available for PF post-level 20 so this is essentially up to your DM. That said, how does the epic rules handle monks above 20?

Edit: Did a wee bit of googling, the original epic rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/classProgressions.htm#epicMonk) state that Monk unarmed damage does not increase after level 20.

[Luciandevine]

Bah, I hadn't checked that yet, but when I checked, it clearly stated, even in the utterly absurd epic level handbook that a monk's unarmed damage dice don't increase past level 20.

My bad for not checking all my sources first guys. My apologies.

[Kudaku]

No worries, happy to help :smallsmile:

[grarrrg]

The name pretty much says it all. If we assume that we're using the rules on page 406 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook, in your guys' opinion, would a monk's unarmed damage continue to increase since it, like many of it's other abilities, goes up at a set rate, or stay at 2d10?

Technically, it probably stops at 2d10.

Assuming it kept progressing...gets very weird, because Monk Unarmed does not follow the typical damage progression chart.

In fact, there IS NO typical damage progression chart.

Strong Jaw (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/strong-jaw) spell has a good progression chart with it.
As does Improved Natural Attack (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/monster-feats/improved-natural-attack) feat. And neither of them follow the same progression as Monk.
1d6 1d8 2d6 2d8 4d6

{table=head]Strong Jaw|Imp. Natural (from 1d6)|Imp. Natural (from 1d10)|Monk
1d6|1d6||1d6
1d8|1d8||1d8
2d6|2d6|1d10|1d10
2d8|3d6|2d8|2d6
4d6|4d6|3d8|2d8
4d8*|6d6|4d8|2d10
8d6*|8d6|6d8|
8d8*|12d6|8d8|
||12d8|[/table]
Strong Jaw states that after a point, you double the dice from 2 sizes ago.

For the sake of completeness, an Eidolon Slam attack goes from 1d8 > 2d6 > 2d8. Which follows Strong Jaw progression, but not Improved Natural.

Final answer: ASK YOUR DM

[Raezeman]

let's get mathematical in here, looking at the average damage.

First, 1d6; 1d8 and 1d10 have average 3.5, 4.5 and 5.5
Then 2d6; 2d8 and 2d10 have average 7, 9 and 11

So when changing the type of die, the damage goes up by 1,
but when changing the amount of dice, the damage goes up a little higher (1.5).

So let's make something up that follows this trend. If we take the next 3 damage steps to be: 3d6, 3d8 and 3d10, the averages are 10.5, 13.5 and 16.5
But since this actually lowers the average, 3d8, 3d10 and 3d12 with averages 13.5, 16.5 and 19.5 seem better.

And for the next, i suggest 4d10, 4d12 and then either 4d12 + 1d6 or +1d8 for averages of 22, 26 and 29.5 or 30.5

In other words, if you want the monk's unarmed damage to keep progressing in the same trend it did before, go for
1d6
1d8
1d10
2d6
2d8
2d10
3d8
3d10
3d12
4d10
4d12
4d12+1d6
Or at least, that's how i would do it.