Whirling Steel Strike

[j_spencer93]

Really starting to dislike making monks but anyways my player who is going to be a Phaethon monk wants to know if this feat treats the longsword as a monk weapon or if it only allows it to be used with flurry of blows.
It does say it is treated as a special monk weapon but then directly refers to flurry so i could really see this being either way.

Whirling Steel Strike: You can treat a longsword as a special monk weapon, allowing you to perform a flurry of blows with it.

[Zaq]

Is that all of the text of the feat, or is that a summary?

Either way, it sounds like you're the GM, right? If so, throw the Monk a bone and just let it work. He's already gimping himself by playing a Monk; there's no reason to punish him further, no?

[StreamOfTheSky]

Is that all of the text of the feat, or is that a summary?

Either way, it sounds like you're the GM, right? If so, throw the Monk a bone and just let it work. He's already gimping himself by playing a Monk; there's no reason to punish him further, no?

I'd give him the feat for free and just require him to get longsword proficiency (wood elf monk?). Among like a dozen other buffs I'd offer to make the class playable.

[j_spencer93]

First- yes that is all the text to that feat.
Second- ok so would you make it a 1st level monk bonus feat? Or a free feat?
3rd- yes i am DM i was just wondering what others think about this feat and what they would do with it, btw he is a Phaethon from dragonlance.

[MooseBite]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but his unarmed strike will deal more damage than the longsword in a few levels, if it doesn't already.
Add a line to the feat that makes him proficient in longswords, or some other minor bonus, and let him take the feat if he chooses.
Or, have it work for any kind of light or 1handed blade.

[Regissoma]

Make his longsword a scorpion longsword(based off scorpion kamas) when his unarmed damage bypasses his longswords.

[j_spencer93]

He wants a longsword though.
Another question, he seems to think special monk weapons can use the monk's unarmed damage in place of theirs (seems a little off to me but rings a bell). Can anyone validate this for me? I have way to many books to go through to try to locate it. Maybe a feat does it or something idk.

[Zaq]

No, unarmed strike is unarmed strike. You don't get to use your unarmed strike damage with another weapon.

That said, I'm 100% in favor of a houserule to that effect. Again, the Monk sucks. It's one of the weakest classes in the game. Giving it fun toys to play with will absolutely not break anything; at best, it'll make it barely usable.

[j_spencer93]

I have never allowed it to happen but my player mentioning has me thinking i have seen it somewhere before. And since i have every 3.X book, alot of pathfinder, alot of various D20 material also i am not sure if i have seen it in another system or online as someones variant. I have no clue.
But he wants to be a more silent fighter exchanging unarmed strike with his sword (Blunted Blade feat might be useful now that i think of it).

[georgie_leech]

I have never allowed it to happen but my player mentioning has me thinking i have seen it somewhere before. And since i have every 3.X book, alot of pathfinder, alot of various D20 material also i am not sure if i have seen it in another system or online as someones variant. I have no clue.

You might be thinking of the Scorpion Kama, which is a +1 Kama that substitutes Unarmed damage dice if they're better.

[j_spencer93]

You know what that is exactly what i am thinking off. Smack self in head.
Ok so, so far would a good idea be change the feat to also give proficiency with the weapon? And maybe make a scorpion longsword for him to find somewhere?

[Regissoma]

As I said give him a scorpion longsword when it comes to it. Scorpion kamas are a specific weapon that lets you use your unarmed damage through the weapon, and those kamas using the rules found in the same book allow you to make the scorpion kamas into a scorpion longsword instead at the same price its listed. They are found in the MIC or magic item compendium page 201, costs 6302 gold and is a +1 by default.

Edit: Swordsage'd

[j_spencer93]

Ok thanks, was not sure where that was from. Good ideas, also wanted blunted blade feat from quintessential monk, and as a Phaethon monk his racial substitution to his class allows him to flurry and move at same time, plus cloak fist in fire as a free.
Really like that weapon btw and the ideas for that feat.

[j_spencer93]

Would Ki Swordsman (Quintessential Monk 2) be a good edition to his build? He is aiming for monk 7, Elder Phaethon 3, and then 10 extra levels. The class gives a ki sword that counts as unarmed and gets stronger enchantment as you level up in the class (actually fixes the Monk get no +X unarmed strikes).
Would you recommended it for his Whirling Steel Strike based monk? And if this deserves to be its own thread i am sry.

[Regissoma]

Well if he wants to enchant his unarmed damage look into the Necklace of Natural Weapons.
Necklace of Natural Weapons: The enhancement bonuses on this necklace are applied to attack and damage rolls involving one or more of the wearer’s natural weapons. In addition, any weapon special quality may be applied to this necklace, and the quality then applies to those natural weapons as well. For instance, a +1 throwing returning necklace of natural weapons would apply its enhancement bonus and the throwing and returning special abilities to one or more of the wearer’s natural weapons.
Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Magic Arms and Armor; Market Price: 600 gp, plus the cost of the enhancement bonuses, multiplied by the number of natural weapons affected.

Since his unarmed damage (by my standards atleast) is only one natural weapon its actually pretty nice. Don't forget with this necklace and his longsword he can have two different enchancements, or two different elements one with his actual unarmed and one with his longsword.

[Feint's End]

They are found in the MIC or magic item compendium page 201 costs 6302 gold and is a +1 by default.

Then we can calculate it can't we. 6302-2000 (+1 weapon) - 300 (masterwork) - price of kama (looks like 2 to me)

So probably 4000 added cost to give a weapon the scorpion property. Maybe a little less if kamas actually cost more than 2

[j_spencer93]

To Regi- Ki Swordmen was our answer to that, at its highest he will be wielding a 1 handed +5 keen brilliant energy greatsword that deals damage equal to his unarmed strike and bypasses all Dr.

To Feint- thanks for the calculations on that. He is wanting to use the sword for defense alongside the blunt blade feat so most likely magic it a defending sword (cant attack with it anyways because of said feat). but if need by attacking with it would be nice.