Monks and Versatile Weapons

[Grod_The_Giant]

Monk Weapons include all simple melee weapons without the heavy or two-handed properties. Simple enough. It includes... everything but the "why would you ever bother" greatclub. More specifically, though, it includes quarterstaffs and spears, both of which are Versatile. Obviously they can use them, as the quarterstaff is literally the example used in the text, but can a monk take a two-handed swing with a quarterstaff and then use Martial Arts to make an unarmed strike?

[Lombra]

Yes. Example:
Spear thrust follwed by frontal kick.

Unarmed attacks include all the monk can use of his body to strike: feet, knees, fists, elbows, even his own head ;)

[Joe the Rat]

For Martial Arts, the limit is about the weapon, not how you use it. Greatclubs (and other "must-be-two-handed" weapons) are big, clumsy things that do not jibe with the fluid grace of kung fu badassery. Or something.

Unless you are asking about unarmed strikes when your hands are full, in which case kicking is a thing, like Lombra's example. Or any other body part, potentially.

[Professor Gnoll]

Bit of a DM fiat there really, but I myself would allow it.

[RickAllison]

Here's a fun Flurry of Blows combination: mid-thrust, high-thrust, pull back spear haft and jam in the ground, use haft to lift the body, double-kick while flag-poling off the spear. Monks are the most fun to me when I imagine them pulling the crazy martial arts stunts seen in bad movies.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Aright, thanks for the responses, guys. I thought that was the case but I wanted to make sure there wasn't a Sage ruling or something I was missing.


Monks are the most fun to me when I imagine them pulling the crazy martial arts stunts seen in bad movies.
Oh, most definitely.

[Fflewddur Fflam]

Here's a fun Flurry of Blows combination: mid-thrust, high-thrust, pull back spear haft and jam in the ground, use haft to lift the body, double-kick while flag-poling off the spear. Monks are the most fun to me when I imagine them pulling the crazy martial arts stunts seen in KICK ASS movies.

Fixed Your Post.