3.5 - Scorpion Kama, Damage Mechanics/Rules

[SirNibbles]

SCORPION KAMA
"This +1 kama deals damage equal to your unarmed strike damage (if that is greater than the normal damage for a kama).


How exactly does this work (according to RAW)?

What happens if your Unarmed Strike is buffed by a spell which affects its base damage but your Scorpion Kama isn't?

Option 1
A 20th level monk under the effects of Mighty Wallop, Greater deals 12d8 damage with an Unarmed Strike. A medium scorpion kama deals 2d10 damage.

Option 2
A 20th level monk under the effects of Mighty Wallop, Greater deals 12d8 damage with an Unarmed Strike. A medium scorpion kama deals 12d8 damage.

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What happens if your Unarmed Strike has an enhancement bonus to damage?

Option 1
A 20th level monk under the effects of Magic Weapon, Greater, deals 2d10+5 damage with an Unarmed Strike. A scorpion kama deals 2d10 damage.

Option 2
A 20th level monk under the effects of Magic Weapon, Greater, deals 2d10+5 damage with an Unarmed Strike. A scorpion kama deals 2d10+5 damage.

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What happens when we throw in bonus damage from things like Weapon Focus, STR modifiers, etc?

Option 1
A 20th level monk with 18 STR deals 2d10+4 damage with an Unarmed Strike. A scorpion Kama deals 2d10 damage.

Option 2
A 20th level monk with 18 STR deals 2d10+4 damage with an Unarmed Strike. A scorpion Kama deals (2d10+4) damage.

Option 3
A 20th level monk with 18 STR deals 2d10+4 damage with an Unarmed Strike. A scorpion Kama deals (2d10)+4 damage.

Option 4
A 20th level monk with 18 STR deals 2d10+4 damage with an Unarmed Strike. A scorpion Kama deals (2d10+4)+4 damage.

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What happens if your kama is buffed but your Unarmed Strike isn't?

Option 1
A 20th level monk deals 2d10 damage with an Unarmed Strike. A Flaming Scorpion Kama deals 2d10 damage.

Option 2
A 20th level monk deals 2d10 damage with an Unarmed Strike. A Flaming Scorpion Kama deals 2d10+1d6 damage.

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What if they're both buffed?

And so the questions go on and on from this poorly worded item.

Personally, I would replace the base damage (keeping extra damage for magic effects, like Mighty Wallop, that increase the base die roll) and then calculate bonus damage for the kama normally.

Thoughts/quotes to help with this ruling?

[LordOfCain]

Hmm.... 2, 2, 3, 2. Those answers are mostly based on my interpretation of RAI and my feeling that monks need everything they can get. However, I do not think this is a very overpowered interpretation.

[Necroticplague]

For the first question, it's pretty clearly option 2. The UAS damage is greater than SK damage, so use that instead.

For the second, it's number 1. You only get enhancements to attack and damage when you use a weapon. in this case, you're using your SK, not your UAS, so only any enhancement bonuses to the SK would apply.

For the third, option 3. Those little addons aren't part of the weapon's damage, they're added after it. So you would only add the ones that applied to the SK (so WF:UAS wouldn't add to the SK damage, but WF:Kama would)

For the third, the second option. You're using the kama, so anything that would improve that damage improves this attack.


Personally, I would replace the base damage (keeping extra damage for magic effects, like Mighty Wallop, that increase the base die roll) and then calculate bonus damage for the kama normally.
That is exactly how it works.