Monks with non-Monk weapons: what do you lose?

[Saiga]

Just a quick check here: if a Monk wields a non-Monk weapon they are proficient with, is the 'Martial Arts' feature they only thing they lose out on? So you can't use Dex for it, you can't use the Martial Arts die for it, and you don't get the BA martial arts attack.

However, you can still use Flurry of Blows, Unarmored Defense (and movement), Stunning Strike, etc?

[ShikomeKidoMi]

Yes, just Martial Arts. However, giving up the ability to make an extra attack as a bonus action without spending ki can hurt you if you need ki for a lot of powers other than Flurry of Blows.

Interestingly, the extra attacks from Flurry of Blows are always unarmed, so if you're wielding a weapon you may be mixing kicks in.

[Saiga]

Oh, I'm aware that it's not viable. I was just seeing what I'd need to work with if I wanted to homebrew an Archetype to use specifically non-Monk weapons (to allow Heavy weapons but avoid power-creeping the revised Kensei by making those Monk weapons).

[Mortis_Elrod]

Oh, I'm aware that it's not viable. I was just seeing what I'd need to work with if I wanted to homebrew an Archetype to use specifically non-Monk weapons (to allow Heavy weapons but avoid power-creeping the revised Kensei by making those Monk weapons).

You mean how the first kensai did it? because that wasn't received well, and the second kensai avoided heavy weapons entirely with the exception of longbow.

[Saiga]

The first Kensei had them be pretty close to Monk weapons, though, with the benefits I offered. I'd want this to be boosted and viable without just applying similar benefits.

Now that I think about it, though, you could probably make a Tortle Monk with a Heavy weapon work since you don't have to worry about AC as much.

[djreynolds]

I took 2 levels of barbarian and then began my monk career. I basically left wisdom at 13, and got dex to 16 and left it there. Its very MAD, but cool and stylish.

I used a maul flavored as tetsubo and it was cool. It is MAD and my AC was 15, as my dex was a 14 and my con 16.

It was fun

So you swing away with the maul for 2d6 twice, and get a BA and 1 KI to kick them twice. FOK