Some questions on Kensai

[XenoGeno]

I don't have Complete Warrior on me, so I need clarification on some things.

1) A kensai can enchant whatever weapon he has weapon focus with, right? Well, one weapon if he has more than one weapon focus. And for a monk, the weapon focus would be (unarmed strike) for it to work, right?

2) A monk can use any part of his body as an unarmed strike, yes?

3) So, when a monk kensai enchants his unarmed strike, he enchants his entire body with that enchantment?

Basically what I'm getting at is, could a monk enchant his entire body with the throwing enchantment? And returning? And then throw any part of his body? Like, for exaple, his knee? And how would that work? Would he bleed? Would he start rolling on the floor in pain after his kneecap burst out his body?

And if he gets the brilliant energy enchantment, does he die because the ground is nonliving and he passes through it to the center of the earth? Or does he dies because he can't eat because the nonliving food falls through his body before he can digest it? But if he could fly somehow, and not die from starvation, does he become invincible to anything other than other unarmed attacks and natural weapons from living beings until someone casts dispel magic on him? And could he walk through walls and stuff? And is he naked the entire time because he can't wear nonliving clothes?!?!?


If you're curious as to what started this train of thought, it was me wondering if you could make Mazinger Z by taking a Warforged and enchanting his fists with throwing and flaming burst.

[Aquillion]

3) So, when a monk kensai enchants his unarmed strike, he enchants his entire body with that enchantment?

I'm not sure where you're getting this one.

Also, I don't think taking 'weapon focus: unarmed' allows you to enchant it, no. Your unarmed strikes still don't count as a weapon for these purposes, and specifically, Kensai says you get to enchant a weapon. Note the text for weapon focus:

Choose one type of weapon. You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple (or ray, if you are a spellcaster) as your weapon for purposes of this feat.

Unarmed strikes aren't weapons; that's why they had to add that text. So the Kensai abilities that refer to working on a 'weapon' don't work for unarmed attacks (although if they did, you could also enchant an, um, ray.)

[playswithfire]

Per the SRD, a monk's unarmed strike is considered a weapon for the purposes of things that enhance weapons. Also, the Kensai description specifically describes how to enchant natural weapons, which the monk's unarmed strike also is.

[RTGoodman]

I'm rather certain (though my book is at someone else's house) that Kensai specifically mentions being able to use your Unarmed Strikes (or other natural weapons) as your signature weapon. You have to enchant them separately (and maybe even pay more), but it's almost definitely allowed.

By the way, you're not the first to think of this - many a gamer has come up with an idea for a Monk/Kensai with a +1 throwing returning head or somesuch.

[Lyndworm]

Signature Weapon (Su): The kensai chooses one of his weapons (it must be one of for which he has the Weapon Focus feat) to become a signature weapon. Most kensai choose either a sword or bow for this weapon, but even a kensei's natural weapons can be chosen.

Yep. Although since the monk's entire body is his natural weapon, he could just launch himself at an enemy and return in his own square. I don't know how useful it would be, but it would certainly be fun.

Zack

[Eurus]

Yep. Although since the monk's entire body is his natural weapon, he could just launch himself at an enemy and return in his own square. I don't know how useful it would be, but it would certainly be fun.

Until you roll a 1, that is.

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XD

[Gorbash]

OMG! This is like the only monk topic ever that's funny (other than Giacomo's guide)! I was laughing so hard, I had tears in my eyes.

[Emperor Tippy]

Hmm, so a brilliant energy enchantment over your whole body. That would be interesting.

[UglyPanda]

Rayman: Throwing Returning Fists
Headless Horseman: Throwing Returning Flaming Head

Am I the only one thinking of a human-puppet type of character whose body parts are all connected by strings as it throws them at you? Wouldn't be particularly effective, but weird as hell.

[Emperor Tippy]

Hmm, Brilliant Energy guy.

Monk/Psion/Kensai/Elocater 1 with dodge, mobility, and spring attack (to qualify for echolocator).

You want Elocater for the Scorn Earth ability so you don't sink. That guy could actually be interesting. What book is Kensai in?

[Gorbash]

Complete Warrior

[GryffonDurime]

For the same 2 effective levels as Elocater for Scorn Earth, you could just grab flight from a template like Winged or Half-Fey. Even better if your DM allows LA buyoff.

[RTGoodman]

Am I the only one thinking of a human-puppet type of character whose body parts are all connected by strings as it throws them at you? Wouldn't be particularly effective, but weird as hell.

I was thinking more like a Warforged with "Go-Go-Gadget" body parts that extend out and then retract right back.


EDIT: @^ - Yeah, but with the Psion/Elocator levels you can also get a couple of low-level powers that could be useful.

[GryffonDurime]

EDIT: @^ - Yeah, but with the Psion/Elocator levels you can also get a couple of low-level powers that could be useful.

No more or less useful than Charm Person at will, a slew of SLAs, the joy of a proper flight speed, and even some Damage Reduction.

[NEO|Phyte]

For the same 2 effective levels as Elocater for Scorn Earth, you could just grab flight from a template like Winged or Half-Fey. Even better if your DM allows LA buyoff.

Wing-based flight can be disrupted by trip attacks or simply confined areas (barring Good or better maneuverability). Plus, floating is MUCH more badass.

[GryffonDurime]

Wing-based flight can be disrupted by trip attacks or simply confined areas (barring Good or better maneuverability). Plus, floating is MUCH more badass.

Yes. Floating is so badass. That's why everyone in City of Heroes takes Hover: it's all the fun of standing in place or moving very, very slowly, with the added joy of being precariously above the ground.

Fly speeds are much better! Incorporeality plus swift, speedy access to the Z-Axis? You're the king of sneaking without a single rank in any skill.

[RTGoodman]

No more or less useful than Charm Person at will, a slew of SLAs, the joy of a proper flight speed, and even some Damage Reduction.

Ah, didn't see the Half-Fey template mentioned. That might be worth it.

[Adumbration]

For some reason this reminds me of Vivacious template...

[Roderick_BR]

Yep. Although since the monk's entire body is his natural weapon, he could just launch himself at an enemy and return in his own square. I don't know how useful it would be, but it would certainly be fun.

Zack

You could be a halfling, and have a goliath with the Fling Ally feat throw you at the enemies

To the OP: I'd let a player enchant his "whole body", as you said, meaning that any part of your body can be used as a weapon, as normal. You are still limited to your number of attacks per round, including flurry. Doesn't make difference if you hit with your right hand, left foot, or headbutts.
The thing is, I don't think you really can take the phisical effects of a weapon. If you get the brilliant energy property, you can bypass armor... as a normal weapon. That's it. If you want to walk through walls/floor, you'll need some other magic effect. No freebies
And for the throwing/returning.... sure, you can have it... if you are willing to lose parts of your body to throw. Yes, it would return, but it wouldn't reattach itself, nor avoid the damage or other effects. It'll just behave as a normal weapon.

[UglyPanda]

I was thinking more like a Warforged with "Go-Go-Gadget" body parts that extend out and then retract right back.

I thought that too, but it's not really stretching though.

[Innis Cabal]

i got a vision of robo-ky....sort of like the warforged

[ZeroNumerous]

If you get the brilliant energy property, you can bypass armor... as a normal weapon. That's it. If you want to walk through walls/floor, you'll need some other magic effect. No freebies

I attack the wall, passing through it as it is not living matter. That wasn't very hard to get around.

[XenoGeno]

While my power was out, I had nothing better to do but think of more enchantments that could be placed on a monk/kensai for funness. So now I need to know: can a Kensai enchant a weapon with a bonus with a cost listed in actual goldpieces (as opposed to a +x bonus)? I really want to give the monk the sizing enchantment. The ability to turn into any size category as a swift action? Yes please.

Also, I am totally turning the elocator monk into an NPC. A being of pure light, floating above the ground? Sounds like a perfect avatar of god or the like.

[Prophaniti]

The brilliant energy thing wouldn't work, at least not if I was DM. Problem is, it says 'A significant portion' is turned into energy, not 'the entire thing'. Thus, at least part of your monk/kensai is still solid and cannot pass through matter. So, yeah, that idea is scrapped. Still, love the idea. I'm gonna make one in the game I'm playing right now, with the returning enchantment. I'm just gonna go for the 'I throw myself at them, then fly back to where I was' thing though, no body part chucking.

[Emperor Tippy]

Yes but it also says "A brilliant energy weapon ignores nonliving matter".

[XenoGeno]

Problem is, it says 'A significant portion' is turned into energy, not 'the entire thing'. Thus, at least part of your monk/kensai is still solid and cannot pass through matter.

Actually, that's slightly incorrect. The quote is (from the DMG, not the SRD), "A brilliant energy weapon has its significant portion - such as its blade, axe head, or arrowhead - transformed into light..." meaning that "significant part" is the part that actually hits stuff. As monks hit stuff with literally anypart of their body, their entire body is significant.

[Prophaniti]

Fair enough, XenoGeno, your my player and that's your argument for turning entirely into light. Since we're going with literal interpretations, here... I'll say that your 'significant portion', the portion that hits people, does turn into light. Your skin. That's it. Your skin is light now. Your all glowy and cool looking. Still can't pass through walls though.

[Aquillion]

Actually, that's slightly incorrect. The quote is (from the DMG, not the SRD), "A brilliant energy weapon has its significant portion - such as its blade, axe head, or arrowhead - transformed into light..." meaning that "significant part" is the part that actually hits stuff. As monks hit stuff with literally anypart of their body, their entire body is significant.

"Significant part" is very clearly opposed to 'all'. (In fact, nowhere does it even say that every part that hits someone is transformed; it just makes it clear that not all of the weapon is changed. You can whack someone with the shaft of your axe if you want, but it's still not brilliant energy.) That means that there are definitely, per RAW, parts of the monk's body that don't turn into light -- you're free to houserule otherwise, of course, but that's your houserule.

Additionally, might I ask where you're getting the fact that a monk's entire body counts as a weapon? I'm not finding it. The relevent text for the Monk class, at least in the SRD, says:

At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply her full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all her unarmed strikes.

That is very far from their 'entire body'.

[shadow_archmagi]

A Brilliant Monk could still stand on grass, and would get caught on bugs and stuff on the way down.

Also, two words:

Vorpal Feet.

[RS14]

Additionally, might I ask where you're getting the fact that a monk's entire body counts as a weapon? I'm not finding it. :

In the interest of keeping this crazy concept alive, I refer you to the current FAQ:

Can you use the two-weapon fighting rules to make an extra unarmed attack if your first attack was also an unarmed attack?

In the Sage’s opinion, yes. Unarmed attacks are described as using any part of your body to attack in several places, so using two parts of your body to attack, like both hands, seems permissible.