Monks not able to use two handed quarterstaffs?

wariisop

I am curious on why monks can't use the two-handed quarterstaff. While I understand every other two handed weapon is not used by monks, the quarterstaff is like the primary monk weapon and it seems weird to leave it out. This may have been asked before, so sorry in advance for the repeat question.

Luigirules

If I recall correctly, it's because monks have their off-hand occupied by a secret weapon that gives them monk abilities.

wariisop

Then with the quarterstaff they should be able to channel it through that natural weapon, almost like a Druid with a club. I still find it weird, as every monk that I have ever heard of starts off with training with a two-handed quarterstaff. Seems odd and cheap.

Nifft

D&D monks have never made a whole lot of sense.

wariisop

Ok, that I can accept then, but man Monks could be seriously dangerous with a favored weapon of Quarterstaff that delivers a quivering staff attack. Should have a chance to break the staff though, like 5%.

Dee

I think it has more to do with the fact that monks have no quarterstaff weapon animation, personally.

lunar

Yeah I have changed my mage to monk avatar for looks and when he tried to swing his staff, the avatar made a high jump kick with staff swinging in the air by itself, was pretty hillarious and a bit freaky. Never again.

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Kilivitz

Flavor, I suppose. And at the lower levels, before their fists act like magical weapons, that +1 quarterstaff from Silke can come in handy.

wariisop

"I thought the same way once but then decided if monks could use a staff what exactly would the advantage be?"

Well like I said the quarterstaff could be a channeling agent that all monks start with since young monks don't have the +1 hand ability until much later. Also it give them a range weapon and really makes the monk a complete character at lower levels. The 5% chance to break the weapon will reduce down to 1% as the monk learns to control their abilities. There could easily be a story about legendary monk staffs that don't break by channeling monk abilities.

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Nifft

subtledoctor said:

it's a mod-based ranger kit limited to leather armor that can gain high mastery in quarterstaff, dualled to cleric

I hope you named him "Friar Tuck".

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wariisop

subtledoctor said:

That sounds cool and all... but it doesn't sound like 2e D&D, or like Baldur's Gate.

Of course, staff use for monks makes sense, and BG monks don't really have anything to do with 2e either. I don't think it would be hard to mod up a replacement monk class... given the setting, I'd make it a cleric kit, with reduced and/or altered spells, and limit proficiencies to quarterstaff and unarmed. You would have to set up a new proficiency for unarmed fighting, but that's not hard to do. Then you would simply make a special weapon to go in the main weapon slot, which would look like gloves or something, and use the unarmed attack animation, and use the new unarmed proficiency, and set # of attacks per round to 2 or whatever. (Or, maybe keep APR normal for the item, and just grant an extra APR to the monk for good... this would make monks useful in the early levels - 2 APR with quarterstaff is quite nice, but they're still limited to the thac0 and HP of a cleric, so they'd still be inferior to fighters in melee.) The monk could then switch out between the gloves and a staff as needed. To simulate advancement of his fists as ever-more-potent supernatural weapons, just make new, better gloves appear at certain levels. As a side benefit, having the gloves in the main weapon slot would mean they don't suffer the AC penalty of a character without a melee weapon equipped. (I have no idea if BG2 monks suffer from that, I think they're stupid and I never play them.)

Hmm, this sounds kind of interesting, I might have to try to make a kit like this. (My current playthrough is kind of replicating it - it's a mod-based ranger kit limited to leather armor that can gain high mastery in quarterstaff, dualled to cleric to signify the emergence of his divine essence. When the dual is complete, he'll have moderately good fighting skills (cleric thac0, but with staff mastery and some extra APR), and some ability to hide in shadows, and ever-increasing divine supernatural powers.)

This sounds like a great idea, tell me how the quarterstaff works out with the modded monk, thanks.

ambrennan

A curious observation: The monk's weapon limitation supersedes UAI affect (confirmed working since I can equip full plate)

futhwo

Luigirules said:

If I recall correctly, it's because monks have their off-hand occupied by a secret weapon that gives them monk abilities.

Shouldn't monks practice abstinence? :P