barb/monk questions

[eternal shore]

I'm trying to figure out a multi of path of the beast barb with monk, but I'm not sure about the following (from path of the beast):

"Claws. Each of your hands transforms into a claw, which you can use as a weapon if it’s empty. It deals 1d6 slashing damage on a hit. Once on each of your turns when you attack with a claw using the Attack action, you can make one additional claw attack as part of the same action."

Is this by default a strength-based attack, or can it be dex? I'm trying to take 3 levels in barb and the rest in monk and just go dex based but if the claw attack is strength it kinda nerfs the point

[modern storm]

By raw text says it can be used as a weapon /is a weapon but most dm would allow it to count as a unarmed strike which with monks u can make with Dex.

(heck even by raw if dm allows them to be used as monk weapon with condition bonus attack unarmed strike and flurry of blows can't be made with these it should still count.......

But most dm wouldn't be a stickler about this I think. )

[eternal shore]

great that's what i thought, thank you!

[modern storm]

Also a monk subclass which might work with it or give more char ideas 🤣

http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/monk:living-weapon

[eternal shore]

ironically, that was the monk subclass i was planning lmao. the two just work too well together i'm excited to playtest this >:3

[eternal shore]

bringing back this post for more questions

so, the beast barb's weapons (assuming they're using the beast barb claws/bite/tail) count as 'natural weapons'. the monk's bonus action unarmed strike and flurry of blows use unarmed strikes. technically, the beast barb's claws/teeth/tail are unarmed, as it's their ... actual body. how would y'all rule this working? basically, would a beast barb/monk be able to use (chosen transformed attack) for their flurry of blows or bonus action unarmed strike?

especially with the claws, written as follows:
'Claws. Each of your hands transforms into a claw, which you can use as a weapon if it's empty. It deals 1d6 slashing damage on a hit. Once on each of your turns when you attack with a claw using the Attack action, you can make one additional claw attack as part of the same action.'

i'm assuming that the multiattack doesn't happen for bonus actions since that's not your attack action, so no multiattack on the bonus action strike. and likewise for flurry of blows. just wondering if i'm assuming correctly here.

so far i've been ruling that they can use the claw as the bonus action unarmed strike, but the tail i'm unsure about, and definitely not sure about flurry of blows...

[modern storm]

Rule of cool would allow it by raw it dose not.

Natural weapon are not considered same as kicking or biting (unarmed strikes).

Feature like talons of aracokocra state it's unarmed strike.

Again given it's a martial that too monk would allow on table but by raw rule wise dose not work.

(extra attack adds to attack action so no on multi attack as bonus action.

But flurry of blows if ruling them as unarmed strike works.

Would be 5 claw attacks being 3 from attack action and 2 from flurry of blows.)

[eternal shore]

okay sooo, going purely by RAW, flurry of blows would use the multiattack? i'm confused how it's 5 - the multiattack is two, then flurry of blows is two hits which if using the multiattack would be 4, so that's 9 total. that just seems really really busted

or if using the regular multiattack (2 hits) + flurry of blows as one claw strike per blow it'd be 4 total, no?

[modern storm]

Ok I may have created a misunderstanding. I was referring to if you rule claws as unarmed strike (they are not by raw).

Barb beast let's you make an extra attack with the claw if u used it for one of the attacks.(as part of one of the attack action attacks made)

So 3😅.(as all part of attack action taken)

Then flurry of blows for 2.

I should start adding , in sentences 😅

[dawn grail]

The important distinction is whether they are natural “weapons” raw

If a DM allows you to use the weapons as unarmed strikes, then they benefit both from the dex and flurry of blows.
If that is the case, then you would you have 2 base attacks (assuming Beast barb gives you that free extra beyond the normal extra attack) at 1-4, and 3 attacks at 5 onward, plus 2 more for flurry of blows, a total of 4-5 attacks.

[modern storm]

https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/756202441142444032?lang=en

Let me throw some crawford at you 😂
(raw they are not as per rules as written)

But most dm might let that pass and monk need all the love/aid they can get.

Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) on X

A natural weapon (a claw, horn, bite, etc.) is not an unarmed strike. #DnD https://t.co/BXbuvh5zvS

Twitter · Jul 21, 2016, 7:01 PM

[eternal shore]

ok thank u both! i agree (as a dm) i would def let someone use a natural weapon as an unarmed strike bc... that just makes sense lmao. but i think i get the attack/flurry of blows/bonus action attack and how that all works RAW and will stick to that! just a very complex multi lmao

[dawn grail]

part of the reason that the ruling RAW can be seen that way is that monsters don't make unarmed strikes, they make weapon attacks, even when their attacks are made with parts of their body