Ki Focus for Dummies

[The Human Target]

Or more specifically for this dummy.

I just started up a new 4E game after a six month gaming hiatus.

And one player chose to make a 1st level Assassin.

And it hit me last night that I don't get how Ki Focuses work at all.

Please enlighten me so I don't look a stooge.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Or more specifically for this dummy.

I just started up a new 4E game after a six month gaming hiatus.

And one player chose to make a 1st level Assassin.

And it hit me last night that I don't get how Ki Focuses work at all.

Please enlighten me so I don't look a stooge.

The Monk article and today's Assassin article contain more information.

Basically:
A Ki Focus is an implement. It can be used as implement for Assassin powers and pretty much works like any other implement in that regard.

A Ki Focus can also be used to enhance weapon attacks. You can use only either the Ki Focus benefits or the weapon's enchantment, never both. To enhance weapon attacks with it, you need to be proficient with the weapon and have the ability to use Ki Focusses. If you enhance your weapon attack with the Ki Focus, it's basically as if you were using a weapon with the Ki Focusses enhancement bonus and other properties.

Until today's article, we only had simple magic Ki Focusses (enhancement bonus only, no special abilities), and only thanks to the Character Builder basically.

 

[Kwalish Kid]

And it hit me last night that I don't get how Ki Focuses work at all.

Please enlighten me so I don't look a stooge.

Yeah, check out today's article: you are obviously not alone! I think highly of you for bothering to ask.

 

[renau1g]

Is it like a crystal you attach to the weapon or just having it in your backpack's good enough?

 

[Nahat Anoj]

Is it like a crystal you attach to the weapon or just having it in your backpack's good enough?

A ki focus can be pretty much anything. A manual of fighting techniques, a little set of weights which you can use to exercise with, a small gem that you reflect and medidate upon, or whatever. It's just some thing that you attune yourself to through some activity, getting you the bonus.

EDIT - I was totally wrong about not need to wield ki focuses after you're attuned to them - you do, if you want to use them as an implement!!

 

[Ryujin]

I don't believe that it's been detailed very much but if you're going to go with the 'usual' standards (psychic crystals, E.E. 'Doc' Smith's Lensmen, etc.), then you would generally need to have it physically in contact with the person using it.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

A ki focus might take the form of a training
manual, a scroll of ancient secrets, or a blunt train-
ing weapon. To use a ki focus, you must first attune
yourself to it. Some characters study their ki focus
to attune themselves to it. Others meditate with it or
wield it as they practice their fighting techniques.
Once you have attuned yourself to a ki focus, you
must either wear or hold it to use it as an implement.
When you attune yourself to a ki focus, you draw
on magic within it to shape your ki. This attunement
is temporary, and it fades away if you attune yourself
to a different ki focus or if you die. The ki focus that
you’re attuned to occupies your ki focus item slot.
To attune yourself to a ki focus, you must have the
item on your person during a short or an extended rest.
Whenever you take a rest, you can attune yourself to a
ki focus in your possession, but you can be attuned to
only one ki focus at a time. Also, only one creature at a
time can be attuned to a particular ki focus. Once you
attune yourself to a ki focus, no one else can attune to it
until you are no longer attuned to it.

That's the relevant passage.

 

[renau1g]

Thanks. So it's whatever you want it to be, but you can only be attuned to one of them and it has to be on your person during rests. Cool.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

You know, I think the ki focus handles the idea of holy symbols very nicely. Indeed, one way to think of holy symbols is as ki focuses - the attunement process is praying with some symbol of your god, repeating psalms from some ancient religious text, and so on.

 

[The Human Target]

Okay its all becoming more clear. I had read the monk article's take on things but it just wasn't sinking in.

Now that I get them, I really like ki focuses.

And as I know my assassin player hasn't even really looked at them yet, I should be able to surprise him next few sessions with a shiny knew class feature/item.

Thanks everyone!