Getting Rend as a Monk

[DogBackward]

So, my friend has seen that the Monk's unarmed strike counts as a natural weapon, and then went and looked up the Rend rules... which apparently don't say that the attacks have to be from different natural weapons, or piercing/slashing. Now he's obsessed with getting Rend as a Monk, and taking a bunch of Rend-based feats. Technically, the Rending Claws feat from Advanced Players' Guide doesn't give you Rend, only an ability that is superficially similar to Rend.

So, is there any way to get Rend as a character, specifically a Monk? And I mean permanently, not via shapeshifting or items. I searched the OGL, but couldn't seem to find anything. The only other option we can see is multiclassing Synthesist Summoner.

 

[concerro]

So, my friend has seen that the Monk's unarmed strike counts as a natural weapon, and then went and looked up the Rend rules... which apparently don't say that the attacks have to be from different natural weapons, or piercing/slashing. Now he's obsessed with getting Rend as a Monk, and taking a bunch of Rend-based feats. Technically, the Rending Claws feat from Advanced Players' Guide doesn't give you Rend, only an ability that is superficially similar to Rend.

So, is there any way to get Rend as a character, specifically a Monk? And I mean permanently, not via shapeshifting or items. I searched the OGL, but couldn't seem to find anything. The only other option we can see is multiclassing Synthesist Summoner.

He would have to multiclass. I think the ranger and barbarian have archetypes that allow you to get claws.

 

[DogBackward]

Yeah, they allow you to get claws, but not the Rend special ability. He wants to get Rend specifically, so he can make use of the Rend-based feats in Ultimate Combat. He's a "Pick a theme and run it into the ground." type.

 

[Qik]

As you mentioned, Synthesist is the only way that I can see it. IMO those two classes work well together, but it would mean taking at least 6 levels of Synthesist to qualify for the Rend evolution, which may "de-monkify" the PC, depending on your player's viewpoint.

Otherwise, Boar Style provides a "faux Rend," as does Rending Claws, as you mentioned.

As an aside, I see nothing that suggests Boar Style wouldn't stack with the Synthesist's Rend, which would make for a great combination. Dipping the Master of Many Styles and picking up both Boar and Dragon Style could potentially make for a brutal claw-machine.

 

[paradox42]

Synthesist does go well with Monk. And also with Paladin. And several other classes. It's pretty much the best Archetype of Summoner to be if you want to multiclass.

Interesting thought though: because multiclassing with Synthesist is so popular, could a Monk Archetype be made which would give up something of the Monk basic layout, in exchange for the Fused Eidolon of the Synthesist? No spells or other Summoner abilities, just the Fused Eidolon? Call it "Monk of the Living Spirit" or something, I suppose.

 

[Qik]

Interesting idea, and Paizo certainly seems to be going the way of having archetypes that simulate multiclassing, but I imagine the official version of that would give up *quite* a bit, if it did happen, to the point where taking it over multiclassing wouldn't really be desirable.

 

[Anguish]

Use Magic Device and some scrolls of beast shape IV?

 

[marcielle]

Has he thought about giving up monk entirely?
Cos theres nothing that says you eidolon can't be the super-wise-ancient-masters-of-kungfu. This might give him rend easily while still having the martial artist vibe.

 

[Qik]

I'd say that a dip into monk would be worth it, at least from a mechanical perspective. The Wis bonus to AC is fantastic, and the access to style feats can mesh great as well. The archetypes can also offer a lot to a synthesist: Maneuver Master + Quadruped/Pounce would grant you a free trip at the start of a full attack, for instance.