Every class can customize their characters with different layouts of abilities, skills, backgrounds, focuses, and play-styles -- so why are Monks and Paladins singled out in not being able to multiclass?
In a nutshell, the sentence above is why you are coming across as actually arguing about multiclassing. Do you see how your question doesn't flow logically from your premise?
Yes...every class can do the things you list--including monks and paladins. And if you want to do those things on a monk, nothing restricts you.
I've made several arguments, and I've tried
repeatedly to drive the conversation towards one of them, and have even elaborated on that point in several posts to help drive its discussion. But most people have brought it back to multiclassing, so that's what I've been focusing on. Heck, people have even quoted my other argument, didn't address a single word of it, and then broached the multiclassing topic again. I don't mind it that much because I've enjoyed discussing this topic, but it feels a little unfair to say that I'm the one who keeps bringing multiclassing up.
My premise is that Monk has fewer options than other classes. That isn't usually an issue, because Monks will naturally have fewer options than other classes, but their inability to multiclass makes it one. I can think of two solutions to this theoretical diversity problem: give them class feature options or let them multiclass again. If that wasn't clear, I apologize -- I know my first post was rather wall of text-y, and that was after I trimmed it down. I probably left some important bits out.
The only time I can think of where I was the one to bring up multiclassing outside of my opening post was when someone more or less restated the first part of my premise -- I just repeated it there for clarification's sake.
MAB has already provided the Dev answer to your question, if you ask it without the obfuscating preface:
This rule against the multiclassing of monk into other standard classes dates back from the early days of the server, nearly 15 years ago already. Back then, monk multiclassing was widely abused to make insanely strong built. The rule was made to stop that trend. It is unlikely to be rescinded.
The server has quite a variety of settings to choose from. We are allowed to take many more feats than is typical. (Monks also receive more feats for free.) As far as play styles, I've seen monk PCs vary quite a bit, and that's in good part up to your own creativity.
And has been pointed out several times...prestige classes give monk PCs other options and ways to develop.
If you want to argue about whether monks should be allowed to multiclass, then you need to address the reason it's not allowed. Undoubtedly, allowing them to multiclass with other base classes would give monk PCs more options. So that position can't be refuted. But to make your case you need to respond to the actual reason it's not allowed (i.e., the reason isn't Devs want to keep players of monks from being creative).
I probably should have made this point earlier, but again, I was trying to drive discussion away from the multiclassing restriction, and I also think it'd be cooler (though more work) if Monks were multiclass restricted, but had more options within the class.
I understand that the multiclass restriction is a mechanical one, but it feels like it unintentionally took away from part of the class's diversity as collateral. Why not make the restriction a little more targeted? You could open up Monk to multiclassing, but require an application for the problematic combos like Monk/Druid. Or you could require an application for any sort of base multiclass Or maybe you could only allow Monk to multiclass to specific base classes, like Rogue and Fighter, but not Sorcerer or Druid. Just a few ideas, but I'm sure there are better ones.
I pretty much agree with Retrofuturist, except deflect arrows being bad. I have Deflect arrows with my non-monk character! which actually is shar worshipping 'monk sorceress' but due server restrictions if forced to be rogue/fighter/wizard.
After all, no matter how much some feat/feature class or race sucks mechanically, if its nice, if it fits you go with it.
Haha, I can see that. I kind of wrote off Deflect Arrows for non-Monk characters, but the reason if feels superfluous on Monk is that they already tend to have very high AC, which will also stop arrows from hitting you without the need of a feat.