This is less a continuation of the recent thread and more a separate branch entirely. It is not about buffing monks so much as granting them more choice and variety in feats and potentially class features. I'm not gonna go soapboxing about what monks are good at. This thread is for people who play monk or like the class's flavour as it is now, and what it could be with some brainstorming. If you can think of some cool abilities, either sourced from PnP materials or not, please post them here (or in another thread, for the sake of organisation). Again, this is not a thread to call for outright buffs, but changes to the bigger picture, and to generate some more interest in the thinktank. Think of synergy between abilities and the monk's unique role as its own class.
Monk Class FeaturesI consider the class's built in features to be one of its biggest obstacles in terms of additions. Some of its innate abilities are so strong that adding more on top could easily imbalance it. I think we should not be against the possibility of some of its innate class features being removed, or made into feats that you must choose, in exchange for other abilities. To close this section of the post I would like to ask people to think of characterisation over the raw power of the end result of the build. Even some less than optimal feats that you may personally consider worthless could have real uses ingame that aren't just for RP. Finally, let the devs consider balance and what is possible, let's just get some brainstorming going on and avoid arguing over balance.
Here are a few ideas to start off with. Weapon monks, tattooed monks, ascetic monks, monks who follow "paths" and want some flavour feats that grant you bonuses not necessarily useful in combat but in other situations, and anyone else who has some ideas, come post yours if you feel inspired.
Meditation - New Class Feature
A new class feature that allows monks who are out of combat to enter a meditative state. Think of it like a "short rest" only they can do. While in this state, they will gain fast healing equal to their wisdom modifier until they stop meditating. Perhaps a small bonus to skills and saves while they are meditating, representing their strength of conviction while their mind is empty and they are at peace. To counter abuse and frustrating gameplay, a delay could be implemented, lasting a few rounds before the meditation begins to confer its benefits, all of which should immediately fade after they stop meditating. Limiting factors if needed could include a cooldown, maybe 2 hours?
Rebalanced Monk SpeedI have often thought of monk's speed as one of its greatest strengths, but this could also be one of its greatest hindrances. Perhaps it is time we reassess their innate speed and consider granting only some of it. What if monks only got two increments of their 10% speed increases for free—for example, at levels 3 and 8—but could buy more with feats, potentially becoming faster sooner than before, and received some more bonus feats while leveling up, giving them a choice of improving their speed or their other ki abilities? A monk's speed maxes out currently at level 18 with a 60% bonus, and some would say they should be able to achieve that were this new system implemented, which I won't disagree with, their speed is a big part of what makes them unique.
This could spark an entire argument, but if somehow monk speed could be unlocked from the class features besides some of it, and just chosen during levelups as class feats, with extra feats granted to compensate, so that speedy monks are speedy monks and other monks have other specialties, I think they would start to feel much more diverse in gameplay, but I could be wrong about this.
Monk FeatsMonk has little choice in class feats. Stunning Fist doesn't have anywhere near as many options as the Turning feats. Perhaps more feats which spend Stunning Fist uses could be suggested?
Reflect Arrows - Feat
Prerequisite: Dexterity 13+, improved unarmed strike, deflect arrows
Specifics: Once per round, the character may launch an incoming projectile back at an attacker after successfully deflecting it.
Use: Automatic if not caught flat-footed.
Comments: Just for fun. I know Deflect Arrows can be inconsistent and that most people might avoid this for similar reasons to Circle Kick, but if we could have it available as a feat, it would still be cool to see it do its thing once in a while.
Improved Wholeness of Body - Feat
Prerequisite: Monk level 11
Specifics: Wholeness of Body now grants the effect of the Lesser Restoration spell and reduces the character's exhaustion by 4 when used.
Use: Selected. Replaces Wholeness of Body.
Comments: Monks already get a bonus to their endurance, but this could come in handy for those longer fights that might not be going your way, or if you get hit by a called shot at the wrong time. One of those cards you can play when you're running on empty. I kinda wish Second Wind could be improved to be the same way, but maybe I'll bark up that tree in another thread...
Deadly Calm - Feat
Prerequisite: Monk level 7, Discipline 10 ranks, Concentration 8 ranks
Specifics: In the dire moment before defeat, the monk empties his mind and focuses his ki to survive. After suffering a critical strike, the character gains fast healing 2 which will last until the first of three conditions are met: the monk falls unconscious, exits combat, or 3 minutes pass. At level 11, this ability automatically upgrades, granting fast healing 3 instead.
Use: Automatic, cancelled upon exiting combat.
Comments: Not a huge amount of healing for a soloer on a server where you can eat crits of 40 or more by level 7, but in a party context, with others to take some of the hits, this could make the difference between surviving and not, so I'm sure someone out there would enjoy gambling with it. Hopefully this would stack with Sacred Healing and Regenerate XYZ Wounds spells/potions in case you have a fellow regen enjoyer in your party.
Feign Death - Feat
Prerequisite: Monk level 3, Discipline 6 ranks, Perform 6 ranks
Specifics: The character's intense training allows him to halt his breathing for an extended period of time and slow his body's functions, causing him to enter a pseudo-comatose state which closely imitates death. While in this state, he cannot be drowned; all such effects still take hold and their checks will be resolved but only trigger once the monk has left this state. Creatures who can perceive the monk when this ability is used must pass a Concentration check (DC 10 + Monk level + Perform) or they will be tricked into believing he is dead. A creature who encounters the monk already in this motionless state, however, will have the difficulty check increased by 4. He may remain in this state for a number of turns equal to 3 + his monk level in turns, and may stop feigning death at any time, but after exiting this state, he
may not enter it again until he has rested. Combat modes may not be used while in this state and are disabled upon entering it. The character is unable to speak and will also be considered flat-footed and prone, lying perfectly still and therefore automatically failing any reflex saves.
Use: Selected.
Special: The difficulty of the Concentration check is reduced by 4 for undead and incorporeal creatures.
Comments: I'm not aware of any PnP appearances for this ability. Obviously very useful for leading enemies into ambushes or if the monk is the last one standing in a party with no way out. If I'm right, undead/ghosts/etc. sense life differently than living creatures, so it should be harder to fool them, but maybe not impossible. A yellow text/bordered atmospheric text warning should appear every minute for the last 5 minutes you have on the timer before it expires on its own and you are forced to wake up.
Note about the underlined part: Allowing a monk to feign death multiple times in one rest (say once every 2 or 3 hours) could probably be fine, but I think fooling any enemy twice would be totally incompatible with PotM's gameplay, they should see through the ruse automatically.
Improved Feign Death - Feat
Prerequisite: Monk level 5, Discipline 8 ranks, Perform 6 ranks
Specifics: The character has harnessed greater control over his own life energy, allowing him to focus on meditation even while suspending his body's functions, increasing the difficulty check of Feign Death by 4 and gaining fast healing 1 while in this state.
Use: Selected. Replaces Feign Death.
Special: The difficulty of the Concentration check is reduced by 4 for undead and incorporeal creatures.
Comments: Like the meditation class feature, but a limited lesser form that can nevertheless be used in dangerous situations more readily.
In retrospect, maybe each section, or even each feat suggestion, could be complex enough to deserve its own thread, but I'm not a cop so I can't stop you from starting your own thread to make sure your ideas aren't lost in this one, especially if this one lights on fire. This is just me signalling that I want to talk about potential for new monk abilities on the forums with hope it may lead to increased interest in the class.
Some of these ideas may seem a bit out there and therefore not be a fit for the server, but maybe the thought is entertaining to others like me who are into these more unusual abilities and playstyles.
I thought it would be cool to have some healing abilities, especially ones that the monk could share with others; Wholeness of Body getting multiple charges, perhaps, or just Stunning Fist spenders for monks who find they have too much in some situations, say in fights where the enemies are immune to both fire and mind-affecting. I will post some ideas later if no one has anything too soon.
Anyone have any other ideas to share?
edit: grammar