Celebrim
Legend
I don't.
I detest the very concept of the monk in a great many ways that have nothing to do with flavor. I wouldn't even use the monk class in a heavily oriental themed campaign.
I have no problem with the concepts of 'martial artist' or 'skilled with fighting barehanded', but both of those concepts seem to me to fit within the concept of a 'fighter'. So, to me, the problem is first that the fighter isn't well designed if you can't make those concepts within the class.
Likewise, I have very basic problems with the notion of "I can be just as effective of a combatant bare handed and naked as I could with a weapon and armor.", regardless of class implementation. Real 'warrior monks' or 'warrior priests' might well have been skilled with fighting with their hands, but nonetheless prefered to use weapons when they were available. In a world where your naked bare handed men can be front line warriors, why would weapons and armor ever be invented? Not needing equipment with its expense and hassle is a huge advantage. So as a result, the concept of a 'barehanded fighter' is inherently impossible balance. Either its not effective or its too effective. But 'just right' is just about impossible to achieve.
Additionally, I don't have occidental/oriental campaigns. You'd be hard pressed to determine whether Italy, or Wales, or India had more influence over the culture of the nation where my current campaign is set. I don't particularly like straight up copies of real world nations or cultures showing up in my fantasy.
I detest the very concept of the monk in a great many ways that have nothing to do with flavor. I wouldn't even use the monk class in a heavily oriental themed campaign.
I have no problem with the concepts of 'martial artist' or 'skilled with fighting barehanded', but both of those concepts seem to me to fit within the concept of a 'fighter'. So, to me, the problem is first that the fighter isn't well designed if you can't make those concepts within the class.
Likewise, I have very basic problems with the notion of "I can be just as effective of a combatant bare handed and naked as I could with a weapon and armor.", regardless of class implementation. Real 'warrior monks' or 'warrior priests' might well have been skilled with fighting with their hands, but nonetheless prefered to use weapons when they were available. In a world where your naked bare handed men can be front line warriors, why would weapons and armor ever be invented? Not needing equipment with its expense and hassle is a huge advantage. So as a result, the concept of a 'barehanded fighter' is inherently impossible balance. Either its not effective or its too effective. But 'just right' is just about impossible to achieve.
Additionally, I don't have occidental/oriental campaigns. You'd be hard pressed to determine whether Italy, or Wales, or India had more influence over the culture of the nation where my current campaign is set. I don't particularly like straight up copies of real world nations or cultures showing up in my fantasy.