Playing Monks

[Steve Conan Trustrum]

So I was wondering how other people have found the monk, whether you think monks are underpowered, and am interested in any house rules which people have used for monks? (I'm a newbie on the boards so apols if this is old ground for discussion).

Thanks.

Although not a house rule, I suggest you go to RPGnow and purchase the Beyond Monks: the Art of Fighting download; it provides lots of cool martial arts feats that monks can take, or, if you're looking for a kick-butt hand to hand fighter without so much of the spiritual aspect, you can take the martial artist core class. I've found this source very useful.

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

Don21584---

I rolled good, but my stats, before level point modifiers were
Str 18
Dex 18
Con 17
Int 12
Wis 18
Cha 10

Three 18s and a 17 is more than "good".

It is: "I will never roll this well ever again unless I cheat or roll 6d6 for stats."

 

[Brother Laszlo]

You're asking for trouble if you use up your Stunning Attacks on big, beefy creatures in just the same way you waste Hold Person spells on Clerics. Their fort save makes them relatively useless in evening the score in duels with fighters, but they kick butt when your monk tumbles past the Big Enemy Caster's bodyguards and plants a numbing fist right between his eyes, giving your buddies a nice pause between fireballs. In any event, you still cause damage whether or not they make the save, so its not a total loss.

 

[Rashak Mani]

Monks arent Bad... they dont fill a "Niche" thou

3rd Edition makes balanced groups more important than ever. So when you chose a Monk you didnt chose a Fighter or a Rogue. Monks make for lousy "fighters" and even worse "Rogues". In a bigger/balanced group thats fine. Smaller groups are in trouble without one of the "required" niches.

Now that you have to play "fighter", naturally your doing a bad job... and its not just your fault. The group should have the hard hitter. Very frustrating for you thou. We have this "problem" all the time. Druids suffer the same thing... they are not good cleric/healers and arent up to Wizard/Sorc firepower.

Even if you make combos and munchkinize a little... a munchkinized Fighter would still be better than you.

Monks can be great support for fighters when they use high non Armor AC to avoid melee touch attacks... when they flank... when they use agility and saves to stay alive and help group. Not big damage. Owls Wisdom spell can make you stun even big creatures thou if you already have a respectable wisdom. AC goes up to.

My answer... either the group gets a fighter or you get a fighter character... but dont blame the poor monk for it. Or get the Mages/Clerics to abusively boost you up.... not a good choice thou.