Quint Monk II. anyone have? Thoughts?

[Paragon]

I was thinking of buying the Quint Monk II and hadn't seen any reviews of it. did anyone pick it up? and if so what did you think of it?
thoughts? ideas?
thanks!

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

Well, I wrote it, so I won't review it, but:


I enjoyed writing it, but felt a bit constrained by the Quint II writer's guidelines.

My goal with Monk II was to open up the martial arts archetypes a bit further, building on some of the things introduced in Monk I.

Primarily, I did this in the Prestige Class chapter, where I introduced prestige classes themed around some popular fictional archetypes. In that chapter, there's a Jedi Knightish prestige class, there's one based strongly off Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and there's one based on the archetypal Greek Olympian. I like the way the PrCs worked out - it's also worth noting that all the PrCs are 10 level classes, as that was mandated in the writer's guidelines.

I updated and revised a few of the alternative monk classes introduced in Monk I, to bring them up to speed with 3.5, which expanded the possibilities of the Monk class a good deal. I scattered these changes throughout the book, though they are focused in the Class Path chapter at the beginning of the book, and the section on Martial Arts feat paths.

Because of the writer's guidelines for the Quint II series, I ended up writing Monk II as more of a companion piece to the first book - it can stand on its own, as the stuff carried over from book I is revisions and revisitations, but doesn't have as many alternative concepts (legendary feats, lion dancing, etc) as the first book.


My biggest frustrations with the book as printed are:

The guidelines for Career Paths are too set in stone, and don't vary enough from class to class. Monks and fighters are too different for the same rules of Career Path progression to work for both, and I wish I'd been given the freedom to match the guidelines to archetype, rather than having to constrain archetypes within the guidelines.

Actually, the writer's guidelines for all of the Quint II line are very... rigid, to the detriment of several of the classes. If Quint I books suffer from too little structure, I think the Quint IIs suffer from too much.

One of my favorite sections was taken out of the book and presented as an "article" in Signs & Portents. I wrote a section introducing flaws and benefits for martial artists that incorporated some of the physical and mental flaws and strengths that famous martial artists possessed - it was intended to be the monk class' version of the unique abilities introduced in Quint Sorcerer. I'm not angry (at all) that it was taken out and released as an article, but I do wish it had been in the book itself.

I wish I'd had more time. I ended up working 16 hour days to get the book in at deadline time - when I wrote Monk I, there was the luxury of time on my side. With this one, time was of the essence.


So, this is the author's opinion, for what it's worth.

Patrick Y.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I like it but have some questions about it. Note, I don't own it, but am borrowing it from a friend.

For example, they have s tyle called Smoke Sword where you learn to use your monk weapon with your fighting style. One of the things you take is weapon finese. Now I'm not quite sure why as unless a monk's weapons are considered finesible, it seems like a waste of a feat.

Another thing I didn't see, and perhaps it's because i'm not done with it yet, is fighting styles similiar to those in the first book. We enjoyed several of those like the spindly legs and chestnut fist.

 

[Psion]

The prestige classes and styles are decent. I gotta say, though Patrick's Quint IIs seem to be better than some of the others (Q. Elf II made me wince repeatedly at the classes which had both spellcasting advancement and abilities in on level then NOTHING in the next), the multiclass combos, while an interesting idea, don't do it for me. The options are a bit like the substitution levels or the variant abilities in the UA, but they still fail to make the character viable in the way a prestige class can do.

Though there is some good stuff in here, I'd have to recommend you get Beyond Monks (by Goodman Games) first if you don't have that.

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

the multiclass combos, while an interesting idea, don't do it for me. The options are a bit like the substitution levels or the variant abilities in the UA, but they still fail to make the character viable in the way a prestige class can do.

The Multiclass chapters in Quint IIs are... not an idea I would have included in books designed to be primarily for 10th level characters and above.

And that's all I'll say about that.

Patrick Y.

 

[Samuel Leming]

Does Quint Monk II include ways to make the fighter class viable unarmed combatants? If it does, I'll get this book.

I'm tired of players playing monks just to get the 'martial arts' when their character concepts have nothing to do with any of the other baggage the monk class drags along with it.


Sam

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

Does Quint Monk II include ways to make the fighter class viable unarmed combatants? If it does, I'll get this book.

I'm tired of players playing monks just to get the 'martial arts' when their character concepts have nothing to do with any of the other baggage the monk class drags along with it.
Sam

There are a lot of elements that should be fairly simple to import across to the fighter class - I'm thinking in particular some of the martial arts styles, which are based around feat chains. Swap around the occasional requirement, and you should be fine.

There will be a bit of work imvolved, however, as the book is written specifically for Monks - the Quintessential guidelines mandate rules and options for specific classes, rather than broader rules for multiple classes.

So really, there's a good amount to offer fighters, if you're willing to put in a spot of modification work.

 

[Durandal]

I'm actually a big fan of the Quint. II series - I own a few of both the I and II series, and I think the II series is much more interesting and useful that the first batch was. Whereas before, with the original Quint. books, they had driven me to not buy any more Mongoose books, the second series has gotten me to start buying again. I only have Paladin, Monk, and Druid so far, but I really like the multiclass options - they really appeal to me. The latter half of the books has been really helpful, as well - good advice on playing and advancing characters of the various classes, and how they can best interact with others.

 

[Tetsubo]

Well, I wrote it, so I won't review it, but:


I enjoyed writing it, but felt a bit constrained by the Quint II writer's guidelines.

My goal with Monk II was to open up the martial arts archetypes a bit further, building on some of the things introduced in Monk I.

Primarily, I did this in the Prestige Class chapter, where I introduced prestige classes themed around some popular fictional archetypes. In that chapter, there's a Jedi Knightish prestige class, there's one based strongly off Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and there's one based on the archetypal Greek Olympian. I like the way the PrCs worked out - it's also worth noting that all the PrCs are 10 level classes, as that was mandated in the writer's guidelines.

I updated and revised a few of the alternative monk classes introduced in Monk I, to bring them up to speed with 3.5, which expanded the possibilities of the Monk class a good deal. I scattered these changes throughout the book, though they are focused in the Class Path chapter at the beginning of the book, and the section on Martial Arts feat paths.

Because of the writer's guidelines for the Quint II series, I ended up writing Monk II as more of a companion piece to the first book - it can stand on its own, as the stuff carried over from book I is revisions and revisitations, but doesn't have as many alternative concepts (legendary feats, lion dancing, etc) as the first book.


My biggest frustrations with the book as printed are:

The guidelines for Career Paths are too set in stone, and don't vary enough from class to class. Monks and fighters are too different for the same rules of Career Path progression to work for both, and I wish I'd been given the freedom to match the guidelines to archetype, rather than having to constrain archetypes within the guidelines.

Actually, the writer's guidelines for all of the Quint II line are very... rigid, to the detriment of several of the classes. If Quint I books suffer from too little structure, I think the Quint IIs suffer from too much.

One of my favorite sections was taken out of the book and presented as an "article" in Signs & Portents. I wrote a section introducing flaws and benefits for martial artists that incorporated some of the physical and mental flaws and strengths that famous martial artists possessed - it was intended to be the monk class' version of the unique abilities introduced in Quint Sorcerer. I'm not angry (at all) that it was taken out and released as an article, but I do wish it had been in the book itself.

I wish I'd had more time. I ended up working 16 hour days to get the book in at deadline time - when I wrote Monk I, there was the luxury of time on my side. With this one, time was of the essence.


So, this is the author's opinion, for what it's worth.

Patrick Y.

This is the only "II" book I have considered buying. I thought the first Monk book was one of the finest gaming supplements I've ever read. I think I will pick up the sequel. After the wedding...