Anyone using Trailblazer to "optimize" their 3.x Game?

[Scurvy_Platypus]

From what I can see of the changes. it's probably in the same general area as a Rogue. Of course, a Rogue is still Tier 4... and tier 4 classes like the Barbarian, Rogue, Warmage do tend to find common encounters challenging. (Monsters that target ref and will saves, undead/constructs/elementals, anything with ER, SR and/or lots of HP respectively). Don't know of the Trailblazer monk still cries himself to sleep, but he won't be crying harder than the party thief.

To definitively answer your question, though, we'd have to make a Trailblazer monk, assign him a hypothetical party, and see how much he contributes to an encounter.

Ah. Ok, in that case... I'd say that for you, Trailblazer is probably a waste of money. It's not looking to try fixing the sorts of things you want fixed; honestly, I don't know of _anything_ out there that's looking to fix the thing you are, which is still going to be "recognisably" D&D-ish. While there might be individual bits that adress certain specific complaints of yours, I think something like Fantasy Craft, Mutants & Masterminds, or one of those others is more likely to address what you want.

My gut instinct is to say "skip Trailblazer". I say that as someone that digs the product; I happen to dig it because of what my particular expectations were/are. But... who knows? Maybe I'm wrong. You could always try a "sell me" thread and see if someone can convince you; I won't try and convince you though, because I think you've got different goals than I do.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I doubt the designers of Trailblazer would have made such a blatant mistake.

They didn't. +3 hp at 1st level then +1 each additional level.

Additional sidenotes to the TB monk:
-They get longspear. With weapon kata, flurry of blows with a reach weapon.
-Deflect Arrows scales with additional deflections for monks like Stunning Fist does with additional stuns.
-All those 1/day abilities like

• dimension door from abundant step,
• healing from wholeness of body,
• quivering palm,
• etherealness from empty body

instead recharge to full every 10 minute rest.
-Combat Reflexes has changed with Trailblazer's Combat Reaction rules. TB characters can take different 5 types of actions on other characters' turns. Aid Attack, Aid Defense, Dodge, Block, and Attack of Opportunity. Trailblazer's Combat Reflexes feat grants an additional Combat Reaction, which could be used for something other than extra Attacks of Opportunity, and can make the Combat Reactions while flat-footed.

I mention the Combat Reflexes feat above because I strongly feel that monks need some more defense. Combat Reflexes helps nicely for a monk when used for dodge (boosts AC against attack by 1/2 BAB) or block (grants DR = 1/2 BAB)

But monks still have the problem of being effective at moving around, or effective when full attacking. But you're not moving around when full attacking, nor full attacking when moving around.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Don't know of the Trailblazer monk still cries himself to sleep, but he won't be crying harder than the party thief.

Oh, and the Trailblazer rogue? There is no immunity to critical hits so more things are sneak attack targets. While incorporeal subtype creatures still are immune to sneak; undead, constructs, plants, elementals, oozes, etc, are all sneak attack targets for the Trailblazer rogue.

Plus, when targets are denied Dex, the Trailblazer rogue's Attack Bonus bumps up to as good as a fighter's.

 

[Dandu]

Ah. Ok, in that case... I'd say that for you, Trailblazer is probably a waste of money. It's not looking to try fixing the sorts of things you want fixed; honestly, I don't know of _anything_ out there that's looking to fix the thing you are, which is still going to be "recognisably" D&D-ish.

I rather enjoy Tome of Battle, though there's some debate as to whether that's "D&D" ish.