Monk Feedback

[Lojaan]

Without getting into a discussion about the definition of religion, which 4E skill do you think should represent the understanding of ideas such as Zen or Taoism?

This is a very good question. I have no idea.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Arcana. That's what 3.0 also used, IIRC. (Wasn't the 3.0 Monk not also lacking the Knowledge (Religion) skill?)

 

[Ryujin]

I think the 'no religion skill' may have been intentional. Real world martial arts have more often than not been tied with philosophy than religion. Think zen and tao. These are not religions in the traditional sense (there are no 'Gods' etc), but philosophies of life. Also, when you put that together with the psionic thing, the philosophies seem even less like religions and more like mental disciplines and techniques that the monk masters to master themselves.

You know, more 'meditate on the sound of one hand clapping' and less 'how Pelor got his groovy back'.

And really, when you think about it, the religion skill is used most frequently to identify undead. I see no reason why monks would be good at that.

Some people call atheism a religion. I tend to think that philosophies that inform a world view and regulate societal behaviour fall into the category of religion.

If you wanted to stretch it, then I suppose that History could do in a pinch. It's the skill of tradition and anecdote.

 

[Lojaan]

It would be nice if the psion power source had its own knowledge skill.

You could change psion to 'mystic' and have a skill 'mysticism'? They have similar connotations but mystic is much less sci-fi. Monks have also been described as 'mystic warriors'.

Not perfect I know, just a thought.

 

[Ryujin]

I really don't think that we need to go down the road of generating new skills. Hasn't that caused enough difficulty in the past?

 

[Lojaan]

I really don't think that we need to go down the road of generating new skills. Hasn't that caused enough difficulty in the past?

*sigh*

You're probably right. Therein lies madness.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Without getting into a discussion about the definition of religion, which 4E skill do you think should represent the understanding of ideas such as Zen or Taoism?

It would be the same place that carpentry and profession(sailor) go in 4e. Just write it on the character sheet. There is no game mechanics effect from it, so it can just be there if necessary.

FWIW I'd be happy to see monks without religion as a class skill. That way they more easily fit the broad 'unarmed fighter' archetype.

If someone wants to be a shaolin monk (or Kord monk) then they can use a feat to purchase Religion if they want to.

Cheers

 

[chaotix42]

If someone wants to be a shaolin monk (or Kord monk) then they can use a feat to purchase Religion if they want to.

If you multiclassed into cleric you'd get Religion on your skill list, right? And a nifty Healing Word to boot.

 

[Plane Sailing]

If you multiclassed into cleric you'd get Religion on your skill list, right? And a nifty Healing Word to boot.

Now that's what I call bang for the buck!

 

[Caliban]

Oh, and inclusion of spears on the list opens up one immediately obvious cheese: the Urugosh, both ends of which are usable by virtue of the whole shebang being a "Spear," despite the fact that in the descriptive text it explicitly then says that the axe-head is d12, and the spear-head is d8.

The "monk weapons" that can be used as implements are not weapon groups, but individual weapons (So the spear is a monk weapon, but all weapons in the Spear weapon group are not). No Urgosh, no Greatspear.

Flurry of Blows is an implement power, but implements only add their enhancement bonus on rolled damage.

However, since your weapons are also your implements, Weapon Focus, Eladrin Soldier training, and Two Weapon Fighting would all apply their damage bonus to Flurry of Blows if that is the implement you use to deliver the flurry damage. (Weapon Focus and Eladrin Soldier training obviously don't stack.)

You can even multi-class into rogue and use a dagger to deliver your sneak attack damage once per combat.

Still not the most damaging striker (with the available build).