Monk Preview

[The Grackle]

D'OH! I am convinced. And, now being convinced, I also agree with the several folks here who are skeptical about why the Monk striker damage adder does not scale with level. (I thought it was just expecting the increase of enchantment bonuses.)

A monk is a minion-killer, so extra damage isn't really necessary. Non-minions (the ones who don't explode with one hit) get slid around and, because Flurry is an implement power, whatever effects the monk has enchanted his fists with. The damage is tertiary.

 

[77IM]

That doesn't seem like it fits the definition of a striker very well at all.

-- 77IM

 

[Felon]

A few observations (some of which have no doubt already been made, but my head would explode if I tried to read every post preceding this one).

1) Like the barbarian and the avenger, I feel that at least a token few ranged attack powers would be nice to have in the mix. I think it's a big mistake to make a class melee-only. It's bad juju to have to multiclass just to get even a little range.

2) The class description mentions Strength being a secondary ability score, but it's not reflected in any of the powers. I guess that's a common trait of the playtest classes, but I would like to see monks get some benefit from being ripped and chiseled.

3) Throwing out the ki power source and making monks psionic? I say, throw out the psionic power sourcer and have psions and psychic warriors use the ki power source.

4) The Design & Development article for the monk bothers me. They acknowledge that weapon users have ways to beef up their damage dice, and thus so should monks. This begs the question as to why they feel implement powers ought to be shortchanged on damage, while all weapon powers deserve some way to pull ahead?

 

[The Grackle]

That doesn't seem like it fits the definition of a striker very well at all.

-- 77IM

The playtest shows the "Centered" Flurry of Blows. I'd assume the other version is more single-targety. (Maybe multi attacks?)

 

[mach1.9pants]

2) The class description mentions Strength being a secondary ability score, but it's not reflected in any of the powers. I guess that's a common trait of the playtest classes, but I would like to see monks get some benefit from being ripped and chiseled.

That is 'cos the playtest, like all the others, only includes one 'build' i.e. DEx+WIS monk, not the DEX+STR monk archetype.

 

[Plane Sailing]

1) Like the barbarian and the avenger, I feel that at least a token few ranged attack powers would be nice to have in the mix. I think it's a big mistake to make a class melee-only. It's bad juju to have to multiclass just to get even a little range.

Wot no shuriken? Hopefully they've not shown some shuriken based attacks!

(I suppose that being Dex based for attacks they are automatically good at ranged Basic attacks, FWIW)

3) Throwing out the ki power source and making monks psionic? I say, throw out the psionic power sourcer and have psions and psychic warriors use the ki power source.

This would have been my personal preference too. "Ki" has been genericised enough now that it doesn't scream "oriental" to me. It is a better fit for 'internal discipline and power' than psionics which still seems sci-fi to me.

4) The Design & Development article for the monk bothers me. They acknowledge that weapon users have ways to beef up their damage dice, and thus so should monks. This begs the question as to why they feel implement powers ought to be shortchanged on damage, while all weapon powers deserve some way to pull ahead?

Preach it brother! The issue of weapon users getting continual bumps to their damage while the implement users don't is... disappointing to say the least.

Cheers

 

[Hellzon]

Wot no shuriken? Hopefully they've not shown some shuriken based attacks!

They get shuriken proficiency, at least. (And sling prof for Western monks.) Just not much in the way of ranged powers.

Technically, a shuriken works as an implement for "close burst/blast" powers, but that's wonky to build an entire character around.

 

[Xris Robin]

Actually, it doesn't count as an implement for monks. Or weapon. The only thing monks can do with shuriken and slings IS a ranged basic attack. (Or MC into Rogue.)

Shuriken and slings aren't monk weapons, which are also the only thing they can use as implements. Which is a little weird. I'm not sure why they can use a weapon that can't be used with a single power. I mean, that works for Wizard, because they attack using their implements.

I am also sad about the lack of any ranged attacks. I mean, I was seriously hoping for a Hadouken. No fireball? Alright, so monk isn't a 'ki' character anymore. If I can't "ki blast" someone at least let me "psionic blast" someone. I punch the air, and the shockwave hits my enemy from a distance. C'mon, that's almost classic, like punching air to put out candles.

 

[Incenjucar]

I have a little pet theory that the elemental classes will fall along role lines (at least a little), however.

Earth = Defender
Water = Leader
Air = Controller
Fire = Striker

I don't think so and I hope not. I'd much prefer for all of the elemental classes to, more or less, have access to a variety of elements each, though certainly they might favor one or the other. 3-4 common damage types, at least, for different builds and concepts. Also, I'm not sure that the classic elements are the way things will work out, anyways, since D&D relies more on Fire/Lightning/Thunder/Acid/Cold for the most part, with a bit of Poison and Force thrown in, when it comes to grossly physical effects.

I much prefer to see the elemental classes focus on using each element in a different way, such as:

Fire Defense: Fire damage when marked and not attacking the marker, fire-themed power, speed, or defense increases ("tempering"), explosive sliding attacks.

Fire Control: Smoke screens, walls and pillars of fire, magma traps, suffocating ash bursts.

Fire Striker: Set a foe on fire, further hits cause escallating fire damage and make for easier hits, ash in their eyes so they go blind.

Fire Leader: Adding fire damage to allies attacks and blazing trails behind them as they move, providing fire resist, giving them breath weapon attacks.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

I mean, I was seriously hoping for a Hadouken. No fireball?

Multiclass.