My attempt at a martial controller: The Monk

[Stalker0]

There's a lot of talk about a martial controller, so I though I would try my hand at a monk to see what I could come up with.

Class: Monk
Source: Martial
Role: Controller
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, Simple Ranged
Armor: None
Class Features:
+1 to fort, reflex, and will.

Unarmed Combat: A monk gains a +1 to attack rolls when fighting unarmed.
Insightful Dodge: A monk in light or no armor can add wisdom modifier to AC instead of dex or int.
Martial Training
Power: If you take a full round action to use a monk attack power, you can add your strength modifier to the damage.
Speed: Your speed is increased by your dexterity modifier.
Class Power: Twisting Defense

Powers:
at-will

Slowing Strike (standard, at-will) Monk Attack 1
You use your insights into combat to deliver a debilitating blow to your opponent.
Melee attack
Target: 1 creature
Wisdom attack vs AC
Hit: 1[W] + wis and the target is slowed until the end of your next turn.

Trip (standard, at-will) Monk Attack 1
You gage your opponent's actions, and at just the right time, you make an attack that knocks them down.
Melee Attack
Target: 1 creature
Wisdom Attack vs Fort
Hit: No damage. The target is knocked prone.

encounter

Whirlwind Attack (standard, encounter) Monk Attack 1
You release a flurry of timed attacks against all opponents around you.
Melee Attack
Range: Close Burst 1
Target: All enemies within range.
Wisdom Attack vs Reflex
Hit: 2[W] + wis

Twisting Defense (Immediate reaction, encounter) Monk Class Feature
You dodge with preternatural speed, and are able to turn a crushing blow into a minor one.
Special: This ability can be used twice per combat
Trigger: Used after an attack or power has done damage to you.
Benefit: You reduce the damage dealt to you by your wisdom modifier (minimum 0 damage).
Speed: A speed trained monk can use Twisting Defense a number of times per combat equal to 1+ his dexterity modifier.

Throw (Immediate Reaction, encounter) Monk Attack 1
You catch your opponent off balance after he attacks, and use his own strength against him.
Melee Attack
Trigger: When an opponent misses you in melee
Wisdom attack vs Fort
Hit: 1[W] + wis and the target is prone.

Daily
Stunning Blow
You cripple your opponent with a single strike.
Melee Attack
Target: 1 creature
Wisdom Attack vs Fort
Hit: 2[W] + wis and the target is stunned (save ends).
Miss: Half damage and no stunning.
Power: The target suffers a penalty to his saving throw against the stun equal to his strength modifier.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Well, it's not very controller-ish. Except for whirlwind attack, he's mostly impacting a single opponent, which seems more striker to me.

To be a controller (IMO) the character should have the ability to manipulate movement, terrain, damage, or actions to help or hinder multiple creatures at once.

My vision for a martial controller might be a dwarven engineer or human grenadier who can build traps; modify terrain; hit opponents/areas with alchemical sticky bombs, fore, or acid; intimidate opponents such that they clump up / move together / move in a particular direction / stop movement; or similar powers. While the martial controller can do damage to individuals or multiple opponents directly, one of his best features is setting up the opponents so that the defenders and strikers can make more effective use of their abilities.

I'd recommend taking a look as the existing wizard powers (which at low level are still pretty single-opponent focused) and some of the "artillery"-class monsters an making martial analogues of some of those abilities.

 

[Stalker0]

Well, it's not very controller-ish. Except for whirlwind attack, he's mostly impacting a single opponent, which seems more striker to me.

Actually if you look at controller monsters, they frequently have powers that apply status effects to single targets. Controllers seem to have two niches, area effects, and status effects. This monk has a smattering of both.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Actually if you look at controller monsters, they frequently have powers that apply status effects to single targets. Controllers seem to have two niches, area effects, and status effects. This monk has a smattering of both.

I acknowledge that status effects are an important part of the controller's kit bag. I think you'll end up with a very niche character if they scaling of powers over levels is almost all single-target status effects, though. That's not necessarily bad; it could be quite interesting.

I think globally, though, if you're going to have a "martial controller", you need to have something you can drop down into a party to replace the party wizard and have the party still be equally effective. The approach can be different, but the net effectiveness should be the same. Now I'm not quite sure how you measure that ... I think we need to see more of the wizard's range of powers.

I really wish they had decided to replace the warlock with the druid for PHB1 (of course, that's assuming the druid is a primal controller rather than some other concept). That would give two class options to cover each of the combat roles from the get go. So it's good that folks are working on alternatives already.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Wouldn't the Monk be another Striker? Or even a Defender of Leader (if you envision the healing type of medieval monks, not the shaolin kind)?

 

[Rechan]

He's a controller who gets into melee?! Controllers simply do not belong in melee. They're going to get splattered after the second hit due to tiny, tiny hp.

 

[Rechan]

Why does Throw use Wisdom? Wouldn't Dex be more appropriate?

Wouldn't the Monk be another Striker? Or even a Defender of Leader (if you envision the healing type of medieval monks, not the shaolin kind)?

Age old argument.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

If this guy is getting into melee and doing damage, then a controller is a... bad idea. Controllers have tiny, tiny hit points. He'll get creamed.

Not necessarily, if he has lots of emphasis on weaving in and out of combat fast and avoiding fits he can be a controller in the midst of combat.

He wouldn't be duking it out like a fighter. He would be well... If say we go Paragon Tier; leaping on the heads of each opponent and smacking them to the ground before gracefully landing outside their area of attack.

 

[FadedC]

I think there is a difference between monster controllers and PC controllers. The PC ones seems to be expected to have some form of AoE.

 

[Rechan]

Not necessarily, if he has lots of emphasis on weaving in and out of combat fast and avoiding fits he can be a controller in the midst of combat.

Two hits from a brute will kill him. Or in the process of "weaving in and out of combat" he gets caught by two skirmishers, he's SOL. Or, god forbid, a Soldier with some stickiness.

If he's doing physical melee attacks, he will die, mark my words.