Revised Monk Available in Compendium

[Garthanos]

I'm a fan of these types myself. My take is, if I can't use a magic item that often, at least make it reliable. Getting to apply an effect after a hit is a lot more useful than having to charge up and pray I hit.

It changes the mechanical style quite a bit... some players like the gamblers game of that.... if your chance of hitting is 1 in 3, then the bloodclaw was a draw ...
so it had

• situationality
• gamblers appeal.

It lost both and for those who like those features? its not even about being broken... or the most absolutely optimal choice.
I find myself liking that things get nerfed but not always how they do the nerfing....

Losing your chance to hit bonus on the attack would have slid the power back and increased the odds of well oops you failed but spent the hit points anyway. The loss of accuracy could even be a wildness of heroic over exertion .... or pain influence of the self harm .... more flavorful

 

[Nahat Anoj]

Just a note: Why change each barbarian at-will power to allow versatile weapons to be used? Why not just simply rule which versatile weapons can be considered one-handed or two-handed weapons? I was thinking thats was already the official rule.

Well, they didn't change it so that versatile weapons can be used. They said weapons used with two-hands. If they said barbarian powers can be used with versatile weapons but don't specify that they can only be used with two-hands, a barbarian could use his powers while wielding a longsword in one hand a heavy shield in the other. I think they want to avoid the usage of the shield, too keep barbarian AC and Ref lower.

But the larger issue is that, apparently, a versatile weapon used with two-hands doesn't actually count as a two-handed weapon. It appears that versatile weapons always count as one-handed weapons - it's just that the versatile trait lets you use a one-handed weapon with two-hands to get a small bonus to damage.

EDIT - just clarifying what I meant in my first paragraph.

 

[Garthanos]

It appears that versatile weapons always count as one-handed weapons - it's just that the versatile trait lets you use a one-handed weapon with two-hands to get a small bonus to damage.

I remember thinking it was massively silly that a fighter power which worked only with two handed weapons didn't work when using say a bastard sword with two hands... it was downright jarring.l

 

[Garthanos]

Dr 379 Warding Steel

That was extremely nerfed... it certainly needed controlled but is it even interesting now?

 

[MrMyth]

That was extremely nerfed... it certainly needed controlled but is it even interesting now?

Well... yes, honestly. Once per encounter, you get a potentially very sizable boost to AC and Fort for a round. That is strong for anyone, and especially so for a defender who can activate it right when they drag in and mark a bunch of enemies. Not a game-breaking power, maybe, but far from useless by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[keterys]

Yeah, I could easily see our party's battlerager wanting it to use alongside come and get it and sweeping blow for a +5 or so to fort & ac for a round.