Some ideas for a Monk Fix

[maeljw]

I'm gonna put in some fixes for the Monk in my next campaign, some of which I have read here on this board and was curious what everyone thought regarding them. Whether they would make the monk too overpowered, or whether this would bring them up to par with other classes.

1) Best BAB. It just makes sense if they have it when doing flurry, they should have it overall. Also the bonus of getting certain feats earlier.

2) Wis bonus replaces Con bonus. Mind over matter so to speak. The monk would use his/her wisdom bonus for bonus hp, bonus to fort save, etc. This gets them away from needing four good stats, and brings it down to three.

3) Magic tattoos part1: The problem with enchanting weapons is in someways the monk's greatest problem. Yes, brass knuckles help somewhat, but flavor wise they kinda suck. So I propose magic tattoos instead. Magic tats would act as the enhancement to the monk's natural weapons, allowing abilities such as enhancement, keen weapon, burst, etc to be added to them.

4) Magic tattoos part 2: I was also thinking magic tattoos could be used to add powers using Ki as well. basically for the cost of making a spell permanent (although I'm thinking about the cost in many ways...maybe more maybe less) it could be tattooed onto the monk and have each use cost one ki (again maybe more...maybe less depending on the level of the spell tattooed) with it lasting a number of rounds equal to the monk's level.

This of course has the possibility to be the most overpowered, and might require to expand the ki pool a bit to make it useful. But short of the monk having a ton of money (or giving them a ton of "Pigments of the Tattoo Master") it should make the monk only pick a few or go broke.

I was just curious what people thought about the ideas, so enjoy.

 

[concerro]

I made a martial artist class that is basically a rewrite.
1. Agreed
2. I also had a mind over matter ability-Short version(Wisdom applies to attack and damage, and it replaces strength for CMD, and CMB. This brings it down to 3 without over emphasizing wisdom.
3. Why not just give them monk gloves? They don't have to be called "monk gloves" though.

4.Instead of having to buy the ki enhancment. I just allow martial artist to channel their ki, through their weapons.
5.I gave them the short bow as a monk weapon.

6. I think I will just post the latest draft to a file site and let you download it.
Link to my martial artist 2.5

 

[maeljw]

3. Why not just give them monk gloves? They don't have to be called "monk gloves" though.

See here's the thing about the gloves. I thought long and hard about them as the "monk enhancement item". In theory it's nice easy fix, but to me the "flavor" doesn't work. I have a few friends in martial arts, and for the most part they use their entire bodies (fists, knees, elbows, etc...) not just their hands. The tattoos on the other hand cover the entire body (especially after adding say 7 or 8 different ones), are part of the skin, and so an extension of the monk.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

OTOH, body modification (tattoos, branding, scarification, peircing, etc.) isn't common among martial artists. I think that kind of stuff works better as Feats/PrCls.

FWIW, there is a link in my sig to what has come before...

 

[maeljw]

OTOH, body modification (tattoos, branding, scarification, peircing, etc.) isn't common among martial artists.

Again yup, maybe it would work better as a variant class or PrC, but I liked the idea. It gave the monk more options and more decisions, which to me is a big part of problem in some ways. Monks as a whole seem very restrictive in their decisions with the exception of some feat choices, and for the most part most will be taken on the same feats anyway.

Maybe instead something like a Tattooed Arcanist? Might be something worth playing around with.

 

[Scott DeWar]

I have been playing a Monk / Scorcerer to good effect. Pathfinder rules. The monk as is I find no problems with RAW pfrpg. an old Master sargent once told me: if the radio works, don't try to fix it.

 

[gamerprinter]

3) Magic tattoos part1: The problem with enchanting weapons is in someways the monk's greatest problem. Yes, brass knuckles help somewhat, but flavor wise they kinda suck. So I propose magic tattoos instead. Magic tats would act as the enhancement to the monk's natural weapons, allowing abilities such as enhancement, keen weapon, burst, etc to be added to them.

4) Magic tattoos part 2: I was also thinking magic tattoos could be used to add powers using Ki as well. basically for the cost of making a spell permanent (although I'm thinking about the cost in many ways...maybe more maybe less) it could be tattooed onto the monk and have each use cost one ki (again maybe more...maybe less depending on the level of the spell tattooed) with it lasting a number of rounds equal to the monk's level.

OTOH, body modification (tattoos, branding, scarification, peircing, etc.) isn't common among martial artists. I think that kind of stuff works better as Feats/PrCls.

FWIW, there is a link in my sig to what has come before...

For a fantasy monk, if tattooing is something you want then do it.

Personally, I agree with Dannyalcatraz, though. In my Kaidan: a Japanese Ghost Story setting being released for Pathfinder, I have magical tattoos in the setting, but only the yakuza and barbarians can have them. Tattooing is considered 'taboo', 'a mark of a criminal', 'tainted' - so only the lowest social caste will ever wear tattoos. And monks are never of the lowest social caste.

Tattoo monks as they appeared in L5R, oriental adventures and CW, always gave me a bad taste, so I intend to correct that nonesense in Kaidan.

Actually I'm fixing lots of issues that were wrong with previous oriental settings, base classes, and aspects like tattoos. Monks should not get them.

My monk fix will include an expanded list of ki powers both lesser and greater, requiring a feat to access the greater ki.

However, in my setting, since its inspired by feudal Japan, I have a Trait called Ki Potential that any class can take, then at 4th level may take Activate Ki feat which creates a ki pool of 2 points (half the 'caster' level) but never more than 2 points (doesn't increase with level, like monk), unless one takes the Extra Ki feat for a total of 3 ki points. Though minimal points, anybody in Kaidan can access some ki powers. Only Ki classes, such as monk, buke bushi, shinobi have access to a full ki pool, can take Activate Ki feat, or access greater ki powers.

Note: shinobi is an archetype for alchemists, monks, ranger, rogue, sorcerer. A buke bushi is a samarai caste ranger-like alternate class for samarai warrior, divine casting is replaced with the ki pool (among other things.)

Regarding monk magic items: Gi - martial artist garb (pants and coat), Obi - tied cloth belt, sandals, head scarf, and monk weapons are really the only 'monk' items that could be enchanted. Perhaps something worn around the neck as a charm and some limited jewelry as well. But as stated, no, no tattoos.

I've got one 'monk' magic item, for example, that are Geta or wooden sandals with a single stilt-like block under each sandal raising one up 6" taller when worn, upon command the stilt blocks can increase in height 10' granting +10 movement rate, +10 height to jump checks, and allows a monk to do a Stunning Fist attack with a kick with a 10' reach - doesn't allow Flurry of Blows with kicks (though any monk can do a Stunning Fist with a normal kick if they want.)

GP

 

[Drathir]

doesnt allow flurry? why would u do that? As it stands monks flurry is a combinataion of fist, elbow, knee, head, feet, monk weapons etc. of course none of the seperate body parts changes nething mechanically and what not. you could always go with hand/leg wraps and the like. lots of movies use em and while i haven't seen any of the martial arts practitioners in my area use them that doesn't change the fact that it still seems... more practical than brass knuckles or cestus and what not.

 

[gamerprinter]

The monk doesn't lose Flurry, he just can't flurry with the geta in a kick. The geta doesn't allow flurry at reach, as it does with Stunning Fist at reach, that's all.

GP

 

[Walking Dad]

1) Best BAB.
No. Linking Bab and HD was a Pathfinder design principle. It should not be broken without a very good reason.

2) Wis bonus replaces Con bonus.
No. I don't want to see every Monk having a Con of 7 and Players dipping into the class just for this.

3) Magic tattoos part1:
I would prefer monk binds around the hands that give an enhancement bonus to all attacks the monk could flurry (monk weapons, unarmed, specific other attacks in the APG builds: Imp weapons, for example).

4) Magic tattoos part 2:
Interesting concept.