Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DireHawk 05-10-07, 10:48 PM	Ok, so after seeing a couple of threads about how the monk sucks or doesn't suck, I decided to tweak it myself to see what comes of it. Here's what I got. Monk A monk has all of the normal game statistics, plus: -Monks get full BAB. -Monks do not progress as per the normal monk damage table. Instead, a monk gains improved natural attack as a bonus feat at first level. They get it again at level 4, and every 4 levels thereafter. A monk may apply this feat to any natural attack he possesses, including unarmed strikes. -Monks may use Flurry of Blows with any natural attack they possess, including unarmed strike. -A monk's slow fall ability does not require a wall. -The damage reduction gained from the Perfect Self ability becomes DR 10/Magic and Law. I decided on these changes for a few reasons. For BAB, it just made sense to me. A monk fights, it should get full BAB. As for the improved natural attack feats, I felt it does two things. 1) It gives the monk higher damage output potential at higher levels. 2) It makes monstrous monks THAT much scarier. For the bit about natural attacks being used during a flurry, my logic is simple. Any creature that trains in a martial art is going to incorporate their natural advantages, including natural attacks. Are you telling me a gargoyle monk is not going to rake you with his claws to gore you with his horns in a rhythmic blur of deadly motion? You really expect me to believe he's just going to sit there and elbow me and kick me? Riiiigggght. Finally, the Perfect Self DR just bothered me. It's absolutely useless at a level when everyone has a magic weapon.
runestar 05-10-07, 11:15 PM	I decided on these changes for a few reasons. For BAB, it just made sense to me. A monk fights, it should get full BAB. Except that it was never meant as a front liner. People keep envisioning the monk as some sort of unarmed fighter, which is why they are disappointed with it in actual gameplay. Far from it, they are meant to be used as the combat version of the bard(jack of all trades in the battlefield). As for the improved natural attack feats, I felt it does two things. 1) It gives the monk higher damage output potential at higher levels. 2) It makes monstrous monks THAT much scarier. So for a human monk, his damage scales from 1d4 to 1d6 to 1d8 to 2d6 to 3d6 to 4d6 at 20th lv. Or possibly 6d6 if you took vile deformity: claws. And the fun with enlarge person. Interesting... For the bit about natural attacks being used during a flurry, my logic is simple. Any creature that trains in a martial art is going to incorporate their natural advantages, including natural attacks. Are you telling me a gargoyle monk is not going to rake you with his claws to gore you with his horns in a rhythmic blur of deadly motion? You really expect me to believe he's just going to sit there and elbow me and kick me? Riiiigggght. Fair enough. Finally, the Perfect Self DR just bothered me. It's absolutely useless at a level when everyone has a magic weapon. It was meant to be useless. Though you will be amazed by just how many monsters there are, even at higher lvs, which are unable to overcome dr/magic. The pit fiend is one such example.:P