A Couple Feats for Monks [Archive] - Wizards Community

A Couple Feats for Monks [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Darth Sephiroth
05-22-07, 10:16 PM Ki Flight [General]
You can channel your ki into letting you fly.
Prerequisites: Slow Fall, Stunning Fist
Benefit: As a swift action, you may use one daily use of Stunning Fist to Fly as per the Fly Spell using your HD as your caster level.

Improved Ki Flight [General]
You have improved your flight abilities.
Prerequisites: Slow Fall (70 ft), Ki Flight
Benefits: As per Ki Flight, save using Overland Flight rather than Fly.

Doppleganger Style [General]
You have the ability to create copies of yourself to incite confusion in your foes.
Prerequisites: Still Mind, Stunning Fist
Benefit: As a move action, you may expend one daily use of Stunning fist to generate temporary duplicates of yourself as per the Mirror Image spell using your HD as your caster level.
Darth Sephiroth
05-24-07, 12:12 PM Iron Body Training [General]
You have trained your body to be tougher than most.
Prerequisites: Con 15+, Wis 15+, Still Mind, AC Bonus 1+
Benefit: Your class based AC Bonus from Monk levels increases by 1 and DR 1/magic
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times, each time increasing the AC bonus and DR/magic by 1.

Unarmed Mastery [General]
Your unarmed combat skills are at the top of your training.
Prerequisites: Superior Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)
Benefit: Your Unarmed Strike is treated as if you were one size larger. Further the threat range of your unarmed strike increases to 19-20/x2.
Special: The increased threat range stacks with the Improved Critical feat.

Improved Unarmed Mastery [General]
You are a true master of fighting unarmed.
Prerequisites: Unarmed Mastery, Versatile Unarmed Strike
Benefit: Your Unarmed Strike gains a +2 bonus to attack and the threat range of your unarmed strike improves to 19-20/x3.
Special: The increased threat range stacks with the Improved Critical feat.
nastynate
05-24-07, 01:17 PM Ki Flight [General]
You can channel your ki into letting you fly.
Prerequisites: Slow Fall, Stunning Fist
Benefit: As a swift action, you may use one daily use of Stunning Fist to Fly as per the Fly Spell using your HD as your caster level.

Improved Ki Flight [General]
You have improved your flight abilities.
Prerequisites: Slow Fall (70 ft), Ki Flight
Benefits: As per Ki Flight, save using Overland Flight rather than Fly.

I think the Ki Flight ability would match the wuxia style martial arts better if it gave you the effects of an air walk spell for a number of rounds equal to your monk level. Air walk has better synergy with a monk's fast movement class feature too. This would also eliminate the need for improved ki flight (monks are pretty feat starved as it is).

Long term flight capability is very useful, but it just doesn't match my mental image of the monk. I prefer to think of monks more like Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon than DBZ. YMMV of course, and that could be precisely what you were looking to emulate.

I'm picturing something like this.

Ki Flight [General]
You are able to harness your ki energy to take to the air for short periods of time.
Prerequisites: Slow Fall 30 ft., Stunning Fist
Benefit: By spending a single daily use of your stunning fist ability as a swift action, you are affected as though you were subject to an air walk spell. This is considered a supernatural ability and the effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to your monk level.
Special: A monk may select ki flight in place of his sixth level bonus feat.

Doppleganger Style [General]
You have the ability to create copies of yourself to incite confusion in your foes.
Prerequisites: Still Mind, Stunning Fist
Benefit: As a move action, you may expend one daily use of Stunning fist to generate temporary duplicates of yourself as per the Mirror Image spell using your HD as your caster level.

Cool. This is a great ability. All you need to do is touch up the wording of the feat a bit.

Iron Body Training [General]
You have trained your body to be tougher than most.
Prerequisites: Con 15+, Wis 15+, Still Mind, AC Bonus 1+
Benefit: Your class based AC Bonus from Monk levels increases by 1 and DR 1/magic
Special: This feat may be selected multiple times, each time increasing the AC bonus and DR/magic by 1.

This isn't too bad, but I doubt I would waste a feat on it.

Unarmed Mastery [General]
Your unarmed combat skills are at the top of your training.
Prerequisites: Superior Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)
Benefit: Your Unarmed Strike is treated as if you were one size larger. Further the threat range of your unarmed strike increases to 19-20/x2.
Special: The increased threat range stacks with the Improved Critical feat.

I try to stay away from stacking threat range increases. They are potentially abusable, and WotC themselves has all but completely eliminated effects such as this from 3.5 (for a good reason). As for the increase in size...that's already covered by improved natural attack.

Improved Unarmed Mastery [General]
You are a true master of fighting unarmed.
Prerequisites: Unarmed Mastery, Versatile Unarmed Strike
Benefit: Your Unarmed Strike gains a +2 bonus to attack and the threat range of your unarmed strike improves to 19-20/x3.
Special: The increased threat range stacks with the Improved Critical feat.

Other than the threat increase, which as I mentioned above, I'm not too keen about (bad pun I know), this is OK, but rather bland.

I give you an "A" for effort, but a "C" for execution. Monks need some good feat options, but they should address the issues of the monk class better than this. How about something that let's them spend a stunning fist attempt to add their monk level to damage, and bypass hardness and damage reduction on the next attack, or spend a stunning fist attempt as swift action to gain an extra move action (movement + flurry of blows in a single round would be great), or a feat that allows them to spend stunning fist attempts to use some of their 1/day class features (like dimension door) additional times.

The big problem with monks is that they have no role. They aren't heavy hitters (HP, AC, & damage are all too low), they aren't skill monkeys (4 skill points/level isn't terrible, but they are so multiple ability dependent that Intelligence has to be one of their two dump stats), and they certainly aren't spellcasters. They get a bunch of interesting abilities, but the good ones have no synergy (fast movement + flurry of blows, I'm looking at you), they are too limited in use (slow fall and purity of body...yuck!), and others are simply ineffective (the DC of quivering palm is pathetic at the level when the monk gets it, and one use per week? what a rip off!).

Try boosting the monk in a way that makes him more valuable for skirmishing (like your flight ability), durable (like your mirror image ability), able to use his class abilities more often, or less dependent upon expensive and largely ineffective magic items (amulet of mighty fists, bracers of armor, and monk's belt for example).

Peace Out
Darth Sephiroth
05-24-07, 02:47 PM Note: With your Ki Flight and mine, they could combine for a workable feat chain that could be a bit long, but should work.

For the Unarmed Mastery feats, the idea was to make them modify the basic stats for your unarmed strike. They would also make Superior Unarmed Strike worthwhile for upper level Monks who lose the benefits at level 17 (No epic damage progression for Monk Unarmed attacks). This means that you end up using a handfull of suboptimal feats for a monk to get some nice benefits.

It also means that anyone using the martial arts styles can eventually have total unarmed mastery to most builds.

xXx

Ki Flight [General]
You are able to harness your ki energy to take to the air for short periods of time.
Prerequisites: Slow Fall (30 ft.), Stunning Fist
Benefit: By spending a single daily use of your stunning fist ability as a swift action, you are affected as though you were subject to an air walk spell. This is considered a supernatural ability and the effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to your monk level.
Special: A monk may select ki flight in place of his sixth level bonus feat.

Improved Ki Flight [General]
You can channel your ki into letting you fly.
Prerequisites: Slow Fall (50 ft), Ki Flight
Benefit: By spending a single daily use of your stunning fist ability as a swift action, you are affected as though you were subject to a fly spell. This is considered a supernatural ability and the duration is as a sorcerer of your monk level.

Greater Ki Flight [General]
You have improved your flight abilities.
Prerequisites: Slow Fall (70 ft), Improved Ki Flight
Benefits: By spending a single daily use of your stunning fist ability as a swift action, you are affected as though you were subject to an overland flight spell. This is considered a supernatural ability and the duration is as a sorcerer of your monk level.

Doppleganger Style [General]
You have the ability to create copies of yourself to incite confusion in your foes.
Prerequisites: Still Mind, Stunning Fist
Benefit: By spending a single daily use of your stunning fist ability as a move action, you may use Mirror Image as a supernatural ability using your Monk Level as the caster level.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Darth Sephiroth 05-22-07, 10:16 PM	Ki Flight [General] You can channel your ki into letting you fly. Prerequisites: Slow Fall, Stunning Fist Benefit: As a swift action, you may use one daily use of Stunning Fist to Fly as per the Fly Spell using your HD as your caster level. Improved Ki Flight [General] You have improved your flight abilities. Prerequisites: Slow Fall (70 ft), Ki Flight Benefits: As per Ki Flight, save using Overland Flight rather than Fly. Doppleganger Style [General] You have the ability to create copies of yourself to incite confusion in your foes. Prerequisites: Still Mind, Stunning Fist Benefit: As a move action, you may expend one daily use of Stunning fist to generate temporary duplicates of yourself as per the Mirror Image spell using your HD as your caster level.
Darth Sephiroth 05-24-07, 12:12 PM	Iron Body Training [General] You have trained your body to be tougher than most. Prerequisites: Con 15+, Wis 15+, Still Mind, AC Bonus 1+ Benefit: Your class based AC Bonus from Monk levels increases by 1 and DR 1/magic Special: This feat may be selected multiple times, each time increasing the AC bonus and DR/magic by 1. Unarmed Mastery [General] Your unarmed combat skills are at the top of your training. Prerequisites: Superior Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike) Benefit: Your Unarmed Strike is treated as if you were one size larger. Further the threat range of your unarmed strike increases to 19-20/x2. Special: The increased threat range stacks with the Improved Critical feat. Improved Unarmed Mastery [General] You are a true master of fighting unarmed. Prerequisites: Unarmed Mastery, Versatile Unarmed Strike Benefit: Your Unarmed Strike gains a +2 bonus to attack and the threat range of your unarmed strike improves to 19-20/x3. Special: The increased threat range stacks with the Improved Critical feat.
nastynate 05-24-07, 01:17 PM	Ki Flight [General] You can channel your ki into letting you fly. Prerequisites: Slow Fall, Stunning Fist Benefit: As a swift action, you may use one daily use of Stunning Fist to Fly as per the Fly Spell using your HD as your caster level. Improved Ki Flight [General] You have improved your flight abilities. Prerequisites: Slow Fall (70 ft), Ki Flight Benefits: As per Ki Flight, save using Overland Flight rather than Fly. I think the Ki Flight ability would match the wuxia style martial arts better if it gave you the effects of an air walk spell for a number of rounds equal to your monk level. Air walk has better synergy with a monk's fast movement class feature too. This would also eliminate the need for improved ki flight (monks are pretty feat starved as it is). Long term flight capability is very useful, but it just doesn't match my mental image of the monk. I prefer to think of monks more like Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon than DBZ. YMMV of course, and that could be precisely what you were looking to emulate. I'm picturing something like this. Ki Flight [General] You are able to harness your ki energy to take to the air for short periods of time. Prerequisites: Slow Fall 30 ft., Stunning Fist Benefit: By spending a single daily use of your stunning fist ability as a swift action, you are affected as though you were subject to an air walk spell. This is considered a supernatural ability and the effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to your monk level. Special: A monk may select ki flight in place of his sixth level bonus feat. Doppleganger Style [General] You have the ability to create copies of yourself to incite confusion in your foes. Prerequisites: Still Mind, Stunning Fist Benefit: As a move action, you may expend one daily use of Stunning fist to generate temporary duplicates of yourself as per the Mirror Image spell using your HD as your caster level. Cool. This is a great ability. All you need to do is touch up the wording of the feat a bit. Iron Body Training [General] You have trained your body to be tougher than most. Prerequisites: Con 15+, Wis 15+, Still Mind, AC Bonus 1+ Benefit: Your class based AC Bonus from Monk levels increases by 1 and DR 1/magic Special: This feat may be selected multiple times, each time increasing the AC bonus and DR/magic by 1. This isn't too bad, but I doubt I would waste a feat on it. Unarmed Mastery [General] Your unarmed combat skills are at the top of your training. Prerequisites: Superior Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike) Benefit: Your Unarmed Strike is treated as if you were one size larger. Further the threat range of your unarmed strike increases to 19-20/x2. Special: The increased threat range stacks with the Improved Critical feat. I try to stay away from stacking threat range increases. They are potentially abusable, and WotC themselves has all but completely eliminated effects such as this from 3.5 (for a good reason). As for the increase in size...that's already covered by improved natural attack. Improved Unarmed Mastery [General] You are a true master of fighting unarmed. Prerequisites: Unarmed Mastery, Versatile Unarmed Strike Benefit: Your Unarmed Strike gains a +2 bonus to attack and the threat range of your unarmed strike improves to 19-20/x3. Special: The increased threat range stacks with the Improved Critical feat. Other than the threat increase, which as I mentioned above, I'm not too keen about (bad pun I know), this is OK, but rather bland. I give you an "A" for effort, but a "C" for execution. Monks need some good feat options, but they should address the issues of the monk class better than this. How about something that let's them spend a stunning fist attempt to add their monk level to damage, and bypass hardness and damage reduction on the next attack, or spend a stunning fist attempt as swift action to gain an extra move action (movement + flurry of blows in a single round would be great), or a feat that allows them to spend stunning fist attempts to use some of their 1/day class features (like dimension door) additional times. The big problem with monks is that they have no role. They aren't heavy hitters (HP, AC, & damage are all too low), they aren't skill monkeys (4 skill points/level isn't terrible, but they are so multiple ability dependent that Intelligence has to be one of their two dump stats), and they certainly aren't spellcasters. They get a bunch of interesting abilities, but the good ones have no synergy (fast movement + flurry of blows, I'm looking at you), they are too limited in use (slow fall and purity of body...yuck!), and others are simply ineffective (the DC of quivering palm is pathetic at the level when the monk gets it, and one use per week? what a rip off!). Try boosting the monk in a way that makes him more valuable for skirmishing (like your flight ability), durable (like your mirror image ability), able to use his class abilities more often, or less dependent upon expensive and largely ineffective magic items (amulet of mighty fists, bracers of armor, and monk's belt for example). Peace Out
Darth Sephiroth 05-24-07, 02:47 PM	Note: With your Ki Flight and mine, they could combine for a workable feat chain that could be a bit long, but should work. For the Unarmed Mastery feats, the idea was to make them modify the basic stats for your unarmed strike. They would also make Superior Unarmed Strike worthwhile for upper level Monks who lose the benefits at level 17 (No epic damage progression for Monk Unarmed attacks). This means that you end up using a handfull of suboptimal feats for a monk to get some nice benefits. It also means that anyone using the martial arts styles can eventually have total unarmed mastery to most builds. xXx Ki Flight [General] You are able to harness your ki energy to take to the air for short periods of time. Prerequisites: Slow Fall (30 ft.), Stunning Fist Benefit: By spending a single daily use of your stunning fist ability as a swift action, you are affected as though you were subject to an air walk spell. This is considered a supernatural ability and the effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to your monk level. Special: A monk may select ki flight in place of his sixth level bonus feat. Improved Ki Flight [General] You can channel your ki into letting you fly. Prerequisites: Slow Fall (50 ft), Ki Flight Benefit: By spending a single daily use of your stunning fist ability as a swift action, you are affected as though you were subject to a fly spell. This is considered a supernatural ability and the duration is as a sorcerer of your monk level. Greater Ki Flight [General] You have improved your flight abilities. Prerequisites: Slow Fall (70 ft), Improved Ki Flight Benefits: By spending a single daily use of your stunning fist ability as a swift action, you are affected as though you were subject to an overland flight spell. This is considered a supernatural ability and the duration is as a sorcerer of your monk level. Doppleganger Style [General] You have the ability to create copies of yourself to incite confusion in your foes. Prerequisites: Still Mind, Stunning Fist Benefit: By spending a single daily use of your stunning fist ability as a move action, you may use Mirror Image as a supernatural ability using your Monk Level as the caster level.