Yet another monk fix

[GoatBoy]

I know, it's not even Monday. And if fixing the monk was this simple then it would have been done by now. Nevertheless, here are some ideas:

Flurry of blows (Ex): A monk may make a flurry of blows with any weapon in which is is proficient, or with which she later gains proficiency. Flurry of blows can be activated as a standard action (giving an extra attack on the attack action, with two extra attacks after 11th level) or as part of a full attack.

In addition, a monk with the Combat Reflexes feat may make a flurry of blows when she is allowed to make an attack of opportunity, but this uses up as many of her permitted attacks of opportunity as attacks she makes. It does not allow her to exceed her maximum number of attacks of opportunity per round.

Tenacity (Ex): At the beginning of her turn, a monk of at least 3rd level may make a new save against any ongoing debilitating effect which is currently affecting her, even if she has already failed a previous save. She may continue to make saves round after round until the effect is removed.

Fast Movement (Su): If the monk's speed is ever reduced for any reason, she may still treat the enhancement bonus she receives to her speed from this class feature as her movement speed. In other words, the bonus to her speed will always be her minimum speed, except in situations where supernatural effects are suppressed.

[NecroRick]

Honestly, the only change around here that is going to make people happy with the Monk is to give him full spell casting progression - e.g. level 9s at 17 (if prepared) or 18 (if spontaneous).

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For a quick and dirty version of what that might look like, just give him the spells (but not domain powers or feats!) from these domain lists as the core:

Law
Protection
Strength
War

And then give him one more depending on his 'style'. Or if you're really feeling generous give him a second one at level 12

Hard: Destruction
Soft: Healing
Good guy: Good
Bad guy: Evil
Crane Stance: Animal (I dunno, make yer own darn list)
Goku-wannabe: Fire
Wuxia: Travel
Drunken Boxing: Trickery

If you use two optional domain lists that means there's over 50 combinations - you'd never play with two monks the same ever again.

Also it gives him over 50 spells to choose from, including some of the "this is why clerics are better than fighters" spells like Divine Power and Righteous Might. And a little bit more grunt in terms of offensive options (Spiritual Weapon), and a little bit more staying power (Magic Vestment) at low levels, and a few "save or suck" or "save or die" that the higher tiers are so fond of.

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If you prefer a spontaneous arcane approach, have him pick a single school. He can cast from that. Then at level 12 have him pick a second school. Fluff as necessary with 8 different "fighting styles".

[Thespianus]

I think you misspelled "unarmed swordsage" there. ;)

[NecroRick]

I think you misspelled "unarmed swordsage" there. ;)

No... I'm pretty sure they don't get full casting. And hence, according to the logic of the holy tiers they must suck. QED.

[Thespianus]

No... I'm pretty sure they don't get full casting. And hence, according to the logic of the holy tiers they must suck. QED.
But noone thinks the unarmed swordsage sucks. It's not Tier 1, but Tier 3 is nothing to sneeze at.

[NecroRick]

But noone thinks the unarmed swordsage sucks. It's not Tier 1, but Tier 3 is nothing to sneeze at.

It would be more accurate to say no one thinks the swordsage sucks ... when compared to the Monk and the Samurai.

Honestly I don't think that the swordsage has enough versatility to justify tier 3. Put him back on tier 4 where he belongs, and shuffle the barbarians up to tier 4.5 (oh wow, you can dodge traps. Thats... worth a cookie, not a whole jump in tiers).

[gkathellar]

Flurry of blows (Ex): A monk may make a flurry of blows with any weapon in which is is proficient, or with which she later gains proficiency. Flurry of blows can be activated as a standard action (giving an extra attack on the attack action, with two extra attacks after 11th level) or as part of a full attack.

In addition, a monk with the Combat Reflexes feat may make a flurry of blows when she is allowed to make an attack of opportunity, but this uses up as many of her permitted attacks of opportunity as attacks she makes. It does not allow her to exceed her maximum number of attacks of opportunity per round.

You're not the first to have this excellent, excellent idea. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150122)

Other suggestions don't do quite as much, but they're not bad ideas and they play to the monk's strengths.


No... I'm pretty sure they don't get full casting. And hence, according to the logic of the holy tiers they must suck. QED.

Wow, that is some crazy projection you've got going there.

A lot of people around here think that Tiers 1-2 are flatly undesirable. Go on the Homebrew board where this thread belongs, and look at how many fixes to bring caster power down to about martial adept levels (Tier 3) were posted this weekend.


It would be more accurate to say no one thinks the swordsage sucks ... when compared to the Monk and the Samurai.

Honestly I don't think that the swordsage has enough versatility to justify tier 3. Put him back on tier 4 where he belongs, and shuffle the barbarians up to tier 4.5 (oh wow, you can dodge traps. Thats... worth a cookie, not a whole jump in tiers).

Swordsages hit Tier 3 because versatility is what they are best at. They don't have a Crusader or Warblade's raw power, but versatility? They do that better than any other martial adept. Also they get Shadow Hand, which is an amazing discipline.

Barabarians hit Tier 4 because they can deal significantly more damage than martial adepts with the right build in the right situation Ergo, really good at one thing, or the very definition of Tier 4.