neonchameleon
2013-02-07, 12:18 PM
As is about as non-controversial as it's possible to get, the 3.X monk (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/monk.htm) has issues. And the 4e one rocks quite hard. Not especially a master at combat (but certainly no slouch), the 4e monk is a master of mobility. They won't win a head to head fight with a fighter unless they get really lucky, but they are wire-fu masters, able to run up the walls, and beat up archers and spellcasters while the fighter's still looking at the wall.
I'd therefore propose the following changes to the 3.5 Monk as fixes.
Basics
BAB: Monks get full BAB. Of course.
Skills: 6+Int. (They need more - actually I'd bump them to 8 and the rogue to 10 or 12).
Solving MAD
Precision Strike: When using a monk weapon or unarmed a monk may use wis or dex instead of strength for to hit and damage rolls.
Hardened Body: A monk may use strength instead of either Dex or Wis for their AC bonus and instead of Con for their Fort save
That cuts down the number of stats a monk needs and provides options for the wrinkly old master who never appears to move. They still are only about a rival for rogues. Still MAD - two stats for AC and no armour allowed. But it's now two stats and con rather than three so it's not as extreme.
Solving enchantments
Iron Hands: A monk may enchant their fists as weapons or their skin as armour. When using a specialist monk weapon that weapon uses the Monk Unarmed Damage damage value.
(Enchant the Monk itself - or don't lose damage by using a physical weapon)
Solving Flurry
Signature Strike: A monk may make a Signature Strike as a standard action at -2 to hit. They do this as a standard action which may be taken at any point during their move action (as for Spring Attack). As their Signature Strike they may make one of the following attacks although they may not repeat the strike they made the previous round:
Power Fist: Make the attack roll as normal but the Monk gets any or all of the following benefits to the attack. If the monk has the Stunning Fist feat they may expend a use of Stunning Fist. If they have the Improved Trip, Improved Disarm, or the Improved Bull Rush feats they may make a contest as normal for those feats in addition to doing damage.
Flurry of Blows: The monk makes two standard attacks (three at L6, four at L11, five at L15; only monk levels or specific prestige class levels qualify). Any of these may be trips, disarms, or bull rushes.
Spinning Attack: The monk makes a single attack against each enemy in reach - either a standard attack or a trip, disarm, or bull rush. A level 11 monk may do this twice.
Solving Movement
A monk gains additional Trained Movement whenever they take a move action - trained movement replaces a Monk's Unarmoured Speed Bonus and is 10ft faster. It also gains utilities as the Monk gains levels.
Level 1: A Monk as part of Trained Movement may run up or along walls.
Level 3: A Monk as part of Trained Movement may leap horizontally. They may also walk across substances like snow, rice paper, or even water as long as they only use trained movement to do so,
Level 5: A Monk as part of Trained Movement may leap any combination of vertically or horizontally.
Level 7: A Monk at this level may walk on air as long as they only use their trained movement while they do so. They need to be touching the ground to use their regular movement.
Level 9: A Monk at this level may walk through exclusively magical structures such as Walls of Force as a part of their trained movement as long as they do not end their movement inside them. This gives them no special knowledge of what is on the other side.
Level 11: A Monk at this level may walk through both physical and magical structures as long as they do not end their movement inside them.
Level 13: A Monk may extend their trained movement to any willing creatures they are touching.
Level 15: All movement for a Monk this level counts as trained movement.
L17: A Monk may cross planes and dimensions as for Plane Shift.
Level 19: A Monk may extend their trained movement to unwilling creatures they either touch or hit unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + ½ the monk’s level + the monk’s Wis modifier). (Yes, this does mean that a level 19 Monk can punch mooks through walls or into the floor at will).
Feats: A Monk may take Improved Bull Rush as a bonus L3 feat.
Would this be enough to fix the Monk? Note that nowhere have I made them ignore Attacks of Opportunity - so a fighter is meant to be able to pulverise them if the fighter gets close. What they specialise in is getting close to the enemies who really don't want them anywhere near and doing things those enemies don't want. And I'm trying to keep it classic 3.5 style - and aiming for Tier 3. I don't think there's anything game breaking in there but the monk is good at what they do.
I'd therefore propose the following changes to the 3.5 Monk as fixes.
Basics
BAB: Monks get full BAB. Of course.
Skills: 6+Int. (They need more - actually I'd bump them to 8 and the rogue to 10 or 12).
Solving MAD
Precision Strike: When using a monk weapon or unarmed a monk may use wis or dex instead of strength for to hit and damage rolls.
Hardened Body: A monk may use strength instead of either Dex or Wis for their AC bonus and instead of Con for their Fort save
That cuts down the number of stats a monk needs and provides options for the wrinkly old master who never appears to move. They still are only about a rival for rogues. Still MAD - two stats for AC and no armour allowed. But it's now two stats and con rather than three so it's not as extreme.
Solving enchantments
Iron Hands: A monk may enchant their fists as weapons or their skin as armour. When using a specialist monk weapon that weapon uses the Monk Unarmed Damage damage value.
(Enchant the Monk itself - or don't lose damage by using a physical weapon)
Solving Flurry
Signature Strike: A monk may make a Signature Strike as a standard action at -2 to hit. They do this as a standard action which may be taken at any point during their move action (as for Spring Attack). As their Signature Strike they may make one of the following attacks although they may not repeat the strike they made the previous round:
Power Fist: Make the attack roll as normal but the Monk gets any or all of the following benefits to the attack. If the monk has the Stunning Fist feat they may expend a use of Stunning Fist. If they have the Improved Trip, Improved Disarm, or the Improved Bull Rush feats they may make a contest as normal for those feats in addition to doing damage.
Flurry of Blows: The monk makes two standard attacks (three at L6, four at L11, five at L15; only monk levels or specific prestige class levels qualify). Any of these may be trips, disarms, or bull rushes.
Spinning Attack: The monk makes a single attack against each enemy in reach - either a standard attack or a trip, disarm, or bull rush. A level 11 monk may do this twice.
Solving Movement
A monk gains additional Trained Movement whenever they take a move action - trained movement replaces a Monk's Unarmoured Speed Bonus and is 10ft faster. It also gains utilities as the Monk gains levels.
Level 1: A Monk as part of Trained Movement may run up or along walls.
Level 3: A Monk as part of Trained Movement may leap horizontally. They may also walk across substances like snow, rice paper, or even water as long as they only use trained movement to do so,
Level 5: A Monk as part of Trained Movement may leap any combination of vertically or horizontally.
Level 7: A Monk at this level may walk on air as long as they only use their trained movement while they do so. They need to be touching the ground to use their regular movement.
Level 9: A Monk at this level may walk through exclusively magical structures such as Walls of Force as a part of their trained movement as long as they do not end their movement inside them. This gives them no special knowledge of what is on the other side.
Level 11: A Monk at this level may walk through both physical and magical structures as long as they do not end their movement inside them.
Level 13: A Monk may extend their trained movement to any willing creatures they are touching.
Level 15: All movement for a Monk this level counts as trained movement.
L17: A Monk may cross planes and dimensions as for Plane Shift.
Level 19: A Monk may extend their trained movement to unwilling creatures they either touch or hit unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + ½ the monk’s level + the monk’s Wis modifier). (Yes, this does mean that a level 19 Monk can punch mooks through walls or into the floor at will).
Feats: A Monk may take Improved Bull Rush as a bonus L3 feat.
Would this be enough to fix the Monk? Note that nowhere have I made them ignore Attacks of Opportunity - so a fighter is meant to be able to pulverise them if the fighter gets close. What they specialise in is getting close to the enemies who really don't want them anywhere near and doing things those enemies don't want. And I'm trying to keep it classic 3.5 style - and aiming for Tier 3. I don't think there's anything game breaking in there but the monk is good at what they do.