Concerning the Pathfinder Monk...

[atemu1234]

I'm debating using the Pathfinder Monk progression instead of the normal 3.5 one. At a cursory read, it seems better, if not wholly "good". I think I'll also include pathfinder feats for the monk as well, and maybe houserule in that you can use improved natural attack for unarmed strikes, going off of the description of the ability in Dragon Compendium. Anything else you guys think I can do to improve it so it's at least competitive? Or at least not the equivalent of smashing a bottle over your own head in a bar fight?

[Honest Tiefling]

Qinggong monk I heard is decent, and I am a fan of progressions that allow choice as well as alternate flavor.

[(Un)Inspired]

The pathfinder monk IS better than the 3.5 monk. However, poking me in the eye then letting me play a psychic warrior is better than the 3.5 monk.

The pathfinder monk has maintained the proud monk tradition of having class features that don't mesh at all and remains MADer than a bloody hatter.

Qigong hungry ghost monk is a truly awesome boost to the class but it still doesn't go far enough to make the class dangerous.

[Nihilarian]

Sohei and Zen Archer are fairly playable. Primarily because their fighting styles (mounted and archery, respectively) allow lots of full attacks.

[jguy]

This is a houserule I made for anyone who wants to play a straight monk in my games; they get the Advanced Template for free. +4 to all stats and +2 natural armor. This may seem OP or broken at first, and at very early levels it is, but considering a monk needs high strength for damage, high dex for ac, high con to live, and high wisdom for nearly all his abilities and to make up for lack of wearing armor, it all works out pretty well. If you aren't keen on giving the template at level one, what I ruled was +1 to all stats every other level til level 8, and a +1 nat armor bonus at level 1 and level 4.

[Starbuck_II]

The pathfinder monk IS better than the 3.5 monk. However, poking me in the eye then letting me play a psychic warrior is better than the 3.5 monk.

The pathfinder monk has maintained the proud monk tradition of having class features that don't mesh at all and remains MADer than a bloody hatter.

Qigong hungry ghost monk is a truly awesome boost to the class but it still doesn't go far enough to make the class dangerous.

Agreed, heck, even the Rogue is better built than in PF. It is the Sneak Attack rules that suck in PF (while monsters were made vulnerable to it, Sneak Attack itself is more restrictive, disallowing alchemy flasks like acid, Grease no longer grants it, Blink no longer grants it, etc.)

[atemu1234]

I'm going to try and make a fixed version. The version I made gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat as well as weapon focus for its unarmed strike. I also cut the slow fall completely and sped up its progression. I also made its unarmed strikes treated as cold iron at eighth level and silver at tenth. Then I gave it a bonus feat at first, fourth, sixth, ninth, twelfth, fifteenth and eighteenth level, from the original few but adding in things from the complete series. They also gain weapon specialization for their unarmed strikes at thirteenth level, and greater weapon focus at 12th and greater weapon specialization at 15th. Too much?

[(Un)Inspired]

The problem with making a fixed version is that the basic structure of the class is garbage. Complete cabbage.

You know what makes for a cool monk in pathfinder? The pathfinder ninja that takes the unarmed combat ninja trick then the forgotten trip ninja trick then whatever it wants.

Seriously, just go around telling people you're a monk. I won't blow your secret.

The ninja is incredibly awesome and might be my favorite class that paizo created. Forgotten trick + ki pool gives you an awesome level of versatility that few other mundanes can match.

Get a Goz mask and smoke bomb enemies then sneak attack punch them to death. You can even sneak extra attacks in using your ki pool.


Ninjas skill points let you actually be trained in all the cool skills monks wish they could do like scouting and being acrobatic.

[icefractal]

I made a fixed version for a campaign. It was arguably too strong when multiclassed, actually. It's pretty simple - just make the timing of everything very flexible:

1) BAB = Full, for all purposes.
2) Flurry attacks are extra attacks you can make as a free action, no matter what your other actions were.
3) Movement was either extra movement taken as a free action, or could be used as an untyped bonus to speed (for better charging/running), choose which each round.
4) None of the anti-Monk bull****. Flurry stacks with TWF. Improved Natural Attack works with Unarmed Strike.

So for example, an 8th level Monk can do something like "move 20 feet, full attack person A, 5' step, three (2+Ki) more attacks on person B.

[Honest Tiefling]

Giving the Monk the Unarmed fighter's proficiency with Monk weapons? Last I heard they still were not automatically proficient with them. And doing something about their base damage.