Would a Xianxia Trope be a good solution to the Monk Weaknesses?

[BRKNdevil]

Randomly going through stuff after reading a Whole Lot of Xianxia Web Novels. One trope that appears a lot is the Idea of Body Reinforcement through Cultivation. Was thinking that since the Monk is very Eastern, would it be fine to allow a Monk to Reinforce himself at no extra cost as if he had Craft Magic Arms and Armor but only for his own body?
This includes things like different Armor Effects and Weapon Effects that would normally be done on some other item, requiring a wizard or some such to cast the spells at the start and then the Monk just does his thing. Different outcomes would be just different paths along the Dao and cultivation of different techniques.

This would extend to Prestige classes that have Monk Traits and the Monk's Caster Rating would be its effective Monk Level

Another thing would be like DR materials since in Xianxia, the different cultivators would use rare materials to infuse into their body and allow them the same traits. So a Monk would get a chunk of Adamantine, Melt it down, blend it with herbs and spices and submerge and fuse himself with the materials.

[daremetoidareyo]

DMG2 has the truebond feat which can do this.

[BRKNdevil]

But what if you aren't valued at 100GP? I know it isn't Magical or Masterwork, its a Monk

Besides, reading the effects, they are weaker then just upgrading a magic item. They seem to be minor inconsequential upgrades that really should stack instead of wiping each other out

[daremetoidareyo]

Well, you can always just go ahead with your plan and just use that dmg2 rules text or the ancestral relic feat (BOED) as a guide (sacrifices and whatnot). Monk blows really hard in 3.5, so this boost makes up for the BAB issue and/or the non ability to get sweet weapon enhancements on your iconic class feature.

[Recherché]

Hmmm what about giving monks pathfinder's automatic bonus progression (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/unchained-rules/automatic-bonus-progression/)for free as a class ability?

[BRKNdevil]

Well, you can always just go ahead with your plan and just use that dmg2 rules text or the ancestral relic feat (BOED) as a guide (sacrifices and whatnot). Monk blows really hard in 3.5, so this boost makes up for the BAB issue and/or the non ability to get sweet weapon enhancements on your iconic class feature.

I do like the Ancestral Relic idea, just splash it on for both body and unarmed strike, (or possibly both as one?)
Would still prefer to keep with things in 3.5 vs 3.P
Kinda wish i could convince more to just move to new version but i'll keep on throwing up solutions to bad curve for friends and un-optimization that they do

[Cosi]

In general, the answer to "Would a Xianxia trope be a good solution" is almost always yes. D&D should draw much more than it does from Eastern fantasy and mythological tropes.

This specific case is no exception. Monks could absolutely benefit from a paradigm where their focus on bodily perfection gives them superpowers like flight or indestructibility. The specific suggestions OP has aren't all great -- I'm not sure weapon and armor enhancements are going to do much to address the Monk's problems -- but the idea that the Monk could cultivate his spirit to the point of being able to teleport or something is a good one, and the fact that such a thing is in-concept for the Monk makes the class much better than the Fighter.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

Honestly, the Unchained Monk from PF is all the fixing monks really need, especially in a 3.5 environment. They do get most of the wild kung fu movie tricks, along with a much more intuitive Flurry of Blows

I’d definitely roll the benefits of Automatic Bonus Progression into Vow of Poverty though. Won’t let you fly, but it covers all the number increases you’d normally get.

[BRKNdevil]

hah, practically all Xianxia have Martial Artists that fly. Though its more an exertion of technique then anything for most, at least until you get to people who can literally destroy a mundane town with a single blow

man Xianxia really like describing things in terms of towns destroyed/cities destroyed

[Dr_Dinosaur]

hah, practically all Xianxia have Martial Artists that fly. Though its more an exertion of technique then anything for most, at least until you get to people who can literally destroy a mundane town with a single blow

man Xianxia really like describing things in terms of towns destroyed/cities destroyed

It actually turns out I was mistaken. The Wind Jump ki power lets them “fly” as long as they end each round on a surface that can support them. The Windstep Master archetype also gives them Wind Walk for some time each day!