Monk balance test - the rules etc. discussion thread revived

[Sir Giacomo]

Hi everyone,

due to the sudden and untimely demise of this thread, and in accordance with Roland St. Jude, welcome to this new thread.

For those who do not know: this and its preceding thread are set up for discussing the incredible adventures of our heros:

Solo the sorcerer (played by...you guessed it...Solo. See here for his sorcerer's guide in part inspired by the adventures),
Gragthor the barbarian (and/or his intelligent - yet not appeared - spiked chain Luthor, played by Worira),
Gen, the cleric (archer extraordinaire, played by Rachel Lorelei) and
Torc, the monk (played by lord_khaine).
DMed by Talic, challenges prepared by ZeroNumerous.

All are level 20, core, straight base class builds and their exploits (currently going against several nightsshade monsters) can be found here.

The original intent was to test whether the monk is able to keep with the barbarian and rogue in terms of adventuring group contribution at level 10, 15 and 20. Currently the first of the challenges (level 20, monk vs barbarian) is going on.
What imo is quite fascinating, though, is that by now the challenges have brought on many opportunities to discuss rules and tactics at extremely high-level play.

Enjoy!

And to use Roland St. Jude's usual comments for (potentially intensely discussed balance threads like this):
Remember to keep it civil!

- Giacomo

[Skjaldbakka]

Cool. Could you put a link to the character sheets in the first post? It would make it easier to follow.

Ah, found them. I don't think it is fair that he had to take proficiency with guantlets. Guantlets are unarmed strikes in every conceivable way. Monks not being proficient with unarmed strikes is an oversight right up there with being able to take actions while dead, and bucket healing.

[Sir Giacomo]

Cool. Could you put a link to the character sheets in the first post? It would make it easier to follow.

Done!

Ah, found them. I don't think it is fair that he had to take proficiency with guantlets. Guantlets are unarmed strikes in every conceivable way. Monks not being proficient with unarmed strikes is an oversight right up there with being able to take actions while dead, and bucket healing.

Well, it was a long discussion, and with the help of Lord Silvanos it was decided that you had to take simple weapon proficiency to use the gauntlets without penalty (and FAQ somewhere also decided that you cannot flurry with them).
What is more amusing (and more relevant), though, is that enlarge person potions no longer worked on a level 20 monk (since he is considered an outsider for magical effects*). I do not know whether in the final equipment regaining part, Torc will be allowed some other means of enlarging his outsider body (say, with a rightuous might from a ring of spell storing), since polymorhping stuff is a no-no.

- Giacomo

*as another kick in the side, as a good outsider the monk currently takes more damage from the nightstalker unholy blights But imo the monk can take all these insults, since so far he received only few injuries!

[Skjaldbakka]

Yeah, I had two half-celestials in a game I ran last year. They got pretty messed up when they fought a group of Erinyes. Something about Unholy Blight at will made them very unhappy. They managed to fight it out to a draw, but they lost two party members (one killed, one captured). They wound up making a deal with a Raksasha to get their teammates back.

Good times.

Query- How many times has Cleric cast Time Stop? My count is 3, and only one is prepped. How? Hmm, it looks like some of those were ret-conned. That may be it.

[Lokey]

Yeah, it's slow going, I miss my updates :( Though if that's typical play by post speed, I could handle a character in another test (say roughly a round worth of actions per day).

I think this is only the 3rd round proper of the Night* encounter, and looks to be pretty much over except for mopping up. The real nasty x/day abilities have been fired and no one has died yet, one beasty is walled off. The walkers could do some weapon smashing, but Solo has a big stash of stuff from the beginning of the encounter. Hope there aren't any nasty tricks or traps in that cabin he's carrying around.

And I do think that was a pretty rude encounter. Considering the group's equipment situation and a nice starting setup for the creatures (multiple targets for their cone or area abilities), definitely over CR 20.

[Solo]

Yeah, it's slow going, I miss my updates :( Though if that's typical play by post speed, I could handle a character in another test (say roughly a round worth of actions per day).

I think this is only the 3rd round proper of the Night* encounter, and looks to be pretty much over except for mopping up. The real nasty x/day abilities have been fired and no one has died yet, one beasty is walled off. The walkers could do some weapon smashing, but Solo has a big stash of stuff from the beginning of the encounter. Hope there aren't any nasty tricks or traps in that cabin he's carrying around.

And I do think that was a pretty rude encounter. Considering the group's equipment situation and a nice starting setup for the creatures (multiple targets for their cone or area abilities), definitely over CR 20.

I has a cabin. Cabin is a weapons.

Cabin has weapon inside iz. Cabinz iz gud, lol.

I is not coming out of Etheralness becuz i is not able to fire off a spells afterwardz, but I will cast pro. evil on myselvz and wait 4 healbot to hit teh crawler with teh superspecialawesome attack and destroy teh darkness 4tw!

[Sstoopidtallkid]

So, is this still going or what?

[lord_khaine]

yes, the person running this thing, talic, just have some rl stuff to do first before he can continue the test.