Unequal Elemental Damage Reduction Enhancements...

[Joseph]

I would like to suggest that all of the classes that already have the elemental damage reduction enhancements receive them all at once, the same reduction as a Monk receives.

For those who did not know, Monks receive an enhancement that reduces ALL elemental damage by two points - Way of the Clever Monkey - one action point cost for the first tier (apoligies, I am unable to link today for some reason)

http://compendium.ddo.com/wiki/Enhancement:Way_of_the_Clever_Monkey_I

All other classes that receive an elemental damage reduction must choose one element - for the same cost that Monks pay to receive a damage reduction to all elements.

So - why is it that Barbarians, Rangers, and Rogues must pay five action points for the same thing a monk pays one action point to receive (add, this is a stacking damage reduction bonus)?

[Therilith]

So - why is it that Barbarians, Rangers, and Rogues must pay five action points for the same thing a monk pays one action point to receive (add, this is a stacking damage reduction bonus)?

Because monks can only take one animal path (and I think monkey is generally considered pretty bad, although I haven't played a monk in years).

Also, classed are balanced based on the sum of their abilities. You can't directly compare minor aspects of the classes without also looking at the big picture.

[sephiroth1084]

Well, for one, a monk isn't just spending AP on these, he's locking himself out of Elegant Crane, Patient Tortoise and the rest of the animal paths. Both cost AP and therefore lock out some other enhancements, but the monk's choice also locks out other (arguably) more powerful enhancements.

That's quite a trade-off.

[THOTHdha]

So - why is it that Barbarians, Rangers, and Rogues must pay five action points for the same thing a monk pays one action point to receive (add, this is a stacking damage reduction bonus)?

First off, only rogues get the option to spend AP to give themselves passive stacking resistance to all 5 elemental damages. Rangers and Barbarians only get options for Fire, Cold, and Acid.

More to the point of your question, the Monk's Cleaver Monkey path has a much larger opportunity cost than the Rogue's enhancements. They may spend fewer AP on their resistance, but they are also locking themselves out of any other path. Tortoise and Crane paths are generally considered much stronger options than Monkey anyways.