Monk Capstone: Serenity Preview

[Wizzly_Bear]

absolutely love the idea of capstone enhancements. i would suggest some be more powerful than others though (makes more sense to go pure monk than pure fighter so fighter should be a bit stronger).

[Riggs]

It is cool to get information about coming enhancements for sure.

As for the serenity capstone....it does seem a little weak for a level 20 enhancement, it seems more appropriate for something in the 14-19 range.

Considering that by level 20 monks get outsider dr, their hands bypass several types of dr, and other class benefits, it would seem that a level 20 enhancement should be fairly significant, while not wanting to be overwhelming.

'Way of the fist' - making unarmed attacks transmuting rather than merely adamantine/magic/lawful would be significant. (Not many creatures are affected by lawful/magic/adamantine right now as it is).

'Way of Avoidance' - adding to the outsider dr, getting a dodge boost, or maybe a 'resist all damage 20 for 20 seconds maybe.

Something along those lines - simulating the capstone of a prestige class power for example, would seem more appropriate for a level 20 ability (the border between heroic and epic/godhood), than a +1 to ki generation.

[Delt]

I love that El is giving out mod 9 tidbits, it's really keeping my flagging interest/boredom from completely vanishing. That said, a comment and a question:

Question: What's the difference between PrE's and Capstone? Can anyone point me to a post that explains it?

Comment: Seems like a pretty weak addition for staying level 20 pure. Mind you, the "power" of this addition is largely dependant on what else they add to monks in mod 9, but it would have to be either something that takes a large ki investment during combat OR very useful out of combat monk feature (that aren't otherwise covered by clickies/etc). Ki has never been an issue, at least on my monk, as I am usually at full during combat.

Crit enhancements would have had me saying "yay!"...

[Gadget2775]

I was pretty sure they would be there.

I didn't think it was obvious they would be decent at all.

Completely and totally irrelevant. Every player who multiclasses should expect to give up something that would only be available to a pure class version including: Feats, Class Granted Abilities and Enhancements

Fighters give up additional feats
Barbarians sacrifice portions of their rage
Paladins sacrifice spells/spell points and smites
Clerics/Wizards/Sorcerers/Bards loose spells/spell points and possibly spell levels
Rogues have less skill points/backstab damage and loose a special ability

Just because you felt the return for multi-classing under the current system outweighed the loss doesn't mean Turbine shouldn't put in a special "Pure Class" enhancement for level 20.

My thoughts on DDO

• Enjoy playing the game how it is.
• Accept that there will be changes which may alter how you feel about current characters abilities/potential.
• Don't expect Turbine to tell you what will happen one month/6 months/a year ahead of time. Odds are the plans they're working with today will change down the road so they can't/won't tell you what's going to happen ahead of time.

As a side note; I have exactly one character across two accounts (only one of which has A slot avaliable for a new character) that isn't multi-classed. So, as it stands I have ONE chacter who'll be able to access the level 20 enhancment. Boo Friggin hoo. I like my characters; Warts and all, and won't reroll any of them just because they can't have A enhancment.

[Aesop]

Looks decent. Not too powerful. Not something people can't live without but definately a nice bonus that isn't too expensive

I just have to wait til level 21 to take it

Aesop

[sephiroth1084]

Only one problem with that theory. Not all of the posts here consists of adoration
I'm sure Eladrin sees as much criticism as adoration on these posts. Part and parcel of being a dev I guess. You can't please everybody.

But, if Britney Spears and Amy Winehouse have taught us anything, even bad publicity is good publicity... so I suppose in the end, Eladrin does win out

And I think I speak for most of us that whether we love or hate the capstones, new PrEs, or racial enhancements, it's nice to at least be kept in the loop of dev knowledge. So a /salute to Eladrin for that one.

I didn't mean adoration for the idea itself, but rather the sharing. I'm fairly certain that everyone (or nearly everyone) is happy that the moratorium on sharing info with the community has ceased. And even the nitpickers enjoy something to nitpick about.

[sephiroth1084]

Idea just occurred to me for something monks could get at 20 that would make staying pure really worthwhile:

Bring back the bug that allowed monks to charge up finishers while blocking, as a class feature!

[Riggs]

Additionally, it would be really, really cool to have a separate set of multiclass capstone enhancements or prestige lines.

While there should be additional class power to staying pure class, many prestige lines require multiclassing, and it would be cool if those mixes also saw something at high levels specific to their lines.

The mention of ki in the fighter kensai line for example suggests a benefit for a specific multiclass combo, and while I dont think 'batman' is standard prestige class, there are other combos that could maybe be added.

Hunter of the Dead I remember seeing something once, a paladin/rogue class where they get sneak damage vs undead would be a cool one say. I sure there are many others too.

[hu-flung-pu]

Is it wrong to REALLY like this enhancement?

To be a constant font of Ki, and having it stack with a green stone +6 CON skill boost, means that you'll have gobs and gobs of Ki to play with, just entering an instance.

Very nice.

[Inspire]

This is actually a really powerful Enhancement for those who play monks, if you have a concentration skill of 40 which would be very easy to obtain by level 20 IMO, you get the regen on "Ki" and you can use "Wholeness of Body" anytime you want, no need to meditate... just find a safe spot for a while then heal up, no resources needed.

This works well with any "Ki" based bonus you can get your base "Ki" to, for example buffing with harmonious balance lines or "Healing Ki" for your party.

I guess the real question is how quick is the "Ki" generation.

[Randolf_Drake]

And yet again, Enhancements destroy Multiclassing, YAY for 3.5 online...

[maddmatt70]

And yet again, Enhancements destroy Multiclassing, YAY for 3.5 online...

/signed

I am really still disappointed about kensai 1. That is so bad that there is never any incentive to just go with anything less then 12 levels of fighter (probably 18) unless you are just grabbing a fighter level or 2. This is along the same vein these level 20 capstones.

[Balkas]

And yet again, Enhancements destroy Multiclassing, YAY for 3.5 online...

How has it destroyed multiclassing?

[hu-flung-pu]

And yet again, Enhancements destroy Multiclassing, YAY for 3.5 online...

Say what now?

You've seen one little enhancement, that has a VERY subtle effect on your pure class monk. A class everyone seems to hate anyways. And suddely tempest barbarians are destroyed?

[Hasteclicky]

I've multiclassed most of my toons because I like to, always knowing I would be sacrificing something over staying pure. I was building and playing for the current game as everyone else has been. Personally I think what classes get for staying pure should outweigh the benefits of multiclassing. that's a choice we all knew we had.

[Aesop]

I've multiclassed most of my toons because I like to, always knowing I would be sacrificing something over staying pure. I was building and playing for the current game as everyone else has been. Personally I think what classes get for staying pure should outweigh the benefits of multiclassing. that's a choice we all knew we had.

I actually disagree here.

MC and Pure should be different and each have their benefits but if both are level 20 then there should not be an "outweigh" (unless the MC or Pure COmpletely Gimped him/herself... like a 6 con 8 strength Elven Barb with a 26 base Int)


That said I still don't mind Capstone Enhancements as long as they don't overpower a pure class too much

Aesop

[Korvek]

I personally like this enhancement. The most important part is that it isn't a must-have type of enhancement, which still allows multiclassing to be viable.

[QuantumFX]

Eladrin,

I like this enhancement. However, I like it because it seems to be equal to the advantage of taking 2 levels of other classes.

I think this is the key to capstone enhancements: Make them powerful enough to make players consider staying pure without forcing them to stay pure. That was one of the big flaws with the Critical rage enhancement. When the cap was level 14 it forced barbarians to stay pure because it overpowered anything that 1-2 levels of another class would get them.

Also, what are Turbine's plans for enhancements in epic levels? Are they going to cap at level 20 like BaB?

[Garth_of_Sarlona]

Serenity is subtle, yet in the hands of a master, potentially very powerful. Ki retention is heavily governed by one's Concentration score, and while this is a hefty bonus; the second bonus is what I find much more interesting... With Serenity, a monk's ki not only decays at a slower rate and stabilizes at a higher "Concentration band", but it will actually regenerate over time if their accumulated ki is low.

Let us know what you think!

Looks cool. Now I have to decide whether to splash rogue for the intimidate, or stick monk/20 for the Capstone enhancement. I feel that whether my monk gets outsider glowie eyes at 20 might be a deal breaker!

Any chance of getting some ki regeneration in public areas? I love abundant stepping around the marketplace!

Garth

[Demitris]

and people always looked at me strange for refusing to splash with my characters... if this is an example for the capstones, well I may have been on the right track... maybe, kinda... sorta