Would this be a good change for monks?

[Red_Knight]

1. Level 16 is radically different from level 5.
4. High damage: Power attack adds 5 to each attack, or 10 to each 2-handed attack, before criticals; 30 STR is pretty common for end game melee'rs, adding 10 damage, or 15 to 2-handed, before crits; many buffs add to damage (songs, auras, spells, feats, enhancements). Even with a quarterstaff, my monk gets 1d8 + 30, unbuffed, and crits for 100 aren't that rare (buffed, of course), and all that is before we even mention effects like holy, acid, etc. Raging barbarians with greataxes get more like 1d12 + 50, with a x3 critical threat.

I get curious about the extreme damages because I'm always seeing people listing stuff in their description such as 80 to 150 damage without crits. Makes me wonder how they get that high of damage.

On a side note, what sort of stat boosting stuff would you recommend to (eventually) boost a strength 12 human monk? Currently I have gloves of ogre power +1. However I realize I'm gonna want more. I took weapon finesse at level 1 to help with to-hit, but right now my self buffed strength caps at 15.

[feynman]

I get curious about the extreme damages because I'm always seeing people listing stuff in their description such as 80 to 150 damage without crits. Makes me wonder how they get that high of damage.

I'm not a barbarian player, so I'm not the best one to ask, perhaps, but STR in the 40s is not uncommon, and I have heard of 50, but have never verified. Other than that, warforged get power attack enhancement that can add as much as 16(?) to their damage, and if you add in effects, you can get some big numbers.

On a side note, what sort of stat boosting stuff would you recommend to (eventually) boost a strength 12 human monk? Currently I have gloves of ogre power +1. However I realize I'm gonna want more. I took weapon finesse at level 1 to help with to-hit, but right now my self buffed strength caps at 15.

1. Items: You can eventually get +6 stat items, and you can craft weapons that add up to 3 more.
2. Tomes: +1 tomes are pretty easy to find, +2 are more difficult, and +3 are extremely rare.
3. Level points: I recommend putting these into your primary stat, so if you are finesse, put them into DEX.
4. Enhancements: You get class and race enhancements, which can add to certain stats; unfortunately, nobody gets racial STR enhancements (until half-orcs come out), and only fighters get class STR enhancements.
5. Buffs.

If you started with 12, you can expect to (eventually) get a +2 tome and a +6 item, bringing your starting STR to 20, and then double rage will get you to 24 for a short time. My fighter started with 12 STR, but splashed ranger for ram's might, and can hit 26.

[Red_Knight]

4. Enhancements: You get class and race enhancements, which can add to certain stats; unfortunately, nobody gets racial STR enhancements (until half-orcs come out), and only fighters get class STR enhancements.

Not entirely true. Human adaptability can be used on strength, as can greater adaptability I believe.

[feynman]

Not entirely true. Human adaptability can be used on strength, as can greater adaptability I believe.

True, but since it's only 1 point, I omitted it

[Delacroix21]

I agree that increasing critical threat ranges would help, but when you're doing 2d10 in both hands the multiplier becomes less of an issue.

I also think that's what Kensai is trying to accomplish. Keeping the monk flavor, but you're still a fighter at it's core.

I agree on the crit multiplier issue and the crit range needing to be extended. Monks are TOTALLY boned when it comes to banishing, smiting, puncturing, etc. due to (lets face it) a **** choice of weapons. x2 multiplier and 20range is the worst in the game, and thats ALL we have available to us! We need a better way to extend our fists range!


The kensai hasnt a drop of DDO monk flavor, DnD monk yes. In Eberron monks can spend a feat to use certain other weapons (long sword, spear, double sword) with flurry of blows but not here in ddo. Really there is no need for anyone rolling a kensai fighter to even take a monk level as they will always be uncentered anyway unless they gimp themselves with a kama.

[hu-flung-pu]

What if your chosen Kensai weapon and long swords allows you to be centered? Generating ki and letting you activate ki strikes and be in a monk stance. Would that help?

Offering monks a wider weapon selection while still being monks?

And critical effect handwraps aren't the end all be all of monks either. Who knows what enchantments are going to come in the form of handwraps and q-staffs and kamas as well.

[feynman]

What if your chosen Kensai weapon and long swords allows you to be centered? Generating ki and letting you activate ki strikes and be in a monk stance. Would that help?

Offering monks a wider weapon selection while still being monks?

I think the devs are afraid to do too much in this vein; they might actually make monks as powerful as other classes, and then they'd have to nerf us again.

And critical effect handwraps aren't the end all be all of monks either. Who knows what enchantments are going to come in the form of handwraps and q-staffs and kamas as well.

Well, I've pretty much given up on seeing green steel handwraps, and am sort of thinking about the THF stuff that's supposed to be coming out...

[Delacroix21]

What if your chosen Kensai weapon and long swords allows you to be centered? Generating ki and letting you activate ki strikes and be in a monk stance. Would that help?

Offering monks a wider weapon selection while still being monks?

And critical effect handwraps aren't the end all be all of monks either. Who knows what enchantments are going to come in the form of handwraps and q-staffs and kamas as well.

No thats the whole point, a monk SHOULD be able to spend a feat to use swords and be centered, not have to reroll another class!


I even suggested (to keep monks from being "overpowered") adding this ability as a monk capstone which lets a monk use ANY weapon they are prof with and be centered.


That way it cant be abused as the monk would have to be level 20 to use it AND spend an extra feat on the weapon. 2 feats for oversized if they went khopesh.