Monk tree pass suggestions

[Paisheng]

Monk Enhancement Tree Pass Suggestions

This post will be long as I make suggestions for all three monk trees for the hopefully (soon) upcoming pass in 2016. The monk (class) is unique as his/her quest for perfection of body, mind and soul which provides a character sharing flavor from all major classes of Warrior, Rogue, Healer and Caster. In this regards the monk both borrows abilities from these classes as well as develops its own special abilities through the mystical life force called “Ki.”

The three current monk trees delineate these flavors: the Henshin tree primarily focuses more on the perfection of soul with the use of ki in harmony with nature (like the staff) and using the elements for delivering spell-like powers of both enervation and destruction. Here we see similarities to offensive Casters, though the monk uses more natural elements and force of ki.

The Ninja tree uses ki more in regards to perfection of the mind as abilities here reflect the Rogue in deception, stealth, and natural use of the world such as poisons. The ki used here for more destructive purposes on the body as well.

The Shintao tree line studies ki for the perfection of body. Here we see more the emphasis of the monk using ki to for incredible acts of physicality and speed and releasing this ki into others during fighting bringing about great power above a normal fighter. Ki is also used to heal the monk’s body and sometimes others. This line reflects more the Warrior and Healer classes.

Each tree has a taste of the others, but emphasizes one perfection above the others. In regards to making monk tree passes we want to strengthen and preserve these distinctions. With this in mind I offer the following suggestions in hopes they may spur thought and creativity to perfect them from the community and the developers.

I follow the line of tree enhancements below in some cases preserving them, other cases adding to them to strengthen, and in others to completely substitute them for a new power. Suggestions and changes are in italics. This particular post will only address the Shintao Tree -- I will be submitting the Henshin and Ninja tree suggestions in the near future.

The Shintao Core abilities

	Bastion of Purity: For each Core Ability you claim in this tree, you gain +2 melee power, physical and mental resistance. Your Positive Healing Amplification is also increased by 10% for each Shintao Monk Core Ability you possess.
AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 1	Progression: 0	Requires: Monk Level 1
	Enemies of Tainted Creatures: You receive a +1 to hit and +1 damage against tainted creatures. You gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class and a +1 bonus to saving throws against attacks from tainted creatures (aberrations, extra planar creatures that are not Lawful Outsiders, and undead). These bonuses stack with all other bonuses to hits, damage, armor class and saving throws. Your unarmed attacks now bypass Byeshk damage reduction
AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 1	Progression: 5	Requires: Monk Level 3, Bastion of Purity
	Iron Hand: Your unarmed attacks increase ½ hit die on the monk unarmed fighting chart and now bypass Cold Iron damage reduction.
AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 1	Progression: 10	Requires: Monk Level 6, Enemies of Tainted Creatures
	Argent Fist: : Your unarmed attacks increase and additional ½ hit die on the monk unarmed fighting chart to a total of +1 and The bonuses you have for and against attacks from tainted creatures improve to +2. Your unarmed attacks now bypass Silver damage reduction. Your
AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 1	Progression: 20	Requires: Monk Level 12, Iron Hand
	Touch the Void Dragon: Ki Activate: Expend a use of Meditation to gain a 1d4+1 Insight bonus to all ability scores for one minute and 1d4 + 1 to hit, damage, physical and mental resistance for one minute. (Cooldown: 1 minute)
AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 1	Progression: 30	Requires: Monk Level 18, Argent Fist
	· To Seek Perfection: You continually seek physical and spiritual betterment, reaping many benefits. : Your unarmed attacks increase 1 hit die on the monk unarmed fighting chart to a total of +2 and your chance for a critical hit (critical threat range) when centered with hand wraps and monk weapons improves by +1. You receive +4 Wisdom. The bonuses you have for and against attacks from tainted creatures improve to +3. You no longer suffer penalties from Meditation of War.
AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 1	Progression: 40	Requires: Monk Level 20, Touch the Void Dragon

Notes on Core Abilities: Essentially I have brought in needed balance of offensive and defense capabilities against all monk foes. While the healing aspect is maintained, the warrior aspect of the monk was lacking. A +2 melee power, PRR and MRR was added primarily to the core so splashes would not be the primary recipients but rather purer builds.
Enemies of Tainted Creatures (slight name change) includes offensive hit/damage improvements not just defensive.
Iron Hand and Argentine Fist likewise receive a small damage bonus in concert with the Monk’s open hand progressive abilities.
Touch of the Void Dragon for level 18 was also beefed up for such a high level core.
The capstone To Seek Perfection reflects the perfection of body and assists the monk devotee as he/she starts into epic and legendary questing.


Tier One
Requires: Bastion of Purity, Monk Level 1

	Elemental Curatives: Select one of four self healing abilities and a toggle that modify your Healing Ki finisher: · Difficulty at the Beginning: Your ki allows monks to instantly heal themselves applying a lesser restoration effect at a cost of 15 ki. Additionally one’s Healing Ki finishing move also applies a Lesser Restoration effect that benefits both the monks and others in the vicinity. · Lifting the Veil: Your ki allows monks to instantly heal themselves applying a remove blindness effect at a cost of 15 ki. Additionally one’s Healing Ki finishing move also applies remove blindness effect that benefits both the monks and others in the vicinity. · Restoring the Balance: Your ki instantly removes curses for 15 ki and your Healing Ki finishing move also removes curses. · The Receptive Earth: Your ki instantly removes disease and You Healing Ki finishing move also removes disease.
AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 1	Progression: 1	Requires: Fists of Light
	Dismissing Strike: Ki Melee Attack: You perform a melee attack that attempts to force an extraplanar enemy back to its proper plane. A successful Will save negates this effect (DC = 10 + Wisdom modifier + your monk level). (Activation Cost: 15 Ki. Cooldown: 15 seconds) AP Cost: 2 Ranks: 1 Progression: 10 No requirements
Conditioning: +1/+2/+3 Concentration and Fortitude Saves, +5/+10/+15 HP. AP Cost: 1 Ranks: 3 Progression: 5 No requirements
Flurry of More Blows Action Boost: Choose One: (Cooldown: 30 seconds.) · Attack Boost: Activate to gain +4/+6/+8 Action Boost bonus to hit for 20 seconds. · Haste Boost: Activate to gain +10%/+20%/+30% Action Boost bonus to attack speed for 20/20/30 seconds. AP Cost: 1 Ranks: 3 Progression: 1 No requirements
	Reed in the Wind: Ki Melee Attack: Deals +2[W] damage. If you successfully damage your target you gain a +3%/+6%/+9% Insight bonus to Dodge for 6 seconds. (Cooldown: 20 seconds) AP Cost: 1 Ranks: 3 Progression: 1 Requires: Dodge

Notes on Tier 1 Abilities:
Each line going up has a theme. For example the Elemental Curatives is line regarding body healing, the next line up is dealing with tainted creatures, the third is primary defense capabilities, the fourth is offensive capabilities and the last line is special monk strikes and ability improvement. Following these themes I have shifted some enhancements around to be more consistent. In terms of improvements in tier 1 the elemental curatives still maintain their healing finisher abilities for the group (the monk not being a caster for others per se needs a buildup of ki and energy to heal others. But they also can be clicked on for instant self-heals for the monk, since the monk knows his/her body. This becomes a more useful healing tool for the monk him/herself otherwise the monk might as well quaff a potion rather than such an expenditure of ki and time. Also I recommend only an ap cost of 1.
One more note -- In a more perfect ddo world – the monk receives protection from disease as a 5^th level innate feat (this only affects natural disease and should be upgraded to be like the remove disease spell – at least on himself and costing 15 ki), so it is redundant to have remove disease as one of these curatives. I would make the elemental curatives a line of heal feats that requires the previous one before but at Tier 4 replaces the unneeded remove disease with remove negative levels acting as an immediate ability for the monk at cost of 25 ki or using the toggle heal finisher series to cure 1-4 levels for self and others. It seems strange that the Shintao monk who is an expert at fighting tainted creatures like the undead could not at high tier level find the ability to cure negative levels.
So it would look like this: Remove Blindess – Lesser Restoration – Remove Curse – Remove Negative Levels – Rise of the Phoenix as the first line in the Shintao Tree.
Dismissing Strike is moved into the tainted creatures line here at Tier 1 and ki cost reduced from 25 to 15.
Deft Strikes moves to line 4 tier 2 to coordinate with others in the “offensive” line.
The defensive line (line 3 going up the Shintao Tree) moves Conditioning from tier 2 line 5 to the beginning of this line so it fits with the theme of monk defensive abilities.
“Flurry of More Blows” or the Action Boost Haste/Attack offers the pure monk a chance to remain one of the fastest melee fighters in the game – as the monk is designed for. Why should the monk have to cross train to Kensai tree or Rogue tree to be fast? They should have the same opportunity as the fighter at level 1. This fits in strengthening a monk’s needed offensive capabilities and is the beginning of the line (4) up the tree.
Dismissing Strike is moved to the beginning of line 5. It is the same except an additional +1W for damage and that the dodge cap should also be raised along with the dodge ratio to make this a useful choice at higher levels when undoubtedly the monk has maxed his dodge score to the cap.

Both Ki Shout and Exemplar were taken out as something has to give to make room for some new offensive capabilities and while Ki Shout was interesting it doesn’t always coincide with a monk who is often trying to reduce threat. Exemplar makes little sense to beef up non-class skills – too little too late.


Tier Two
Requires Monk Level 2, 5 APs spent on tree

	Elemental Curatives: Select one of four toggles (not previously selected) that modify your Healing Ki finisher.
AP Cost: 1	Ranks: 1	Progression: 5	Requires: Elemental Curatives (Tier 1)
	Smite Tainted Creature: Ki Melee Attack: You have the ability to expend Ki to deal devastating blows in melee against tainted creatures. You gain twice your Wisdom modifier to your attack roll and a damage bonus based on your monk level. A tainted target will be locked in a tomb of jade on vorpal attacks (attack roll of 20 followed by critical confirmation) on a failed Will save (DC = 10 + Wisdom modifier + your monk level). Extraplanar Aberrations or Undead must succeed at two consecutive Will saves to avoid their fate. (Activation Cost: 15 Ki. Cooldown: 15 seconds)
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 5	No requirements
	Iron Skin: While centered, you gain an additional 5/10/15 Physical Resistance.
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 3	Progression: 5	No requirements
	Deft Strikes: You gain +3%/+6%/+10% chance to make offhand attacks while centered and wielding two weapons or fighting unarmed. AP Cost: 2 Ranks: 3 Progression: 1 No requirements
	Elemental Ki Strikes: Select one of four attacks that have secondary aftereffects: (Activation Cost: 5 Ki. Cooldown: 3 seconds) · Eagle Claw Attack: Fire Ki Melee Attack: Your attacks can shatter objects. You strike at weak points in your opponents armor or hide, dealing +3[W] damage and apply two stacks of the Armor Destruction effect. (Each stack reduces Armor Class by 1 and Fortification by 1% for 20 seconds. This effect can stack up to 4 times.) · Fists of Iron: Earth Ki Melee Attack: You have imbued your attacks with extra force. Performs a melee attack with +4[W] damage, +1 critical threat range, and +1 Critical Damage Multiplier. · Knock on the Sky: Air Ki Melee Attack: You strike your opponent, deflecting their momentum. Performs a melee attack with +2[W] damage, and your enemy deals 2% less physical damage for 30 seconds. This effect can stack up to 5 times. · Unbalancing Strike: Water Ki Melee Attack: You have learned several joint strikes. You can attack these weak points of your opponent, throwing them off balance for a short period of time. This deals +1[W] damage, reduces their armor class by 2, applies a -10 penalty to their Balance skill, and renders them vulnerable to sneak attacks. A successful Reflex save negates this effect (DC 10 + Half Monk Level + Wisdom modifier + Trip modifiers). The target receives periodic saves to attempt to break free of this effect.
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 5	No requirements

Notes on Tier 2 Abilities: Most of these are as before with some shifting of positions or tiers to promote the line themes going up.
Elemental Cures continues with changes noted at Tier 1,
Iron Skin is changed to being active when the monk is centered and not to a particular stance which limits it severely.
Deft Strikes moved from tier 1 to tier 2 and is in the offensive monk capability line.
Elemental Ki Strikes moved from line 4 to line 5 and each added a +1 (W) to strengthen them to help them be a bit more useful at higher levels.


Tier Three
Requires Monk Level 3, 10 APs spent on tree

	Elemental Curatives: Select one of four toggles (not previously selected) that modify your Healing Ki finisher:
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 10	Requires: Elemental Curatives (Tier 2)
	Jade Strike: Ki Melee Attack: You perform a melee attack that is anathema to tainted creatures, that increases their physical damage vulnerability by 10% and reduces their fortification by 25%. A successful Will save negates this effect (DC = 10 + Wisdom modifier + your monk level). This ability only functions on aberrations, extraplanar creatures that are not classified as 'Lawful Outsiders', and undead. Creatures that are both extraplanar and either aberrations or undead receive double this effect. On critical hits, a tainted target will be locked in a tomb of jade on a failed Will save (DC = 10 + Wisdom modifier + your monk level). Extraplanar Aberrations or Undead must succeed at two consecutive Will saves to avoid their fate. (Activation Cost: 10 Ki. Cooldown: 15 seconds)
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 10	Requires: Smite Tainted Creature
	Iron Mind: While centered, you gain an additional 5/10/15 Magical Resistance. AP Cost: 2 Ranks: 3 Progression: 5 Requires Iron Body
	Vital Points: You gain +1/+2/+3 damage with open hand and monk weapons in which you remain centered. AP Cost: 1 Ranks: 3 Progression: 10 Requires Deft Strikes Constitution or Wisdom: Choose one: · +1 Constitution · +1 Wisdom
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 10	No requirements

Notes on Tier 3 Abilities:
The healing line continues on Elemental Curatives as per notes on Tier 1.
Jade Strike is the same as before.
To fill the hole in tier 3 on the defensive line (line 3 going up the Shintao Tree) adds in Iron Mind as similar to Iron Skin (tier 2) but improves Magical Resistance Rating rather than prr – this perfectly suits the monk’s mind and spell control development and provides the monk who is in outfits or robes another opportunity to increase his natural resistances. Also this is active when a monk is centered rather than being limited to a particular stance (earth in the case of Iron Skin which was likewise changed at tier 2 to being active when centered rather than by stance).
Vital Points introduces a new enhancement that builds off the monk’s knowledge of body vital points and improved ki development adding a +1/+2/+3 to damage of opponents.
Ability Modifier Constitution/Wisdom remains as it was.


Tier Four
Requires Monk Level 4, 20 APs spent on tree

	Elemental Curatives: Select one of four toggles (not previously selected) that modify your Healing Ki finisher:
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 20	Requires: Elemental Curatives (Tier 3)
	Tomb of Jade: Ki Melee Attack: You perform an attack that encases a tainted target in a tomb of jade on a failed Will save (DC = 10 + Wisdom modifier + your monk level). Extraplanar Aberrations or Undead must succeed at two consecutive Will saves to avoid this fate. (Activation Cost: 25 Ki. Cooldown: 1 minute)
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 20	Requires: Jade Strike
	Instinctive Defense: +1%/2%/3%/ to dodge ability and dodge cap
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 3	Progression: 20	Requires: Iron Mind
	Strike With No Thought: When centered with open hands or a monk weapon, you gain 1%/2%/3% Double strike or 1%/2%/3% Double shot (depending on whether your weapon is melee or ranged). AP Cost: 1 Ranks: 3 Progression: 20 Requires: Vital Points
	Constitution or Wisdom: Choose one: · +1 Constitution · +1 Wisdom
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 20	Requires: Constitution or Wisdom (Tier 3)

Notes on Tier 4 Abilities:
The healing line continues on Elemental Curatives as per notes on Tier 1.
Tomb of Jade is the same as before.
Instinctive Defense is changed from lessening damage when helpless to a dodge improvement – both ability and cap – to reflect the monk’s essential defense capability being without armor.
Strike with No Thought borrows from Kensai tree but applies the doublestrike and doubleshot improvements to monk’s when centered with a weapon. This requires the prior two enhancements in this line.
Constitution/Wisdom ability enhancement remains as it always was.


Tier Five
Requires Monk Level 5, Character Level 12, 30 APs spent in tree

	Rise of the Phoenix: Activate While Dead: The spirit of a phoenix burns within you. You may bring yourself back from death's door, as if affected by the Resurrection spell. This ability may only be used once per rest. (Cooldown: 15 minutes)
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 30	Requires: Elemental Curatives (Tier 4)
	Kukan-Do: Ki Activate: You lock gazes with an enemy, stunning them for a short period of time on a failed Will save (DC 10 + Wisdom modifier + Monk level). Any effects that modify your Stunning Blow or Stunning Fist DC's also affect this ability. Sightless creatures are unaffected by this ability. (Activation Cost: 25 Ki. Cooldown: 15 seconds)
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 30	Requires: Tomb of Jade
	Violence Begets Violence: While centered, when an opponent misses you in melee, you gain +1 critical threat range for 6 seconds. This stacks up to 5 times and is reset if you critically hit.
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 30	Requires: Instinctive Defense
	Empty Hand Mastery: Your unarmed weapon die size is increased from 1d6 to 1d8/1d10/1d12.
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 3	Progression: 30	Requires Strike with No Thought
	Meditation of War: Toggle: You gain additional benefits in different stances: · Air Stance: +10 to Armor Class, +2 Insight bonus to hit, +10% bonus to off-hand attack chance. You take 10% more physical and elemental damage. · Fire Stance: +4 Insight bonus to damage and to the DC's of your Stun, Sunder, and Trip and Quivering Palm abilities. -5 Armor Class. · Earth Stance: +10 Insight bonus to Physical Resistance and Magical Resistance and +3% Insight bonus to Maximum Hit Points. -5% Dodge Cap. · Water Stance: +5 Insight bonus to Dodge and Maximum Dodge Bonus. You deal 10% less damage with attacks. Note: Mutually exclusive with Stalwart stance and Sacred stance.
AP Cost: 2	Ranks: 1	Progression: 30	No requirements

Notes on Tier 5 Abilities:
The healing line completes itself with Rise of the Phoenix as per the original enhancement. I do hope the devs would not make this cost a death on the experience reports, however, since its description is that it brings one “back from death’s door.”
Kukan-Do makes the monk’s wisdom modifier apply (its primary ability statute) rather than Charisma which made this ineffective pretty much in heroic and epic levels.
Violence Begets Violence caps the defensive line as before except it does not limit the monk to being in Earth stance, but rather when centered.
Empty Hand Mastery moves to line 4 to cap the offensive abilities. This one may be over-powered but would like to see tested first to see if this is the case. Instead of just 1d6 to 1d8 further points can expand this to 1d10 and 1d12.
Meditation of War caps the special ability line as before with each elemental stance receiving an additional benefit than what was given before. Air also receives a +10 to AC, Fire a +4 instead of +2 to dmg and DC’s including Quivering Palm, Earth also increases +10 to Magical Resistance, and Water includes a bonus to dodge as well as dodge cap. These are a bit stronger to reflect the Tier 5 level and balance the monk for heroic and epic levels. Since these limit the monk to one stance they should reflect more power than they did.

[Kadrios]

I've yet to play a monk myself, so can't really comment on the individual monk specific abilities, but the main things that jumps out at me (compared to enhancement trees released over the last few updates) is that a lot of the abilities seem rather expensive (I seem to recall that most 3 rank enhancements that cost 2AP per rank had either their cost reduced or their effect improved by a reasonable amount). Iron Skin for example costs twice as much as Wall of Steel, and requires the character to be centered, while only providing 50% more PRR compared to Wall of Steel.

[Paisheng]

I've yet to play a monk myself, so can't really comment on the individual monk specific abilities, but the main things that jumps out at me (compared to enhancement trees released over the last few updates) is that a lot of the abilities seem rather expensive (I seem to recall that most 3 rank enhancements that cost 2AP per rank had either their cost reduced or their effect improved by a reasonable amount). Iron Skin for example costs twice as much as Wall of Steel, and requires the character to be centered, while only providing 50% more PRR compared to Wall of Steel.

A good and valid point. I did reduce several of the enhancements from 2 to 1 such as the elemental heals, but reduction here and for Iron Mind should be strongly considered by the Devs as well. Thanks.