U51 Preview 3: Grandmaster of Flowers

[Lynnabel]

Disclaimer

Everything seen on the preview server, Lamannia, is not final and is subject to change or removal before live release.

Note: This tree has had no functional changes from Preview 2, but that does not mean we are not planning further changes after this preview. We appreciate any and all feedback!

Core 1 (level 20): Inner Focus: You gain proficiency with Handwraps. Each Core ability of this tree grants +5 Melee Power and +4 Ranged Power, +1 Spell Resistance, as well as 15 Maximum Hit Points. You also gain +10 Maximum Ki per Epic Level if you have at least one level of Monk or are in the Grandmaster of Flowers Destiny Mantle.

Core 3 (level 23): Disciple of Material: Select from Adamantine, Byeshk, Cold Iron, Crystal, or Silver. Your weapons now bypass that kind of DR innately. +5 PRR (doubled if you have the Discipline feat)

Core 6 (level 26): Disciple of Morality: Select from Good, Evil, Lawful, or Chaotic. Your weapons now bypass that kind of DR innately. +5 MRR (doubled if you have the Discipline feat)

Tier 1 (req level 20):

• Strike with Poise: +2/4/6 Stunning DCs
• Serenity: Grandmaster of Flowers Destiny Mantle: You may now fight with the Unarmed combat style as if you were a Monk, and may be Centered and use Ki. When you attack with Handwraps or begin falling, you will use the Monk class' animations instead of your own. You gain a +15% Action Boost bonus to movement speed, and no longer take damage from falling. Finally, you are unbothered by the physical restraints of the world: you may tumble through enemies, and are immune to slippery surfaces and most forms of knockdown.\\n\\nYou also gain 10 Ki for training this enhancement.
• Disciple's Studies: +2/4/6 Heal and Diplomacy, +3/6/10 Healing, Repair, and Negative Amp.
• Enlightenment: +15/30/45 Maximum Ki and +2/4/6 Concentration. Rank 3: +1 passive Ki generation.
• Multiselector:
• Wholeness of Spirit: You may expend 50 Ki to bring your mind, body, and soul into harmonious balance, restoring health as if you were affected by the benefits of a Heal spell, as well as curing all ability damage, negative levels, and other Adverse Conditions that may be affecting you. Cooldown: 180/120/90 seconds.
• Inner Focus: Activate to gain 20d10 Ki. Cooldown: 180/160/120 seconds

Tier 2 (req level 20):

• Calm before Storms: +3/6/10 Spell Resistance. Rank 3: You no longer fail Will saves automatically on a natural 1.
• Epic Strike: Multiselector
  
  • Drifting Lotus: Melee Cleave attack, deals +3/4/5W with +1/2/3 crit threat and mult. Deals 1d6+5 Force damage per character level to all enemies struck. The force damage scales with the higher of Melee or Ranged power. Cost 25 Ki, cooldown 15 seconds.
  • Orchid Blossom: A blossom is released from your palm in a line, exploding when it makes contact, dealing 1d6+5 Force damage per character level to all enemies within. The force damage scales with the higher of Melee or Ranged power. Grants 5/10/25 Ki when used, cooldown 15 seconds.
• A Flower's Bloom: Multiselector:
  
  • Long Sword: You gain the effects of the Whirling Steel Strike feat, and may use Longswords as if they were Ki weapons.
  • Longbow: You gain the effects of the Zen Archery feat, and may use Longbows as if they were Ki weapons.
  • Sickle: You gain the effects of the Prescient Curve feat, and may use Sickles as if they were Ki weapons.
  • Deflection: You gain the Deflect Arrows feat, letting you knock aside one projectile every 6 seconds.
• A Dance of Flowers: While in the Grandmaster Destiny Mantle, your weapons gain 1W.
• Hail of Blows: +5% offhand strike chance, +10% Strikethrough, +3% doublestrike and doubleshot

Tier 3 (req level 23):

• The Flickering Flame: +1/2/3 to hit and damage. Rank 3: +25% Fire Absorption. If you are in any Sun Stance, the bonuses of this enhancement are doubled.
• Flow of Water: +1/2/3 saving throws, you take 5/10/15% less damage from being Helpless. Rank 3: +25% Cold Absorption. If you are in any Ocean Stance, the bonuses of this enhancement are doubled.
• Serene Mercy: While in the Grandmaster of Flowers Destiny Mantle, you deal +5/10/15% bonus damage to the Helpless.
• Catch the Wind: +1/2/3% dodge, +2/4/6 Armor Class. Rank 3: +25% Electric Absorption. If you are in any Air Stance, the bonuses of this enhancement are doubled.
• Strength of Stone: +5/10/15 HP and +2/4/6 PRR Rank 3: +25% Acid Absorption. If you are in any Mountain Stance, the bonuses of this enhancement are doubled.

Tier 4 (req level 26):

• The Clarity of Law: Your attacks bypass 5/10/15% of enemy fortification. Rank 3: +15% Law Absorption
• The Serenity of Good: +1/2/3 Saves vs Enchantments, Curses, and Illusions, and +2/4/6 MRR. Rank 3: +15% Good Absorption
• Multiselector:
  
  • Lotus Bloom: Drifting Lotus now attempts to Stun all enemies struck. Stun DC: 20 + Highest Ability Score Mod + Stunning Bonuses. This stun lasts 4 seconds.
  • Blossoming Peace: Orchid Blossom now attempts to Stun all enemies struck. Stun DC: 20 + Highest Ability Score Mod + Stunning Bonuses. This stun lasts 2 seconds.
• The Delight of Chaos: +1/2/3 Critical Hit Confirmation and Critical Hit Damage. Rank 3: +15% Chaos Absorption
• The Cruelty of Evil: +1/2/3 Sneak Attack and Sneak Attack Damage. Rank 3: +15% Evil Absorption

Tier 5 (req level 30):

• Beyond the Center: +5/10/15 MRR cap. Rank 3: +15% Force Absorption
• Imposing Force: +1 multiplier on a 19-20 while centered.
• Everything is Nothing: Your state of luminous consciousness allows your will to alter the fabric of the planes, ripping your foes out of time and space. Up to six nearby non-boss enemies must make a saving throw (DC: 20 + Highest Ability Score Mod + Stunning Bonuses) or be erased from the multiverse. If they succeed at their saving throw, they are instead paralyzed by temporal shock for six seconds. When you activate Everything is Nothing, you are affected by Emptiness for 5 minutes. Emptiness: +3% dodge, +1% dodge cap. You gain the effects of the Elusive Target feat, or if you already have it, it instead has double the chance to proc. Ki Cost: 50. Cooldown: 3 minutes.
• Split the Soul: Epic Moment: For 30 seconds, your soul is split, and a fragment of it manifests beside you as a combatant. Your Soul Warrior provides the following benefits as a baseline: Dark: Your attacks may strike an additional target regardless of weapon type, and each attack has a 5% chance of banishing your enemies from the multiverse with no save. Light: Your Soul Warrior also grants you 25% concealment, 25% incorporeality, and 25% dodge/max dodge, as your physical form is less present while you are in this state. If you follow a Monk Philosophy, your split soul will embody that choice more fully (either Light or Dark), doubling either the Dark portions or Light portions and still granting you the baseline version of the other philosophy.
• Legendary Flurry of Blows: +1/2/3% Doublestrike and Doubleshot, +3/6/10% Strikethrough, +3/6/10% Offhand Strike chance. Rank 3: While dual wielding (including handwraps) or using a quarterstaff, you gain: On Vorpal: Daze an enemy for 2 seconds. Dazed enemies are Helpless. (Since Daze breaks on any damage, this means you'll only get one Helpless hit in before the Daze breaks)

[Seph1roth5]

Note: This tree has had no functional changes from Preview 2, but that does not mean we are not planning further changes after this preview. We appreciate any and all feedback!

Well that saved me a bunch of reading.

[wax_on_wax_off]

It feels like the Ranged support is only half done:
- can blossoming peace be changed to include the additional stun from forms?
- Doubleshot in Legendary flurry of blows?
- Maybe some shuriken support?

[Eme]

>Drifting Lotus: Melee Cleave attack, deals +3/4/5W with +1/2/3 crit threat and mult. Deals 1d6+5 Force damage per character level to all enemies struck. The force damage scales with the higher of Melee or Ranged power. Cost 25 Ki, cooldown 15 seconds.<

for the love of the game put this back to what we currently have, this sucks so much

[Nickodeamous]

>Drifting Lotus: Melee Cleave attack, deals +3/4/5W with +1/2/3 crit threat and mult. Deals 1d6+5 Force damage per character level to all enemies struck. The force damage scales with the higher of Melee or Ranged power. Cost 25 Ki, cooldown 15 seconds.<

for the love of the game put this back to what we currently have, this sucks so much

Actually, the new version does an AOE stun that effectively replaces Dire Charge and gives us helpless damage for 4 seconds on stun. It is better now. Sure knockdown is cool, but stun is better. Without this, monks have no AOE stun, and that's not good.

Leave it the way it is, but add a knockdown if stun fails.

Thanks,
Nico

[Nickodeamous]

Epic moment should have some benefit to rednames. I like the banashing, but please add 10% dps while the ability is active. so it's just not a trash ability.

Still need work on mantle please. Add something that provides tactics or something. Also, maybe If you have 12 levs of monk, maybe add +(w) .5 or 1 should make actual monk players happy

Thanks,
Nico

[Eme]

Actually, the new version does an AOE stun that effectively replaces Dire Charge and gives us helpless damage for 4 seconds on stun. It is better now. Sure knockdown is cool, but stun is better. Without this, monks have no AOE stun, and that's not good.

Leave it the way it is, but add a knockdown if stun fails.

Thanks,
Nico

have to disagree with the whole premice of your argument. Removing one of two cc's for one is not better in anyway, whatsoever.

This is turning active gameplay abilities into passive gameplay.
Dull. Dull. Dull.

(I also resent the removal of direcharge as a feat,)

It's monk,it should be monky, , count the number of stuns vs knockdowns in this fight https://youtu.be/60b_i6lh__8?t=105 <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/60b_i6lh__8?start=105" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Monks need and should have an area knockdown.

[Nickodeamous]

have to disagree with the whole premice of your argument. Removing one of two cc's for one is not better in anyway, whatsoever.

Not sure what you mean about removing CCs. This ability is a 2 part ability. You don't get the CC with the first tier. You get the AOE stun affect on tier 4. This stuns everything...including constructs and undead (which is arguably better than dire charge, which could not do this) and gives us helpless damage.

They removed our Mas frog, which dealt with constructs and undead. So, this is the compromise, from what I can tell.

I am only counting 1 CC in the Drifting lotus Def below.

Original Def:

Drifting Lotus: By performing the legendary Drifting Lotus technique, you coalesce a radiant orb of Ki energy in your fist, and then smash down upon your enemies with the force of falling heavens.

Enemies in the vicinity of your attack may make a Reflex saving throw (DC 10 + character level + Wisdom modifier + stun bonuses) for half damage. Any enemies who fail their Reflex save are knocked down by the force of your blow. Damage: 100-160 +10-14 per character level. This damage scales with the highest of Melee and Ranged Power. Cooldown: 15 seconds

This does not give helpless damage, just knocks them down. so, 1 CC, without helpless damage.

New Def

Tier 2
Orchid Blossom: A blossom is released from your palm in a line, exploding when it makes contact, dealing 1d6+5 Force damage per character level to all enemies within. The force damage scales with the higher of Melee or Ranged power. Grants 5/10/25 Ki when used, cooldown 15 seconds.

Tier 4
Lotus Bloom: Drifting Lotus now attempts to Stun all enemies struck. Stun DC: 20 + Highest Ability Score Mod + Stunning Bonuses. This stun lasts 2 seconds, +.5 second per Monk Forms feat you have (max 4 seconds with Grandmaster of Forms).

The new version can stun everything for 4 seconds with helpless damage (if you are a monk) (outside of rednames). This is great!

I stand my word that this is actually better than the original. I used to take it before Dire Charge, and once I took Dire Charge, never used it again. To each his own, but they are both CCs, and one has helpless damage, so that's where I am coming from Just my point of view.

Thanks!
Nico

[Nickodeamous]

It's monk,it should be monky, , count the number of stuns vs knockdowns in this fight https://youtu.be/60b_i6lh__8?t=105 <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/60b_i6lh__8?start=105" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>.

Now that is actually great! lol. I see your point. Its cool to knock mobs down! I'd just rather DPS them to death. Again, to each his or her own

[SC_Macrochaos]

Since Impact 2-5 no longer provide +W and the +1W Flickering Flame /dancing with flame is gone how about giving Monks back that 2.5W that came from the monk lvls to make the monk heroic experience no a chore anymore?
Also what about having shurikens generate ki and be able to use the ki strikes? its an a good 75% of the monk kit that goes unused by shuriken throwers.

[Theolin]

until you realize that I had dire charge, lotus, & consecration ... and now I have just one of them (well you can get consecration but it shares a cool down with the other 2) ... quite a change if you ask me
oh and the 6 second knock down is now 4 second stun ... and it does not work right yet and is only 2 seconds
and you can get stun for direcharge .. quick comparison
--------------cool down --- length of CC
Dire charge ----- 12 ------------ 6
Lotus ------------ 15 ------------ 4
hmm which is better .....

[Nickodeamous]

until you realize that I had dire charge, lotus, & consecration ... and now I have just one of them (well you can get consecration but it shares a cool down with the other 2) ... quite a change if you ask me
oh and the 6 second knock down is now 4 second stun ... and it does not work right yet and is only 2 seconds
and you can get stun for direcharge .. quick comparison
--------------cool down --- length of CC
Dire charge ----- 12 ------------ 6
Lotus ------------ 15 ------------ 4
hmm which is better .....

Yeah, everybody lost Dire Charge unless you commit to LD. It stinks. For me, I lost Dire Charge, Mass Frog, and nearly lost EIN, but the devs were gracious enough to give back EIN (Thanks again Lyn)

Seconds do count, I give you that!

Old Dire Charge does not work on constructs or undead, so there's that. You CC for them would have been Lotus, or in my case, I frog the suckers.

New Lotus does stun constructs and undead, which Dire Charge never did, so this opens up everything to being able to be CCd in one move. Yeah, its generic, but its effective.

Nobody is gonna be happy with the loss of Dire Charge, especially monks. But the new Lotus is a compromise from my point of view.

Hey Devs,

can we bump that Lotus to 6 second stun please? Maybe 4 seconds and +0.5 for each master of forms (total of 6). Losing 2 abilities to CC and mashing into 1 is nice (for me at least), but I agree, we need more time!

Good posts guys!

Nico

[Eme]

<Core 6 (level 26): Disciple of Morality: Select from Good, Evil, Lawful, or Chaotic. Your weapons now bypass that kind of DR innately. +5 MRR (doubled if you have the Discipline feat)>

Add that knockdown on 20, no save to this and I would be happy. Monks need a knockdown to feel monky.

[Rhegnok]

Blossoming Peace is still requiring Ki Projection instead of Orchid Blossom.

[Kielbasa]

[[*]Wholeness of Spirit: You may expend 50 Ki to bring your mind, body, and soul into harmonious balance, restoring health as if you were affected by the benefits of a Heal spell, as well as curing all ability damage, negative levels, and other Adverse Conditions that may be affecting you. Cooldown: 180/120/90 seconds.

Still the worst self healing out of any destiny. It is a glorified greater restoration on a 90 second cooldown. Please scale this with the greater of positive spell power or 200-300% melee power. Its terrible on live and it was terrible on the preview. Make this something people want to use or replace it with something useful.

[Monkey_Archer]

Old drifting lotus as a mutli-selector alternative to EIN? pretty please?

[Paisheng]

Yeah, everybody lost Dire Charge unless you commit to LD. It stinks. For me, I lost Dire Charge, Mass Frog, and nearly lost EIN, but the devs were gracious enough to give back EIN (Thanks again Lyn)

Nico

They gave EIN back? I'm not seeing it. Split the Soul: A 5% chance to void out a mob while punching is something, but it is not EiN which was reliable to take out 6 mobs almost 100% of the time. I doubt in the 30 seconds you will void 6 mobs when before 2-3 seconds would take out 6 and you could continue fighting. Besides most regular vorpals took out normal mobs anyway. Does this Void affect Orange and/or Red names? Perhaps increase the Void to 25% would help this ability become Epic ...otherwise a person can get, if I remember correctly., a 10% void in the Henshin tree. So is the ability redundant? Does it stack with someone who gets the void strike in Henshin?

Also with regard to Split the Soul: the incorporeality, dodge/dodge cap > is this stacking with normal incorporeality and dodge for the 30 seconds. And how long is the time delay before getting back the Epic Moment? I have not been able to get on Lammannia for this run through....so if someone else can answer these, thank you.

I appreciate that Lynn is working with some of our feedback and the possibility they will do more with the tree before it goes live is a tiny hopeful. But I am still discouraged that no other feedback made it into this Lammannia run through. Will there be another before Live? Until then I will wait patiently.

[Nickodeamous]

They gave EIN back? I'm not seeing it. Split the Soul: A 5% chance to void out a mob while punching is something, but it is not EiN which was reliable to take out 6 mobs almost 100% of the time. I doubt in the 30 seconds you will void 6 mobs when before 2-3 seconds would take out 6 and you could continue fighting. Besides most regular vorpals took out normal mobs anyway. Does this Void affect Orange and/or Red names? Perhaps increase the Void to 25% would help this ability become Epic ...otherwise a person can get, if I remember correctly., a 10% void in the Henshin tree. So is the ability redundant? Does it stack with someone who gets the void strike in Henshin?

Also with regard to Split the Soul: the incorporeality, dodge/dodge cap > is this stacking with normal incorporeality and dodge for the 30 seconds. And how long is the time delay before getting back the Epic Moment? I have not been able to get on Lammannia for this run through....so if someone else can answer these, thank you.

I appreciate that Lynn is working with some of our feedback and the possibility they will do more with the tree before it goes live is a tiny hopeful. But I am still discouraged that no other feedback made it into this Lammannia run through. Will there be another before Live? Until then I will wait patiently.

Tier 5 My friend Its a separate line in the notes! They brought it back in preview 2. see below

Everything is Nothing: Your state of luminous consciousness allows your will to alter the fabric of the planes, ripping your foes out of time and space. Up to six nearby non-boss enemies must make a saving throw (DC: 20 + Highest Ability Score Mod + Stunning Bonuses) or be erased from the multiverse. If they succeed at their saving throw, they are instead paralyzed by temporal shock for six seconds. When you activate Everything is Nothing, you are affected by Emptiness for 5 minutes. Emptiness: +3% dodge, +1% dodge cap. You gain the effects of the Elusive Target feat, or if you already have it, it instead has double the chance to proc. Ki Cost: 50. Cooldown: 3 minutes.

[elvesunited]

----- Thoughts and Tests --------

Epic Strike: Drifting Lotus has an animation problem. It's a slow attack.

The epic strike upgrade for orchid blossum has a pre-req of Ki projection and can't be selected. That's a straight bug.

The destiny mantle seems weak. But perhaps I should stop comparing it to spellcaster destiny mantles.

[Paisheng]

Tier 5 My friend Its a separate line in the notes! They brought it back in preview 2. see below

Everything is Nothing: Your state of luminous consciousness allows your will to alter the fabric of the planes, ripping your foes out of time and space. Up to six nearby non-boss enemies must make a saving throw (DC: 20 + Highest Ability Score Mod + Stunning Bonuses) or be erased from the multiverse. If they succeed at their saving throw, they are instead paralyzed by temporal shock for six seconds. When you activate Everything is Nothing, you are affected by Emptiness for 5 minutes. Emptiness: +3% dodge, +1% dodge cap. You gain the effects of the Elusive Target feat, or if you already have it, it instead has double the chance to proc. Ki Cost: 50. Cooldown: 3 minutes.

I must have been in the twilight zone or bizarro world not to have noted this earlier. This is wonderful news! My apologies for not seeing this and crediting Lynn for the restoration of EiN (and wow that's not even considered the epic moment?) And thanks to other monks and those giving feedback to help restore this.

I am back in happy monk land again, and will be getting back to DDO with most haste now. Cheers for your imput and feedback also Nico!