Abandoned Codex

[Nightblade]

It has come to my attention, through experiencing it first hand, that monks are too weak (At least in low-mid levels). Before some mobs were increased monks had quite a hard time as it is, but with the upping of mobs it's become very, very, very difficult to get a level. I have a level 36 monk that can't kill a warg mother when he has stonefist, battlemind, sanc, AND HEAVENSBLESS. He still gets hit by the city guards. This doesn't seem right. I know the problem resides in the fact that without weapons, monks are missing out on some useful stats such as damroll and hitroll that other classes get. Their martial arts is their main feature, but in my opinion, it's a disadvantage. My monk has 12/15 hr/dr. 24 dr if I have stonefist on. I suggest that either they somehow be buffed up a bit or perhaps add in weapons that can be used with martial arts.

[Gareth]

I think the keyword there is "in low-mid levels". Every class has its 'sweet spot', and with the monks it's (apparently) not level 36.
If you can find a weapon that gives you more damage than martial arts gives you then by all means use it. Martial Arts isn't the only reason to play a monk.
Incidentally, Warg Mothers are level 38. Not being able to kill it at level 36 really isn't something I can get too sympathetic about.

I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, and I have always meant to do more with Martial Arts (and will do... eventually) but I hope you can appreciate that I get mails both in public and in private complaining about the power level of pretty much _every_ class in the mud. I've even had complaints about Rangers not being hard enough in the last year.

Also in reference to the mobs being upped: I'm making a new rule - no complaint about the mobs being upped will be listened to if not accompanied with a valid suggestion for a mob that's too hard for its level, that could be downstatted.

[Nightblade]

Alright, I understand you get complaints constantly, and I do appreciate the fact that you're constantly bothered by complaints, some unfounded, but by your own description of the complaint about Rangers, a lot of the complaints are just people whining because they can't level, got killed, surpassed, etc. by that class. Yes, I play a monk, and yes I'm frustrated like those people, but I really do think the monks are seriously too weak at this moment. I'm not neccessarily suggesting some huge change in the class. Monks are meant to be hard, and they are meant to need help from fellow players, and I understand this fully. I don't want monks to be upped so that they can smash through areas two levels higher than them. I simply think they should be tweaked so that they are playable with the help of other players. In my mind, something is seriously wrong when a fully spelled up level 36 monk can barely put a dent in a mob two levels higher than him. I'm not saying the monk should be able to beat the mob, but when the monk dies and the mob is only at 65%, something simply isn't making sense. I'll not push or complain any farther since I'm sure I can't fully comprehend the crap you have to put up with, but I just wanted to make my final points known.
_________________
"Eye level for a kender is door-lock height for the same reason a chipmunk has extra cheek space."

"A kender will take anything that's not nailed down, and a kender with a good claw hammer will get those things too"

[Talinn]

monks are perfectly fine. In my experience playing a monk, levels 1 - 40 are the hardest. Then after that, 40-60 they are pretty easy (for me at least). Then aafter 60, it gets hard again until it's very strenuous ( but definitely possible ) at 80+.

[Nightblade]

Your monk was my monks level quite a while ago.
_________________
"Eye level for a kender is door-lock height for the same reason a chipmunk has extra cheek space."

"A kender will take anything that's not nailed down, and a kender with a good claw hammer will get those things too"

[Talinn]

I stopped playing my monk at level 80.

[Messiah]

Well, this is me, Messiah. Far as I know, the second highest level monk. Working on level 82 now.

I've complained and complained about monks. Driven some people mad with it. I've also mailed G suggestions about the class.

The thing with monks, is they are inable to tank for themselves. They simply don't have the skills to avoid damage or to repair it. However, if you put a monk behind a tank, you're golden. Messiah hit's just as hard and almost as often as any given "power" class. Ranger, vamp, warrior.

I've come around to the opinion that in a backup position, the monk is a raw damage powerhouse. Thier damage makes up for lack of using weapons. However, the one complaint I might give about monks, is the lack of useful skills. The skills Messiah have that actually get used are cure light, fly, bless, detect hidden and traps, stonefist and battlemind. He also uses stun, but that isn't a spell. Those skills/spells listed account for a very big part of the skill list.

This means, the monk isn't very useful. Certainly not to himself, and the monk can't very well cure or aid his group mates. As I said, where the monk shines, is in that very few things resist bare handed damage, and that they hit incredibly hard.

If I were to change anything about monks, it would be the addition of more healing and cure spells. Or perhaps a new skill similar to bash or stun. It's effect however, to prevent an enemy for attacking for a given number of rounds, but not prevent fleeing or dodging.

Example, The monk executes the skill on Bob. Bob can still evade incoming attacks and takes damage normally, but is in able to manipulate his weapons for say, 2-3 rnds. Even excluding that, the addition of cure serious or cure crit would greatly help the monk class. They would still have difficulty tanking their own fights, but not be quite so bad off. It would also make the addition of a monk to a group worthwhile. Not just for specific fights, such as against Txa.


Well, there's my opinion. Hope it doesn't ride wrong with anyone.
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"Take my hand now, and be alive.."

[Waldo]

I have a monk of my own that is around level 52 and is my second oldest character. I haven't played him in a long time, but do remember some fun times with him. After reading this thread I came up with the idea of a 'power strike" or "kai blow". It would basicly be a very powerful attack, like punch, that deals a lot of damage. It takes a lot of power and stuff for a monk to launch the attack and to limit the ammount of times a monk could use this move in a fight, the power strike or whatever you want to call it would cost half of his total movement points. I believe this would balance it out because the monk would have to deciede if he wanted to have a good chance of fleeing and recalling or if he wanted to use his movement points to attack the mob, knowing that he may run out and not have enough to retreat if it is needed.

[Reality]

I've had a hard time too with my monk..... the only way i've seem to be able to get anywhere with it is to group with another monk It helps alot!

[bronze]

ok my monk is level 50. not too bad not awesome....but i have not had a
better charecter than my pixie monk.... no one expects for a pixie monk to own.... i cerntanly dont.. and thats why im happy everytime i see my high dam increase largly...... 538 high damage... wow im not weaing weapons and im dealing 538 damage!!!!!!! friggan outstanding.... however my only problem is that my monk takes serious damage.. my ac will be -238 which is good, not the best ... but i get scratched and i loose like 150 to 200 hp OUCHIES.... im not complaining but holy hell.!
lol .... i still think my pixi monk is uber just because he is a pixie monk and i relly relly wanna rp with peeps more.. so cmon

[Palermo]

maybe a new skill to replace for parry... since monks aren't great with weapons they mostly use martial arts, which makes them easier to hit since they don't have parry... maybe something like... "sidestep" which would be a substitute.. now it wouldn't be *great* but something to help.. And it'd be neat if you saw, You sidestep <mobs> attack and wack him in the back of the head! hehe

[Talinn]

i leveled all my alts to avatar level without the help of any other people, with the exception of my mage. monks are perfectly ok. I soloed him up to 80+. if you can't get to 80, you're clearly doing something wrong. I didn't even have other buffs, only the standard monk buffs, maybe some stuff i had brewed, but that was all.

talinn

[bronze]

many voices say yes, one voice says no...... hmmm