I have played a pure monk and leveled him up to 12 and after some thoughts, I want to share two suggestions to improve monk as a class. Hopefully, the suggestion I have are not imbalance and in line with the vision the devs have in mind for Golarion Chronicles. I know we are in the phase of eliminating bugs and exploits but I like to post these suggestions for future references.
Before I begin, the PnP source for the Monk in the PW is the Monk(Unchained). https://www.aonprd.com/ClassDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Monk (Unchained)
Compared to the original base monk of PF1e, Unchained Monk has a tradeoff in terms of flurry of blows and nerfs on Diamond Body and Diamond Soul but in exchange they gain more Ki Powers and style strikes( Unfortunately, style strikes and stunning fists variation has not been implemented yet but hopefully in the future).
There are two suggestions that I think that can be improve.
1. MONK BAB
First off is the Monk BAB.
I think it needs a bit of a boost in terms of AB as in both versions of the PnP monk, they are both significantly better than the GC PW monk.
For comparison at level 20-
Original monk would have this APR progression with flurry of blows bonus:
+18/+18/+13/+13/+8/+8/+3 https://www.aonprd.com/ClassDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Monk
Unchained monk would have this APR progression with flurry of blows bonus:
+20/+20/+20/+15/+10/+5 https://www.aonprd.com/ClassDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Monk (Unchained)
GC monk would have this APR progression with UBAB:
+20/+17/+14/+11/+8/+5 https://wiki.golarionchronicles.com/en/Classes/Monk
The former first two advantages are debatable but GC monk is clearly worst off. To offset this disadvantage, my suggestion would be that Monk gain 1 AB at level 6, 11 and 16 as a flurry of blows compensation.
For example:
Level 11 monk with 22 dexterity, weapon focus and 1+ gauntlet
+17/+17/+12/+12/+7 Flurry of Blows PnP original APR
+19/+19/+19/+16/+13 Flurry of Blows PnP unchained APR
+19/+16/+13/+10 Current APR
+21/+18/+15/+12 Buffed APR
Level 20 monk with 26 dexterity, weapon focus and 3+ gauntlet
+30/+30/+25/+25/+20/+20/+15 Flurry of Blows PnP original APR
+32/+32/+32/+27/+23/+17 Flurry of Blows PnP unchained APR
+32/+29/+26/+23/+20/+17 Current APR
+35/+32/+29/+26/+23/+20 Buffed APR
2. MONK KI POWERS
Scrapped everything as I realized it was too imbalanced. After a few days of thoughts, I figured another part of this issue is that the ki powers doesn't scale well into the late pure monks level.
Here is some modification I had in mind for some of the current Ki Powers in Golarion's Chronicle:
Before I begin, the PnP source for the Monk in the PW is the Monk(Unchained). https://www.aonprd.com/ClassDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Monk (Unchained)
Compared to the original base monk of PF1e, Unchained Monk has a tradeoff in terms of flurry of blows and nerfs on Diamond Body and Diamond Soul but in exchange they gain more Ki Powers and style strikes( Unfortunately, style strikes and stunning fists variation has not been implemented yet but hopefully in the future).
There are two suggestions that I think that can be improve.
1. MONK BAB
First off is the Monk BAB.
I think it needs a bit of a boost in terms of AB as in both versions of the PnP monk, they are both significantly better than the GC PW monk.
For comparison at level 20-
Original monk would have this APR progression with flurry of blows bonus:
+18/+18/+13/+13/+8/+8/+3 https://www.aonprd.com/ClassDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Monk
Unchained monk would have this APR progression with flurry of blows bonus:
+20/+20/+20/+15/+10/+5 https://www.aonprd.com/ClassDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Monk (Unchained)
GC monk would have this APR progression with UBAB:
+20/+17/+14/+11/+8/+5 https://wiki.golarionchronicles.com/en/Classes/Monk
The former first two advantages are debatable but GC monk is clearly worst off. To offset this disadvantage, my suggestion would be that Monk gain 1 AB at level 6, 11 and 16 as a flurry of blows compensation.
For example:
Level 11 monk with 22 dexterity, weapon focus and 1+ gauntlet
+17/+17/+12/+12/+7 Flurry of Blows PnP original APR
+19/+19/+19/+16/+13 Flurry of Blows PnP unchained APR
+19/+16/+13/+10 Current APR
+21/+18/+15/+12 Buffed APR
Level 20 monk with 26 dexterity, weapon focus and 3+ gauntlet
+30/+30/+25/+25/+20/+20/+15 Flurry of Blows PnP original APR
+32/+32/+32/+27/+23/+17 Flurry of Blows PnP unchained APR
+32/+29/+26/+23/+20/+17 Current APR
+35/+32/+29/+26/+23/+20 Buffed APR
2. MONK KI POWERS
Scrapped everything as I realized it was too imbalanced. After a few days of thoughts, I figured another part of this issue is that the ki powers doesn't scale well into the late pure monks level.
Here is some modification I had in mind for some of the current Ki Powers in Golarion's Chronicle:
- Qi Attack (Su): By spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, a monk can make one additional attack at 1/3 of his BAB progression. At level 11, during Qi attack round, the DC for stunning attack is increased by 1. At level 15, during Qi attack round, the DC for stunning attack is increased by +1 up to 2 and when use on crit immune, instead of being stun, they are dealt with a cripple effect of -2 AB and -2 AC for a single round. At level 20, the monk gain a second additional attack and the stun and the cripple effects increases by an additional half a round.
- Abundant Step (Su): A monk with this ki power can slip magically between spaces, as if using the spell dimension door. Using this ability is a move action that consumes 2 points from his ki pool. The monk’s caster level for this effect is equal to his monk level. He cannot take other creatures with him when he uses this ability. At level 11, the monk gained 1 magic damage for 2 round. At level 15, it increase for 1 round up to 3 rounds. At level 20, the damage increased by 2.
- Diamond Body (Su): By spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, a monk with this power can remove one toxin from his body as if using neutralize poison, using his monk level as his caster level. He can remove only one poison in this way per use of this ability. At level 11, he can get +1 fortitude per round monk level + 1 round per wisdom modifiers and cast lesser restoration on himself using his monk level as his caster level. At level 15, the fortitude increase by 1+ up to 2+ and the lesser restoration is replaced by restoration spell using his monk level as his caster level. At level 20, the monk gain 2 constitution( Stacked with other bonus) and 10% physical immunities during the level 11 ability activation.
- Diamond Mind (Su): By spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, a monk with this power can suppress a fear effect affecting him as if using remove fear, using his monk level as his caster level. He can spend 2 ki points to activate this ability even when frightened or panicked. A monk must be at least 6th level before selecting this ki power. At level 11, he can get +1 will and +1 saving throws against mind affecting per round monk level + 1 round per wisdom modifier. At level 15, the Will and Saving throws against mind affecting increase by 1+ up to 2+. At level 20, The monk can use half of his wisdom modifiers as magic damage( Stack with dimensional step magic damage) and adds them to the damage roll during the level 11 ability activation.
- Diamond Soul (Ex): A monk can spend 2 points from his ki pool as a swift action to gain spell resistance equal to his monk level + 10. This spell resistance lasts for a number of rounds equal to the monk’s level + 1 round per wisdom modifier. A monk must be at least 12th level before selecting this ki power. At level 15, Diamond Soul only need 1 point to activate. At level 20, the spell resistance increases by 4 up to 34.
- Empty Body (Su): A monk with this ki power gains the ability to assume an ethereal state for 1 minute as though using the spell etherealness, using his monk level as his caster level. Using this ability is a move action that consumes 3 points from the monk’s ki pool. This ability affects only the monk and cannot be used to make other creatures ethereal. At level 11, Breaking the etherealness will gives the monk concealment of 30% for a number of rounds equal to the monk’s level + 1 round per wisdom modifier. At level 15, the monk only need 2 points to activates. At level 20, the concealment is increased by 20% more up to 50%.
- Furious Defense (Ex): By spending 1 point from his ki pool as an immediate action, a monk with this ki power can grant himself a +2 dodge bonus to AC for a number of rounds equal to 1 four monk’s level + 1 round per wisdom modifier. At level 11, the monk gain +4 CMD. At level 15, he can use half of his base dexterity modifier to increases the number of rounds. At level 20, the dodge bonus to AC increases by 1 up to +3.
- Sudden Speed (Su): A monk with this ki power can spend 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action to grant himself a sudden burst of speed. This increases the monk’s movement speed by 15% for 1 minute. At level 11, the monk gain another 5% to movement speed up to 20% and +1 reflex. At level 15, the monk gain another 5% to movement speed up to 25% and +2 against paralysis and immobilize effect. At level 20, the monk gain another 5% to movement speed up to 30% and his critical threat range increase by 1 during Sudden Speed.
- Wholeness of Body (Su): A monk with this ki power can heal his own wounds as a standard action. By spending 2 points from his ki pool, he can heal an amount of damage equal to 1d8 + his monk level. At level 11, the heal is increased by 2d8. At level 15, after healing, the monk gain 1 regeneration per five level of monks for the amount of 1+ round of his wisdom modifiers and the wholeness of the body has a cooldown of 18 seconds after usage. At level 20, Wholeness of Body is a swift action.
- Quivering Palm (Su): Using this ability is a standard action that costs 2 ki points. Quivering Palm always hit but deals no damage but causes the target to be afflicted with flat untyped damage for the total of half of the monk level for a number of rounds equal to the monk’s wisdom modifier. After the quivering ends, the target must roll a Fortitude saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 the monk’s level + the monk’s Wisdom modifier). If the target succeed, they only lose -1 AC and 2 constitutions for 2 round. If the target fails, they became exhausted for 2 rounds. At level 16, the target suffers 40% spell failures and -2 AB during the period of rounds. At level 20, the target suffers -15% of physical immunities during the periods of rounds. After usage, it goes to cooldown of 2 minutes. Must be at least 12th level before selecting this ki power.
As for the other three Ki Powers High Jump and Slow Fall. I can't think of anything to improve them as they are pretty practical in PnP but would probably be skipped over in Golarion Chronicle.
That's all from me and I might revise this thread if I have anymore suggestions. To those that had read this until end, Thanks for reading my suggestion.
Second revision.
Third revision.
That's all from me and I might revise this thread if I have anymore suggestions. To those that had read this until end, Thanks for reading my suggestion.
Third revision.
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