ThalantyrS wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 12:35 pm
Hi, I think this is my first forum post, so I might as well introduce myself. I am Thalantyr, I play Koros (Monk WM) and Deshade (Shadowdancer). I have been playing on Arelith for two or three months only, after not playing NWN online since 2007. I did play a lot back then for years, always PW RP servers. I also have played PnP D&D since that time and until today.
Welcome to Arelith.
ThalantyrS wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 12:35 pm
I understand the idea of "choosing your path" and flexibility for builds, but I feel that with these changes, the monk end up way too generic, like a fighter. It seems way too LETS MAKE BUILDS oriented and not role play oriented.
Mechanics and Roleplay are correlated in the sense that mechanics sometimes reflect what roleplays can be made available. The whole point of the monk overhaul is to make all kinds of roleplay pertaining to the concept of "Monk" more available.
Many people often have the misconception that mechanics and roleplay are inversely related to each other, which is not true. Focusing on one does not take away from the other.
So here's a new perspective for you, ready?
Monk Overhaul is both "LETS MAKE BUILDS" and "roleplay oriented", how exciting!
Before Monk Overhaul, one had fist monks and more fist monks. Weapon Monks are the butt end of the joke. Now, with Monk Overhaul, one can have all kinds of variations of monk builds to cater to their roleplay.
ThalantyrS wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 12:35 pm
I personally like my monk, I like that I gave him the background and flavor I wanted while keeping him a monk. A martial artist, a channel for ki, with unique manifestations of its power.
And you can just build right back into whatever it is on your mind your monk should be with Monk Overhaul, no one is stopping you except your own expectations or impressions.
ThalantyrS wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 12:35 pm
I like that, for example, while ROLE PLAYING I get captured and my weapon taken, I am still someone that can defend himself with his fists. I even use them from time to time, because it is part of my training, something inherent in the monk tradition.
And you still can, monk overhaul doesn't take that away from your character. Your character just needs to train for it, like everyone else does. And as an added bonus, Monks will still be the better class at it than everyone else.
ThalantyrS wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 12:35 pm
Some monk features should remain unique and inherent to being a monk in my opinion.
You're going to have to be more specific. What monk features should remain unique and inherent to being a monk?
ThalantyrS wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 12:35 pm
Kenji you wrote above: "the real-life inspiration for monk design is mainly for the mechanics of the class. The new feats and abilities will attempt to introduce as little to no new lore as possible to the setting.". I do not see exactly the reason for that approach. Lore is what makes us be a part of Forgotten Realms and not a real like monk that has no place in FR. You should not play whatever you want, you should play something that fits the setting, and I feel this monk rework is more of a New Class that is not Monk anymore. You can rename it and may be have something interesting to build around as it has already stripped out quite a few things that made monk unique. Remove the rest monk specific stuff and you may have a nice new class, that found a new way to channel their Ki. But I would not make someone invest 6 feats to become a martial artist, have that special monk AC, lose the monk AB and become something that is not a monk anymore.
Because there exist Monk Orders within the Forgotten Realm setting that Arelith is set in already. Do you want us to introduce something along the lines of "I am a missionary of Jesus Christ", "I am a disciple of Shao Lin", "I am a Wu Don practitioner", or "I practice Shinto" on Arelith? This is why the mechanics are not there to introduce new lore but cater to existing ones.
Even if you do, I'm 99% certain that is not what Irongron or the writing team wants at all. It's certainly not what I want.
ThalantyrS wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 12:35 pm
I know you said it is already being reworked, but the drunken fist for example, someone already mentioned that monks that use that technique just mimic it, they are not actually drunk. My question is how it was even considered for the monk to be drunk in the first place. I am clearly in no position to ask anything, but I am curious of where all this rework and ideas come from. I think there are good resources of monk material out there that can make for interesting changes and paths for monks, without making it so generic and take 20 feats to mix it up the way you want even if it is not a monk anymore.
Here's a snippet of the inspiration I took from various fiction and movies:
(Technique: Dragon Sundering Eighteen Palm) Search "降龍十八掌" on Google
(Stance: Equipoise) Tai Ji Fist, from Kung Fu Hustle
https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx3ttgOiV-8H ... ZOjlp6ewV2
(Nine Sword of the Recluse) Du Gu Nine Sword, or search "独孤九剑" on Google
ThalantyrS wrote: ↑Sat Dec 02, 2023 12:35 pm
My question is how it was even considered for the monk to be drunk in the first place.
(Drunken Fist) Drunken Master, a Jackie Chan movie
https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxjxJ9oTClDJ ... qgsmZHqJwN
It is important to recognize here that, in the end, Arelith is a fantasy world with magic, fantastical creatures, intervening deities, and entities beyond our comprehension. Strict adherence to realism is boring and the antithesis of what this fantasy world is about.
Take Drunken Master for example, it is like Dreams said, Drunken Fist was never about getting drunk, but about deception. If the moviemakers focused so much on that instead of one's imagination, then Jackie Chan's movie is probably not going to be as entertaining.