Last update: 05.04.24.
Below are some suggestions/ideas for the re-worked feats and the disciplines overall:
Martial Discipline
The problems I see here is that unarmed monk is now way more expensive than armed one which feels strange. I personally tried to build several versions of the unarmed monk and it is extra painful feat-wise as well as stat-wise (no idea how people are going to gear up without 5%-ed 4-stat items now).
1. Improve the Quivering Palm DC
Reasoning: Current DC is 10 + X + Monk Levels / 3 (X is Wis Mod ) means lvl 30 monk with 16 base wisdom (28 buffed = 9 mod) will have 10 + 9 + 30/3 = 29 DC. This means that 80% of the enemies (including players) will be immune to it (I assume the nat-1-fishing with an instant attack with 10 sec CD is impossible).
Throw in the additional X (Body Discipline Tier) to the DC or make it Monk Levels / 2. Otherwise it is unusable as well as wastes 1 APR. And it is not a free feat anymore, btw.
2. Re-work the Circle kick feat into an instant attack
Requires: 17 Monk, Knockdown feat (27.03.24 Update)
Whirlwind aoe area, DMG -4, AB -4, 9 sec CD, attempt to knockdown the enemies at 10 + Wis Mod + X (Martial Discipline Tier) + Monk Levels / 3 vs reflex. Can be used while armed & unarmed.
Reasoning: Instant attacks are useful and needed in the current Meta. Feat starve does not allow deep monks to take 4 feats needed for the whirlwind without severe sacrifices. Furthermore, the Quivering Palm is unavailable to the armed monks. The situation provokes to deny deep monk and instead go deep into multiclassing. Monks who decide to take both the Quivering Palm and the Circle kick will switch between them making the class more interactive and interesting to fight with. Also this will be another ability which stimulates to go into WIS- instead of CHA-monks.
3. Stance: Iron Grip of the Eagle's Talon (29.03.24 Update: moved here as it suits more to the Martial Discipline. Edited the effect)
While the stance is active the monk ignores enemies' tumble skill rolls and the Spring attack feat. Does not ignore the AC bonus from the tumble skill. Removes the limit on the amount of attacks of opportunity per round.
Duration: scales with Wisdom modifier.
1 round / Hard WIS Mod + 1 round / 3 Soft WIS Mod.
Eppi's original idea.
Reasoning: Punishes the enemies who try to engage or disengage. Also allows to hit archers & casters every time they make a shot or cast a spell. Arcane archer killer ability.
Spiritual Discipline
Overall, the problem with the spiritual discipline is that it provokes to go for a CHA monk to get benefits from the Paladin/ CoT/ BG which is absurd lore-wise. In the meantime, it is hard to even get the Adept rank as a pure monk. Mainly because you have to favor semi-useless spiritual feats over really useful Body Discipline or Martial discipline feats. So, I assume, spiritual feats need a good boost.
1.Meditation upgrade
Add on top the existing effects:
Practitioner: Can rest during combat;
Adept: Does not clear positive effects;
Master: Refreshes the duration of all positive effects.
Reasoning: No one will take the default feat for the deep monk purposes; casters will take for dip (27.03.24 Update). This version is an insane QoL though.
2. Worship upgrade
Novice: Gains 0.X piety every round (X is Discipline Tier);
Practitioner: Gains X HP every round (X is Discipline Tier);
Adept: Heals allies. Allows to consecrate the altars; (28.03.24 Update)
Master: Overheals up to 30 HP. Allows to conduct ceremonies (via altars only). (28.03.24 Update)
Reasoning: Because altars are everywhere. It is easier to go afk next to the altar than taking a whole feat just for piety re-stocking. People with the Gift of Devotion may be a bit upset. No ceremonies via the Worship as ceremonies put all players around on their knees; imagine being able to do so at any given moment.
3. Move the Empty Body feat to the Spiritual Branch. (25.03.24 Update)
Reasoning: Empty body is not about a physical training, but rather about a spiritual or, at least, a mind one.
Check what Master Shi Heng Yi has to say on the topic https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zhP3ioU4WKg
4. Ethereal Push (28.03.24 Update)
Requires: 17 Monk, 16 Wisdom, Empty Body
Use the ability on an ally to apply a Greater Sanctuary effect to them for 3 rounds.
Use the ability on an enemy to apply a Greater Sanctuary effect to them for 3 rounds. If a hostile target fails a Will save against 10 + 1/2 Monk levels + WIS modifier they are additionally stunned for 3 rounds.
10 minutes cooldown.
Reasoning: The monk clearly sees the line between the material and the ethereal planes, which allows her to temporarily push not just the spirit, but also the person's body itself from one plane to another.
Mechanically it is an instrument against the summoners as a Greater Sanctuary instantly unsummons powerful summons. When used on allies it is an instrument of providing the mean of escape or the temporary protection. Also see the upgraded version at the end of this post.
Also see for the inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxRKCIGa608
Body Discipline
Overall, the discipline feels fine despite the fact that you need to manually take essential feats like evasion or uncanny dodge. Epic dodge now costs 4 feats meaning that if you want that you have to skip LOTS.
0. Give Improved Unarmed Strike, Brawler & Pugilist feats for free (01.04.24 Update)
Reasoning: As it was mentioned many times here monks are known for being a capable unarmed class. Also see "Unarmed + Armed Monk Concept summary" at the end of this post.
1. Make the Ki Strike & the Improved Ki Strike work with monastic weapons at 27+ or 28+ Monk levels or 9/10 levels in the build.
Reasoning: 3/4 BAB Monk class progression & lack of AB/DMG-boosting armed feats force players to multiclass heavily into the full BAB classes/ classes with AB/DMG boosts like a Fighter, a Knight, a WM, etc. As a result, armed monks are naturally limited to dips of 6 (11 tops) Monk levels. Which is basically not a monk, but a fighter with a monk scent.
The mentioned Ki Strike improvement would motivate players to go deep armed monks despite the limit of 3 base APR (still compensated by FoB) while keeping cool shiny eyes & being able to fully use the abilities which would essentially identify them as a monk. Enabling feats to work at 27 lvl of Monk would make the solution even more attractive as it opens a space for multiclassing to add flavor to the concept.
01.04.24 Update: Alternatively, allow AB from the gloves to stack with the melee weapon AB; to use the highest gloves/ melee weapon Sure Striking if a monk has an Improved Ki Strike feat. This will make even armed monks wear their monastic knuckles.
AB: Means +4 knuckles + IKi Strike (+1) = +5 AB to monk weapons.
Sure Striking: +4 knuckles + IKi Strike (+1) +/- Martial Tier 4 bonus (+1) +/- Ascension of the Martial Discipline Tier 4 bonus (+1) = +5-7 Sure Striking with monk weapons.
Also see "Unarmed + Armed Monk Concept summary" at the end of this post.
2. Full Ki Sprint, please
For Gods' sake make it 10% + 10% for every Body Discipline tier up to 150%. Why a half-baked pie again?
Or at least, make the activation giving you a freedom of movement/ allowing you to move during the time stop, - anything worth spending a feat in a world where a monk can use Sprint & Blinding speed.
3. Upgrade the Flesh of Steel
Add on top of the current effect:
Practitioner: If the monk receives the physical or bleeding damage which is less than the monk's discipline (parry) / 5 skill, a monk receives -/X DR against that damage type for 3 rounds. Will only apply a DR for one physical/ bleeding damage type at a time with the lowest damage taken; other damage types & the damage types already covered by this effect are ignored. The check triggers once per round. Does not stack, but can provide DR against up to 3 different damage types. (28.03.24 Update)
Adept: +X fortitude bonus against Disease (28.03.24 Update)
Master: +X fortitude bonus against Poison (28.03.24 Update)
Reasoning: The default feat is semi-useless as you get 10% bludg from the addy helmet anyway. The listed upgrades make the feat iconic for the whole Discipline. "X" is to enable the Ascension to push the bonus up to 8 if the player decides to go for the Master tier in the discipline. (28.03.24 Update)
The DR boost could make the feat more attractive while motivating to invest into SkF's.
4."I am 4 parallel planes ahead of you!" (25.03.24 Update)
Requires: 17 Monk, the Blinding Speed feat, the Flurry of Blows feat
While the Flurry of Blows mode is active a successful hit against a primary target can freeze the target in time for 1 second (Reflex save, DC 10 + 1/2 Monk levels + the highest of CON/ WIS modifier). Triggers once per flurry.
Reasoning: The monk's movements become so rapid that he is able to knock his opponent out of the timeline. 
5. Blade Palms (27.03.24 Update)
Requirements: 17 Monk, 16 (hard) CON (or Poison immunity)
Allows to use poisons on the gloves.
A Monk receives +X DC when using Arelith's custom poisons while unarmed (does not stack with other ACP bonuses).
The Unarmed qualifies as an Invisible Blade weapon and a Swashbuckler weapon.
Visuals: palms of the monk become dark grey.
Master tier: Blade Palms feat can cause a random non-magical disease. (29.03.24 Update: moved here from the upgrades)
Reasoning: based on a real-life training called the "Demon Hand": hitting the sand until your hands start to adapt to the increased pressure. As a result both the palms and nails of a monk become rougher and darker in colour. Practitioners of the training also used to cover their palms in poisons so that the slightest scratches could cause the infection on the enemy's side. (see for more detailed explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu7sMmEF210).
Epic feat is to mitigate dip monk builds like 6 Monk/ 24 Swashbuckler builds.
16 CON requirement can be explained by the need to be able to withstand the poisons themselves.
"The Unarmed qualifies as an Invisible Blade weapon" is a nice twist for the monk assassins, ninjas, banite or simply LE monks as the Demon hand training specifies on causing bleeding wounds as well.
"The Unarmed qualifies as a Swashbuckler weapon." - allow monks to get Insightful Strike and cool skills while investing into a full BAB class on preepics.
Imagine, for example, a White Rod unarmed 21 Monk/ 5 IB/ 4 Swash or 17 Monk/ 5 IB/ 8 Swash. Fighter dip suddenly gets a healthy competitor.
"X" is to enable the Ascension to push the bonus up to 8 making the Monk the best class when it comes to handling poisons. (28.03.24 Update)
Mind Discipline
Overall, there is not much to take in the Mind discipline for a Monk who is not into the crafting build. Brilliance was somehow attractive before the 5%ing was alive. Below are some ideas for the new useful feats.
25.03.24 Update: Perhaps, the Mind discipline becomes kind of an "upgrade" discipline? Like it will not have too much of its own abilities, but instead will improve the existing one? Mainly on epics?
In the leu with this idea one could remove the whole Mind discipline branch and re-distribute the feats between the existing 3 other disciplines. A possible explanation: a mindful monk knows how to get the most out of her/his body and spirit.
1. Stance: Jade Eye Knight.
25.03.24 Update: Requires: 17 Monk, 30 hard Parry, 15 Spellcraft(?), the Deflect arrows feat, Mobility(?)
A stance to Parry spells (spellcraft based; spells up to the 6th circle) & ranged attacks (parry based).
Reasoning: Let people feel like a jedi. Make it bound to the actual parry (/concentration/ spellcraft?) skill digits or even to the parry mode itself. Will motivate people to multiclass into a Swashbuckler or a Spellsword. Add the Parry feats to the Mind Branch. Overall, this may make a Parry mode a more interesting alternative to the Expertise mode.
2. Ki Expertise
Your allies in a guard radius get +1/+2 AC while you are in an Expertise/ IE mode.
25.03.24 Update: Probably one could also allow the leadership bonuses to be applied to the monk himself while in an E/ IE mode. This could motivate taking Skilled Rhetorician/ Exemplary Orator feats as well as SkF's.
Reasoning: a PVP feat for team players.
3. Upgrade Mental Fortress
Add on top of the current effect:
Practitioner: +X bonuses to concentration (X = Tier). (29.03.24 Update)
Adept: +X bonuses to spellcraft; (29.03.24 Update)
Master: +X save bonus against all spells. (29.03.24 Update: save against mind-affecting & will save were replaced as they are granted by the default discipline bonuses)
Reasoning: the default feat is next to useless due to the rarity of the Psychic and Sonic damage types. The listed upgrades make the feat iconic for the whole Discipline. "X" is to enable the Ascension to push the bonus up to 8 if the player decides to go for the Master tier in the discipline. (28.03.24 Update)
4. Ki-blocking (24.03.24 Update)
Requires: 16 INT, the Called Shot feat. Applies only when unarmed. (29.03.24 Update)
Upon a successful called shot hit the opponent additionally suffers a 5% Spell Failure chance per 10 Monk levels.
25.03.24 Update: Reasoning: A cool Ty Lee/ equalists reference everyone will appreciate:.
Possible lore explanation: The monk knows how the Ki energy flows in the bodies of living beings and devotes himself to learning how to interrupt the flow.
5. Drunken master style. (25.03.24 Update)
Receive +1 AC while fighting indoors. Receive +2 damage bonus if there is any furniture in the colossal radius (or just if indoors).
Reasoning: The monk is trained to fight in tight spaces and use furniture and even decorative elements to his advantage. Tables become tower shields, chairs and empty bottles become weapons, etc.
After some time DMs will be surprised to see how carefully all the boss rooms are decorated. 
The Drunken master we deserved.
General ideas:
1. Give some QOL feats for free
Reasoning: some QoL feats are very neat, but you skip them due to the dire feat starve.
Possible solution: Give some of the QoL feats for free at certain levels of the monk with a limited choice. For example, at level 9 give a choice: Skilled Rhetorician OR Exemplary Orator. Player chooses 1 option, the 2nd option is unaccessible.
2. Consider giving some combat feats for free on epics
Some of the combat feats could be given for free to choose from the 2-4 option list on the epic levels of the monk. For example:
- Mental Fortress OR Flesh of Steel OR Spirit Shield;
- Circle kick (reworked) OR Ki Sprint (Upgraded to mitigate the Time stop) OR Reincarnation.
These choices should look OP & feel really important like if you would choose epic spells.
Such "choose 1 of N" tactic can be also used to limit undesirable combinations 42 SR + Pray feats + Reincarnation, for example.
Alternatively, you could give special OP effects to the existing feats as a reward for the certain tiers of the Ascension (or Balance) or even just upon reaching certain tiers in Disciplines:
Martial Discipline:
Practitioner+: (Epic) Weapon Focus: Unarmed, Improved Critical: Unarmed, (Epic) Weapon Specialization: Unarmed feats apply their bonuses to all monk weapons. (29.03.24 Update) Also see "Unarmed + Armed Monk Concept summary" at the end of this post.
Adept+: During the Stance: Iron Grip of the Eagle's Talon ignore 1/2 of the enemies' (hard) Tumble skill when making an attack of opportunity. (29.03.24 Update: moved here from the default description)
Master: The Circle kick's and the Quivering Palm's cooldowns are reduced to 6 seconds. (29.03.24 Update)
Spiritual Discipline:
Practitioner+: Serendipity also clears cooldowns on all spiritual abilities (except for Pray & Reincarnation). (29.03.24 Update)
Adept+: Empty body grants the Wraith Stride effects for 1 round upon activation. (29.03.24 Update)
Master: Ethereal Push feat can be used on self. If used on a target the monk applies the Greater Sanctuary for 3 rounds to themselves as well as the True Seeing effect for 3 rounds allowing them to see the target while they are in the ethereal state; prevents the enemy from getting an advantage if they avoid the stun. (28.03.24 Update)
Body Discipline:
Practitioner+: Ki Sprint grants the freedom of movement effect for 1 round upon activation (29.03.24 Update)
Adept+: During the Stance: Equipoise the monk copies an instant attack directed against him and performs it towards the attacker. Triggers once per flurry. The copied instant attack does not interfere with the monk's own instant attacks' CD. Koros' original idea (Ki Reflect). (25.03.24 Update)
Master: Flesh of Steel grants poison and disease immunity.
Mind Discipline:
Practitioner+: Ki-Blocking can be used with weapons & applies a -5 concentration malus to the target (stacks). (29.03.24 Update)
Adept+: During the Stance: Jade Eye Knight upon a successful spell parry deflect the spell back at the caster. 1/3 of the Parry bonus (Hard + Soft) benefits the Spellcraft skill for the purposes of the stance's spell parry. (29.03.24 Update)
Master: Mental fortress grants the mind spell immunity.
3. Make a tea ceremonies as a ritual for the monks. (29.03.24 Update)
Possible implementation: allows monks to get bonuses from the Ascension of Discipline & the Balance of Discipline perks.
In the end of the ceremony monks have to fight copies of themselves representing their sins and material urges.
Here are some references for the inspiration:
Samurai Jack: Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFDkcvrSaYU Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU24VItAmWk
Uncle Iroh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghByA8XpmSo
4. Unarmed + Armed Monk Concept summary (01.04.24 Update)
The concept describes a monk who fights with both melee weapons and via unarmed switching mid-combat between the regimes. Such a monk can take both armed & unarmed stances & techniques into the build with an intent of using them tactically depending on the situation on the ground. Requires the following key points:
1) Monks get free Improved Unarmed Strike, Brawler & Pugilist feats;
2) AB from the gloves stacks with the melee weapon AB; the highest gloves/ melee weapon Sure Striking is used if a monk has an Improved Ki Strike feat.
3) (E)FW, (E)WS, IC Unarmed feats apply their bonuses to all monk weapons;
4) Some abilities are still only usable while unarmed, some - while armed.
How is it going to benefit Unarmed + Armed Monk (UAMTM) Concept:
1) The UAMs will not have to invest into 3 unarmed-only feats they will have no use in an armed regime;
2) The UAMs will not have to waste 2 unarmed-only Ki-strike feats they will have no use in an armed regime; instead they will be re-used for the armed regime. Due to the fact that gloves' AB now benefit the weapon UAMs will not switch gloves (or any other additional equipment) mid combat while changing regimes. So the UAM will have 1 universal set of gear for both armed & unarmed regimes.
Possibly the Ki Strikes bonuses may be applied to weapons for the limited time (2-3 minutes) after equipping a weapon so that UAMs are motivated to switch back to the unarmed. A cooldown for the bonus to be applied again may be set as well.
3) The UAM will take 1 set of general combat feats which will work for both regimes;
4) The fact that some abilities (stances, instant attacks, techniques) are usable only in a particular regime will motive UAMs to switch between regimes more often. Switching between regimes should make the gameplay more dynamic rewarding the player with higher performance;
Extra: The UAM concept opens an option where a monk generally fights with fists and sometimes uses special activation-based abilities attached to the weapon techniques to make cool finishing moves, for example.
For the inspiration:
Red Avenger description: https://www.realmshelps.net/charbuild/c ... nger.shtml
"I am the storm" finishing combo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOZONW-UK0w
5. Discipline progression re-visiting (05.04.24 Update)
Problem: the mechanical necessity for the monk to multiclass deeply into other classes is (additionally) stimulated by the fact that NON-MONK classes provide way more (free/ bonus) feats to progress in the MONASTIC disciplines than the actual MONK class. It feels like a crutch solution to me. Examples:
3 levels of the Archer-Ranger provide: Rapid Reload, Rapid Shot, Point Blank Shot +1 bonus feat for a total of 3 Martial feats + 1 any Discipline feat (if taken on the epics).
3 levels of the Paladin provide: turn undead, Divine Grace, Divine Smite for a total of 3 Spiritual feats.
Each level of the Loremaster provides 1 Monastic feat for the purposes of the Discipline progression up to 5 feats at the 5th of LM.
Possible measures to mitigate the problem:
- Only monastic feats benefit the monastic disciplines progression;
- The Discipline progression is replaced by points. Each monastic feat grants a certain amount of points. Some feats may grant point in different disciplines. Some feats may reduce points in other disciplines. Examples:
Empty Body: +1 Spiritual, +1 Body.
Mental Fortress: +2 Mind.
Spirit Shield: +1 Spiritual, +1 Body.
Worship: +3 Spiritual (to motivate people to take a semi-useless QoL feat (if you do not want to upgrade it as was described above)).
Blade Palms: +1 Martial, +1 Body, -2 Spiritual (to represent that poisoning people & spreading diseases is not a healthy spiritual practice, for example).
Circle kick (upgraded): +1 Martial, +1 Body.
Quivering Palm: +1 Martial, +1 Spiritual.
Ki barrier: +2 Body - The Discipline progression checkpoints may be reduced to 2/4/6/8 if needed.
#Monk_Disciplines_for_Monks
