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Ok I keep seeing different posts about monks and ways to fix them. Now to make this point now I have not really had a lot of monks in my groups (more do to other interesting character ideas then due to fear of the monks weaknesses) but I do get the worries people have with them being a class that is meant to a.) mix it up in combat and b.) having both lower health then the next leading melee class and c.) apparently being able to be outstripped rather quickly by other classes (namely fighter) in combat abilities that they are supposed to be known for (namely unarmed combat).
Now I know there are more gripes but it is this last one that bothered me since as a loving fan of kung-fu flicks, anime, and the many Asian influences that inspired the monk I've never liked the idea that a full-plate fighter can out do a monk in a trial of fists so to speak. So it is hear that I would like to offer up a solution that I've been thinking about and see what you guys think. I think one of the main problems is that the damage output of an unarmed strike quickly gets outstripped by other weapons as the game moves on due to the ease at which any other character can upgrade a weapon through magic as compared to an unarmed strike which is much more expensive to upgrade. So here's my solution
At 4th level and every 4 there after a monk gains an additional +1 on attack and damage rolls with their unarmed strikes.
Sound good?
While it's a good idea, it's NOT an idea you want to implement while leaving Monk Unarmed Damage at 2d10 max.
What gives Fighter such a huge advantage is the vast amount of guaranteed damage they can stack onto their attacks. Monks only increasing damage bonus is with their unarmed strike. To cut to the chase: the massive damage dice of 2d10 and the massive number of potential attacks monk has is supposed to make up for the lack of guaranteed damage. The issue of course, is that it does not due to nonexistent monk accuracy and inability to pierce most common forms of Damage Reduction.
If you include a Fighter Weapon Training style bonus like you've got there, which I've thrown together as well in my suggestions/homebrews, you CAN'T have unarmed strike damage at 2d10 max. The DPR is at such a rate that Monk is no longer merely competitive with fighter: they're better than Fighter in the majority of combat situations.
You want to find a balance. Now, if you cap Monk Unarmed Strike at 1d6 or 1d8 and then apply the weapon training bonus? It balances out pretty well, and everybody gets what they want. Monk gets some accuracy to actually hit things, and decent damage (with better than normal average damage), while still having cool powers and speed that can't be matched by other classes...and Fighter is still a slow moving damage machine.
That said: We've all been thinking about this one recently. I think it's a perfect idea really.
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My simple Monk fix:
The Monk’s unarmed damage progression, AC bonus, and movement are changed as follows:
1: 1d4/+0/+0 ft
2-6: 1d6/+1/+10 ft
7-11: 1d8/+2/+20 ft
12-16: 1d10/+3/+30 ft
17-20: 1d12/+4/+40 ftThese numbers are for a Medium creature. Adjust damage normally if their size is either greater or lesser.
However a Monk does receive a damage bonus equal to his Wisdom modifier on unarmed attacks and with all Monk weapons. A Zen Archer monk may do this with bows only when using his ki arrows ability.
The Monk is a full Base Attack Bonus Class. This makes the Flurry of Blows ability a bit less necessary. Maneuver Training is also thus completely redundant and does not exist. This doesn't change their hit die size.*
If the Monk does not otherwise move in a round, the +20 ft movement use of Ki points allows the Monk to move 20 ft + Monk bonus Speed as a Swift Action that provokes Attacks of Opportunity normally. If the Monk does otherwise move, it remains only a +20 ft bonus.
Amulet of Mighty Fists: In addition to providing a bonus on attacks, an AoMF also provides a bonus to Natural Armor equal to it’s rating, whether that rating is taken up by actual bonuses or effects such as Flaming. So a +1 Shocking, Flaming, Amulet of Mighty Fists also provides a +3 enhancement bonus to Natural Armor.
*I don't care that it breaks that rule either.
This covers all the Monk's problems, and simplifies leveling a bit as well. It also combines well with most existing Archetypes.
I allow Monks to enchant their Unarmed Damage just like any other weapon. This allows for the Monk to continue to use only his Unarmed Strikes (like we all want him to) and not be passed up by the rest of the party and their kick-ass weapons that explode in flame and such. It's just bad ass to picture the Monk delivering a "Thundering" strike on a critical hit.
At 4th level and every 4 there after a monk gains an additional +1 on attack and damage rolls with their unarmed strikes.
Sound good?
Not keeping the dice it isn't. My answer was to reduce unarmed strike to 1d6 damage, flat. No increase. Then get:
Monk Precision: At 2nd level, the monk gains a +1 competence bonus to damage when using their unarmed strike or a monk weapon. Every four levels this bonus increases by another +1, to +5 at 18th level.
Ki Pool (Su): At 4th level, a monk gains a pool of ki points, supernatural energy he can use to accomplish amazing feats. The number of points in a monk’s ki pool is equal to 1/2 his monk level + his Wisdom modifier. As long as he has at least 1 point in his ki pool, he can make a ki strike with his unarmed attack or a ki focus weapon. At 4th level, ki strike gains a +1 enhancement bonus to hit and damage, treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. ki strike improves with the character’s monk level; ever four additional levels the ki strike increases by +1, to a maximum of +5 at 20th level. This enhancement bonus overcomes damage resistance as if it were a magic weapon, but will not stack with a magic weapon’s own enhancement bonus if a ki focus weapon is used – only the higher of the two enhancements will be used. At 8th level it also bypasses five points of hardness when damaging objects, and this increases by five points every four levels to 20 points of hardness at 20th level.
By spending 1 point from his ki pool, a monk can make one additional attack at his highest attack bonus when making a flurry of blows attack. In addition, he can spend 1 point to increase his speed by 20 feet for 1 round. At 8th level, the monk may expend a point from his ki pool to make a short flurry of blows as a standard action; the monk may make two attacks, as if the first and third attacks of their flurry of blows. At 15th level, this increases to three attacks, as if the first, third and fifth attacks from their flurry of blows. Finally, a monk can spend 1 point from his ki pool to give himself a +4 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round. Each of these powers is activated as a swift action. A monk gains additional powers that consume points from his ki pool as he gains levels.
The ki pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation; these hours do not need to be consecutive.
So you top out at 1d6+10 at level 20 instead of 2d10. Weapons and the maligned amulet of mighty fists are still useful to add weapon properties. More about my monk redesign here.
I tend to allow handwraps/footwraps that can be enchanted to give enchantment to unarmed strikes, as well as rule that monk weapon damage progresses with the unarmed damage, if the weapon has a lower damage dice than a first level monk, then the progressed weapon damage will always be the same amount of steps below the unarmed damage and if the weapon damage dice is higher than the unarmed damage, the progressed weapon damage will always be the appropriate amunt of steps higher.
Also enchantable monk robes that give armor enchantments to a monk qwithout them having to wear armor.
Enchanted handwraps only work with improved unarmed strike and monk robes only with the monk AC ability. (so they don't get abused by wizards or something)