I have also rules for the monk.

[javi ballesteros]

A friend told me that the monk is a jack of all trades and master of none. This did not seem bad thing. As in any other category, depending the member of party, and the "color" of the campaign, be a jack of all can be a good thing.

However, a monk is a wrestler, you need a high strength, wear no armour, you need a high DEX; Everyone wants a high CON; skills are an important part of his repertoire, you need a high INT, extraordinary and supernatural abilities depend of wisdom, so also need high WIS

5 of 6. Less would have a wonderful character in any other category.

What comes is only tested up to level 5, I'm open to suggestions.

Change in feats

Improved Unarmed Strike: Same MDJ plus: A character can use Dexterity bonus (if any) in place of STR bonus on attack, damage rolls and maneuvers that make unarmed.

Stunning Fist: Same but MDJ and using the INT bonus instead of SAB for the Fortitude saving throw

Changes in category Monk:

A monk is proficient with all weapons with special "monk"

Obviously, he could use his DEX bonus instead of his STR when using Flurry of Blows

The monk uses her INT bonus (if any) for features:

AC Bonus
Ki Pool
Quivering Palm

Changes in weapons

All weapons with the monk descriptor: Any character can use the DEX bonus instead of STR, to attack rolls and damage if the character also has the Improved Unarmed Strike feat. You can´t use one and a half DEX bonus in monk weapons wielded with both hands under this option.

Change in the magical weapon

All weapons with focus Ki property, are considered monk weapons even if they normally are not.

Sorry my bad English (google is to blame)

[Dabbler]

Welcome to the problems of the monk. The monk is NOT an all-rounder; they are meant to be a highly mobile unarmed fighter that can get the drop on foes. They do not succeed at this. They are mobile, and have good defences, but have to sacrifice AC to deal damage, or damage for AC. As such they have great difficulties in combat. The concept that their multiple attacks make up for lack of damage dies on contact with damage resistance.

The monk's first big problem is that it is Multi-Attribute Dependent, as you rightly point out. Because they have to spread their attributes around, they don't get the benefit of one high score that most other classes can rely on.

The second big problem is that their main attack form, the unarmed strike, is nearly impossible to enhance at the same level as a normal weapon. It will always lag behind as the amulet of mighty fists is so expensive.

These two problems combine to ensure that the monk is always well behind the other combat classes b y +2 to +4 to hit.

The third problem is that the monk has difficulty bypassing damage resistance. Massive damage is not the monk's forte (he's not that good at it, and even if he can dish it, it's at the expense of his AC). He can't get enhancement to beat it as easily as the rest of his party. His ki-strike only bypasses magic, lawful, and adamantine. Most common DRs after magic are cold iron, silver, and good or evil. Generally, decent DR shuts him down.

As such, these are the three areas that need addressing: a way of not needing two or three high scores to function; a way of gaining enhancement; a way of bypassing DR.

There's a lot more that could be done to help out the monk - a lot of their abilities are very poorly thought out, and do not function as intended.

[javi ballesteros]

Piece by piece
-Jack the Ripper-

Would we agree that the new distribution of attributes would be part of the solution?

[Dabbler]

Using Weapon Finesse as a free feat for the monk has been suggested, and isn't a bad idea. Another was to let the monk us e their Wisdom bonus for their to hit modifier with monk weapons, which might work better as it takes the emphasis away from one physical attribute over the other (strength or dexterity).

I don't see why you want to place so much emphasis on Intelligence, though. If skills are that important to the monk, they should have more actual skill ranks per level as a fix.

[javi ballesteros]

Finesse feat don´t add damage, my change in improved unarmed strike do it, and would be do this feat more attractive for other class (oriental class tipe)

6 skills point are a good idea but I must change all monks charaters published

Really, I chose because it´s a menor change in rules and reduce the number or relevant attributes (equal than paladin in using CAR for spells in front of 3ª Edition using SAB)