so i don't have much experience with rpg (I've never had a character get beyond level 3 without a collapse of the game), but I am liking the idea of the Monk. I have been doing a lot of research into the monk and see everyone saying how broken it is, it's seems almost impossible to find a Monk build that is not homebrewed in some way (in many cases alot of ways) In my opinion the main problems seem to be, and i'm sure i'll be corrected, that the monk is a fighter class and does't get armor, has to many ability's that they need for their class str,con,dex,and wis and int if you want 'greater' cmb feats, they cant use mobility and fob, and of course don't deal enough damage.
My question is why is the monk based on strength anyways? you don't see bodybuilders playing monks! They are muscular, but thin and agile. what if the monk got the ability :
-the monk may substitute his dex bonus for str bonus for attack and damage rolls with light and monk weapons.
this seems like it would to me solve most problems, not having to be as reliant on str makes them ability starved, the dex will make for less squishy fighter class, and deal the all important more damage.
as I've said I have never got to high levels so I don't know if this is a bad fix or not, please help me out.
You can be strong but not extremely muscular. Further, the design team has not allowed any dex to damage abilities into the game except as a mythic feat, and even then they had strong reservations about it. Just something to keep in mind.
My question is why is the monk based on strength anyways? you don't see bodybuilders playing monks!
Because martial arts in the real world are almost entirely strength based (well strength plus technique to utilize that strength). There's a reason there are weight classes in all of professional fighting.
Plus, body builders are not actually that strong--there are actually work out techniques that can increase the size and appearance of your muscles without actually increasing your strength all that much, and there are likewise techniques to raise strength without making you appear all muscly and weird.
Kind of missing the point here, i never meant martial artists arnt strong only standing side by side Bruce Lee and young Arnold Schwarzenegger arnt going to have the same strength score that doesnt make Bruce less dangerous.
I'm asking about the mechanic, i know they don't alow dex to damage thats why I'm posting in the homebrew, is it overpowered? Not enough to make the monk 'not broken'
As you know there is a feat called Weapon Finesse to use dexterity for attack rolls (but not damage). As I understand it, we play this way so that dexterity is not used for too many things. Dexterity contributes to initiative, armor class, reflex saves, and a host of skills. If you take add attack and damage to that list, then strength is left with climb and swim. If you don't like it then create a house rule.
Weak martial artists don't win fights. That's why.
Kind of missing the point here, i never meant martial artists arnt strong only standing side by side Bruce Lee and young Arnold Schwarzenegger arnt going to have the same strength score that doesnt make Bruce less dangerous.
Actually, I am suggesting that Bruce Lee would have a higher Strength score than Arnold Scharzenegger, because he actually used strength while Arnold just looked big. Strength wins in Martial Arts, unquestionably.
If you really wanted to argue that Arnold was stronger, then that's fine--there's no reason Bruce Lee wouldn't still be dangerous what with the fact that Arnold was probably a level 1 Commoner with Skill Focus in Profession: Body Building while Bruce Lee was a level 5 or 6 character of some kind.
Anyway, as for your mechanics question, there are two ways for Monks to deal Dex based damage already in the game:
1) Be a follower of Saranrae, take a level of Cleric or Oracle of Life, and take the feats: Weapon Focus (Scimitar), Weapon Finesse, Dervish Dance, and Crusader's Flurry. Considering that requires four feats, none of which are Monk bonus feats, you're looking at level 7 (or 5 for a human) before that works.
2) Acquire an Agile Monk weapon or an Agile amulet of Might Fists (a +1 equivalent enchantment). Since it costs 8k+ for a +1 Agile weapon, you are looking at level 7 before that becomes a viable purchase using wealth by level) (since you aren't supposed to have a single item be worth more than half your total wealth).
In other words, it seems like, if you were to implement a Dex to damage ability for the monk, level 7 is about the right place to put it.
In other words, it seems like, if you were to implement a Dex to damage ability for the monk, level 7 is about the right place to put it.
meh, you add in the armor restriction penalty and it would totally fine at 3rd level. just my opinion of course.
It depends, really on what kind of monk you are wanting to make. A monk's biggest weakness and strength is the MAD aspect. you could pump dex/wis/con and have potentially a survivor. I think its part of why they get flurry. At higher levels, a monk can just shrug off alot of debilitations unlike any other except paladin in second.
You could make a monk that just refuses to throw a punch, but through styles forces the enemy to either stop, or take damage.
Wise man said:
Best way to win fight...