I don't think that Rasaad should need special items to be a viable party member who fills a specific party role.
The monk class is supposed to be a dps melee role. It fails miserably at that, until late SoA, according to its fans, and I don't even believe that from them, since the monk is always going to be vulnerable to critical hits from Candlekeep to the Throne of Bhaal.
Maybe a late SoA-ToB monk gets SO much dps, that the critical hit vulnerability isn't an issue, but I don't know.
BTW, it is possible that the disconnect between monk advocates and me is that I always am in a minimal or no reload mindset? If you have to just reload over and over until lucky dice rolls happen, well, that totally breaks my immersion and willing suspension of disbelief.
I have the same problem with Neera and wild mages in general. Why in the world would you believably risk your life in combat with somebody who has a chance, however small, of summoning a demon to kill you or to fireball you and your beloved friends, just by doing what they are supposed to do in routine combat? Again, the whole idea breaks my willing suspension of disbelief.
I'm sorry, but I just don't think that the monk class as implemented in BG makes any sense. (Breaks that willing suspension of disbelief again. )
So, the only way I can use Rasaad in my games is to Keeper him into a cleric of Selune, and the only way I can use Neera in my games is to Keeper her into a sorceress. I still think that their writers should have done that in the first place.
It's almost like they thought, "Well, let's give our game-selling new npc Dorn a kickarse new kit, but let's saddle our other two game-selling npc's with the worst two character classes from BG that we can possibly give them."
I'm sorry, that sounds a bit harsh, but that's how I see them. I'm grateful to have them added to my BG experience, and I'm an avid supporter of BG:EE, and I'm grateful to have BG:EE on my computer. Rasaad and Neera have great stories, voice acting, and story presence. But I think that Rasaad and Neera have the worst character classes that the devs could have possibly given them.
I don't think that Rasaad should need special items to be a viable party member who fills a specific party role.
The monk class is supposed to be a dps melee role. It fails miserably at that, until late SoA, according to its fans, and I don't even believe that from them, since the monk is always going to be vulnerable to critical hits from Candlekeep to the Throne of Bhaal.
Maybe a late SoA-ToB monk gets SO much dps, that the critical hit vulnerability isn't an issue, but I don't know.
BTW, it is possible that the disconnect between monk advocates and me is that I always am in a minimal or no reload mindset? If you have to just reload over and over until lucky dice rolls happen, well, that totally breaks my immersion and willing suspension of disbelief.
I have the same problem with Neera and wild mages in general. Why in the world would you believably risk your life in combat with somebody who has a chance, however small, of summoning a demon to kill you or to fireball you and your beloved friends, just by doing what they are supposed to do in routine combat? Again, the whole idea breaks my willing suspension of disbelief.
I'm sorry, but I just don't think that the monk class as implemented in BG makes any sense. (Breaks that willing suspension of disbelief again. )
So, the only way I can use Rasaad in my games is to Keeper him into a cleric of Selune, and the only way I can use Neera in my games is to Keeper her into a sorceress. I still think that their writers should have done that in the first place.
It's almost like they thought, "Well, let's give our game-selling new npc Dorn a kickarse new kit, but let's saddle our other two game-selling npc's with the worst two character classes from BG that we can possibly give them."
I'm sorry, that sounds a bit harsh, but that's how I see them. I'm grateful to have them added to my BG experience, and I'm an avid supporter of BG:EE, and I'm grateful to have BG:EE on my computer. Rasaad and Neera have great stories, voice acting, and story presence. But I think that Rasaad and Neera have the worst character classes that the devs could have possibly given them.
If you don't like their classes, then play other characters instead. Plenty of clerics, mages, warriors, etc in the game for you to use. I'm glad the developer decided RP over combat viability for both of these characters.
Also, critical hit vulnerbility doesn't really matter late SOA. You get so much HP and your fighters do so much damage, not to mention all the protection spells you have, that critical hits shouldn't be a problem.
Also, I know there are ioun stones in BG2, unless someone's been sneaking onto my computer and installing mods since I was 12. Which I'm not entirely ready to rule out, mind you. Stupid brother. :P
But seriously, monks aren't crit-vulnerable forever, that much I know.
1° - you can import a character from Black Pits with black pits items (do this in multiplayer to transfer the items), that helps a lot Rasaad, specially the fist gloves.
2° - Just change Rasaad to sun soul monk and it's done, i never understand why they make his class solo monk when all his behavior point to a sun soul monk.
3° - The beautiful of Neera is her being an wild mage, just save often. be abke to cast time stop with a level 1 spell is pretty amazing i think.
4 - about the critical hit issue, there's an ornamental helmet in windspear hills (the one broken in 7 parts and each is carried by a djinn). That helmet can be equipped by any character.
Ps: I really think critical hits being stopped by helmet as an stupid thing, helmets should roll a % chance of nulify an CR, not an permanent immunity to it.
1° - you can import a character from Black Pits with black pits items (do this in multiplayer to transfer the items), that helps a lot Rasaad, specially the fist gloves.
2° - Just change Rasaad to sun soul monk and it's done, i never understand why they make his class solo monk when all his behavior point to a sun soul monk.
3° - The beautiful of Neera is her being an wild mage, just save often. be abke to cast time stop with a level 1 spell is pretty amazing i think.
4 - about the critical hit issue, there's an ornamental helmet in windspear hills (the one broken in 7 parts and each is carried by a djinn). That helmet can be equipped by any character.
Ps: I really think critical hits being stopped by helmet as an stupid thing, helmets should roll a % chance of nulify an CR, not an permanent immunity to it.
The Fire Giant connects with a massive blow from his two handed sword, the crash can be heard for a mile! Surely the monk is doomed?!
Nope, he had a tiny magic stone floating around that granted him +1 wisdom. And somehow deflected most of the force. You know, despite lacking any defensive enchantments.
Would someone mind explaining to me why people think the Sun Soul monk is weaker later on? Don't they only lose Stunning Fist and Quivering Palm? I don't play a lot of monks, but Quivering Palm seems weak, especially when mages can easily just cast Finger of Death. Stunning Fist is nice, but they get that at the beginning, and the early game is when saves are bad anyway, which should make it better, right? But clearly I'm missing something, because everyone who plays monks seems to think the Sun Soul monk is better at low levels and worse at high levels.
@OneAngryMushroom, I already Keeper him into a cleric of Lathander every time I use him. That's how I was able to tolerate him through a run so I could play his new content maps.
@Jarrakul, a monk in later levels make 5 attacks per round, 5 chances of instant death into a single round and that's pretty nice if not overpowered, stunning blow apparently last for 2 rounds, what means 10 chances of stun in later levels.
To be a sun soul monk you trade that for what? Early tricks? makes no sense for me.
If Rasaad was a sun soul monk from the start to the end i would not complain, but a normal monk in BG and a sun soul monk in BG2? that's terrible!
Ah, I see where I went wrong. I assumed the class description was accurate. The description says that Stunning Blow lasts for 1 round and that Quivering Palm only affects the next attack. Testing shows that you're right, though. Thanks.
Honestly, though, I still have to wonder about monks in the TOB levels. 5 tries or not, getting something to fail a save in that game is difficult (about a 22% chance of working if they need a 1, plus a lot of enemies are immune to instant death). I kind of think I'd rather just have the Sun Soul's +2d6 damage per hit for five rounds. Especially since its longer duration will let it stack more easily with HLAs. I suppose that's all theorycrafting at this point, though. We won't really know which one is more useful until someone actually gets to play a Sun Soul monk in TOB.
Comments
The monk class is supposed to be a dps melee role. It fails miserably at that, until late SoA, according to its fans, and I don't even believe that from them, since the monk is always going to be vulnerable to critical hits from Candlekeep to the Throne of Bhaal.
Maybe a late SoA-ToB monk gets SO much dps, that the critical hit vulnerability isn't an issue, but I don't know.
BTW, it is possible that the disconnect between monk advocates and me is that I always am in a minimal or no reload mindset? If you have to just reload over and over until lucky dice rolls happen, well, that totally breaks my immersion and willing suspension of disbelief.
I have the same problem with Neera and wild mages in general. Why in the world would you believably risk your life in combat with somebody who has a chance, however small, of summoning a demon to kill you or to fireball you and your beloved friends, just by doing what they are supposed to do in routine combat? Again, the whole idea breaks my willing suspension of disbelief.
I'm sorry, but I just don't think that the monk class as implemented in BG makes any sense. (Breaks that willing suspension of disbelief again.
So, the only way I can use Rasaad in my games is to Keeper him into a cleric of Selune, and the only way I can use Neera in my games is to Keeper her into a sorceress. I still think that their writers should have done that in the first place.
It's almost like they thought, "Well, let's give our game-selling new npc Dorn a kickarse new kit, but let's saddle our other two game-selling npc's with the worst two character classes from BG that we can possibly give them."
I'm sorry, that sounds a bit harsh, but that's how I see them. I'm grateful to have them added to my BG experience, and I'm an avid supporter of BG:EE, and I'm grateful to have BG:EE on my computer. Rasaad and Neera have great stories, voice acting, and story presence. But I think that Rasaad and Neera have the worst character classes that the devs could have possibly given them.
Also, critical hit vulnerbility doesn't really matter late SOA. You get so much HP and your fighters do so much damage, not to mention all the protection spells you have, that critical hits shouldn't be a problem.
But seriously, monks aren't crit-vulnerable forever, that much I know.
2° - Just change Rasaad to sun soul monk and it's done, i never understand why they make his class solo monk when all his behavior point to a sun soul monk.
3° - The beautiful of Neera is her being an wild mage, just save often. be abke to cast time stop with a level 1 spell is pretty amazing i think.
4 - about the critical hit issue, there's an ornamental helmet in windspear hills (the one broken in 7 parts and each is carried by a djinn). That helmet can be equipped by any character.
Ps: I really think critical hits being stopped by helmet as an stupid thing, helmets should roll a % chance of nulify an CR, not an permanent immunity to it.
Nope, he had a tiny magic stone floating around that granted him +1 wisdom. And somehow deflected most of the force. You know, despite lacking any defensive enchantments.
Yeah, I'm aware this an engine issue.
Sun soul monk -> good on the begin, weaker than vanilla monk in the end.
Monk -> weak at the begin, overpower at the end.
Rasaad -> monk in BG and Sun Soul Monk in BG2? FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!
To be a sun soul monk you trade that for what? Early tricks? makes no sense for me.
If Rasaad was a sun soul monk from the start to the end i would not complain, but a normal monk in BG and a sun soul monk in BG2? that's terrible!
Honestly, though, I still have to wonder about monks in the TOB levels. 5 tries or not, getting something to fail a save in that game is difficult (about a 22% chance of working if they need a 1, plus a lot of enemies are immune to instant death). I kind of think I'd rather just have the Sun Soul's +2d6 damage per hit for five rounds. Especially since its longer duration will let it stack more easily with HLAs. I suppose that's all theorycrafting at this point, though. We won't really know which one is more useful until someone actually gets to play a Sun Soul monk in TOB.