If only monks had some equipment in-game they could use. Like at least one Ioun Stone. Or something for Evil monks. Both monk-items in the game are for Lawful Good monks only. (*grumble* Lawful Stupid simians *grumble*)
Yeah Ioun Stones, "working bracers", and maybe some odd monk themed fashion: cloaks, boots, belts, glvoes, whatnot. => that are not restricted, playing the Monk *IS* the restriction, hello!!.
However, you seem to be correct and the PHB specifies that as the reason instead of a vow. So I don't know where I came up with the vow thing, I must have imagined it
I found out where I came up with that nonsense vow thing... It is from the class description in the game neverwinter nights.
I'm not too interested in how good they are. I just don't find them all that interesting to play. I think it's more fun to be able to play around with and manage the character's equipment, and Monks don't really get to use a lot of equipment. Same deal with Kensai.
I dislike monks (and the kensai kit, contrary to the usual popularity) because they simply don't fit in the fantasy setting. To me, both monk and kensai seem out of place on the Sword Coast. It's like Bruce Lee randomly appearing in Lord of the Rings. I have never played either because I can't see such a character growing up in Candlekeep.
It's difficult to get a dweller of Candlekeep not being monk related. It's not far from a monastery, and definitely a Cloister, with a gear toward scholasticism, as a retreat for chroniclers. Aside from priests of Ohgma, and retainers, and commoncaretakers, it would mostly just have pilgrims seeking there to study. There would be few better places for an untypical type of style for a person.
The biggest weakness with monks is the lack of helmets, even when their AC gets decent they are two unlucky die rolls away from death. It's a tough burden when you are playing a martial combat style and you want to be able to stand in there for more than a round or two.
There are ioun stones that are as good. The effect is just like two other shots. Chances of two [critical] shots is 1/400, 1/100 in the case of single or two hand weapon style proficiency. Four regular shots is normally much more common.
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Monks are basically fighters that can't change weaponry. So they can't use any of the benefits of many classes of equipment, or ever get especially powerful attacks. Their only main benefit is the magic resistance eventually obtained, and some resistances. Also, little appreciated is their ability to use priest scrolls (with limited availability unless larger quantities of scrolls are included). Noted
Up to BG2 CH3-ish. They are +inventory slot and hp pool to scout with or living trapshield . After that they get better...they still need a lot of attention.
You can use some cleric scrolls and wands which really helps tho.
Their most advantageous attribute is to be able the fight as a warrior at full strength, with no preparation when they're in a situation where armorature is not available. Perhaps parts where equipment is not available, such as an audience with a ringmaster, or a surprise attack on an unsuspecting social encounter, or when equipment is unexpectedly lost, could be added in. Some monk related resolution possibilities could be added in. The use of surprise, disguise, and preparedness for civil or unexpected situations is where they are applicable. Maybe some light equipement, like robes could be used for them, or bracer related items that are designed for bare handed fighting.
i played a monk in bgee, and i hit -8 AC ( maybe -9 AC, dont remember) and my thac0 was around 6 or so ( but i only had 1 attack per round, because i was using defender) but in bgee they are meh at best, in SoA, they are also meh, until level 18, the game is bugged and they dont get their +3 fist until 18, not 15, and i also think the d20 damage is also at level 18 as well, but once they hit 18, they are great, right on par with fighters, with some neat abilities, and in ToB, monks are great, the only thing in my opinion that a fighter type has over a monk is HP (i believe my monks hit around 190 hp at the end of ToB while my fighter can hit around 240) and i saw earlier a complaint on damage even with d20, and with my experience, their damage still seemed pretty solid, with 19 str, gauntlets of crushing and a +3 fist, its very common to deal 30 damage a hit, even with the math saying that average damage is only 10.5 but when you actually play the game, it seems to hit higher numbers more often than lower, and in ToB with my +4 fists and 22 str, i've seen damage commonly dealt at 35 (again all the whacky math in the world could be done to say otherwise, but through actual experience again, the game seems to favor the play a bit more often), but in the end, i find monks quite enjoyable, especially if you want to play with something that has a bit more flavor its a great class to play in bg2, and bgee can be great because you can get your str to 19 in bg1 so when you bring him over to bg2, he can actually start hitting harder earlier and then be able to hit 23 str in ToB, plus monks have pretty good saves, and they have great MR, plus my AC usually hits around -18 or so in ToB and my thac0 hits -12 which is more than enough
Fighters (and Rangers and Paladins) all have the option to dual-wield, which allows them to hit 5 APR with a speed weapon and really take advantage of Improved Haste. While each of a monk's hits can be pretty damn hard, they hit far less often than the equivalent fighter unless they're using GWW (which they can't keep up forever).
They are uniquely resistant to magic though, and have an additional slew of immunities.
I dislike monks (and the kensai kit, contrary to the usual popularity) because they simply don't fit in the fantasy setting. To me, both monk and kensai seem out of place on the Sword Coast. It's like Bruce Lee randomly appearing in Lord of the Rings. I have never played either because I can't see such a character growing up in Candlekeep.
On the topic of damage: Look up the Monk unarmed strikes in Near Infinity. They're listed as items under MFIST#. There you'll discover something: When their strikes "count as" a magical weapon, they get both the to-hit and damage bonuses that come with it. Meaning a high level Monk deals 1d20+4 damage unarmed, 1d20+8 with the Gauntlets of Crushing. Meaning 18.5 average damage with the Gauntlets. Granted, the Monk can't specialize/GM unarmed strikes, so Fighters will still edge them out damage-wise with endgame weapons, But once you get past the best two or three one-handed weapons, it's a relatively even playing field. And since Monks get a base 4 APR (equivalent to a grandmaster with an off-hand speed weapon that is obsolete for hitting), they may be a good option if you've already exhausted the supply of speed weapons.
The Monk does still suffer from the inability to be hasted, mind you, so it has to make extensive use of GWW to keep up in ToB, but it has the raw damage to compete.
EDIT: Basically, if a multiclass Fighter does enough damage to suit you, you'll find the Monk also does sufficient damage. If you must have dual-classed Kensais for your front-line, they won't quite make the grade.
Not to mention, most "useful" immunities can be gotten via equipment and/or spells. Of course, that would imply LOTS of gear switching depending on the situation, and of course, that does not include MR (I'm not sure how high you can get without using the double Ring of Gaxx "exploit", but that won't come close to the 100% MR an monk can get anyway).
1.) There are very few ways to get immune to normal weapons in this game. There is an armor you can get late ToB, arcane spells and the hell trial if you're CHARNAME.
2.) There are only two items in the game that will grant you high MR, Human Flesh +5 and Carsomyr. One which can only be used by evil characters and the other by paladins. I'm not going to count in UAI here as that's just silly.
3.) The monk doesn't need any equipment except a pair of gloves no one else in your party would use. This is great if you're running a 4-6 man party as you can give the useful items to someone else. The same goes for the good end-game weapons, there are only so many FoA +5 and so on, and the monk won't be taking any of the good weapons.
[Edited] : The very underestimated Purifier is also an item that grants high MR, but only paladins can wield.
You can get the Asylferund Elven Chain (and immunity to normal weapons) as soon as you get to the pocket plane early in TOB as long as you've got the ingredients with you. Not that you run into many normal weapons in TOB, mind.
You can get the Asylferund Elven Chain (and immunity to normal weapons) as soon as you get to the pocket plane early in TOB as long as you've got the ingredients with you. Not that you run into many normal weapons in TOB, mind.
Yes that was the armor i mentioned.
And it's just my odd way of looking at it really.
Watchers keep -> Early ToB Pocket Plane -> Late ToB
Honestly, there's not much point to being immune to normal weapons when you reach level 20. By that point, and from ToB on, almost everything has magical attacks or weapons.
You can also get protection from +1 or less as a reward in Hell's Trials at the end of the game, and anything with wizard levels (or UAI - and yes, I do agree that it's silly) can use Protection from Magical Weapons or various Mantle spells.
I don't find monks useful at all. They only kicked butt in throne of bhaal. With the monks speed they run into a open area ahead of the party and ends up surrounded by bandits and all the sudden my monk is dead in four shots...... why would they make the monk this fast in this early part of BG series. If the monk is seperated from the main tanks the party he's dead. Monks are only good in BG2 and shine in BGToB. If you don't mind dying and reloading in the begining of BG....then eventually things will start to turn around at lvl 9. Just a lot of patience.
@Dreadnaught If they're running too far ahead then you can order them back, or stay stealthed, or turn on auto pause on visible enemy. I've personally never found that to be an issue.
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Monks are basically fighters that can't change weaponry. So they can't use any of the benefits of many classes of equipment, or ever get especially powerful attacks. Their only main benefit is the magic resistance eventually obtained, and some resistances. Also, little appreciated is their ability to use priest scrolls (with limited availability unless larger quantities of scrolls are included). Noted Their most advantageous attribute is to be able the fight as a warrior at full strength, with no preparation when they're in a situation where armorature is not available. Perhaps parts where equipment is not available, such as an audience with a ringmaster, or a surprise attack on an unsuspecting social encounter, or when equipment is unexpectedly lost, could be added in. Some monk related resolution possibilities could be added in. The use of surprise, disguise, and preparedness for civil or unexpected situations is where they are applicable. Maybe some light equipement, like robes could be used for them, or bracer related items that are designed for bare handed fighting.
They are uniquely resistant to magic though, and have an additional slew of immunities.
(check about 1:40ish in)
The Monk does still suffer from the inability to be hasted, mind you, so it has to make extensive use of GWW to keep up in ToB, but it has the raw damage to compete.
EDIT: Basically, if a multiclass Fighter does enough damage to suit you, you'll find the Monk also does sufficient damage. If you must have dual-classed Kensais for your front-line, they won't quite make the grade.
2.) There are only two items in the game that will grant you high MR, Human Flesh +5 and Carsomyr. One which can only be used by evil characters and the other by paladins. I'm not going to count in UAI here as that's just silly.
3.) The monk doesn't need any equipment except a pair of gloves no one else in your party would use. This is great if you're running a 4-6 man party as you can give the useful items to someone else. The same goes for the good end-game weapons, there are only so many FoA +5 and so on, and the monk won't be taking any of the good weapons.
[Edited] : The very underestimated Purifier is also an item that grants high MR, but only paladins can wield.
And it's just my odd way of looking at it really.
Watchers keep -> Early ToB
Pocket Plane -> Late ToB
You can also get protection from +1 or less as a reward in Hell's Trials at the end of the game, and anything with wizard levels (or UAI - and yes, I do agree that it's silly) can use Protection from Magical Weapons or various Mantle spells.