What is the point of a monk?

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i started a game as a monk today and they dont seem to be able to do much what is their spesial ability beside hide in shadows and that stuff

 

They are masters in fighting just with the Fist. They can also use normal weapons with low proficiency. Never played them though, they are just to powerful when you're some further in the game.

 

In the beginning of the game they are about as strong as a cleric (the also have about the same hitpoints), but in the higher levels, the monk will have lots of resistences and is better than any other tank in the game. His fists can become 1d20+3 weapons.

 

Garathorn, Monks are a strange class.
They seem to slow you down a lot at the beginning, and they're not very effective in combat, its quite a bit of trouble just to keep them breathing at first.

As the game progresses though, you'll find yourself having to do very little maintenence on them, and by the mid-game you'll just be sitting back watching them tear your enemies to shreds, the rest of the characters can basically go take a smoke while the monk pounds hordes of bad-guys into the ground. A cleric might have to step in on occasion to heal him up though as their AC never becomes phenomenal.

I remember watching my monk kill Koshi (the kensai with Celestial Fury) in one punch.

 

Koshi???????

[You know, this kind of thing really bugs me. Does it not clearly say above that Koshi was the Kensai that had Celestial Fury? - BTA]

[This message has been edited by Blackthorne TA (edited August 15, 2001).]

 

Yes, Koshi, wielder of the Celestial Fury in the temple district... Koshi is his name, if that's what you're asking.

 

Koshi is a serious bad ass. One punch is amazing.

 

what is the 'point' of a monk?

well.. here is the scoop from someone who played a pure kensai through ToB ending and now is playing a monk with vic/jan/hal only and is very near the end of SoA:

monks are unbelievably powerful. they are a one-man army. here is why (and explanation why they are better than kensai as pure damage-dealing machines):

1. magic resistance. this is absolutely incredible. at level 22 (where I am at now) my magic resistance is an innate 66%. this means that magic rarely affects me.. esp. if I get a save and wear my cloak of mirrors. very very very powerful ability. only other class that gets this is wizard slayer (I believe). and you can get some from various other events...but the monk/wizard slayer get a tremendous amount of this powerful ability

2. speed of movement and number of attacks. simply amazing--I get 4 attacks per round and I move just about as fast as someone who has boots of quickness/haste. similiar number of attacks as my kensai--and he had to wear boots of speed to catch my current movement rate.

3. innate resistance to charm, slow and poison. just try and dire charm me... not present for the kensai unless he had appropriate item equiped. this allows me to equip other things ..

4. damage of attack. 1-20 base.. then add +4 for my gauntlets of crushing.. that is 5-24 BASE.

5. AC is much better than kensai.. not too far behind most other fighting classes (currently -6 at level 22 with some protect items equiped)

6. THAC0 is inferior to Kensai .. but still pretty good esp. with gauntlets of crushing.

7. some thief skills.. these are a very minor bonus...

8. stunning blow and quivering palm.. helpful but frequently resisted. in general, QP is a great way of getting rid of trouble makers of medium power.. and SB is an minor addition to any attack (but at no expense)...


overall:

monk >>>> kensai


[This message has been edited by cotman68 (edited August 15, 2001).]

 

what are these gauntlets of crushing and where do i get em

 

gauntlets of crushing SPOILER

*******************************************

*******************************************

there is only ONE WAY to get them. and it can be complicated:

1. after the underdark, take saemon up on his offer and sail with him (don't take the portal). you will end up in the saughin (spelling?) city

2. help the king and kill the prince.. I repeat.. kill the PRINCE not the king. this is crucial. It may seem 'wrong' but it is the ONLY way to get the gauntlets... the king will give them to you-- but he WILL NOT drop them if you kill him.

stats:

+4 damage
+4 THAC0

 

Only for unarmed combat.

 

Cotman, don't you mean when you get out of the asylum?

 

To Brega: Maybe you are confused with some other gauntlets, because you get the Gauntlets of Crushing in the Shaugun City and NOT in the Asylum.


[This message has been edited by Silverblade (edited August 16, 2001).]

 

No, no, no SB, i was just correcting cotman when he said that you meet Havarian after the Underdark, when you actually meet him after Spellhold.

 

then what about the under dark can you still go there

 

yeah--I typed it wrong..

you go to Saug city after Brynlaw (after you escape the asylum) but before the underdark. I didn't think you could go there from the underdark (i.e. take the portal to the underdark and then travel to the saug city)...

bottom line: Saug city is good for 4 things:

1. some exp
2. crucial to build the wave halberd
3. cloak of mirrors
4. gaunts of crushing

[This message has been edited by cotman68 (edited August 20, 2001).]