DDO: Dev Diary: The Way of the Monk

Welcome students! It is good that you wish to follow the path of enlightenment, and I, being The Master, shall show you The Way of the Monk!

There are many intricate and complicated philosophies to learn, so let’s embark on your journey and soon you will learn The Way.

Monks are a distinct new character class that you will be able to choose when Module 7: The Way of the Monk goes live. A Monk’s role is that of high speed, control, and discipline. Your senses and wisdom of the elements will be challenged. Becoming a Monk will be very different than anything you’ve experienced in Eberron, and you’ll need to learn to accommodate any situation. An old Monk proverb tells of a young student, who asks his Master; “Teacher, why are teacups made so thin and fragile that they break so easily?” The teacher smiled and replied: “It is not that they are too delicate, but that you do not yet know how to handle them. You must learn to adjust yourself to the environment, and not vice versa.” As it will be, to learn The Way of The Monk.

Monks are the best defense against magic and sorcery, relying mostly on melee abilities and movements in combat. However, there are certain weapons students may study, like Kama, Quarterstaves, and Shuriken, which will still ensure that the Monk is treated as if they have a full Base Attack Bonus.

Your abilities as you learn The Way will be many, and as you grow more powerful you will rely more and more on Ki, ( Pronounced “Kee”) the power of a Monk. Students with one or more levels of monk will possess a unique UI element called the Ki Meter. The Ki Meter charges up a small amount each time a monk damages an enemy with a monk weapon or is hit for damage, with a larger boost any time the monk lands or recieves a critical hit.

Ki energy can be expended to perform special attacks trained by the Monk (similar in nature to spell points) so log as the Monk uses their unarmed attacks or a monk weapon. Ki energy can also be used to gain a short term boost to the monk’s combat abilities through our Flurry of Blow ability. If a Monk ever runs out of Ki, the student can pause and meditate to slowly regenerate Ki. The regeneration rate is based on the student’s Concentration. Ki decays over time at a variable rate, based on the Monk’s total Concentration score and centered state. Remaining centered is essential for all students of The Way.

To achieve Monk greatness, it is important that a Monk remain “centered,” which means that a student does not use armor or a shield, is not heavily encumbered, or is not using a weapon that is not a Monk or Ki related weapon such as Kama, Quarterstaves, or Shuriken. You may come across some other “Ki Weapons” during your adventures. A non centered monk will be unable to concentrate fully, and many abilities will not be available.

Early in your training as a Monk, you will study the basic abilities. Upon the 3rd stage of your training, you will be given the choice of path to master, such as “Path of Harmonious Balance” or the “Path of Inevitable Dominion,” which allow you to master finishing moves, that only a Monk can perform. You’ll also be able to choose Elemental Stance enhancements, such as Wind, Mountain, Sun, and Water, which grant specific bonuses and penalties depending on the stance.

Choose your paths wisely. The Way of the Monk is a rewarding and enlightening journey, with many roads to travel.

With the release of Module 7: The Way of the Monk, Turbine is proud to introduce the brand new Monk Character Class! As a Monk, you’ll be able to choose a vast array of feats, enhancements, and abilities! Here is a comprehensive list of the features that will be available to train when The Way of the Monk goes live!

Feats:

• Level 1
• Armor Class Bonus: While unarmored and not using a shield monks gain a passive bonus to Armor Class equal to their Wisdom modifier if their Wisdom modifier is positive.As you increase in power, you will receive additional bonuses to Armor Class. (Levels 5, 10, 15, and 20)
• Flurry of Blows: When a monk is either unarmed or is wielding only monk weapons (Kama, Shuriken, Quarterstaff), the monk is treated as if they had a full Base Attack Bonus for all monk levels they possess rather than a ¾ base attack bonus.
• Unarmed Strike: You are tremendously skilled at unarmed combat and inflict more damage with your bare hands.As you increase in levels, so will the damage you inflict with your unarmed attacks.(Levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20).
• Choice of a Martial Arts Feat: Your training grants you the choice of one of the following feats: Combat Expertise, Deflect Arrows, Discipline, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Power Attack, Precision, Stunning Fist, Toughness, orWeapon Finesse.You must meet all prerequisites of the feat you select.
• Finishing Moves:As your martial arts training continues, you will be able perform special “finishing moves” of great versatility and power.These finishing moves are unlocked by performing certain sequences of attack forms, and the finishing move icon will change (and a visible glow of ki will appear about you) when you are ready to perform one.Your fellow monks may be able to teach you what some of these moves are.
• Level 2
• Evasion: When a monk makes a successful Reflex save to avoid damage, he or she suffers no damage instead of half damage.Evasion requires light or no armor.
• Meditation: A limited number of times per rest, a monk can meditate to slowly regain Ki.
• Choice of a Martial Arts Feat: At second level, a monk receives another martial arts feat selection.
• Level 3
• Still Mind: Your training and meditation improve your resistance to mind-affecting attacks, granting you a +2 bonus on saving throws against enchantments.
• Fast Movement: While centered, you run faster for every three monk levels you possess.
• Choice of Philosophy:You have advanced far enough that you must make a choice – whether to follow the Path of Harmonious Balance and seek to be at peace with the world, or to follow the Path of Inevitable Dominion and seek to dominate the world.This choice will affect enhancement choices open to you and will affect what finishing moves you receive.
• Level 4
• Ki Strike: Magic: All of your unarmed melee attacks are empowered with ki and are considered magical for damage reduction purposes.
• Slow Fall: Your focus allows you to bend nature around you to make gravity have less effect.This is an active feat, and can be turned off should you desire normal gravity to affect you. The Monk must be centered to use this ability, and its effectiveness increases as you continue to gain power, at every second level.
• Level 5
• Purity of Body: You have gained control over your body’s immune system and are now unaffected by all diseases.
• Level 6
• Choice of a Martial Arts Feat: At sixth level, a monk receives another martial arts feat selection.
• Level 7
• Wholeness of Body:This feat allows you expend ki to heal your own hp damage over time.
• Level 9
• Improved Evasion: When a monk makes a successful Reflex save to avoid damage, he or she suffers only half damage.
• Level 10
• Ki Strike (Lawful): Unarmed attacks from the monk are now considered Lawful and Magic weapons for damage reduction purposes.
• Level 11
• Diamond Body: This feat grants the Monk immunity to poison.
• Level 12
• Abundant Step: A monk can use Ki to make amazing horizontal leaps, closing to targets, traversing chasms, or zipping past enemies with less chance of being detected.
• Level 13
• Diamond Soul: The Monk gains Spell Resistance equal to Monk Level +10
• Level 15:
• Quivering Palm: Starting at 15th level, a monk can set up fatal vibrations within the body of a living creature.Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be affected, but other creatures must make a Fortitude Save after being struck by the Quivering Palm or die instantly.
• Level 16:
• Ki Strike (Adamantine): Unarmed attacks from the monk are now considered Adamantine, Lawful, and Magic weapons for damage reduction purposes.

Enhancements:

• Fists of Light: Available only to Path of Harmonious Balance monks, this attack deals 2d6 additional damage against undead, and applies a retributive healing shield on the target which heals your allies that strike your target for 1d2 points of positive energy damage.This attack is flagged as a “Positive” attack for unlocking finishing moves. Level 3.

• Fists of Darkness: Available only to Path of Inevitable Dominion monks, this performs an attack that deals 2d6 additional damage against living creatures, and the rendering the target shaken.(A successful DC 10 + Monk Level + Wisdom Mod Will save negate the shaken effect.)This attack is flagged as a “Negative” attack for unlocking finishing moves. Level 3.

• Improved Recovery: +10% to +30% vulnerability to positive energy healing, similar to the human Improved Recovery line.Available at levels 3/7/11.

• Ten Thousand Stars: Activated ability to increase thrown weapon speed for a short period of time.Requires Air Stance 2, level 6.

• Fists of Iron: Active attack with +1 critical damage multiplier, “Earth” tagged.Requires Earth Stance 2, level 6.

• Eagle Claw Attack: Active attack that reduces your target’s by 4 for a short period of time.A successful Fortitude save negates this effect. (DC 10 + Half Monk Level + Wisdom mod)The target receives periodic saves to attempt to break free of this effect.“Fire” tagged.Requires Fire Stance 2, level 6.

• Unbalancing Strike: Active attack that reduces your target’s Balance by 10, AC by 2, and allows them to be sneak-attacked (if vulnerable to them).A successful Reflex save negates this effect. (DC 10 + Half Monk Level + Wisdom mod)The target receives periodic saves to attempt to break free of this effect. “Water” tagged.Requires Water Stance 2, Level 6.

• Void Strike: Active attack that makes an attack with 1d4 additional force damage.

• Animal Ways: Five exclusive lines exist to further differentiate monks, available at levels 2/5/10/15:
• Way of the Tenacious Badger: You gain +1/2/3/4 to your Intimidate skill, and whenever you are below 15/20/25/30% health, you gain +2/3/4/5 to your Mauled Ki Regen rate, but -1/2/3/3 to your Meditation Regen rate.
• Way of the Elegant Crane: You gain +1/2/3/4 to your Diplomacy skill and generate 1/2/3/4 additional Ki on critical hits, but have -1/2/3/4 to your Fortitude saves.
• Way of the Faithful Hound: You gain +1/2/3/4 to your Listen skill and a +2/3/4/5 bonus to hit flanked opponents.
• Way of the Patient Tortoise: You gain +1/2/3/4 to your Concentration skill and +5/10/15/20 hit points.
• Way of the Clever Monkey: You gain +1/2/3/4 to your Haggle skill, +1/2/3/4 to saves against traps, and energy resistance 2/4/6/8.

• Lifting the Veil: Casts Remove Blindness, Harmonious monk only, level 3.Requires Air Stance 1.

• The Receptive Earth: Casts Remove Disease, Harmonious monk only, level 6. Requires Earth Stance 1.

• Restoring the Balance: Casts Remove Curse, Harmonious monk only, level 5. Requires Fire Stance 1.

• Difficulty at the Beginning: Casts Lesser Restoration, Harmonious monk only, level 4.Requires Water Stance 1.

• Rise of the PhoenixCasts Raise Dead, Harmonious monk only, level 9. Requires Lifting the Veil, The Receptive Earth, Restoring the Balance, and Difficulty at the Beginning.

• Monk Wisdom: Grants an increase to your Wisdom Score. Available at levels 2/6/10.

• Monk Balance, Concentration, Jump, Spot, and Tumble: Grant increases to various skills.Available at levels 1/4/8/10.

• Elemental Ways: Grant an elemental stance and an elemental attack, with increasing effects as you go higher in the chain. Available at levels 1/6/12/18, and require a base ability of 12/14/16/18 to acquire. (Air: Dexterity, Earth: Constitution, Fire: Strength, Water: Wisdom.)

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