Controversy-less Monk Changes

Title probably should have been Noncontroversial Monk Changes... :P

There's a lot of discussion around Monk right now, and the playerbase is fairly split about some things. But the purpose of this thread is not to contribute to that discussion, but rather to talk about skills that all (or most) Monk players can agree need a buff/change due to being too niche to the point of borderline useless, or are just too underwhelming to use, even if it is worth it.

The skills that I think most/all of us can agree on that could use a facelift are:

• Six-Sided Star - with Thunderclap, the need for a difficult-to-use speed buff is almost nil.
• Riddle of Wind - sure, it's an easy-to-use damage buff (especially as it usually doesn't line up with burst windows), but it's pretty uninteresting.
• Anatman - not useless, but as a downtime ability, it's very humble.

So post ideas you have for these skills! Please keep it to these skills, though, as the point here is to give the devs some lower-hanging fruit to upgrade/tweak, as opposed to a full monk rework.

Here's some ideas for changes (some of these have been heavily inspired by other stuff I've read on these forums):

Six-Sided Star

• remove the movement speed buff.
• has a use restriction: Can only be executed while under the effect of Formless Fist.
• give it a recast of 30s, and it not longer triggers it's own recast on all other weaponskills when used.
• the idea is it becomes a big, hard hitting attack we do after a Masterful Blitz.
• alternatively, give it a 10s recast, so we can reasonably use it during any Formless Fist window (even from prepull Formless Fist uses).
• potency may need adjusting.

Riddle of Wind

• completely rework the skill.
• Using Phantom Rush (or Tornado Kick) now grants 3 stacks of Riddle of Wind Ready.
• This allows us to use Riddle of Wind, which would now be an oGCD melee attack with a 1s recast timer that consumes a stack of Riddle of Wind Ready.
• The attack would deal X Potency, but then also get some kind of buff based on the animal stance you are in.
• Ie, maybe it auto-crits while in Opo-Opo form; or maybe it gets bonus potency when hitting a positional in Couerl form.
• Would probably need some specific wording to make sure it's not getting all the bonuses simultaneously from Formless Fist.

Anatman

• The primary functionality of this doesn't need to change--it's a downtime ability. So current functionality remains.
• Make it also halt the duration on Leaden Fist. Also, make it grant Leaden Fist on server tick.
• Have it open a Chakra on each server tick.
• This way, on extended downtimes, you can get back into the fight starting with Bootshine -> True Strike, and have TFC ready to go.

I feel that SSS is fine in what the action proposes, however, it would be better if the actual speed buff was more meaningful. Literally just make it a 10s sprint, maybe increasing SSS cooldown or something.

Agreed with RoW and Anatman!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raikai

I feel that SSS is fine in what the action proposes, however, it would be better if the actual speed buff was more meaningful. Literally just make it a 10s sprint, maybe increasing SSS cooldown or something.

Agreed with RoW and Anatman!

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Another SSS suggestion I've seen that I think is actually really good is to make it an oGCD, but otherwise function identically to what it is now (so it triggers recast on all your weaponskills). All that does is make it easier to squeeze in right before a disengage, which would drastically improve it's usability.

SSS: oGCD, each nadi grant one stack of SSS, Phantom Rush grant one stack for a total of 3 stacks.
Recast time : As the dev team want it to be : )

Riddle of wind: I have no idea lol.

Anatman : Same as @waterboytkd.

My only issue with MNK is that the job lack engagement and dynamism.

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Originally Posted by waterboytkd

Another SSS suggestion I've seen that I think is actually really good is to make it an oGCD, but otherwise function identically to what it is now (so it triggers recast on all your weaponskills). All that does is make it easier to squeeze in right before a disengage, which would drastically improve it's usability.

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If SSS would be a oGCD the way it is currently, then it would be used for DPS optimizing purposes, kind of defeating the disengagement niche it has. I personally really dislike when damage is baked in ogcd gap closers or disengagers, they inevitably become a dps tool with the added perk of movement, not the other way around.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raikai

If SSS would be a oGCD the way it is currently, then it would be used for DPS optimizing purposes, kind of defeating the disengagement niche it has. I personally really dislike when damage is baked in ogcd gap closers or disengagers, they inevitably become a dps tool with the added perk of movement, not the other way around.

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His suggestion of making it trigger the gcd cooldown it has now (4s base) like Tsubami-gaeshi does alongside a reduction in potency means it would only be a damage gain when you're forced out of melee range or the boss goes untargettable while being significantly more usable in its intended purpose.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tearagion

His suggestion of making it trigger the gcd cooldown it has now (4s base) like Tsubami-gaeshi does alongside a reduction in potency means it would only be a damage gain when you're forced out of melee range or the boss goes untargettable while being significantly more usable in its intended purpose.

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Oh welp! Somehow I failed to read that part lol... Yeah, that would be nice!

I still think the speed buff should be more meaningful, regardless, as to spicy up its utility a bit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raikai

Oh welp! Somehow I failed to read that part lol... Yeah, that would be nice!

I still think the speed buff should be more meaningful, regardless, as to spicy up its utility a bit.

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Happens to the best of us, I think adopting the new tank mitigation tool's approach of a more potent effect that after a short time is reduced (bloodwhetting and HoC damage reduction) would be interesting to apply to SSS's movement speed buff, might be a bit jarring too though.