The monk dancing stance...

[HalfLegend]

Hey guys,

I am a fan of the monk but something that always kept me from enjoying the full concept of the monk is the following: when in combat, the stepping stance that he does when standing idle is most... uncomfortable to me.

I know that the monk is the embodiment of strenght and agility but is battle stance is for me a bit too springy. Shouldn't monk rather be the immovable mountain who strike true and hard? I am sorry but when I think about the FF monk I always think about thoses from FF Tactics (praise this game!)

However, I just want to know what you guys think about this. I mean, it's always a bit strange during a cinematic, everyone opt for a serious fighting pose and I am there dancing on place....

Do you think SE should make a new battle stance animation for the monk? A mean, a dancing stance for a pugilist is ok since he's new to the concept of martial art, but monk should be more stoic. A good example is the rogue/nunja running animation evolution.

Discuss

[Alahra]

This stance is one of my favorite parts of MNK. It's the only class I don't typically use the alternate idle pose for.

[Kabooa]

It's a direct homage to Bruce Lee.

(Or maybe direct fighting styles that influenced Monk's animations. Research is for suckers.)

[Sanguisio]

Can't you turn idle stance off in settings ?

[karateorangutang]

It's one of the few things that seem like valid martial arts about monk.

If you look at most any fighter, especially in speed based styles, they are generally pretty light on their feet in a spar/fight. Now it is exaggerated in this game, but being able to shift weight to either foot while your in a stance is pretty consequential in most styles of martial arts. Now there are exceptions to this, but in most boxing, northern japanese styles, and korean styles both the front and back leg are used in striking so it pays to have a light foot.

Other than that... monk's animations are all over the place bad from a martial arts standpoint.

[Teiren]

That's just the style of Monk portrayed in Final Fantasy: A flighty, exacting, though sometimes chaotic brawler. In my experience, there are different, yet similar, types of Monks portrayed in video games. The kind of Monk you describe as an "immovable mountain" I've found in Korean MMORPGs more often than Japanese games. Korean MMORPG Monks also seem to be much more about shooting spirit energy than in Japanese games, though Dragon Ball Z and other anime is famous for showcasing just that, so maybe I don't entirely know what I'm talking about.

I think all types of Monks in video games are cool, and personally I think this Monk's battle stance is cool. It's about being ready for fighting just like the other jobs. Proper fighting IS a dance after all, always has been.