Monk - Quality of Life Change

[Sora_Oathkeeper]

I would really support these changes. The Anatman change could have nice Synergy with PB to allow the perfect DK > Boot spam without having to use a coeurl skill to refresh. The Brotherhood change would also be highly welcome imo as it negates any RNG off of Weaponskills. Overall, I'd support this change. Would make the job feel more engaging and fun at least until 6.0

[SpeckledBurd]

I like these overall and it feels in line with something they'd be able to in a X.3 patch. It doesn't fix certain problems but at this point I don't think we can expect a mid expansion overhaul on Deep Meditation or DK/Leaden Boothshine's being disproportionate without messing things up and making us lose a burst phase. But still, a big improvement on the total failure the job has been so far in Shadowbringers.

[FLeet229]

I actually really like these changes.

I would like to ask, though: have you given any thought to stances? Tight now we really only build to Wind and stay there. The thing that made Monk an absolute blast to play in SB was switching between stances to get RoW stacks in between Tornado Kicks, and it's something I wish they brought back.

I couldn't really think of a way to tweak the current fists stances to make fists of earth and fists of fire viable to use. I personally think they should scrap the fists stances and make it into chakra related stance that includes elements from the job quests like chakra of light and shadows. But that would be more of a rework than a tweak, and my intention was to try and keep monk as it is but make it feel better to play.

[FLeet229]

I disagree strongly with removing positionals, on monk and on any melee DPS. They aren't what keeps players away from any job, and monk was underplayed next to other DPS even when positionals were more of a thing across multiple melee jobs (and had other problems next to other DPS at the time). I recognize, however, that I appear to be in the minority on this.

Sorry if there was a confusion, but what I meant by raptor form GCDs, is that True Strike and Twin Snake would have no positional requirements. Opo-Opo form and Coeurl form GCDs still should have positional requirements. It does not give you a buff or anything that lets you ignore positional completely.

Right now, if you have a flawless rotation, you only have to swap positional every 2-3 GCD. Now if you make a mistake in your rotation (say you used Demolish instead of Snap punch) or you come off a downtime and have to refresh Twin Snake instead of using True strike, it screws up the positional so that you have to switch positional every GCD. This is also true if you are one of the hardcore monks that use double True Strike rotation.

If you remove positional requirements from raptor form, that negates the need to swap positional every GCD and you will be able to stay in flank/rear for at least 2 GCD, in all the situations above. You can test it yourself right now by ignoring positional for Twin Snake and True strike.

You could achieve the same result from removing positional from any of the one form and keeping it for the remaining 2. I think raptor form is the best to remove positional since the form bonus for opo-opo is a crit for bootshine and that makes it harder to tweak, and coeurl form has Demolish and Snap Punch that gets used in 1:2 ratio.



Oh and I agree with scrapping elemental fists. I just left them out because removing them is more of a rework than a tweak and requires shifting around what levels you would learn certain abilities. Also it would mess around with lower level-synced content. My goal here was to tweak the abilities so that they are simple enough and could possibly be implemented before the next expansion.

[Shiroe]

Id pref if Twin Snakes usage / rotation was every 2nd combo again (for a few reasons), .. but to keep Mnk positional activ, by turning TK and SSS into 4th combo finishers (TK rear after True Strike and SSS flank after Demolish)

ofc without using up GL stacks after using the 4th combo finishers..

[wereotter]

Generally I think this is a good change, though there are a couple minor tweeks I'd like to see, personally, to make the job feel better than they way you've put things out there, or to make some of these skills work the way you are presenting by their counterparts.

I feel like your changes to Anatman and Perfect Balance are a good change, but still feel like they're bandaids on the current system that requires monks to execute more weapon skills than their counterpart jobs to get the same effect that they do. So to that end, I would like to see this.

Perfect Balance : When in fists of fire, grants 3 stacks of greased lightning. When in fists of wind, grants 4 stacks of greased lightning. Cooldown 30 seconds.

This would bring the skill in line with skills like Blood of the Dragon and Enochian, and could be maybe a level 54 skill if we wanted to balance it around when those jobs get their increases.

With that change, then the effect you wrote for Perfect Balance feels more in line with what you'd expect of Anatman based off its current funcionality. Halt the timer on GL and extend duration to maximum while still allowing the monk to gain GL stacks while active.

[Marxam]

I agree with most of the changes though removing directionals is redundant when RoE exists. If anything I would promote higher potency for hitting positionals but not too extreme. 20-50 potency difference would be nice to reward those monks who love to move while not being too punishing on newer players and again RoE resolves most of these issues. Bortherhood is there to provide raid utility to physical dps and I think it works fine but it does need to be buffed to like 10% dmg especially with the chakra changes OP suggested, which SE really needs to take note of as that is what all monks have been wanting since 4.0. Anatman could easily be resolved if they just give you an instant GL stack on use then after it ticks as normal but they really should just make it a buff that freezes your GL stacks/duration for when you get interrupted with action time events. That's honestly been a pet peeve of mine that I lose my stacks because I had to watch the boss in a cut scene go a bit too long.

[Irisdina_Wiloh]

Fantastic suggestion OP, I really appreciate how much work you put into your post too! I think I'm down with every single one of your alterations here, although with your change to Anatman would it not be possible to gain GL4 in two gcds if you paired it with PB? This is the only tweak I think might be a bit wonky. I feel like most Monk players will agree the majority of the changes are for the better, things like not relying on party comp for Brotherhood procs is something we absolutely need and also having 10 chakra instead of 5 definitely means you should no longer have to worry about eating a potential chakra due to procs.

Honestly I don't even really know what I'd trust SE with changing on Monk in a real rework anymore but I would be really happy with these changes and I think it would go a long way to improving the feel and enjoyment of the job.

[JisKing98]

Personally i would love it if they straight up got rid of positionals as well as all of the abilities that negate them. Annoying to have to constantly move to the sides/back. Just let me punch the dudes in peace in my one spot and only move to do mechanics.
On to your post tho, everything you put on that picture, i love. IMO i would lower TK/SSS to 30cd from 60.

[Kolsykol]

Personally i would love it if they straight up got rid of positionals as well as all of the abilities that negate them. Annoying to have to constantly move to the sides/back. Just let me punch the dudes in peace in my one spot and only move to do mechanics.
On to your post tho, everything you put on that picture, i love. IMO i would lower TK/SSS to 30cd from 60.

I don't really like the idea of getting rid of them completely.
Maybe at least keep them for Dragon Kick and Bootshine at least.
I mean I think that the damage numbers are too low for the positionals to feel rewarding so I honestly wouldn't mind most of them being removed. It does kinda feel like you're putting in way more work for less.
On the other hand I like the tempo and I wouldn't want it removed entirely.

They are a kinda annoying at times tho when bosses just decide to turn randomly or if things are chaotic .