Greetings once again. Has been a while since I have posted and would first off like to thank everyone who gave me feedback on the forums, as well as the in-game tells regarding my previous post. I would also like to thank the monk community for speaking up raising valid points and finally having the development team take a good hard look at our class. I appreciate QTM's dedication to the uphill battle for Monk balancing, as well as the developers at Sigil who are truely working on our side. I would however, like to bring some of my experience into view in this critical time for Monk development.

After reading the feedback provided to QTM regarding our expected changes, I have some concern regarding balancing issues that are being considered. With no disrespect to the monk community or its players, most of the community has not yet to experience the upper end monk. I feel that many thoughts on 'fixes' for the class are being based apon solutions that would satisfy the problems monks of levels up to thirty-five or so. Only to have these same issues brought up once again as the community matures in levels and it is realized that true acks in a group environment without an alternative trigger mechanism or rescue type of ability. Not considering the damage counters (as I feel they will never have much function for monks, even at no endurance cost), I think it is only fair to allow Harmonious monks an alternative to triggering their counter attacks or changing some of their abilities from counter attacks to normal abilities. Some suggestions to make counter attacks work would be
- add abilities that perform a rescue on their group member, and ensuring triggering a counter attack. This would provide some risk for the monk to perform the rescue, but allow a counter to be used when desired.
- simply changing the non-damage counters to normal abilities requiring either Jin or endurance
- granting monks an ability costing either Jin or endurance that allows a counter attack to be triggered on command (can be kept in line with a small cooldown timer)

Another issue regarding the harmonious monks and counter attacks is the extrememly steep endurance costs and very minor durations.
- i would love to see the durations of debuffs greatly increased so that a monk can provide some damage while reducing the affectivness of his opponent in groups
- remove the damage component of debuffs as for the amount of damage is too minor to be worth risking it breaking a mez, stun, or causing a mob to re-aggro after the monk has Feigned Death (this could justify a reduction in endurance cost, or increased duration of the debuff)

-Storm Dragon - This is another ability, that with level becomes less and less affective. When it is first obtained, it greatly increases a monks damage output. As the levels add on, the proc and damage output granted by this form are almost un-noticable. With its stacking issues with Secrets, its effectiveness is reduced even further.
- try to scale the proc damage closer to level advancements
- allow stacking of secrets with this form

- Off-Tanking - This is another issue, that with levels (after the avoidance changes) has become a far from efficient role for monks to take. Aside from having slightly more HP then the healer class and them having a chance at interuption, healers seem to play the role of off-tank better then that of a monk. Drunken and harmonious monks used to be the jewels of off-tanking in group situations, but have sense fallen to that of nearly an arcane caster. Our mitigation is below that of most healers (because of their self buffs and in some cases plate armor), and our avoidance is just about equal to that of all the other light fighters. Currently all that occurs when a monk tries to fillt he role of off-tank is that the healer generates more aggro on surrounding mobs for the heals we require, group loses dps as we struggle to hold aggro on the mob of our focus, and the tank burns his saves trying to decide if the mob is on the monk or caster. Many amongst the community cannot decide apon the role of off-tank within the monk class, argueing that if we are supposidly the DPS kings, we should not be able to tank as well. I have spent a lot of time thinking of possible solutions to satisfy both sides.
- Provide monks with a decent duration cooldown ability that greatly reduces damage through either mitigation or avoidance (would prefer mitigation as avoidance is very unreliable, especially in upper game). This ability is based off of Stone Form in everquest, which may be a reason it was not included. This ability would also resolve one of the issues regarding monks functioning as pullers to allow us to survive slightly longer on tough pulls. At the same time, this would not grant monks the ability to function as a full-time tank for groups.
- Another option would be to remove the cooldown from our Drunken Stagger, this would allow us to avoid incoming damage, at the expense of our damage output.

-Monk Weapons- Keeping in mind that many of the upper game has not yet been itemized, I have noticed a complete lack of monk usable weapons much past level thirty. With the recent changes to our fist damage, we haven't been left with many options in the ways of equipable weapons, therefore another reduction in monk DPS. I would appreciate more quest weapons and droppable monk minded weapons, as many of the martial items are geared toward disciples in regards to statistics granted and damage output, definately not in line with the other melee damage classes.

Once again, I would like to thank the developers for responding to the monks call for help. And sincerely appreciate the time you are spending regarding our balancing issues and concerns. QTM, you are doing a great job trying to keep on top of things with your schedule and life pulling at you, thank you for helping get things accomplished. Have faith monks, our time will come, and soon we can once again be  the class we all love. You play a big role in what does happen to our class, as it is our class. Try to keep faith and provide suggestions, problems and realistic expectations.


Fusoya
-Monk of the Shidreth Server

Allthough I recognise the problem i do not think your solutions are all that good.
In my limited opinion (lvl 26 Drunk Monk) you seem to pull too much of other styles under harmony as in Harmy should have all while drunk and dragon only get half a pie each.

Monk needs a revamp that is for sure, but I do want to keep the 3 styles. It's really simple.
Dragons = best dps out of the 3 styles + amazing AoE's
Harmony = Buff and debuff of self and enemy, 2nd best dps out of the 3
Drunk = least dps focused style of the 3 (allthough still at lvl with other offensive fighters, but with a much much greater mitigation/avoidence and aggro managing skills (like aggro pull skills, stuns, aggro increase/decrease for defensive targets etc)


thats what it should be like if anything imho =)