I’m no historian but improvised weapons from feudal Japan have been put on an incredibly high pedestal due to the martial arts/ninjification fad in the 80’s and 90’s. Specifically, the Karate strip mall dojos and movies which originated or profited from it. To date one of the most used tropes is the iconic “staff training scene” aboard every sci fi ship or bunker. It literally makes no sense.
I feel they could have pushed the lore a bit for the monks. It would have been more realistic to make the tranquil staff a short spear or mace. I wish they had spent more time justifying the dps with weapons like that, or fine tuning avoidance over mitigation. I can kind of squint at monks avoiding more attacks on the battle field (like an innate version of the warrior Evasive discipline) but any real blow landed to someone in a robe isn’t going to flinched off like someone in plate armor.
I’m sure that Velious stage monks are a product of being ignored in classic and overcompensated for. Without spells you have to make the pure melees do something well for class balance (fun and effectiveness).
It’s a great class and I’m glad accurate the era. I totally get why people love them and everyone has a monk. They are just a bit trendy for me.
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