You've got to love monks

the eye of terr · Post by **the eye of terr** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:42 am

I recently started another game because I'm waiting for some games to hit the stores and decided to play as a monk (had never tried it before and it looked like a whole new kind of fighter to me), insane level.
In the beginning I thought he was somewhat underpowered, not dealing out quite as much damage as NPCs like Minsc, but as he got to level 13, the joy started

:
I was doing firkraags quest, because I wanted the carsomyr for Keldorn, but after doing the entire dungeon without resting once, I didn't really have any useful spells left for taking him on, except that my main character had just levelled up to level 13 and he had gained a new ability: Quivering palm. So I thought why not, you never know...
I had to try 3 times, force attacking firkraag with my quivering palm ability on, the first two times he made his save, but the third time...

*Morghul did 10 damage to Firkraag*
*Firkraag - Death*

ow yeah

Can't wait to try this on the demilich

Brynn · Post by **Brynn** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:18 am

Sounds you're having fun

I tried a monk once, too, but I gave up on her b/c I didn't really know what's better for her: to wear armor and use a wepon or start hitting the monster with her bare hands, without wearing any armor. Couldn't really figure out her strength and weaknesses.

Numinor · Post by **Numinor** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:39 am

Monks are best without any armor and/or weapons.
Their fists do more damage than any weapon later in the game (1d20), and AFAIK they can't use any kind of armor

Brynn · Post by **Brynn** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:41 am

Yeah, OK, it was a long time ago, you know

So are you saying that he's better bare handed than a fighter with a +4 weapon?

Baldursgate Fan · Post by **Baldursgate Fan** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 8:38 am

[QUOTE=Brynn]Yeah, OK, it was a long time ago, you know

So are you saying that he's better bare handed than a fighter with a +4 weapon?[/QUOTE]

Oh yeah, most definitely.

With Wong Fei's Ioun Stone and Mits of Sharmain (comes in one of the mods, can't remember which), he can do some serious damage with his +4 fists. And with the aforementioned quivering palm, he's just insane.

moltovir · Post by **moltovir** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:14 am

A monk can wear Keldorns Full Plate armor if he has the same or higher stats than Keldy

It's a glitch, but it still works in the patched version (don't know if Baldurdash fixes this)

The Great Hairy · Post by **The Great Hairy** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:24 pm

I've just started a Monk PC - he's still in Irenicus's dungeon though. So far, he seems okay. I'm wondering how different he will be to a 3rd Ed Monk (which are incredibly good). I've never played a 2nd Ed Monk before (let alone one in BG2).

@the eye of terr
However, I don't think Quivering Palm works on Undead. I'm not clear on whether it does or not though.

Cheers,
TGHO

dj_venom · Post by **dj_venom** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 12:15 am

If you don't have any mods, you can still get some decent gauntlets for monks from the saguaghin king. To get them you have to kill the prince and give him the real heart.

Brynn · Post by **Brynn** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 12:58 am

Unfortunately that's not the opening scene

The reason I'm very much interested in playing a monk is that you hardly meet any of that type of character during the game (except for Balthazaar's Monastery in ToB). Wonder why that is. You meet mages, fighters, druids, even the wonderful, charming, fascinating Hae... ahem, even a bard, but no monks at all.

I love to play my good old mage, I'm so familiar with her skills and spells and everything, but this time I think I'll try something different - and that will most likely be a monk.

I'd like to play both BG I-II wiht the same char - do you think a monk will be useful/efficient in BG I, too? Are there good dtuff to wear/use for monks?

Ieldra · Post by **Ieldra** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:24 am

You'd need BG1Tutu to play a monk in BG1. I think it will be extremely hard for a few levels, since monks are melee characters, but get as few hitpoints as mages (I don't know if their CON bonus is capped at +2, though). BG1 also has *no* monk-specific items since there was no monk class in the original BG1. But: what do you need items for when playing a monk. A monk doesn't need weapons and armor - he *is* the weapon and he has his own AC bonus.

I have played a monk through BG2 and TOB - it was fun, but he was so overpowered as to almost be cheesy. Magic resistance as high as an illithid and more than most dragons, some immunitites, extremely fast movement (forget Boots of Speed), AC almost as low as a heavily armored fighter and deadly attacks. But as I like to play characters who aren't defined so much by their equipment, I liked him very much. I'll play another one soon, but I'm going to wait for V2 of the Refinements mod - it implements some new monk-specific HLAs I'd like to see.

Grandpa · Post by **Grandpa** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:29 am

It is hard in BG1. At the end of the game I think I had 1d6+1 fists. Monks are not powergaming material, but they sure are a fun roleplay, what with having fists for weapons. The best monk? A Fallout 2 player character

.

Numinor · Post by **Numinor** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:30 am

A Monk is only possible in BG1 if you use the Tutu Mod (or another mod that lets you play BG1 with BG2 engine), because there was no monk class in BG1.
Good equipment is everything that lowers AC (Ring of Protection, Cloak of Balduran etc.) and THAC0.

@Ieldra: Monks use the cleric level and hp progression table, so they get 1d8 HP per level, not 1d4 like mages. But they are like clerics restricted to a +2 CON Bonus, so more than 16 CON is a waste for monks.

Brynn · Post by **Brynn** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:56 am

[QUOTE=Numinor]
@Ieldra: Monks use the cleric level and hp progression table, so they get 1d8 HP per level, not 1d4 like mages. But they are like clerics restricted to a +2 CON Bonus, so more than 16 CON is a waste for monks.[/QUOTE]

What? Even if monk has Con20, he gets +2 only?

Nihilanth · Post by **Nihilanth** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 3:22 am

there was a question at the beginning about the q.palm. It does not work on constructs and undead. Creatures immune to crtical hits are not affected by it.

Monks rule!

Brynn · Post by **Brynn** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 6:02 am

So how can I hurt those with my monk? Or do they take the damage but won't be stunned?

Ellester · Post by **Ellester** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 8:37 am

Just don’t use quivering palm. Your fists will cause enough damage as it is.

Also, if you’re playing a monk follow dj venom’s advice (write it down if needed). It’s one of the few monk items in the game and you want it.

I played a monk once only in TOB and he was super powerful. Easily the best fighter type I’ve ever played in BG. Low levels they suck, high levels they are easily one of the most powerful classes in the game. You'll be surprised at how easily you can kill monsters.

Numinor · Post by **Numinor** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:30 pm

[QUOTE=Brynn]What? Even if monk has Con20, he gets +2 only?

[/QUOTE]

All non-fighter classes are restricted to a maximum CON bonus of +2, only fighters, rangers, paladins and barbarians benefit from CON >16.

The Great Hairy · Post by **The Great Hairy** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 6:44 pm

@Nihilanth
In 2nd Ed, I think all creatures can be critically hit, even slimes. I think they can be backstabbed as well (although it is *years* since I played 2nd Ed, so I can't be certain - and I'm not sure how BG 2 implemented it). Quivering Palm has more limitations however, and doesn't affect creatures which are not living.

Hmm, I'm really looking forward to getting my Monk out and butt-kicking some evil!

Cheers,
TGHO

Nihilanth · Post by **Nihilanth** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 6:39 am

BG has a modified 2nd ed system (I think...) And critical imune monsters cannot be stunned or killed by quivering palm... I'm not sure of that... will have to try... Also, does the wisdom help the monk's AC in 2nd ed as it does in 3rd and 3.5ed?

I know the monk as the most powerfull killer of mages and sorcerors from newer editions because of the saves and abbilities... Magic resistance and saves that are all the same... meow... beauty! The only "downside is that the HAVE TO be lawfull... I don't find that such a true downside (I always play paladins and monks and lawfull good fighters) but some people just can't stand a goody-two-shoes character...

Numinor · Post by **Numinor** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:50 am

But unlike paladins monks can be neutral or evil

The implementation of the monk in BG2 isn't very good unfortunately, they're just some sort of different fighters. They don't benefit from high wisdom, so str and dex are the most important attributes for monks in BG2.