Report 552

Report #552
Skillset: Skill: MonkDamageMod
 Org: Nekotai Status: Rejected Nov 2011
Furies' Decision:
We do not agree with the premise that monks need additional damage types or that
it is unfair or imbalanced, and on that basis reject his report.
Problem: REPORT 697 introduces 1/6 skill-based, damage type mods for warriors.
Given the 2/6 damage mod available on 500 credits worth of damage type runes,
warriors can alter 50% of weapon's natural damage type. On the other hand, monks
split damage between 1 blunt, unarmed kick and 2 weapon attacks (Nekotai &
Shofangi cutting, Tahtetso & Ninjakari blunt). Weapon runes do not effect monk
kicks, and therefore halves impact of damage type runes on total damage output.
As an aside, I suggest the admin not to shoehorn monks into warrior weapon rune
system. Create a new set of monk specific runes that addresses the weapon /
unarmed split. For example, decrease the credit cost if "weapon only" or
increase the scope to also cover unarmed actions such as punches and kicks, not
chokes, locks, throws or enders. 125 for one weapon rune, and 250 for a kick
rune seems appropriate given it would convert 1/3 monk damage to a new type.
Off the soapbox, I agree with the mentality of REPORT 697 that warriors (&
monks) should also have tuning-like abilities. This report suggests skill-based,
damage mods for kicks in particular.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #1: Give monks a 3 power defense confer 33% an alternate
 damage type on unarmed attacks through new secondary
 and tertiary skills. These skills are mutually
 exclusive and cannot be stacked with one another.
 SECONDARY: Stealth "Shadow Fist" gives excorable
 damage. Harmony "Lumin Strike" gives divinus type.
 TERTIARY: Psychometabolism "Psychic Fist" gives
 psychic damage. Acrobatics "Choking Strike" gives
 asphyxiation type. Remember, 1/3 damage mod on kicks
 equates to 1/6 total damage output.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #2: Give a new skill to poisoners to distill certain
 poisons into an "elemental oil" to be ENVENOMed or
 COATed onto a weapon for 1/6 alternate damage type.
 Skill to have same duration as Oil of Sharpness.
 Ideas include: pyrotoxin distilled into fire
 elemental oil, mactans into cold, mellitin into
 electric, crotamine into poison, escozul into
 psychic, etc. If this is OP, could balance by
 blocking poison envenom while elemental oil is
 applied. This could work with Solutions 1 and 3, or
 as a replacement to REPORT 697
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #3: Alternate to Solution 1, create a new primary spec,
 kick-specific, alternate damage mod. Considering monk
 damage bonuses (i.e. wounds, prone, kata mods), the
 requisite ka cost should be balanced towards PVE.
 Since monks max PVE forms at 250 ka, offer one 25%
 alternate damage mod to kicks at 375 ka cost (to be
 used in a 4mo form). A second 25% damage mod should
 stack with the first given an additional 375 ka cost
 (to be used in a 5mo form). I'll leave it to comments
 for suggestions which guild should be assigned what
 damage type(s).
Player Comments:
---[Xenthos on 10/8 @ 15:57 writes]:
This report is really wordy. We might want to try condensing it down. That
said, I love solution 2. Love it! Only thing is that I'd like to see it last
longer (around the same time period as Oil of Sharpness).
---[Shuyin on 10/9 @ 03:04 writes]:
I'd prefer solution 3 for monks given that report 697 is attempting to address
the warrior side
---[Janalon on 10/9 @ 08:07 writes]:
I prefer solution 2 as an alternate to report 697 (heh, if that is even
possible). Other than that, I believe solution 3 will be the most balanced
approach for monks. As per Xenthos, this is November's report. I am aware that I
need to revise several more times to improve clarity and reduce word count. As
such, I will not delete/(re)create like I did last time (losing Rivius' support
of solution 2), nor change the main idea of each solution... only improve the
wording. This report feels somewhat too large for the "scalpel" approach to
envoy, and have forum suggested it fall under the scope of Sojiro's report.
---[Rivius on 10/15 @ 15:54 writes]:
I do like solution 2 for the additional benefit it gives to the poisons
tradeskill, which probably needs a little breath of life.
---[Janalon on 11/7 @ 22:05 writes]:
This report was written to parallel REPORT 697 which was rejected. Therefore
logic dictates 552 also has a likely chance for rejection. I'll wager the report
on two premises. First Ninjakari / Tahtetso are 100% blunt and do not have the
inherent switch between a cutting weapon and blunt punches. Secondly, the effect
of weapon runes are halved due to unarmed kicks. Both lead to one conclusion:
monks have constrained options to damage mod. The question remains as to whether
a lack of significant damage mod is mitigated by sustaining 75% damage output
(raze, weapon, kick) during shield razing in PVE. I would ask any commenters to
take report 697 into consideration, AND to also evaluate the report as it
relates to monk-specific issues.
---[Ushaara on 11/15 @ 23:16 writes]:
Unsurprisingly, I too also like solution 2.
---[Janalon on 11/26 @ 13:07 writes]:
Not many outside comments, so I wanted one more attempt to refocus the problem
in the wake of 697 failing. Kicks account for 1/2 of monk's damage and wounds.
Weapon runes do not apply to unarmed actions, therefore weapon runes have half-
effectiveness for monks. This would be analogous to a Rune of Demense having
half effectiveness for mages when compared to druids. This is especially
relevant because of mobs now having damage type resistances / susceptibilities.
Shofangi & Nekotai can at least go fully unarmed to switch from half cutting to
full blunt. Tahtetso & Ninjakari do not have that flexibility. Since artifacts
are outside the scope of envoy, I've selected to address the resistance gap
through skills. Solution 3 would nearly bring monks up to par with warriors, and
more heavily address PVE. This could also be combined with solution 2 which has
envoy appeal.