Now of course the Monk isn’t a new profession to the Guild Wars IP but in regards to GW2 it’s a new class with the exceptions of Ascalonian Ghosts. My suggestion is to tweak their role. I played a Monk in EverQuest and I would like to see a more versatile class this time around. Healing priority should be an option for those who wish to track the path to dedicated healing but as with all things in GW2, their role could be more balanced.
First of all two new weapon sets:
Hand to Hand
Quarterstaffs
Hand to hand would be self explanatory but for quarterstaffs, think Donatello from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Further more Styles of three could be used as their specials: Spirit, Body, and Mind. Each having different varying effects based on the weapon, or lack there of, you wield.
Hand to Hand
Attack chain: 1 (direct damage), 2 (damage + [Style bonus condition]), 3 (damage + Finisher)
Skill 2 Blink
Skill 3 Blast (think Hadouken, ranged attack, with the closer executed to the target the more damage dealt. Similar to Mesmer’s Greatsword Skill 1 only in the reverse)
Skill 4 Sweep (Knockback or Knock down + condition based on style)
Skill 5 Evade (similar to Pistol Whip of the Blade/dagger combination for Thieves only you do not deal damage during the duration.
Quarterstaffs
Attack Chain: 1 (Direct damage), 2 (Direct damage), 3 ( Style bonus condition)
Skill 2 Joust (a charge dealing damage on connect)
Skill 3 Sweep (Knockdown
Skill 4 Assault (Think Whirling Axe only the user is stationary and cannot move, defends incoming attacks as well as dealing moderate to high progressive damage until the duration has completed. My best comparison would be something like Eye of The Storm from City of Heroe’s Staff Fighting power set)
Skill 5 Spiritual Resurgence (Self heal + Boon: Protection)
(Note: Quarterstaffs could also be added for Elementalists for a more melee-centric combat role while manipulating their attunements)
*Staffs could be made available for Monks as well to settle them into a more support/healer role.
Styles
Like Elementalist’s elemental attunement, Styles can be triggered via the F1, 2, and 3 keys. Each adding some form of boon to special openings as well as support boons for the user: Might, Retaliation, or Aegis.
F1 – Body: Attacks that apply boons will deliver Might as well as make current skills deal more damage.
F2 – Mind: Attacks that apply boons will deliver Retaliation and apply weaken to the target
F3 – Spirit: Attacks that apply boons will deliver Aegis and the target will be set on fire.
Haven’t quite settled with the attributes yet. But I figure as something to start with, this could help start the class discussion. Furthermore if/when Cantha is released the Monk could be a class introduced during it’s campaign as well as if Tengu can be playable, Tengu Monks (in the future Kodan Monks for the Jormag battle- how do you like THAT PANDAS?!)
For Cantha especially the Tengu could have their intro story in Dominion of Winds which is about as big as Queensdale if not bigger and as a personal story they’re trying to go back to Cantha via a new radical belief amongst the Tengu society – setting forth to reclaim the land they were kicked out of. With the fall of Zhaitan, this becomes more of an attainable goal especially with the Destroys encroaching on their territory seemingly unrelenting.
Brain storm away.