Monk Rework

This mod reworks Hellintz’s popular Monk class mod. In my opinion, it is one of the most beautifully designed classes, but is unfortunately quite overpowered. Changes have been made to enhance the Monk in a more flavourful ‘spiritual’ manner, focusing on his combat traits of agility and blocking attacks, but also to assist in reworking the class to be more versatile. The core of this rework is that the Monk is now initially, a relatively weak and slow character that progressively becomes an agile, speedy and damaging warrior, or alternatively, a versatile frontline healer that can protect others and avoid or block damage himself with his agility, depending on how he is built.

Base stats nerfed (HP, SPD, DMG). Slightly lower HP to increase risk to how the Monk has to be played and built. SPD nerf was intended because Monk was too fast, now has skill to buff its speed over battle. Slight DMG nerf. Nerf to crit and riposte party-heal effects.

The Monk’s virtue/affliction, trinkets and other unspecified parameters are unchanged.

Skills:

Dragon Tail now provides %DMG increase to other skills instead of %CRIT, to compliment other skill’s negative %DMG modifiers (swapped with Howling Fist).

Howling Fist now provides %CRIT increase to other skills instead of %DMG, to compliment other skill’s low %CRIT modifiers (swapped with Dragon Tail). All healing effects and healing interactions with other skills are removed from this skill. -PROT debuff on target.

Shadow Strike replaces Iron Mountain. The Monk channels his inner agility to attain ghost-like qualities, moving forward and attacking first two ranks to deliver low, but armor-piercing damage, clearing corpses and gives DODGE bonus.

Sweeping Kick is mostly unchanged. The Monk’s stun ability is in a good place utility wise. It is meant to compliment other abilities by providing slight DMG and CRIT buff. Speed debuff on target slightly nerfed.

Spirit Block replaces Transfer. The Monk uses his ethereal spirit to quickly block incoming damage towards a single ally. Guard one ally, +1 Aegis block for Monk, heals a percentage of target HP whilst the Monk takes some damage. Higher levels in this skill provide slight DOT healing to the Monk to mitigate some of the damage taken. Can only be used if Monk is over 25% HP. He cannot activate this skill on the same target again for 2 turns (Guard restriction to prevent this).

Mantram is a low party-wide AOE heal, numbers slightly reduced from vanilla Monk. No longer provides +% PROT partywide or -%DMG to Monk. Now provides DODGE to Monk. Instead, has very low chance to provide +1 Aegis block to all other party members. Now has 2-round cooldown after use. Removed heal on next hit guarantee. This was considered the Monk’s most overpowered ability and a rework/nerf was needed.

Inner Fire is mostly unchanged, +DMG buff only affects non-riposte, now also provides slight SPD bonus at higher levels.

Camping Skills:
Accupressure One Companion: +4SPD, +5%CRIT. No longer provides +DODGE bonus.
Tranquility Self Only: -30 Stress, -20% Stress, +10 DODGE. No longer removes Mortality debuff.

The rework is intended to generate three viable but balanced builds for the monk besides just being a super damage dealer and burst healer:

• Pure Damage: The pure damage build is still similar to vanilla Monk, dancing between front ranks to deliver damage. However damage has been reworked so that the Monk starts off slow and weak, but progressively gets stronger as the battle wears on. There is great synergy between Dragon Tail and Howling Fist, which compliment each skill’s respective DMG/CRIT deficiency. Adding Inner Fire’s self HP & stress heal + riposte, gives the Monk some frontline sustainability similar to Hellion/Leper. Sweeping Kick can be added for a stun that also provides slight DMG & CRIT buffs, or Shadow Strike in a high-movement party for some AOE damage or DODGE bonus.
• Utility Damage/Support: A mixed class using Monk’s versatile arsenal; Can be dedicated stunner and secondary DMG-dealer with SK, DT/HF and heals/DODGE abilities. Or a Guard + DODGE build (similar to Houndmaster) healing and protecting allies whilst dancing around the group and avoiding damage through his DODGE bonuses. With Inner Fire, Monk can also be dedicated, self-sustaining riposte dealer with other ally’s force guard skills.
• Pure Healer: Inner Fire’s riposte + Spirit Block’s guard and heal combo provides self-healing and ability to single-target heal another ally. Spirit Block is extremely efficient at bringing allied hero from Death’s Door and keeping them protected. Mantram’s party wide heal is mediocre initially, but provides DODGE to Monk himself. It also has a massive potential upswing by having a low chance to give party members an Aegis block. The rank viability of the skills and combinations with +DODGE makes Monk one of the few healers able to sit in the frontline (as opposed to most healers in the back ranks).
  However, all of his heals are conditional; Inner Fire only heals himself and is RNG-based (can heal 0 like Occultist). Spirit Block damages himself and can only be used if Monk has more than 25% HP, therefore maintaining Monk’s own HP is vital to heal and protect others, furthermore it cannot be used to heal same target in a row due to guard 2 turn restriction. Mantram is party-wide low heal, but is subject to limited use through cooldown. All 3 skills need to be tactically utilised if Monk is used as a dedicated healer. Late game-trinkets (such as Embossed Gourd Bottle) and smart party composition increases Monk effectiveness in this role.

Must disable Hellintz’s vanilla Monk mod for this to work. Compatible with all other Monk non-class mods (such as Hard-earned Districts e.t.c.).

Hope you guys enjoy my rework, please let me know any thoughts on the matter. I have experimented with this rework for Lvl 0 to Lvl 6 with a range of different builds and parties and feel it is in a good, respectable place right now without feeling too overpowered.

Based off Hellintz’s mod: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1442225067
All credits and rights reserved to original uploader.

Check notes for changelogs.