Pathfinder a Bite at a Time: Monk and Paladin
Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 07:45PM Hello again and/or thanks for stopping by. Are you wondering if Pathfinder is worth the money? Enjoy discussing the new rules? Then allow me to be your guide to Paizo's Pathfinder, the latest edition of Dungeons and Dragons, one bite at a time.
Be sure to check the U20 Library for previous entries in this series. For now, however, let's talk about Monks and Paladins.
The Monk
Unfortunately much maligned and often ignored (in my experience, at least), Pathfinder monks once again walk a path towards personal perfection, crafting weapons and armor from their bodies, instincts, and skill, achieving with time a sort of transcendence. All good saves, d8 hit points, 4+Int skill points per level, flurry of blows, evasion, fast movement... so, what the heck is new?
The monk's ki pool is the single biggest change to the Pathfinder monk (although there are others). Starting at 4th level a monk has a pool of ki points from which he can draw to perform the higher-level abilities that we're used to seeing such as personal healing (wholeness of body for 2 points), personal teleportation (abundant step for 2 points), additional flurry attacks at her highest bonus or additional speed for one round ora +4 dodge bonus for one round (one point for each), or simply prodigious leaps (high jump for 1 point). A monk's ki pool also powers the properties of his unarmed strikes, allowing magical, lawful, or adamantine strikes to be made as long as a single point remains in the pool.
As with the barbarian's new rage, the ki pool allows the monk to use some of his cooler trademark abilities more often and longer, which is a good change.
Stunning Fist has also been upgraded, allowing the monk to replace the stun with the fatigued, sickened, staggered, blinded or deafened (permanently), or paralyzed conditions as he grows in level—another nice tweak that adds more depth and utility without increasing dice rolls or combat time.
The Paladin
Still heavily armored conduits of good, the Pathfinder Paladin has, naturally, also been improved in various ways. You'll be familar with d10 hit dice, slow skill progression, limited spellcasting starting at 4th level, divine grace, and detect evil, so let's talk about the new stuff.
Woe betide the target of the PF pally's smite evil ability—it acts much like a 4E mark that lasts until the target is killed (a likely result thanks to the climbing bonuses to attack, damage, and AC granted by the ability), or until the pally rests and regains its use. Her Lay on Hands now has mercies added to it—player-chosen effects that can remove every negative status a creature might be suffering from. Her Divine Bond replaces and improves the old favored mount ability, allowing her to do the usual "loyal steed" thing (which made/makes her a damage-dealing monster with the right feats), or the ability to empower her weapon by calling on a celestial spirit. Much like the druid's nature bond (and other character class abilities still to be discussed) the paladin now offers more choices so you can build the pally that you want to.
Let's not forget about channel energy, which works just like the cleric's ability of the same name (expanding the paladin's healing and utility versus undead). The Paladin's new aura feature starts out as being simply a beacon to anyone who cares to cast detect good, but at later levels it grows to encompass immunity to charm spells that rubs off on enarby allies (aura of resolve), a sharing of her smite evil ability with nearby allies (aura of justice), a sharing of her by-then Good-aligned weapon strikes with nearby allies (aura of faith), and finally damage reduction coupled with immunity to compulsions that also rubs off on nearby allies (aura of righteousness).
(phew!)
Impressions
I hate to repeat myself, but even though these classes were pretty strong already, Paizo has once again looked at what didn't work quite so well and improved it while maintaining the established flavor and utility of the real estate they were working with. Another good showing, IMHO.
Join me tomorrow when I discuss the Ranger and the Rogue, and feel free to leave a comment—I answer them all.
Pathfinder, Review, monk, paladin in Pathfinder 
Reader Comments (8)
Loving all the overviews of the new PF classes! Cant' wait to see what you think of the ranger............I have some thoughts of my own.
I'm really digging the amazing number of options paizo put into the classes. At this point in reading the book, my only wish is that they did a better job with diversifying the races. I know it's a sacred cow, but race is the most outdated mechanic in D&D. I'm liking fantasy craft's approach to race selection and how they split it into origin and species...
...hm one thing that did just occur to me though is that pathfinder does do traits which is interesting and can be tailored as campaign specific. That's a good step towards updating the whole race deal. Maybe they are heading in the right direction?
The rage/ki pools makes me think of the tokens mechanic from Iron Heroes, which I personally love (even if my Man-at-Arms doesn't get any). Stuff like that is a great way to give a wide variety of tactical options without unbalancing a class.
Heya Tom, I wonder if we have some of the same thoughts on the Ranger... I hinted a few days ago that I was a little less pleased with one class in particular (now two), both of which I will be covering this evening (the ranger and rogue). Tune in and let me know if we are on the same page.
Good insights, Kaeos, you could be right. I felt the races did okay, but Pathfinder really doesn't break any new ground with its core races. I could've used a bit more personality in the mechanics.
I never played Iron Heroes, Swordgleam, but I've heard good things. Are you still playing it today? Would it be worth picking up?
Excellent, i really like what they've done with the monk. Being able to use some of those traditionally higher level abilities from the start would defiantly allow you to build a more rounded character and makes you a more versatile player.
Out of curiosity, as you go up levels, do you gain more ki points into your pool, or do they increase the potency of your special ability (ex: lvl 1-4 abundant step 10ft, lvl 5-10 abundant step 15ft.....)?? How did they handle that.
Tell me about the Rouge!! :)
Woops... the dangers of writing.
I obviously misled you, Niel, and worse, I'm not sure you're going to like the truth. The monk doesn't gain those abilities any earlier (or if he does, not in any real appreciative way). You do gain more points to fill your pool as you level up, but they only power your abilities which you get at more-or-less the same rate as you got them in 3.5. Sorry! You should be happy that a monk decides how to spend his ki points, though, so you could spend an whole day stepping abundantly, or (I believe) you could blow every last one of them in a single ferocious ultra-combo-esque full attack action.
Which would be pretty awesome if you think about it.
I'm going to discuss the Rogue this evening. I think you'll be very happy with the results, even if I have a beef or two with the direction Pathinder took him...
Paladin way too powerful
Pathfinder paladin way toooo powerful