How do you feel about the Monk thematically?

[amythist]

Personally, I like the style and feel of the monk. I really enjoy how i feel in the world and lore at the moment. I do not, however, like how soo much of our class order campaign is set around the panda's I kind of felt that it was... a panda campaign not a monk one. I know there were a few non panda's around but so much of our lore is tied to panda. I'm a cow monk + I did feel out of place doing the campaign.
It is a good story and I like how we are and feel. i hope they start to move away from only panda npc's.

yeah this is kind of the issue I have with the state of Monks right now, it's way too entangled with Pandaria/Pandarans. The worst part is they could have really made progress to combat that, say have an early order hall quest to go back to the old world and recruit or set up schools to draw in more students of the other races, to really build on the idea of the Pandaran martial arts spreading out to the other races

[JaoStar]

Personally I feel like the Diablo monk... fits into Azeroth and the "world" of warcraft much nicer than what we currently have.

For MoP it was fine, but it doesn't feel like the Monk has found its place or its niche since then. On my monk I feel disjointed, disconnected, out of place.



Take garrisons for example, I felt that every other class could be the leader, or commander. For my monk though, I felt like a fish out of water.

Anyone else feel that way?

I agree. A monk without some sort of spiritual attunment is just a dude who knows some martial arts. Monks just don't feel strong enough thematically to be able to compete with the other classes. They are in a better place than in MoD tho.

[bloodmoth13]

i personally hate the thematics of monks.

They made a massive mistake IMO of tying it so deeply to pandaren, as no other class is so deeply connected to one race, including demon hunters!

If they made it less tied to pandaren i think it would benefit quite a bit.

I hate the ties so much i changed the icons of all my abilities to remove panda references and changed the names to more generic names like rising sun kick is now "tear a new one" while blackout kick is "ass kick".

The class had a lot of potential to improve the lore of many races, like allowing one to play a draenei monk (exist in auchindoun) human monk(scarlet monastary) and exibit the natural martial arts of different races, but instead all of that is overridden by pandaren culture, which i really hate.

There are a million ways you could make your character but it all seems to be overridden by panda lore. I dont want to use panda celestials when im a troll with my own loa, i dont want to do pandaren medicine when my own race has its own medicines (tauren, trolls, night elves) and i dont want to brew sake on my dwarf when my whiskey is a thousand times better!

[Icecat]

One of the best things about WoW's Monk is the personality. They have a style all their own compared to the other classes, and to me, they feel inherently humble and jovial; this isn't just a Pandaren-thing either, since "jovial" would describe them well too, but the idea of a class is that it's a lifestyle your character takes. For the Monk, their kit perfectly illustrates the friendly, calm, disciplined zen they dedicate their life to. The Brewmaster is hearty and conjures up images of a jolly someone who doesn't take things too seriously, the Mistweaver is a wise, calm soothsayer who heals the body with an art more "mystical" than the other healers, and the Windwalker serves as a reminder that Monks are all trained, martial artists who've honed their bodies as their weapons.

Thematically, no other class is like the Monk, so I'd call that a success. I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing that the Monk feels disconnected; that may be the point. I just like that they stand out for the simple fact of being a Monk.

This guy fuckin gets it. 10/10 post. There is no other class like Monk and it's awesome. All three specs have great flavor and I find myself switching between them from expansion to expansion depending on how my mood state is fluctuating. There is some real subtlety and texture to the way that each spec plays - completely unique. I love Monks.

From my understanding, only Windwalker specifically is tied to Pandaren lore (ancient style used to overthrow Mogu etc), at least in a heavy handed way. It's heavily implied that Dwarven Brewmasters use their own ale and Troll Mistweavers use their own medicine. I mean shit there's even a Vrykul "Brewmaster" in our Order Hall that had studied ancient vrykyl Storm Brews and she's definitely never been to Pandaria. I guess a case can be made that each spec has a talent to call on the Celestials, but you can easily either ignore those talents or just assume that it's something you picked up in Pandaria.

Let me be crystal clear about my first point though. I like the monk because it is multi-faceted and subtle, like a real human being, much like how the Pandaren are a neutral, free thinking faction. That is their theme, really. The Monk in Diablo 3 is like a fucking crazy light exploder of demons and don't even tell me that he isn't just a Paladin because he's just a fuckin Paladin with some vaguely Monk sounding abilities and he punches shit. The more subdued Monk in World of Warcraft is more in line with how monks have always been in the real world. Did I mention I love monks? Best class.

[Deleted]

While I loved Pandaren Monks from the get go, being a big fan of Chen/Brewmaster heroes in WCIII, I have to say that the book 'Shadows of the Horde' helped me really get into the swing of things. Taran Zhu gets fleshed out as a character, and really goes into the Huojin/Tushui thing. Not to mention we get to see how the Monks fight as a unit, how Pandaren end up becoming Monks, and the defence of the Temple of the White Tiger is extremely cool (in my headcanon my Monk is one of the '33').

[Cakka]

I get what you mean OP. You are absolutely right that the D3 monk would have been better fit for WoW. For me personally I guess the biggest thematic problem is that monks are so heavily associated with the pandaren. I have no problems with the pandaren as race in WoW, but they shouldn't have been neutral race. Them joining the horde makes no lore sense, and it still looks weird to me when ever I see a horde panda, which luckily seems pretty rare.

[A dot Ham]

I agree. A monk without some sort of spiritual attunment is just a dude who knows some martial arts. Monks just don't feel strong enough thematically to be able to compete with the other classes. They are in a better place than in MoD tho.

I just feel like it was TOO different from the universe we had come to know... and still doesn't fit.

Lets take a look at this magic chart:



Where do emerald dragons, the "emerald magic", chi, sha fit into this chart?

Pandaria was a hidden/forgotten part of Azeroth... but it still exists in the same universe and should have ties to existing elements in some shape or form. To me Pandaria, Pandaren, and subsequently monks feel separate from the universe as a whole.

Even going into Legion... and the artifact quests. There was an opportunity to create lore that tied it back in... instead its all new, none of it familiar.

[Deleted]

This chart came from the Chronicle and this book also explain the origin of chi.

The elements of fire, air, earth, and water serve as the basic building blocks of all matter in the physical universe. Shamanic cultures have long sought to live in harmony with, or assert dominion over, the elements. To do so, they call upon the primordial forces of Spirit and Decay. Those who seek to bring balance to the elements rely on Spirit (sometimes referred to as the “fifth element” by shaman, or “chi” by monks). This life-giving force interconnects and binds all things in existence as one. Decay is the tool of shaman seeking to subjugate and weaponize the elements themselves.

Chi = Spirit, but the main difference is that Shaman use spirit to call the element. And monk manifest their own inner spirit, they cultivate it, like in chinese fantasy novel.

Now the sha is born from the remnant of the old god Y'Shaarj, so it's pure Shadow.

The chronicle are a must read, it clearly tie together the whole lore of wow, Pandaria included.

[mggriebz]

I enjoy not seeing as many monks hanging around as NPCS such as the typical mage or warrior quest giver. To me, I feel more indulged in the lore when Taran or Chen show up and send me somewhere. I liked MoP and the eastern inspiration behind it so I guess I might be a little bias towards the monk campaign bringing us back there and such. It does seem slightly strange that monks seem less intertwined with the other races, but that makes me feel unique which I like.

[qwertydood]

I really dislike the classic Monk fantasy (like Diablo or other unarmed fighter examples), but I love being a Pandaren Monk. Not necessarily because of the kung fu aspect, but because I really identify with the personality. The soft-spoken, unseeming Pandaren drinking his tea who suddenly appears behind you thwacking you across the head with a stick to teach you a lesson. The 'Join me for a drink, friend!' mentality instead of the 'Life is Pain' DK approach.

I think it fits into the world just fine, but WoW certainly does cater it's theme a lot more towards a more militaristic or magical side. I actually started WoD as a Paladin because I just didn't connect with my Monk being this military leader in a spiky horde base (after a couple of weeks I went back, but didn't make me feel too much more at home).

But when it comes down to it, I just love it. Aside from having a great order hall and campaign (especially if you're Pandaren), I do feel like this wandering hero.

I must say that I did feel like Pandaren, and Monks, were being woefully unrepresented. We didn't even feature at all at the Broken Shore. The interesting thing I've felt though is that I've gone from wondering who's in charge to realising... I'm the Pandaren in charge. I do feel like the Monk leader now. I'm the one representing at Alliance meetings, I'm the ambassador, I'm leading the last remnants of a shattered order.

Thematically, I think non-Pandaren Monks might feel underlooked and dominated by this heavy alignment with the Pandaren. But as a Pandaren Monk, I feel like I've got a lot to fight for. A land, a home, a people to fight for. The Pandaren order campaign didn't focus on gathering great cosmic power, leading an army or an epic fight over the fate of gods and kingdoms - we were defending the innocent and rescuing our people who were taken.

Monks don't really fit too well into the military commander/warchief type role in my eyes. But leading an elite group of fighters like the Shado-Pan, infiltrating and disrupting enemy war camps, taking on dangerous missions, or just taking on the role of wanderer within the mystical broken isles? I think the class fantasy is being fleshed out a lot this expansion

Edit: That said, there are times where I get pissed that we have a pretty crap collection of leather transmogs available to us, and I do sometimes crave playing a class where I can just have badass armour and a kickass sword. No chi bollocks, just stabbydeath and heroic posing. But then I have a cup of tea and it's k.

I agree with this 100%, and laughed out loud at the bolded part, especially with all the "I HAVE SACRIFICED EVERYTHING" DHs running around. I have always loved the lone, soft-spoken wanderer who can really dish it out when necessary sorta vibe. Sorta feel like Chen helping out the Horde in the WCIII bonus campaign.

[Ryanite]

But yeah. I fo feel the same way. Kinda wish that another class played exactly like my monk.

So much this, so much in fact that trying to play without the speeds boosts, the rolls, the healing, the amazing rotation and core kit that WW provides seems to not make sense to me. Attempting to play my once before main Warrior feels like it has amazing animation but the buttons I'm pressing have no meaning to me.

I love the big plate warrior as well as the druid theme, the evergrowth is hands down the best class hall in my opinion and shits over the monk class hall. just because we got a whole island more is not always a good thing. Monks have been shafted with old skins from mop reused to create a tiny tiny part of a class hall that ultimately feels so damn empty not only from lack of player monks but the entire place seems like it's half finished.

Another gripe with me is why on earth they went for a fist weapon on WW if the attack animations mess with the way we hold our weapons, half the time I will loot a mob only to have them disappear while on my bear druid they show 100% of the time. Blizzard really missed the chance to have some sick nun-chucks on my back and rip them out only for certain moves that require them, otherwise they sit looking bad ass on my back.

I'm really at a loss of what is most important to me because I can't get over how well WW plays but then again my god do I dislike their thematic and while the artefacts look great being barely able to see them most of the time is not fun.

[Deleted]

I think the problem with the class is that its too pandaren themed, and legion just enhances this by making almost everything monk related a throwback to MOP.

We've had glimpses of other types of monks in the game - scarlet monks, auchenai monks in TBC, laughing skull "monks" in WOD and now Aegira who pushes the brewmaster theme into a new direction. Ultimately monks are just spiritual fighters or even brawlers who prefer to use martial arts instead of weapons, a cross between warrior and priest. If Blizz chose to properly introduce new orders of monks, the class could feel more varied and integrated to the gameworld.

One thing I wish they would have added to monks is a runemaster spec, straight from the RPGs and strong ties to dwarves and tauren. Instead we get a generic "windwalker" spec, what the hell is that even supposed to be?

Sadly right now monks are just pandas minding their own thing, which doesn't mesh well with expansions that have come after MOP.

[Solemnity]

I feel like it could be refined a lot more; it's definitely missing something. I wont pretend that I'm not disappointed we don't have the unfiltered grace and discipline of a Diablo monk, or the swift judgement of spirit like Isaac Netero.

[Saverem]

Personally I feel like the Diablo monk... fits into Azeroth and the "world" of warcraft much nicer than what we currently have.

For MoP it was fine, but it doesn't feel like the Monk has found its place or its niche since then. On my monk I feel disjointed, disconnected, out of place.

Take garrisons for example, I felt that every other class could be the leader, or commander. For my monk though, I felt like a fish out of water.

Anyone else feel that way?

1000% agree. Not a fan of the Monks lorewise. The WW theme is OK, they actually use martial arts more than the other 2 specs. They still rely too much on "chi" attacks thought and would have liked them to be more brawler and less mystical arts.

MW depends solely on Chi and sipping tea, meh.

BrM depends on beer and getting drunk. A bit too goofy for my taste. Reminds me of Jackie Chan's Drunken Master which was a martial arts spoof/comedy movie.


I will say this though, the goofy ass fighting style of the Monk class fits the goofy ass persona and race design of the Pandaren... It's like they took all of their inspiration from Kung Fu Panda's Po...