Monks.

[a ponderer]

and now back to the topic at hand...

Astinor is confusing neutrality with meakness. Just because they don't force thier beliefs on others does not mean that monks are neutral. a monk does seek balance, but not a neutral balance, monks seek to balance out all of thier 'evil' qualities with the 'good'ness that comes from moderation (or vis-versa). in fact the idea of moderation is a very 'good' idea. a monk seeks to perfect himself/herself through meditation and moderation, but what would a neutral monk be working towards? a perfect neurtal? what is that? how can one be perfectly neutral, that is impossible.
This thread is going to delve deeply into World View soon if we dont abandon it, but thats fine with me.

[Davairus]

Figured its because evil/good is sorta like yin/yang and Virgil (one of the monk coders) was into that.

[a ponderer]

I suppose that could possibly have something to do with it.

[Bones V2.0]

[E-ant]

True neut is bard

[Davairus]

Or a gnome invoker.

[E-ant]

Or that

[Mendek]

Monks didn't used to be able to have a neutral ethos either. I think that was changed so they could fit into Knight and Legion cabals, but I might (and probably am) wrong.

As far as the AR is not D&D thing. Well, it isn't, but if it wasn't involved AR wouldn't have taken the monk titles straight out of the 1st ed. player's handbook either. So, blah.

Neutral monk would both do more damage and take more damage. How many neutrals do we really see owning everyone? And how many neutrals don't play neutral at all?

Neutrals can get protection_evil, many people know that.

Neutral monks make perfect sense, there's no RP reason why they wouldn't. Being Neutral should not mean pacifist either and this is constantly missunderstood on AR. Look at the Harper's in Forgotten Realms.

The monk's cabal restrictions have gotten a bit annoying. From all accounts they can be... Heralds. Joy. The decision to take them out of Justice makes sense in game terms because they have to meditate so often. As for RP, well, sometimes game balance takes care of its own.

I don't completely understand the need to take monks out of Knights or Legion being they can have a neutral ethos. Some IMM once told me that a monk's first devotion was to his/her temple, and I think being a Knight or Legion would make a monk much more important to his god and religion.

Have them based around religion doesn't make much sense right now either when we have no religions to focus around. We have 3 temple with no defined beliefs, and no gods to worship. In the past people focused their religios RP around the IMMs and their respective (now removed) tattoos. Once [Read: if] religions ever get implemented it would be interesting of a monks fight style depended on their teaching, i.e. their chosen god. Maybe just one signature move... Anyway.

[E-ant]

you forgot the double ASS In.

[Seryie]

Im not saying you CANT bring back up threads, but when someone brings the topic back up for a crappy comment *look at the one that bumped it back into the top 5*. I wouldnt have said anything if the post that brang it back up was something more than a worthless piece of crap. ie: if mendek posted that post which bumped it back up, I would've been happy as it was contributing something useful.

As far as what your saying.... it's fine for me to go back to some of the first posts and reply with 'lol' just to add some discussion to it.

And im not here to be appreciated im here solely for my own benifit, not yours.

[Phostan]

That's what they all say, and do you know what I say? You are here for my benefit! *throws peanuts at Seryie* dance monkey, dance!

Oh, and Mendek, you're wrong about Harpers, Harpers in Forgotten Realms claim to keep a balance to the world, but they do that by battling evil. They never battle good, thus, they're not neutral. Elminster, founder of the Harpers, he's not neutral aligned, he's Chaotic Good or something. All of the Seven Sisters are senior Harpers, all of them, good align. In fact, I own 13 out of 16 of the Harper series books, all of the Harper characters with the exclusion of a supporting character or two are good align.

[Mendek]

Probably because there's more evil to fight than good.... Anyway, this isn't a Forgotten Realms discussions, though I am awed by and thankful for your clarification.

[GodOfWar]

Don't know how we got on the subject of religion here on the monk thread, but the true representations of neutrality would of course be the druid and ranger, not the monk. Monks are religious figures and of course are best represented by the two most visible of gods, namely of light and dark. Druids and rangers being tied solely to nature, have no real concerns with the lives of man or their ways, but live to protect nature and balance.

So enough of that....on to my real question...

Is a monk's counter a defensive empowerment only skill? Or is it always active? I cannot remember since it's been so long since I've had it on a monk.

[Mendek]

I think it's defensive only, or used to be.

[GodOfWar]

I'm pretty sure it used to be as well, but not sure if it carried over the changes that some of the other skills got.

Anyone know for sure?

[GodOfWar]

Has balance also been changed to defensive empowerment only??

Hasn't worked a single time in offensive. Someone gimme a heads up

[Addreodyn]

I thought balance was always defensive...
Read 'help empowerment'.