Monks

thye look better in tights?

I think Hegemon made some good points about what the monks lack, but lets not forget this isn't a thread about why BLM > Monk, because I am sure some classes would do better against BLMs than Monks as they both are now. In general though we should get more ideas of how to improve Monks. I think healing could use a buffing, either restore a little more hp, or be usable more often than each 24 hours. Acupuncture is better, field dressing is better, herb is WAY better.

I think Monks have the potential to completely own someone if they get the jump on them. Anyone unsanced who gets hit and lagged by a monk could be dead in two rounds, but as others stated of all the monk stances how many of them are actually useful? It seems that people either use Horse, Drunk, Crane or Dragon. Monkey is also pretty popular I think. I still think it would be sweet if monks had 3 selectable paths, each with a different set of stances and all with some generic monk skills, but revamping a class totally requires a lot of work...Such a cool class that hardly anyone plays anymore. The only other option is for despiser to come back and roll a monk and own everyone, then the new monk thread will be how to tone them down.

I think Monks have the potential to completely own someone if they get the jump on them. Anyone unsanced who gets hit and lagged by a monk could be dead in two rounds...

Some of the suggestions behind the rest of your post stands pretty solid. I'm really not much one to talk, since I haven't ranked a monk past 25ish.

I'm going to point this one thing out, if only to state the obvious. I know you've posted monks in their defense.

Any class has the potential to completely own someone if they get the jump on them. Anyone unsanced who gets hit by any class could be dead in two rounds.

What monks really have is the ability to do the single most damaging attack in the entire game. Name something nastier than Strike of the Phantom Dragon...you can't. Unfortunately, its not as practical as say an Invoker Hellstream, because it is uncontrollable. They are nearly untouchable in defense, but then they can't reach out and touch anyone. Something to make them more reliable would be all that is necessary, since I happen to think chakera strikes could be the coolest thing ever. A selectable set of a pinn stance or something would be sweet.

That being said, played correctly a monk could technically hang with anyone if they know they are coming. Only problem is, how do you know what is coming? Monks need something that can hurt someone regardless of the situation. Hellstream hurts period. Dual Backstab hurts period. Wrath + Holy Word hurts period. I'm sure everyone has gotten the point by now.

Maybe they get to master a stance? like choose ONE stance that would be say 1??% ?

Having just fought with a blm with my monk, blm own in the quick encumberance-fearing warrior department. That one skill they have they get that lovely unblockable extra attack on a certain weapon just completely owns.