The Ki Focus combat maneuver, available to monks, has been revised to grant an unarmed combat tier-up bonus in lieu of its previous bonus to AS/UAF. The maneuver is now invoked to grant a 33% chance per rank of gaining an immediate tier-up on the next unarmed strike, assuming that it is successful. If the strike is successful but does not grant an immediate tier-up, the probability of earning a tier-up strike is significantly increased for all subsequent strikes at that tier.
GS4-FINROS
GOLDENOAK2
Re: HSN: Ki Focus Combat Maneuver Update
07/28/2015 09:07 PM CDT
Cool! One question. How does this work with Krynch?
GOLDENOAK2
Re: HSN: Ki Focus Combat Maneuver Update
07/28/2015 09:44 PM CDT
Meaning does it add to the existing Krynch tier up percentages, or does it add a second tier up chance so what would have gone to good goes to excellent?
Also. Let me just say again...This is Awesome. I now have a reason to use Stamina burst. Ki Focus is so much more useful now than it was before...not that the +35 AS/UAF was bad...but the tier ups are so much better. Can't wait to try this out in Marsh Keep...unfortunately what I hunt in landing is non-corporeal.
GS4-FINROS
Re: HSN: Ki Focus Combat Maneuver Update
07/28/2015 09:44 PM CDT
>Cool! One question. How does this work with Krynch?
The two maneuvers don't have any interaction. Krynch is the very last check when determining tier, and, if applicable, brings you up to a carried-over tier from a previous attack. Ki Focus is at the start, sharing precedence with automatic tier-up attacks (the two are mutually exclusive). The lucky tier-up chance is in the middle, and is always evaluated if a tier-up is possible.
The two maneuvers don't have any interaction. Krynch is the very last check when determining tier, and, if applicable, brings you up to a carried-over tier from a previous attack. Ki Focus is at the start, sharing precedence with automatic tier-up attacks (the two are mutually exclusive). The lucky tier-up chance is in the middle, and is always evaluated if a tier-up is possible.
CAVEMANIA
INSURANCE
Re: HSN: Ki Focus Combat Maneuver Update
07/29/2015 02:57 AM CDT
While still an expensive choice (though Monks can mitigate that a bit) this makes Ki Focus worth it always. Good change.
GOLDENOAK2
Re: HSN: Ki Focus Combat Maneuver Update
07/29/2015 04:02 AM CDT
Does Ki Focus count as an offensive CMAN for Second Wind ability?
Want to know if I should consider boosting my Physical training to 150 ranks.
RATHBONER
Re: HSN: Ki Focus Combat Maneuver Update
07/29/2015 05:27 AM CDT
I'm not sure where I'd find the CMan points for it, but this does make Ki focus worth considering.
Is the continuing bonus applied to the chance of generating an opening or the lucky tier up or something else?
Dragonclaw and blink could do with a similar treatment. A high level monk has enough UAF that additional bonuses make very little difference (though I do find a high level rogue can make some use of them) and dragonclaw's lore bonus actually degrades with level (the increase in target UDF pulls it down faster than 1x lore can push it up). Blink ought to do something useful outside of invasion situations with swarms of claidh swingers and blinking to somewhere else ought to improve position.
>(the two are mutually exclusive)
Does this mean that using ki focus between a decent jab that created a punch opening and punching the critter, just wastes stamina?
Is the continuing bonus applied to the chance of generating an opening or the lucky tier up or something else?
Dragonclaw and blink could do with a similar treatment. A high level monk has enough UAF that additional bonuses make very little difference (though I do find a high level rogue can make some use of them) and dragonclaw's lore bonus actually degrades with level (the increase in target UDF pulls it down faster than 1x lore can push it up). Blink ought to do something useful outside of invasion situations with swarms of claidh swingers and blinking to somewhere else ought to improve position.
>(the two are mutually exclusive)
Does this mean that using ki focus between a decent jab that created a punch opening and punching the critter, just wastes stamina?
GS4-IXIX
Re: HSN: Ki Focus Combat Maneuver Update
07/29/2015 08:43 PM CDT
<<Does Ki Focus count as an offensive CMAN for Second Wind ability? >>
Yes, although without an offensive CMAN attack roll (like you'd see with say, Groin Kick) it won't affect the effectiveness of Ki Focus, just the stamina cost.
Ixix
Yes, although without an offensive CMAN attack roll (like you'd see with say, Groin Kick) it won't affect the effectiveness of Ki Focus, just the stamina cost.
Ixix
GS4-FINROS
Re: HSN: Ki Focus Combat Maneuver Update
07/29/2015 09:25 PM CDT
>Is the continuing bonus applied to the chance of generating an opening or the lucky tier up or something else?
The former. There's a decent chance that the same strike that fails to achieve an automatic tier-up will still yield a tier-up opening. (And if it doesn't, the bonus will continue to apply on subsequent tier-up opportunities).
>Does this mean that using ki focus between a decent jab that created a punch opening and punching the critter, just wastes stamina?
Right. You still may get from tier one to tier three from a lucky tier-up in conjunction with an automatic tier-up strike or a Ki Focus strike, but the latter two don't combine to give you an automatic two step jump.
Otherwise, you are correct that UAF boosters aren't terribly useful for monks. I'm aware of the weakness of Dragonclaw in that reward, but don't forget that it also offers spell-bypassing flares that negate a target's magical UDF boosters. I grant that it isn't so useful against unspelled creatures, all things considered.
The former. There's a decent chance that the same strike that fails to achieve an automatic tier-up will still yield a tier-up opening. (And if it doesn't, the bonus will continue to apply on subsequent tier-up opportunities).
>Does this mean that using ki focus between a decent jab that created a punch opening and punching the critter, just wastes stamina?
Right. You still may get from tier one to tier three from a lucky tier-up in conjunction with an automatic tier-up strike or a Ki Focus strike, but the latter two don't combine to give you an automatic two step jump.
Otherwise, you are correct that UAF boosters aren't terribly useful for monks. I'm aware of the weakness of Dragonclaw in that reward, but don't forget that it also offers spell-bypassing flares that negate a target's magical UDF boosters. I grant that it isn't so useful against unspelled creatures, all things considered.
RATHBONER
Re: HSN: Ki Focus Combat Maneuver Update
07/30/2015 09:10 AM CDT
>I'm aware of the weakness of Dragonclaw in that reward, but don't forget that it also offers spell-bypassing flares that negate a target's magical UDF boosters. I grant that it isn't so useful against unspelled creatures, all things considered.
Its specifically the lore tie in that I regard as weak in the case of Dragonclaw. The flare has good mechanics and flavor. In suggesting something similar for Dragonclaw its switching the lore bonus from UAF to a tier chance (or a flare chance or a chance of dispelling somethign as well as bypassing everything) rather than changing the base spell that I am thinking of.
Its specifically the lore tie in that I regard as weak in the case of Dragonclaw. The flare has good mechanics and flavor. In suggesting something similar for Dragonclaw its switching the lore bonus from UAF to a tier chance (or a flare chance or a chance of dispelling somethign as well as bypassing everything) rather than changing the base spell that I am thinking of.
GOLDENOAK2
Re: HSN: Ki Focus Combat Maneuver Update
07/30/2015 09:20 AM CDT
<<Its specifically the lore tie in that I regard as weak in the case of Dragonclaw. The flare has good mechanics and flavor. In suggesting something similar for Dragonclaw its switching the lore bonus from UAF to a tier chance (or a flare chance or a chance of dispelling somethign as well as bypassing everything) rather than changing the base spell that I am thinking of.>>
Another thing to consider would be changing the boost from a UAF boost to an MM boost. Against a like skilled foe, an MM boost is potentially much better in most cases than a UAF boost...especially as the UAF/UDF numbers rise...as the amount of gain for an increase in UAF diminishes. I do like the idea of a mana disruption-like effect where one or more spells is temporarily disabled.
Another thing to consider would be changing the boost from a UAF boost to an MM boost. Against a like skilled foe, an MM boost is potentially much better in most cases than a UAF boost...especially as the UAF/UDF numbers rise...as the amount of gain for an increase in UAF diminishes. I do like the idea of a mana disruption-like effect where one or more spells is temporarily disabled.
