Do you suppose the monk will have bow skills?

Dexterity is mentioned, so this is the "high dex" character, but it is also said he is another melee class akin to the barb. What do you think?

Also, I take it he is not the shield class unless you count the staff as the new shield. He really makes you think, doesn't he? He seems to be the holy character without shield (or knightly armor), but he also seems reasonable as the bow class. Both? Neither?|||I'm pretty sure we have yet to see the ranged/physical class, who I will refer to as the Ranger (I'm fairly confident that the Ranger or something extremely similar will be the 5th and final class).

First of all, no bow skills for the monk have been mentioned or evidenced in any way. Second, it seems like he is focused around hand-to-hand combat.

As for the "shield" thing...

A lot of people seem to think that the speed and technique based melee class (who also happens to be a holy warrior, which a lot of people accurately saw coming) needs a shield. I'm not sure why this is, as the only character class we've seen that has an emphasis on a shield is the Paladin.

I feel like simply making another class that fits that particular mold is pretty boring. Making a knight class or something similar is just too close to what we've already had. Been there, done that.

HOWEVER...

Keep in mind that, aside from quick, precise melee attacks -- like the ever-popular Paladin -- the Monk also seems focused around defense. I would venture a guess that the Monk will feature similar abilities to the Paladin's auras, as well as something like the Amazon's dodge/avoid/evade abilities. What we have seen so far is the Impenetrable Defense skill, which appears to deflect enemy missiles back at them... very cool skill, I might add.

In short, the Monk is the new Paladin. We haven't seen the ranged fighter yet.|||Oops, double post. Got a little too frisky |||Definitely odd to see that the Monk is a high dex based character. I would have thought that the ranged character would be the high dex, but it seems like there now may be 2 high dex characters.

Imo the monk does not look like he will have anything to do with bows. It seems like he will be using fist items (possibly even a class specific item??). All of his skills appear to be close quarters.

It would be hard to fathom D3 not having a ranged character, but it seems a possibility now (though i highly highly doubt it).|||Quote:










Imo the monk does not look like he will have anything to do with bows. It seems like he will be using fist items (possibly even a class specific item??). All of his skills appear to be close quarters.

It would be hard to fathom D3 not having a ranged character, but it seems a possibility now (though i highly highly doubt it).




He has katars like the D2 assassin ... its concept art on the D3 Monk class page.

Definitely gonna be a ranger. Blizzard actually listens to fans. Most common suggestions before Blizzcon 08 were a new spellcaster, a monk and a ranger, closely followed by Templar (But meeeh isnt Templar like Pally?). We have the first 2. And where would the game be without a bow class, we had both in D1 and D2. Trademark!

I was hoping for neither a monk nor a ranger, and something super original instead. But Im more than happy with the monk! He is amazing. Kinda kills the fun of guessing next years class though, gonna be 100% ranger now

Gonna be fun though. Some crazy new multishot and strafe abilities, enhanced with various elemental attacks and crits and explosions and curses with Runes. Can you imagine how cool the new skill system is gonna be once fully implemented? We have not seen the true potential of runes on any of the classes yet!|||I'm also gonna go ahead and say that the Ranger will be introduced as a female.

Not only were the Rogue and Amazon females, but there has only been one character thus far introduced in its female form (Wizard).

I will also play my Ranger as a female, because it wouldn't seem right playing that type of class as a dude.|||Impenetrable Defense I believe stops everything. And yeah I don't think he will be using any shields or bows.|||If he has the equivalent to "Blade Fury," then I think I've found my class.|||Do we need shields? Blizzard has stated there are no tanks or healers--every class is a DPS class. So do we need a class that is high on defense?

That being said, a shield-based class could use the shield in offensive ways. I'm talking shield slams, charges, etc. But at the same time, how many (visually) flashy abilities could they come up with that revolve around the use of a shield?

Blizzard has stated that shields will be in the game. So that raises the question; do we need a class that revolves around a shield? I think no. I believe a shield should essentially be for players that feel they have too low of defense, that die too often because they don't know how to avoid enemy attacks (or fall into traps too often), or that want to throw themselves into the thick of things and/or want to play the role of a "tank."

I'd be repeating myself if I stated that Blizzard is only making DPS classes (well damn, I just did), but Blizzard is allowing for some unique customization of player classes. Even with the abilities we know about, the Wizard could easily specialize in abilities that would go well with a sword n board combination.



I do see myself equipping a shield--but only in use for a secondary weapon, and only when battles get really heated. I can imagine myself swapping to a sword n board for boss fights, especially if I know they're going to be tough! Might slow down the DPS a bit, but at least the character will survive. I think it's more fun to play dynamically!|||Quote:








Dexterity is mentioned, so this is the "high dex" character, but it is also said he is another melee class akin to the barb. What do you think?




It's difficult to say that the Monk will be "the high dex character", because we don't know what's the fifth class. Also, i think the Monk won't have bow skills, because this's what you find in the Monk page on the official Diablo 3 site:

Though I do wonder for what need his thousand gods would require a mortal man to implement their will. When I asked him why he did not carry a sword or, indeed, any weapon at all, he simply replied, "My body is my weapon." Then raising his hand and tapping his forehead, he added, "As is my mind."

Maybe he'll be able to equip bows.