Over the last few weeks, I have seen the "older" and "wiser" monks on these
list moan about the changes in Feign Death. Everyone has strong feelings
about the game and the changes that have been made. People have stated
that the changes have made monks unplayable. I really don't know, since I
have only been playing for a few weeks and have not made it to the level
necessary for feign death. Last night, however, I reaffirmed my belief
that the Monk class is truly the best class in this game, regardless of
design changes. I will elaborate.

I had just leveled to 15th and had trained all available slots into Double
Attack. I figured I would make a trip out to Black Burrow to hone my
skills before moving on to bigger game. I know that at my level, that most
of the gnolls wouldn't give me any XP. I could pick up the teeth and gain
some small XP there. I was playing solo. There were several PCs around,
with a group of 13-15th level deciding to take on the gnoll commanders.
They were full up and I didn't go. I stayed around the rest area, picking
off patrolling gnolls, and guards an the occasional brewer. I had gone
back to the rest area for a breather. Then, it happened: Someone ticked
off the gnolls up in the commander area and trained them down onto us. It
looked like an angry swarm coming out of a bee hive. I was playing in full
window mode and the entire screen was filled with overlapping gnoll images.
There was everything from Scrawny gnolls, up to the Commanders. I could
not tell who my target was or how many there were. Everyone in that room
was in for the fight of their digital lives. At one point I know I was
fighting 2 guards, an elite guard and a commander. That I could tell from
the descriptive text. Spells were flying, weapons were slashing, and my
fist and feet were flying as fast as I could throw them. Several
relatively low level casters fell first. Then, the panic set in. People
started running, but the train didn't follow them away. It stayed there.
The PC panic was led by a pair of Troll warriors, who conned red to me. I
saw them and others run. I just kept fighting. I managed to get a mend
off and a cleric or Druid healed me at one point in the fight. When it was
all over, the only 2 PCs left in the room full of gnoll bodies, were myself
and another monk who was 16th level. I still had 2 1/2 bubbles of health.
I picked up 8 gnoll teeth out of that fight and dumped more coin than I
wanted to carry. With the exception of the heal, I had no magical buffs,
not even a SOW to help in case of retreat. I wear cured silk armor, but
more than 2/3 of my AC is innate. I don't have any fancy equipment,
although I do have the money to purchase some. The next time some warrior
starts talking about how great they are, their armor is, their weapons,
etc.., just relate this little story.

Shando, 15th circle of the Silent Fist Clan
Bertoxxolous