Training

[Kiyaani]

Since there's little to no riln involved with tasks now and we're supposed to rely on our Order to provide, would it be possible to broaden the range of training offered by NPC trainers? Obviously not everything should be added, but maybe a few essentials:

Dodge
Farming
Herbalism
First Aid

Get rid of:
Meditation

[Lae]

I doubt dodge would be added because of this :

For clarity: This doesn't mean monks are epexcted to just stand there passively as they or their friends are attacked. (If their friends are capable of fighting back, then the monk would be better off supporting and healing.) This does mean they shouldn't be out training in combat, "just in case" they should ever need it. If that's what you want, you should be seeking to be a Templar. Friendly spar? Still likely going to mess with your inner light. Fighting to defend a baby from a pack of wolves? Still going to happen. "But they're saving a baby!!" That's great, and I hope any monk would do whatever they could in this situation, including fighting the wolves to save the baby. That doesn't mean their light isn't going to be affected by it, though. Doing something "for a good reason" doesn't cause The Way Things Are to suddenly change.

But I would really like to see herbalism and first aid to be made available, I tend to use both a lot.

[Kiyaani]

Yea, I get that. The problem I have is sometimes it is necessary to go with people for events or other dangerous assignments, and while you may be guarded or hang back, you should still know how to defend yourself so you're not adding to the danger or making yourself a liability to the group. It's not always possible or practical to stay behind and wait for everyone else to do the fighting and come out to find you when they're too wounded to continue. And even with a guard you can still have a chance to be hit. If the healer goes down, that's bad for everyone. It seems like its intended to be a balance between what affects your light and what you need to do to perform your duties. This is why I'm only suggesting dodge and not shields for block or staves for parry since both can be used offensively.

Perhaps some further information about Rias' view of the Monastic Order would help me understand why learning to defend yourself is a negative.

I'd also like to add that sometimes we get tasks to go to dangerous places, and often we don't have escorts. Knowing how to better avoid combat doesn't seem like it would be against what the Order wants.

[Lae]

The most dangerous place I've been asked to go to on any task is the graveyard, and while it can be spammy it's pretty easy to avoid hostiles and get the task done. In the case of events, I rarely find that any event is without someone to guard the monk. I guess we have the option to train dodge on our own coin and time but like the above post said, you're likely going to get dimmed for doing so. In order to train dodge you're going to find yourself in combat, even if it's just standing there letting something attempt to hit you so you can train up dodge. Because of that, I find it highly unlikely that we would have the option to train dodge using recognition points. This is probably going to be one of those times where you'll have to find a way to earn money to train that yourself. If we're not supposed to be combat oriented at all, it wouldn't make much sense to offer us a combat oriented skill to train.

[Rias]

I won't be adding dodge (it was specifically taken out), since it's a combat-focused skill. Monks are intended to either stay out of combat, or go with a guard/group. For those times when you do have to go out into troublesome territory, stay in position avoid and use Flare to help stay out of combat. As mentioned (somewhere) previous, there are plans for more thaumaturgy-based abilities to help monks stay out of combat or temporarily subdue foes.

The "go help a wounded templar in a dangerous place" tasks are soon going to be replaced with "accompany an NPC group and help keep them healed while they guard you".

Monks are expected to not be well-suited to combat situations and to have to pull some special moves to get out of them (see: Flare). I don't think the Monastic Order would see spending significant time out dodging hostile creatures as a good use of a Monk's time, "because we have to be prepared for getting into trouble at some point". Use the abilities and methods available to them to survive in combat, which will help them get out of said trouble without necessitating constant dodge training.

[Kiyaani]

Thanks for the detailed response. What about the other suggestions like First Aid and Herbalism?

[Rias]

I'll be adding those soon.

Also: Long live meditation!! Woooooo!

[Kiyaani]

By the way, I think the wiki still lists brawling for at least Sophia and Dimmes.

[Solaje]

The monks that come to the infirmary still teach brawling. I guess they're probably not supposed to anymore.

A brown-robed monk says, "I can train you in the following skills:

Brawling 12 recognition points
Channeling 16 recognition points
Thaumaturgy 17 recognition points

[Rias]

They shouldn't be offering training at all - they're too busy healing all the wounded at the infirmary! Fixed.

[Lae]

Thanks for the detailed response. What about the other suggestions like First Aid and Herbalism?

Bump on this. <3

[Rias]

Ta-da!