OK OK we give in, pathfinder it is!

[Blightersbane]

DM has the books, so its my google-fu to research the differences between 3.5 and PF. I over herd how PF has "fixed the Monk" and made it a playable class. Max BAB with Flurry of blows and bonus class features had me going, going for just a few minutes. I then couldnt figure out what happened to WIS mod to AC, where did it go? If Im standing there with Dex to AC only and a +1 coming at 3rd level...I WOULD BE LUCKY TO MAKE 3RD LEVEL!

Am I missing something? Or is this Monk unplayable to?

Blightersbane

[Frogman55]

They really haven't 'fixed' anything. The same old imbalances are there. The only class that I think has seen a straight-up improvement in relative power is the Paladin.

As far as 'fixes' go, the only thing PF did that I do feel is a solid improvement is their skill system. They've upped skill points for everyone but the full casters, and combined several of the skills as well. That actually helps.

The whole 'quadratic wizards/linear fighters' problem still exists, and is worse if anything. The whole mobility v. full attack problem that monks have always faced is still around. Flurry pretends it's based on full BAB, which helps; some of the archetypes are genuinely good, if specialized (looking at you Tetori and Zen Archer). Also, I really love a Sohei archetype dip for martial characters.

Wis-to-AC doesn't really show up in the table. It's contained within the 'AC Bonus' column, and he still gets it from level 1.

[Blightersbane]

gotcha, I found the wis to AC, thanks...As a side note, the things Im diggin about the PF monk is the max bab for combat maneuvers including FoB, and the wisdom mod bonus to jump, acrobatics & combat maneuvers and cm defense s...This makes a much improved monk over the DnD version, IMO.

[Jackinthegreen]

You might want to look at http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=11990.0 to get a sense of how things moved around.  Monk still sucks in its own way, but going with certain archetypes does make it better.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?136890-The-3-5-Pathfinder-Handbook gives an overview of the changes between 3.5 and PF.

[Unbeliever]

I've been sucked into the Pathfinder universe, as well.  In large part, it depends on the median level of optimization in the group.  I've found that despite many of its defects, and its continued hate on martial characters, it's still not too hard to build a competent Pathfinder character compared to most of them out there. 

I think the Pathfinder Monk is playable, mostly by messing around with the archetypes.  The Maneuver Master and the Master of Many Styles, with sufficient op-fu, can be pretty solid, I think.  Not God Wizard solid, but pretty solid.  You may also want to look at their Brawler hybrid class, too.

[Frogman55]

Be careful with the brawler. Martial flexibility requires strong system knowledge - or at least combat feat knowledge - to not just be a bonus feat ability.