(06-24-2015, 01:09 PM)Caspar Wrote: That's a bit unreasonably inflexible. In FFXIV a mnk can fires shock waves and laser beans from their fists, and you find a relatively common Asian fantasy motif, "air pressure" strikes impossible to believe? I'd been intending to keep my rp somewhat low power and even now I'm being pushed this way. And what of other monastic orders? Does ever superhuman fist fighter have to be Fist of Rhalgr? I'd find that boring and hard to reconcile with the lore regardless.
From an aesthetic standpoint while observing the mechanics, most offensive PGL/MNK skills require bodily contact with either the target or the ground. The only exceptions that come to mind are Arm of the Destroyer, Mantra (not offensive anyway), and Elixir Field, the latter of which, yes, looks like a laser beam.
As someone who prefers to remain as lore-compliant as possible, I tend to avoid characters who roleplay pugilists shooting laser beams or such. Is the character a skilled monk who's invested months if not years of training into the discipline and come away with the knowledge and skill to do such? Then by all means. If not? Then my character is going to believe that there's more to it, and is going to want to know how the other character is capable of such.
Please keep in mind that this is merely my opinion and my preference. Doesn't affect anyone but me and those who interact with my characters. Does this come off as inflexible? Maybe, but that would be a pretty extreme interpretation of my stance on such things, I feel.
As always: people should feel free to roleplay what they want to roleplay, and to find like-minded folks who will roleplay alongside them. That doesn't mean everyone's views will line up, nor should it.
/shrugs