Suggestions on improving Quarterstaff

Not gonna lie, I don't like how the Monk's iconic weapons is turning out.

It's functional for late game, bu there are two things I don't like.

1)Melee skills are tied in terms of efficiency to the Tempest Bell skill.

2)The skills we are supposed to use for the early stages of the game which is the start of Act 1 on normal up until mid Act 2 are terrible and in some cases (Falling Thunder) impractical for the stage of the game where they are unlocked.

3)The best ranged skill on quarterstaff is locking you into a cringe animation, where the weapon is used as an improvised baseball bat, ruining the rule of cool.

In spite of all this, I will try and provide a rework that benefits the community and not my personal preferences. This will also contradict to a certain extent previous advice given with Falling Thunder and Rolling Slam being usable if you are wielding either a hammer or quarterstaff.

In terms of skill gems which are unlocked with an Uncut Gem of Level 1 are as follows:

*Vaulting Impact (given for free at tutorial, in place of Falling Thunder)
*Tempest Bell
*Tempest Flurry
*Wind Blast

I consider this choice to benefit the Monk community the most because of the following reasons:

a)it introduces the combo mechanic earlier to the players
b)Vaulting Impact is simpler to use, in spite of it's clunkiness (slow start-up, awkward targeting)
c)Tempest Flurry is a better combo builder than simply doing basic attacks, while hooking the player in with elemental themed melee attacks, selling the player with an immersive experience.
d)I chose to put this here, because in the current itteration of the game (0.2), the effect it provides is not strong enough to justify spending a skill gem higher than level 2 for it's effect.

At most, Wind Blast is useful in Act 1, to kite the monsters which drop puddles of corrupted blood on the ground+during end game, when you get modiffiers which spawn this kind of creature.


In terms of skill gems which are unlocked with an Uncut Gem of minimum Level 3 are as follows:

*Glacial Cascade
*Frozen Locust
*Ice Strike
*Staggering Palm

This is the first CC line for Quarterstaff. I chose to put Glacial Cascade + Locus combo here, because Monks need their first kiting skill asap and Cascade appears to be designed to come as a package deal with Frozen Locus.

In terms of skill gems which are unlocked with an Uncut Gem of minimum Level 5 are as follows:

*Falling Thunder
*Killing Palm
*Lingering Illusion (revamped skill)

I chose to add a reworked Persistent Buff here, becomes the skill is to weak to justify a cost in Spirit.

This skill now works like Warrior Totem, except that it requires combo points to spawn an illusion that isn't tied to the totem. This skill will also consume power charges to spawn additional copies.

Both Killing Palm and Lingering Illusions can be used with either Quarterstaff or Daggers, when they get added to the game

This line is a stand alone line centred on generating and consuming Power Charges.

My proposals end here because I've covered most of the change proposals I feel would make Quarterstaff better for the early game, but I've yet to think of a Spirit Gem to replace Lingering Illusion.