So can we get back to basics a bit?
1. We want all characters to be viable at all levels. This is the core tenet of balancing the game.
1a. Corollary: The difference between classes shouldn't be power level, it should be when, where and how they can use that power.
2. We should support as many archetypes as viable so that people who want them have the tools necessary to portray an archetype.
So let's scope out the archetypes we want and the subarchetypes they contain: (Note I'm specifically using non-D&D class names.)
- Warrior -- Power through strength
- Mage -- Power through magic
- Priest -- Power through the divine
- Skulk -- Power through stealth
Warrior subarchetypes- Knight in Shining Armor -- Highly armed and armoured
- Dextrous Duelist -- Focuses on lighter armaments allowing for greater mobility
- Mystical Martialist -- Uses magical energy to empower himself without relying on weapons
We've gone over Kisa and Dede in detail and have a rough but fairly complete sketch of them. Now we're on Myma.
(Please suggest a better name if you have one. Myma doesn't sound as cool as Kisa and Dede.)So what should the Monk lose by not going Dede or Kisa? Well, he doesn't get to use armor or most weapons. This means he would have to resort to magic for reach, higher defenses or being able to overcome damage reduction.
What should the Monk gain by not going Dede or Kisa? He should be able to deal better unarmed damage than non-Warriors. He should be able to focus on forcing an opponent to fight on his terms. I know Elennsar's going to hate this but I think that the rock-paper-scissors for Kisa/Dede/Myma should be Kisa > Dede > Myma > Kisa.
And here's the fluff to back it up:
The Kisa is able to defend himself against the Dede because the Dede relies on striking often for moderate damage. However, the Kisa's armor reduces both of those conditions.
The Kisa is able to overcome the Dede because though he hits infrequently when he does it freaking hurts.
The Dede is able to defend himself against the Myma because the Myma's hits are, in general, even weaker than the Dede so even the Dede's minor armor can disperse them well. The Dede's quickness, however, prevents the Myma from overcoming the Dede's advantage of a weapon.
The Dede is able to overcome the Myma because the Dede strikes often and when he hits it hurts the unarmored Myma. So though the Myma may be fair at dodging the Dede there's too much coming at him to keep entirely out of trouble.
The Myma is able to defend himself against the Kisa because the Kisa relies on a stand-up, toe-to-toe battle where he can control his space but the Myma, because he's quicker than the Kisa, can get within the Kisa's range. The Myma's quickness also keeps him from getting hit better than the Dede and the difference in armors isn't so meaningful with the Kisa's massive damage output.
The Myma is able to overcome the Kisa because he can force himself into the Kisa's range and then relieve him of his advantages, reach and possibly his weapon. So by controlling the Kisa directly he can take him down.
So how would the crunch work? ( > is greater than, >> is much greater than)
AC (chance of getting hit): Myma > Dede >> Kisa (Fluff: quickness - armors retain a max dex bonus to AC but don't give AC)
DR (amount it hurts to get hit): Kisa >> Dede > Myma (Fluff: resilience - armors prevent damage not hits)
Damage ouput: Kisa > Dede > Myma (Fluff: weapon's raw damage - penis size)
Grappling: Myma >> Dede >> Kisa (Fluff: dexterity in CQB - armor gets in the way, heavy armor doubly so)
Disarming in stand-up battle: Kisa = Dede > Myma (Fluff: Kisas and Dedes both can remove weapons well)
Resisting a disarm in the same: Kisa > Dede > Myma (Fluff: Kisas tend to have a more powerful grip than finessed weapons)
Tripping: Dede = Myma > Kisa (Fluff: mobility - gets the enemy in an unfavorable position and forces down)
Resisting a trip: Myma > Dede > Kisa (Fluff: nimbleness - again, armor gets in the way and makes it harder to keep on yoru feat)
In grapple use grappling chart.
I would claim that > should yield a 60-40 distribution and >> should yield an 75-25 distribution. So the damage output of a Kisa should be about 1.5x that of a Dede which should be about 1.5x that of a Myma. The DR of a Kisa should be 3x that of a Dede which should be 1.5 times that of a Myma.
Then, after all this is said and done, encode and enshrine the use of circumstance bonuses in combat. Terrain, formations, environment, etc. Kisas will have problems in enclosed, uneven, loose or harsh terrain -- reduced space contains their movements, heavy armor is a hindrance in uneven or loose footing. Oppressive humidity or poor visibility is magnified by a metal shell. Mymas, however, will have problems when large groups face off because their mobility is reduced. Dedes are probably generally middle of the road for circumstance bonuses of this form.