This expansion with the return of Talent trees for Monk pointed out a blaring problem with Mistweaver, Its identity has not really been cemented ever. It has flip flopped based on play style from Punch kick to Cast fast to its current iteration.
The Dragonflight Talent trees really just pointed out that now is the time to introduce a separate 2nd healing spec for monk. It would let both of them focus on things to do and both have talents related to its own building. Splitting the tree down the middle takes a whole lot of good things away from both specs.
Giving Way of the Dragon and Way of the Crane (clearly placeholders) as talent trees would let you focus more on the specs as a whole. Talents like Faeline stomp dont feel great for Mistweaver while Sheiluns gift feels clunky for Fistweaver so split those two abilities out to their respective trees.
Each spec should have its own statue, Crane and Serpent.
Way of the Crane should Focus more on melee combat, moving away from the major things like Essence font and Renewing mists granting Rising mists and more into Cleave passive Blackout kicks healing from statue passively.
Way of the Dragon should focus more on Spreading your mists around, Renewing mists, Enveloping mists, Essence font and using Vivify to heal through them.
Since Fistweaving automatically has Mana Regen via its rotation, you could basically just make it so it doesnt require Mana Tea or gain anything from it.
While Mistweaving has a major problem by not having any kind of mana regeneration and Mana Tea should be MoP style and Regen Mana not reduce mana cost.
If you look at mistweaver as a whole its utility in raid combat is near 0, Randomly Ring of peacing an encounter is extremely rare but also satisfying, But vs Evokers and Druids they really dont have must outside of securing an area. Which has never actually been a major Mechanic within a raid encounter. Ring should remain Monk class tree while Fistweaver should gain some utility like Zen Meditation and Avert Harm (MoP Combo). Reducing an encounter to do 0 damage is really OP so i wouldnt say make it do that much but put it on the line of Paladins but a little bit stronger since its 2 major CDs. maybe 50%?
Mistweaver not being Utility like shamans Druids and priests lets you turn Mana Tea into a Semi Cooldown for starters, make it restore 25% mana to the Mistweaver but splash 5% mana to nearby healers within 100yards, maybe a 3 minute CD to start with, reduced by Crit (would need numbers played with to test).
Thunder Focus Tea should be a Mistweaver Skill while some kinda Crane themed one offers Rising sun kick a 2nd chance to proc… OR give them a passive of Rising Dawn from BFA.
I would say Rising Sun Kick should do near no damage and specs determine it gaining power. Brewmaster, Windwalker and Crane grants normal levels of Rising Sun kick as a level 1 talent (baked in not changing current talents) and Dragon recieves increased Crackling Jade Lightning Damage. This would encourage Dragon to play as a ranged and would also allow you to turn them into a Ranged caster (we have seen classifications change with Hunters from BM and Marks to Survival so this should be mandatory for the caster version to progress and feel unique).
I would not in any way want to take away from Fistweavers or Mistweavers in their current trees but offer them more options as a whole to allow them to feel better about their choices.
There are naysayers in the community that will preach that Fistweaver is the only way and that fistweaving is the only way it should be. And to that i would say, you can have it. Just dont let your choices about your playstyle dictate other peoples choices and requested playstyle.
Any other things that feel Mistweaver or Fistweaver unique let me know.
