Great news! The banners with the "pierce" ability were a very useful upgrade (and they're thick, plus they have flight – awesome!). I've been thinking – why don't Monks have what seems like the most logical spell for them – Prayer? Lately, I've been wondering if I should try turning the first-tier Monk into a unit whose task would be to apply short-lived, one-turn buffs at the beginning of each turn, like Prayer, which wouldn't have a mana cost. This would replace the unit's direct participation in combat with a more logical behavior for a Monk – standing and praying. :D