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Monk: The Past, Present, and Questionable Future of an Iconic Class
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<blockquote data-quote="Snarf Zagyg" data-source="post: 9062939" data-attributes="member: 7023840"><p>On that, I have two responses.</p><p></p><p>To the first, so? <em>Everyone </em>at the table wants expertise. <em>Everyone</em> at the table wants the extra fighter ASI (or second win). <em>Everyone </em>at the table wants the Paladin's smite. This isn't even an "extra" ASI (like the Fighter gets); instead, it's just allowing the Monk to take a +1 in addition to a feat. Which means that all the way up through 15th level, they still will have only added a total of +3 to their ability scores through this addition. For a MAD class, it's not a gamebreaker- it's just a nice bonus that would actually allow and incentivize Monks to take feats, is in keeping with the class concept, and would provide Monks a unique difference that no other class has. As it stands, the penalty that Monks get for taking feats is arguably more severe than it is for any other class. In addition, it's not like people will "dip" to get it- a Multiclass Monk is rarer than a Monk with a magic item that improves their unarmed attacks.</p><p></p><p>It is an elegant, and most importantly, simple way to make the Monk a better class! </p><p></p><p>On the second, I don't worry so much about levels 1 and 2. In 5e, they barely last a blink of an eye, and, honestly, it's kind of keeping with Monk tradition. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /> The issue with ki isn't so much the amount in my experience, and it is addressed with the new ability- it's the lack of short rests in most campaigns. Think of it this way- if Monks had three times the ki, recharged on long rests, it wouldn't be so much of an issue, right? But, to me, that's a short rest issue, and not an overall resource issue (YMMV). </p><p></p><p>I do think that the bonus action economy does tend to limit monks somewhat, and that it would be great if the Monk had more abilities that would simply be "on" as opposed to trigger from bonus actions. And other simple fixes (again, Monks should be able to use both athletics and acrobatics from the same ability score, and there should be some type of strength monk). But the majority of these other issues are simply playing around with making the Monk more effective in combat; to me, the issue isn't combat. The Monk will never be as tanky as the barbarian, nor as good at straight up figting as the fighter. So, instead, I think it would be great to look at not just the combat, but at something else that would make the Monk stand out.</p><p></p><p>[USER=2209]@Voadam[/USER] I agree that it disincentives the Monk from taking the +2 ASI. That's the point, and the tradeoff. I suppose the "focus on self" could mean that if they take the +2 ASI, they also gain something small- a single skill, language, tool, that sort of thing. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Again, this is an idea to be workshopped. But what is appealing is its simplicity.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Snarf Zagyg, post: 9062939, member: 7023840"] On that, I have two responses. To the first, so? [I]Everyone [/I]at the table wants expertise. [I]Everyone[/I] at the table wants the extra fighter ASI (or second win). [I]Everyone [/I]at the table wants the Paladin's smite. This isn't even an "extra" ASI (like the Fighter gets); instead, it's just allowing the Monk to take a +1 in addition to a feat. Which means that all the way up through 15th level, they still will have only added a total of +3 to their ability scores through this addition. For a MAD class, it's not a gamebreaker- it's just a nice bonus that would actually allow and incentivize Monks to take feats, is in keeping with the class concept, and would provide Monks a unique difference that no other class has. As it stands, the penalty that Monks get for taking feats is arguably more severe than it is for any other class. In addition, it's not like people will "dip" to get it- a Multiclass Monk is rarer than a Monk with a magic item that improves their unarmed attacks. It is an elegant, and most importantly, simple way to make the Monk a better class! On the second, I don't worry so much about levels 1 and 2. In 5e, they barely last a blink of an eye, and, honestly, it's kind of keeping with Monk tradition. ;) The issue with ki isn't so much the amount in my experience, and it is addressed with the new ability- it's the lack of short rests in most campaigns. Think of it this way- if Monks had three times the ki, recharged on long rests, it wouldn't be so much of an issue, right? But, to me, that's a short rest issue, and not an overall resource issue (YMMV). I do think that the bonus action economy does tend to limit monks somewhat, and that it would be great if the Monk had more abilities that would simply be "on" as opposed to trigger from bonus actions. And other simple fixes (again, Monks should be able to use both athletics and acrobatics from the same ability score, and there should be some type of strength monk). But the majority of these other issues are simply playing around with making the Monk more effective in combat; to me, the issue isn't combat. The Monk will never be as tanky as the barbarian, nor as good at straight up figting as the fighter. So, instead, I think it would be great to look at not just the combat, but at something else that would make the Monk stand out. [USER=2209]@Voadam[/USER] I agree that it disincentives the Monk from taking the +2 ASI. That's the point, and the tradeoff. I suppose the "focus on self" could mean that if they take the +2 ASI, they also gain something small- a single skill, language, tool, that sort of thing. Again, this is an idea to be workshopped. But what is appealing is its simplicity. [/QUOTE]
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