D&D (2024) Playtest 8 Monk Discussion

[Bolares]

At least since 2014. It was an improvement over the PHB monk. But this is looking a lot better.

no, it was mathematically worse than the PHB monk, they really flubbed that one

 

[Horwath]

I would much rather have deflecting attacks than weapon materies. Weapon masteries serve to give a class utility options and tactical choices. The monk always had those, so adding masteries, without creating unarmed masteries would be, as crawford said, "a hat on a hat" and a clunky secondary hat at that.

actually giving monk incentives to use anything except unarmed after level 5?

Meanwhile, deflect attacks helps with one of the majors problems with the monk, it's survivabillity.

How about d12 HD and some armor?

So to me, this suggestion is taking an inportant balancing feature just to give the monk the shinny (but mostly superfluous) new thing.

it's too much.
maybe just copy rogue's uncanny dodge and give it at level 3 instead of this.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I can agree to that, but removing mastery did not help this version of it.
This is better, but it would be even more so with mastery.

just take lvl1 fighter vs. lvl1 monk.
fighter gets a lot more.

Being able to action dodge and then bonus action attack is not bad at all.

 

[Bolares]

actually giving monk incentives to use anything except unarmed after level 5?

magic weapons exist for exactly that reaon, and I would not loose another part of the class to put in a feature that incentivises the class to do the opposite of what that class is most know for.

How about d12 HD and some armor?

Those would also interfere with the classes power budget and change a lot of other features. But even ignoring that, d12 HD is an important part of the barbarian, and I don't want the monk to step on other classes toes to be good, and armor is something that goes agains the fantasy of the class, at that point just play a barbarian or fighter.

it's too much.
maybe just copy rogue's uncanny dodge and give it at level 3 instead of this.

I don't think it's too much. It's good at lower levels, but gets outpaced quickly. Also, the monk and rogue already share evasion as a feature, I don't want them to get much more similar.

 

[Bolares]

Being able to action dodge and then bonus action attack is not bad at all.

or dash, or disengage....

 

[Neonchameleon]

Being able to action dodge and then bonus action attack is not bad at all.

This. And a first level fighter can't keep up with a first level monk on damage without crippling their long term growth by going two weapon.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

actually giving monk incentives to use anything except unarmed after level 5?


How about d12 HD and some armor?

it's too much.
maybe just copy rogue's uncanny dodge and give it at level 3 instead of this.

What about:
d12 hp,
AC = 10+dex+con
Shield prof
Twice per day you can enter a fighting trance that halves incoming damage and you deal extra 2 damage?

 

[Bolares]

This. And a first level fighter can't keep up with a first level monk on damage without crippling their long term growth by going two weapon.

And, if we really look at this discussion, "looking like a commoner on level 1" is a really weird metric to see if a class is good or bad.

 

[Maxperson]

Stunning Strike does damage when the creature saves as a consolation prize - again nice.

Not just damage, but force damage. That means that the monk can use it to hurt things that he otherwise wouldn't be able to hurt or would do less damage to.

 

[Bolares]

Not just damage, but force damage. That means that the monk can use it to hurt things that he otherwise wouldn't be able to hurt or would do less damage to.

to be fair... this point is only really valid at level 5, after that, all the monks attacks do force damage.