Neonchameleon
Legend
I can't say I'm unhappy to see the monk lose Weapon Mastery as it was already tangled - and what it gets is mostly good. And using Dex for trip and push is just a nice QOL improvement.
The big thing is the improved bonus actions. Now a level 2 monk can unarmed attack, dash, or disengage as a bonus action without spending a Discipline (formerly Qi) point or even needing to make a main action attack. Huge improvement. And if you spend a discipline point you either get a second extra attack, to disengage-and-dodge, or to dash-and-disengage. And a 1/day recharge of discipline points on initiative is nice.
Deflect Attacks now works on melee attacks - which is huge.
Stunning Strike does damage when the creature saves as a consolation prize - again nice.
I think the level 1-6 (assuming a good subclass) monk is now good. And the new bonus action rules even give an answer to what a monk can do that a scimitar and shortsword fighter can't; they can use the Defense action and make an attack (with their bonus action) on the same turn, giving them more survivability when they chose.
Level 10 now has a needed buff - when you spend a ki point for Flurry of Blows you get two extra unarmed attacks not just one. (Plus the free one). This is good. I'm slightly concerned about levels 7-9 being soggy and situational in the wake of monk damage being pegged back by getting less use from Extra Attack than people with bigger weapons (Monks being MAD having less chance to use the new good feats) - but this is a huge improvement over the way it was in 2014 when levels 7-13 were all soggy and monk subclasses included the old Four Elements.
Warrior of the Hand looks good.
The big thing is the improved bonus actions. Now a level 2 monk can unarmed attack, dash, or disengage as a bonus action without spending a Discipline (formerly Qi) point or even needing to make a main action attack. Huge improvement. And if you spend a discipline point you either get a second extra attack, to disengage-and-dodge, or to dash-and-disengage. And a 1/day recharge of discipline points on initiative is nice.
Deflect Attacks now works on melee attacks - which is huge.
Stunning Strike does damage when the creature saves as a consolation prize - again nice.
I think the level 1-6 (assuming a good subclass) monk is now good. And the new bonus action rules even give an answer to what a monk can do that a scimitar and shortsword fighter can't; they can use the Defense action and make an attack (with their bonus action) on the same turn, giving them more survivability when they chose.
Level 10 now has a needed buff - when you spend a ki point for Flurry of Blows you get two extra unarmed attacks not just one. (Plus the free one). This is good. I'm slightly concerned about levels 7-9 being soggy and situational in the wake of monk damage being pegged back by getting less use from Extra Attack than people with bigger weapons (Monks being MAD having less chance to use the new good feats) - but this is a huge improvement over the way it was in 2014 when levels 7-13 were all soggy and monk subclasses included the old Four Elements.
Warrior of the Hand looks good.