D&D 5E Would You Let a Monk Roll for Stats?

[Zardnaar]

In a point buy or standard array game.

Years ago I did play a Monk and it kicked ass. I didn't really bother with stunning strikes though and a rolled somewhat decent scores 18/16 as best two scores iirc. Way of fists iirc.

Stunning strike targets con scores vad save. A ki point was two extra attacks plus potential trips feeding advantage on melee strikes for you and anyone else.

The class is MAD and standard array kinda punishes that.

 

[Mort]

In a point buy or standard array game.

Years ago I did play a Monk and it kicked ass. I didn't really bother with stunning strikes though and a rolled somewhat decent scores 18/16 as best two scores iirc. Way of fists iirc.

Stunning strike targets con scores vad save. A ki point was two extra attacks plus potential trips feeding advantage on melee strikes for you and anyone else.

The class is MAD and standard array kinda punishes that.

Allowing someone to roll in no way guarantees better stats.

Especially when the concern, as with the monk, is that you need more high stats. All rolling will do is introduce more swinginess, likely exactly what you don't want.

If you want to give the players better stats, just do a higher point buy such as 32 points (all other point buy rules apply). When we had a monk in my group, with everyone using 32 point buy, he did ok.

Or use the Dungeon Dudes standard array: 17, 15, 13, 12, 10, 8. Good luck rolling better than that!

Not that, that solves the monk's biggest issue. All of the stuff that allows the monk to do cool things is fueled by Ki, and they run out FAST. Too fast at low levels. And still quickly at high levels unless they are really stingy with the ki - which means less cool stuff.

Easier solution, allow AT LEAST one free use of each ki ability for free. And allow a fast (as in bonus action) recharge at least once between rests. I bet the monk STILL will not be unbalanced.

 

[Seramus]

Sure. I used to be generous with a "4d6, or standard array if you dislike the results."

But the real design issues with the monk are Ki starvation, like a Rogue who can't sneak attack any more if they cunning action a few times.

 

[Zardnaar]

Allowing someone to roll in no way guarantees better stats.

Especially when the concern, as with the monk, is that you need more high stats. All rolling will do is introduce more swinginess, likely exactly what you don't want.

If you want to give the players better stats, just do a higher point buy such as 32 points (all other point buy rules apply). When we had a monk in my group, with everyone using 32 point buy, he did ok.

Or use the Dungeon Dudes standard array: 17, 15, 13, 12, 10, 8. Good luck rolling better than that!

Not that, that solves the monk's biggest issue. All of the stuff that allows the monk to do cool things is fueled by Ki, and they run out FAST. Too fast at low levels. And still quickly at high levels unless they are really stingy with the ki - which means less cool stuff.

Easier solution, allow AT LEAST one free use of each ki ability for free. And allow a fast (as in bonus action) recharge at least once between rests. I bet the monk STILL will not be unbalanced.

At low levels treat ki like action surge. Roughly 1 per fight.

I think people combine flurry of blows with stunning strike and blow through your ki really fast.

 

[Oofta]

I played a monk using point buy, it worked just fine. In my game I use point buy alone - no one is allowed to roll. So in my game the answer would be no.

The odds of rolling better than point buy aren't really that great anyway as long as you don't have rules like minimum score is 8 or roll up multiple PCs. If you want something that's a bit closer to 4d6 drop lowest there's options like 3.5's version of point buy.

 

[ECMO3]

In a point buy or standard array game.

Years ago I did play a Monk and it kicked ass. I didn't really bother with stunning strikes though and a rolled somewhat decent scores 18/16 as best two scores iirc. Way of fists iirc.

Stunning strike targets con scores vad save. A ki point was two extra attacks plus potential trips feeding advantage on melee strikes for you and anyone else.

The class is MAD and standard array kinda punishes that.

I think the issue is most players would choose a Monk after they rolled good abilities.

You have about a 40% chance of doing worse than standard array.

I am a huge fan of rolling, but if it is a point buy game then it is a point buy game. A better way to make Monks more competitive with other classes using point buy is to give them more points if they play a Monk (or alternatively give everyone more points)

 

[ECMO3]

But the real design issues with the monk are Ki starvation, like a Rogue who can't sneak attack any more if they cunning action a few times.

IME this is only really an issue at low level. Once you get to about 7th level ki is no longer in short supply (unless you are just spamming and wasting it)

 

[Mort]

At low levels treat ki like action surge. Roughly 1 per fight.

I think people combine flurry of blows with stunning strike and blow through your ki really fast.

So in any given fight, the monk can flurry OR patient defense OR step of the wind, and could do any of those four 1 round? That would seem deeply unsatisfying. None of those merit that kind of nerf.

Monks, especially low level monks, need more access to ki, not less.

If you're worried about stunning strike spamming, just limit stunning strike to once a round, like the OneDnD current play test (though, IMO, that's about the ONLY thing they got right with the play test monk, well that and the 4 elements monk stinks just a bit less).

 

[Zardnaar]

I think the issue is most players would choose a Monk after they rolled good abilities.

You have about a 40% chance of doing worse than standard array.

I am a huge fan of rolling, but if it is a point buy game then it is a point buy game. A better way to make Monks more competitive with other classes using point buy is to give them more points if they play a Monk (or alternatively give everyone more points)

If you inflate everyone else Monk still sucks comparative.

So maybe more points monk's only achieves eonething similar or +2. Wisdom and dexterity.

 

[Zardnaar]

So in any given fight, the monk can flurry OR patient defense OR step of the wind, and could do any of those four 1 round? That would seem deeply unsatisfying. None of those merit that kind of nerf.

Monks, especially low level monks, need more access to ki, not less.

If you're worried about stunning strike spamming, just limit stunning strike to once a round, like the OneDnD current play test (though, IMO, that's about the ONLY thing they got right with the play test monk, well that and the 4 elements monk stinks just a bit less).

Yeah that's a big problem for low level monks with ki points.

But low level that extra attack is also really good comparatively.

Nerfs in One D&D to the -5/+10 feats also makes monks look better comparatively. It was those feats that also made monks look eh.