D&D 5E Mediation, Meditation, Devastation: A Monk's Guide

Jaappleton · Oct 30, 2015

It's very versatile. Has a decent range option. Easily the most capable Monk in regards to AoE. Radiant is always a solid damage type, IMO. It's ability to do a Radiant Fireball is pretty sweet.

One thing about it that I couldn't help but notice: All of its options are combat related. Every one. I don't recall seeing that about any other archetype of any class.

RSIxidor · Oct 30, 2015

Jaappleton said:
It's very versatile. Has a decent range option. Easily the most capable Monk in regards to AoE. Radiant is always a solid damage type, IMO. It's ability to do a Radiant Fireball is pretty sweet.

One thing about it that I couldn't help but notice: All of its options are combat related. Every one. I don't recall seeing that about any other archetype of any class.

The 17th level feature could be argued to be both combat and exploration but you are pretty much correct in this. That's a big surprise, actually.

Z. H. Darkstar · Oct 30, 2015

Jaappleton said:
It's very versatile. Has a decent range option. Easily the most capable Monk in regards to AoE. Radiant is always a solid damage type, IMO. It's ability to do a Radiant Fireball is pretty sweet.

One thing about it that I couldn't help but notice: All of its options are combat related. Every one. I don't recall seeing that about any other archetype of any class.

Well it's pretty much a DBZ subclass, where punch diplomacy is the status quo. I like how the 17th level ability touches upon a part of being Super Saiyan that someone like MatPat would only think about: the visible plasma aura that surrounds you could harm those that touch you.

However, this subclass only continues to stress the MAD nature of the Monk. Gotta boost Dex to increase Hadouken strength, but Wis is needed to increase your Burning Hands and Kamehameha DCs. I think the class should have had a 6th ASI like Rogues to offset the MAD. To balance that, I would have had Ki be a long rest resource, possibly with a short rest recovery ability that spends hit die for Ki.

Jaappleton · Oct 30, 2015

Z. H. Darkstar said:
Well it's pretty much a DBZ subclass, where punch diplomacy is the status quo. I like how the 17th level ability touches upon a part of being Super Saiyan that someone like MatPat would only think about: the visible plasma aura that surrounds you could harm those that touch you.

However, this subclass only continues to stress the MAD nature of the Monk. Gotta boost Dex to increase Hadouken strength, but Wis is needed to increase your Burning Hands and Kamehameha DCs. I think the class should have had a 6th ASI like Rogues to offset the MAD. To balance that, I would have had Ki be a long rest resource, possibly with a short rest recovery ability that spends hit die for Ki.

At that point, you're making too many changes for it to still be a subclass. That sounds much closer to a Monk variant.

Z. H. Darkstar · Oct 30, 2015

Jaappleton said:
At that point, you're making too many changes for it to still be a subclass. That sounds much closer to a Monk variant.

I meant the whole Monk class.

FormerlyHemlock · Nov 2, 2015

Monk of the Long Death has the following abilities:

3rd level, Touch of Death: when you reduce a creature within 5 feet of you to 0 HP, gain temp HP = monk level + Wisdom bonus. (Combines in amusing ways with a Fast Hands Healer Thief BTW.)

6th level, Hour of Reaping: as an action, every creature within 30' that can see you must Wisdom save or be frightened until the end of your next turn. (Compare this to Berserker's 10th level Intimidating Presence, which works only on one creature within 30', and once a creature saves they are immune for 24 hours. Hour of Reaping comes sooner and is about five times as good.)

11th level, Mastery of Death: whenever you're reduced to 0 HP, can expend 1 ki point (no action/reaction required) to have 1 HP instead. (Makes you more unkillable than a barbearian, especially with temp HP and eventual Diamond Soul and Empty Body.)

17th level, Touch of the Long Death: as an action, expend between 1 and 10 ki points to touch a creature within 5 feet of you. Creature takes (2d10 x ki expended) points of necrotic damage, Con save for half.

The way I see this playing out in practice is that the monk (possibly with Alert feat) will do Hour of Reaping at the start of any nontrivial combat to protect his party and will move to place himself so that the enemy can't approach the party. If too many enemies made their saves, he may possibly add in Patient Defense to protect himself. If enemies try to bypass him to attack the party, put Stunning Strike on his opportunity attacks. Party will kill enemies to death with ranged attacks, then once the enemy morale shatters and they flee, monk will chase down an enemy and finish him off to gain temp HP. Rinse and repeat all day. It's pretty much the ultimate party tank.

ClockworkNinja · Nov 27, 2015

Yunru said:
Way of the Four Elements:
They're . Water Whip is the only redeeming feature. Why? Because everything else uses your main Action which is better spent punching stuff. That said, Jordan175 made a guide on it. EDIT: As of Eratta, they're fully .

Re-posted my sub-guide in the charop forum since I wasn't sure when it would get moved out of the lifeboat forum.
Would you kindly move the link to here: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?473205-Avatar-The-4-element-monk-mini-guide&p=6767321

Dasem · Jan 25, 2016

Sooooo Yunru, is this abandoned at this point? Any plans on updating it with the new Monastic Traditions?

Yunru · Jan 26, 2016

Why would it be abandoned? That implies that I am actively choosing not to update.
I have a life. I have a budget.
What I don't have, is money spare for SCAG.

Dasem · Jan 27, 2016

Yunru said:
Why would it be abandoned? That implies that I am actively choosing not to update.
I have a life. I have a budget.
What I don't have, is money spare for SCAG.

Is it so hard to believe you abandoned it when you never responded to messages in your own class handbook from October?

I'm happy you're not abandoning it and plan to continue it, since I enjoy your work and respect your knowledge of the game.