D&D 5E How Do Monks Survive At Low Levels?

Leugren · Nov 15, 2015

How do monks survive at low levels? They have a max AC of 16, rogue-level hit points, and melee-focused abilities. They can disengage or dodge as a bonus action, but only twice per short rest. This seems like a recipe for a quick dirt nap to me. They're too squishy to stay on the front line, and they lack a built-in mechanism for darting in and out of melee every round until they spend an ABI on the Mobility feat.

I've never seen a monk in actual play, so I welcome feedback from anyone who has actually played a monk. Based on a simple reading of the class, if I were playing a low-level monk who was not a variant human with the Mobility feat, I would probably hang back and toss javelins until I reached 4th level and picked up the Mobility feat. At least rogues do decent damage with their ranged attacks. Is there something I'm missing here? Thanks in advance.

CapnZapp · Nov 15, 2015

How do any low level adventurer survive?

FormerlyHemlock · Nov 15, 2015

Leugren said:
How do monks survive at low levels? They have a max AC of 16, rogue-level hit points, and melee-focused abilities. They can disengage or dodge as a bonus action, but only twice per short rest. This seems like a recipe for a quick dirt nap to me. They're too squishy to stay on the front line, and they lack a built-in mechanism for darting in and out of melee every round until they spend an ABI on the Mobility feat.

I've never seen a monk in actual play, so I welcome feedback from anyone who has actually played a monk. Based on a simple reading of the class, if I were playing a low-level monk who was not a variant human with the Mobility feat, I would probably hang back and toss javelins until I reached 4th level and picked up the Mobility feat. At least rogues do decent damage with their ranged attacks. Is there something I'm missing here? Thanks in advance.

I've never played a monk who wasn't a Mobile human. So I think you've hit on the right approach.

Oh wait, no, I do have a wood elf Shadow Monk. She did take Mobile ASAP at 4th level, but I don't remember how she survived her early levels. Probably by using her longbow and relying on partial cover and teammates. (I do specifically remember a teammate shooting a wolf with a crossbow in order to scare it off.) Low levels tend to go by really fast at my table so no wonder I don't remember them.

Leugren · Nov 15, 2015

CapnZapp said:
How do any low level adventurer survive?

All low level characters are squishy, it's true, but the monk strikes me as particularly vulnerable. Their abilities are geared towards melee combat, but they have the AC and HP of a ranged combatant. Twice per short rest, they can dart into melee and dart back out again with relative impunity. If they want to stay alive the rest of the time, however, they are best off hanging back and using suboptimal ranged attacks. The exceptions seem to be wood elves with their longbow proficiency (as mentioned by Hemlock) and Variant Humans with the Mobility feat. Anything else depends largely on party composition. If you have another front-liner with the Protection fighting style or the Sentinel feat, for instance, your chances of surviving on the front lines would be slightly improved.

Valdier · Nov 15, 2015

I am playing a 6th level Wood Elf Monk currently, and to be honest? I use a long bow 75% of the time.

FormerlyHemlock · Nov 15, 2015

Leugren said:
All low level characters are squishy, it's true, but the monk strikes me as particularly vulnerable. Their abilities are geared towards melee combat, but they have the AC and HP of a ranged combatant. Twice per short rest, they can dart into melee and dart back out again with relative impunity. If they want to stay alive the rest of the time, however, they are best off hanging back and using suboptimal ranged attacks. The exceptions seem to be wood elves with their longbow proficiency (as mentioned by Hemlock) and Variant Humans with the Mobility feat. Anything else depends largely on party composition. If you have another front-liner with the Protection fighting style or the Sentinel feat, for instance, your chances of surviving on the front lines would be slightly improved.

You know, at low level there really isn't much difference between a longbow (wood elf) and a light crossbow (every other monk). Longbow has twice the range (150/600 vs 80/320) but same damage (1d8). It's only when Extra Attack comes online that crossbows falls seriously behind.

Leugren · Nov 15, 2015

Hemlock said:
You know, at low level there really isn't much difference between a longbow (wood elf) and a light crossbow (every other monk). Longbow has twice the range (150/600 vs 80/320) but same damage (1d8). It's only when Extra Attack comes online that crossbows falls seriously behind.

Great point, Hemlock. I overlooked the light crossbow. It's still a bit sad that a class with such great offensive capabilities in melee is forced to fall back on suboptimal ranged attacks for the early portions of its adventuring career. Rangers, rogues, fighters, warlocks, etc., all do better in ranged combat. This is exactly the kind of thing that doesn't seem to get mentioned in optimization guides written by theory-crafters. I'm almost tempted to give a person who chooses to play a monk in my campaign the Mobility feat for free. Of course, before I do that, I'd love to hear from other people who have actually played a monk and can prove that what I'm saying is wrong.

Z. H. Darkstar · Nov 16, 2015

Stick to the outer edges of melee lines like a Rogue, make the most of your bonus action attacks, and always have a healing potion or two on hand. Don't forget that Monks don't have to spend their money on armor, so you'll be able to afford dozens of potions while the Fighter is saving up for plate armor.

FormerlyHemlock · Nov 16, 2015

Leugren said:
Great point, Hemlock. I overlooked the light crossbow. It's still a bit sad that a class with such great offensive capabilities in melee is forced to fall back on suboptimal ranged attacks for the early portions of its adventuring career. Rangers, rogues, fighters, warlocks, etc., all do better in ranged combat. This is exactly the kind of thing that doesn't seem to get mentioned in optimization guides written by theory-crafters. I'm almost tempted to give a person who chooses to play a monk in my campaign the Mobility feat for free. Of course, before I do that, I'd love to hear from other people who have actually played a monk and can prove that what I'm saying is wrong.

I don't think I agree about monks being melee-oriented, or that rangers/etc. are better at ranged combat. Monks have high AC, no need for shields, high movement, and missile deflection. Put a ranger up against a monk in a missile duel and I'm betting the monk will be the survivor/winner, anytime after third level. Remember to lie prone between turns to impose disadvantage, which disproportionately favors the monk.

Leugren · Nov 16, 2015

Hemlock said:
I don't think I agree about monks being melee-oriented, or that rangers/etc. are better at ranged combat. Monks have high AC, no need for shields, high movement, and missile deflection. Put a ranger up against a monk in a missile duel and I'm betting the monk will be the survivor/winner, anytime after third level. Remember to lie prone between turns to impose disadvantage, which disproportionately favors the monk.

No denying that monk damage output lags significantly in ranged combat though. No archery fighting style, no sneak attack, no hunter's mark, etc.

D&D 5E How Do Monks Survive At Low Levels?

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