Chaosmancer
Legend
I haven't finished reading the monk playtest yet, and this isn't about anything past level 2. I just want to talk about first level monks, and try and understand why the design choice is still being made, and also highlight what is the, essentially, only real option monks are getting at low levels.
It has been a long frustration of mine that Monks, at first level, get essentially nothing. Let's make two characters. Each character will have a 16, a 16 and a 13 for their highest three ability scores.
Fighter:
13 hp
16 AC from Chainmail
Dual-Wielding style, deals 1d6+3 with shortsword, vex gives advantage, and then either 1d6+3 shortsword, or scimitar for Nick. This is 13 average damage.
Second Wind.
Monk:
9 hp
16 AC from unarmored defense
Using a staff and unarmed strike, they deal 1d8+3 and then 1d6+3 for 14 damage. But they get no masteries, because Flex is useless to them.
To get a mastery, they will need to deal 1d6+3 and 1d6+3. The only things that aren't vex or nick are slow or sap.
And that really highlights what frustrates me. The Fighter has a wide range of weapon masteries and routes, they can easily improve their AC with more gold, and they have second wind and more hit points. The monk gets essentially nothing at 1st level, other than the ability to have armor and weapons. And this is DEEPLY frustrating to me.
There is, however, one thing the monk can do that will probably be the default for every monk.
Wielding something like daggers, they will activate Nick. This gives a free attack leaving their bonus action free to make another attack. Giving them 1d6+3 +1d6 +1d6+3 for 16.5 damage, but the nick attack doesn't get the bonus from their dexterity, because they don't get dual weapon fighting.
I just, really needed to get that off my chest. Because I find this design choice deeply frustrating every time I see it.
It has been a long frustration of mine that Monks, at first level, get essentially nothing. Let's make two characters. Each character will have a 16, a 16 and a 13 for their highest three ability scores.
Fighter:
13 hp
16 AC from Chainmail
Dual-Wielding style, deals 1d6+3 with shortsword, vex gives advantage, and then either 1d6+3 shortsword, or scimitar for Nick. This is 13 average damage.
Second Wind.
Monk:
9 hp
16 AC from unarmored defense
Using a staff and unarmed strike, they deal 1d8+3 and then 1d6+3 for 14 damage. But they get no masteries, because Flex is useless to them.
To get a mastery, they will need to deal 1d6+3 and 1d6+3. The only things that aren't vex or nick are slow or sap.
And that really highlights what frustrates me. The Fighter has a wide range of weapon masteries and routes, they can easily improve their AC with more gold, and they have second wind and more hit points. The monk gets essentially nothing at 1st level, other than the ability to have armor and weapons. And this is DEEPLY frustrating to me.
There is, however, one thing the monk can do that will probably be the default for every monk.
Wielding something like daggers, they will activate Nick. This gives a free attack leaving their bonus action free to make another attack. Giving them 1d6+3 +1d6 +1d6+3 for 16.5 damage, but the nick attack doesn't get the bonus from their dexterity, because they don't get dual weapon fighting.
I just, really needed to get that off my chest. Because I find this design choice deeply frustrating every time I see it.