Buffing the party

[Blue]

A bit of an odd request. We're playing Storm King's Thunder and my archer is one of the high damage dealers though not highest by a big shot. But battles have been fairly risky and I'm thinking about what to do if my character dies. I'd rather go for something rather different, and not step on anyone's existing toes. But my second goal is that we have different optimization levels between different players and I'd like to be able to provide more help for those lower on the spectrum while still making the "best" choices for the group.

We started with all characters fairly optimized, but lost one player and got two new ones with flavorful characters of reasonable strength but below where the others were. Suggesting changes to existing characters to optimize them isn't likely to happen.

We just hit 8th at the end of last session, but I don't know how people are levelling up so I'll talk about them at 7th.

We have:
Human GWF Paladin (Vengeance) - easily the highest damage dealer with Oath of Vengence fueled GWM plus smites. Also the highest AC. Tanks it and draws attacks knows others can't take.
Halfling Bard (Satire) - useful with Wis based spells to shut down giants, with ridiculous mobility. Doesn't add significantly to damage but his CC makes a difference every combat.
Dragonborn Cleric (Life) - the consummate healer. Keeps Bless on us. A bit of damage at other times.
Half-Elf Monk (4 elements) - Besides occasionally stunning (but giants have good CON saves) the one that needs the most help. Lots of attacks but only ok bonus to hit and usually single-digit damage. Also melee but with the lowest AC. And if dodges with ki that removes the extra attacks and uses up a ki that could be a chance to stun.

If I die and replace the character we would be losing my archer, who's the only other real damage dealer. I'd like some way to boost up the monk to fill that position, without it being something that makes the most sense to help out the paladin if it's only going to help one (like Haste).

Yeah yeah, I know. Not the most efficient. I'd also like to be generally helpful in other ways depending on how we realize that.

So I'd like some way for my character to add significant (+10-20) damage per attack to the monk for say 4-8 round combats, several combats a day, with a short rest every 1-3 combats if that matters. Not more attacks or advantage/chance to hit which would be better on the paladin, unless I can also boost the monk. How would you do it?

We're using PHB with multiclassing and feats, plus UA articles. Coming in at 8th. Foes seem to be often large, high STR & CON sacks of HPs.

 

[mellored]

I can't think of anything that would work on the monk but not the paladin. Except maybe crusaders mantle (+1d4 to each attack), which will add 10 to the monk and 5 to the paladin, but that's a paladin spell, possibly grabbed by bard. Either way your stepping on someone's toes.

You could however buff both, twin-haste/greater invisibility sorcerer can work on both of them. Possibly dip warlock 2 for Eldritch Blast in order to increase your own DPR.

Also keep in mind that 9 damage * 4 attacks > 17 damage *2 attacks (especially if at lower accuracy). Paladin may have bigger numbers, but probably not a much bigger total.

 

[Blue]

I can't think of anything that would work on the monk but not the paladin. Except maybe crusaders mantle (+1d4 to each attack), which will add 10 to the monk and 5 to the paladin, but that's a paladin spell, possibly grabbed by bard. Either way your stepping on someone's toes.

Yeah. I've been trying to find something and couldn't. If you don't see anything either it's more likely there is no easy solution and not just that I'm missing something.

You could however buff both, twin-haste/greater invisibility sorcerer can work on both of them. Possibly dip warlock 2 for Eldritch Blast in order to increase your own DPR.

Also keep in mind that 9 damage * 4 attacks > 17 damage *2 attacks (especially if at lower accuracy). Paladin may have bigger numbers, but probably not a much bigger total.

The paladin is in the 40-50 damage per round, more with a crit because they drop a big smite. Monk is usually around 25-30. Adding an extra attack with Haste will increase the paladin by 50% since he only has 2 attacks but the monk by 33-35% because she has 3-4 attacks (depending if flurrying), which doesn't help the less-optimized character feel like they are contributing. It will help make up for losing out on my archer (who did 35-40 a round).

Greater invisibility is interesting, since the monk misses more and the paladin is already getting advantage from oath against the strongest opponent. Hmm. Or even twin it to the healer so he doesn't get dropped. (Hiding the paladin would be rather disastrous for the rest who are a lot squishier.)

Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[Yunru]

Have the Monk pick up Mobile. Really it should be their first pick anyway.
Making the Monk invisible also works, as you can only make opportunity attacks against creatures you see.

 

[Blue]

Have the Monk pick up Mobile. Really it should be their first pick anyway.
Making the Monk invisible also works, as you can only make opportunity attacks against creatures you see.

As I mentioned, trying to optimize the monk's build isn't going to work. That's just a player thing.

Anyway, they desperately need their ASIs, I don't know where they spent their point buys but it was far from optimally. 16 Dex gives low to hit and AC, 14 Wis at 7th level gives low AC and poor saves for stunning.

 

[Vulf]

If you play a Bard, you could frequently give inspiration to the monk, and you would have full spellcasting. The Valor Bard can be just as good at ranged as the Ranger. Gaining the best Ranger spells at level 10 instead of 14.

An Abjuration Wizard uses reactions to absorb damage directed at other team mates, and full spellcasting.

You could cast magic weapon on the monk's shortsword or staff he uses for his main attacks, though it won't help his flurry-of-blows attacks.

The Mastermind Rogue in the SCAG can Help as a bonus action and at range. A constant stream of advantaged attacks for the Monk if you so choose.

 

[Blue]

If you play a Bard, you could frequently give inspiration to the monk, and you would have full spellcasting. The Valor Bard can be just as good at ranged as the Ranger. Gaining the best Ranger spells at level 10 instead of 14.

An Abjuration Wizard uses reactions to absorb damage directed at other team mates, and full spellcasting.

You could cast magic weapon on the monk's shortsword or staff he uses for his main attacks, though it won't help his flurry-of-blows attacks.

The Mastermind Rogue in the SCAG can Help as a bonus action and at range. A constant stream of advantaged attacks for the Monk if you so choose.

Thanks for the thoughts. Mastermind grants help action which is only one attack - if she still does negligible damage against the giants it's not that useful - it would be better to buff the paladin (when not Oathing) because he does more per strike.

Bard has a bit of the same problem, and plus we already have a bard so that's definitely stepping on toes.

Sorry, should have mentioned she has a +1 staff, so magic weapon doesn't help.

The Hill Giants are doing around 20 damage per attack with two attacks against her low AC, and we've been fighting them in bunches. I can't see the abjurer's ward making a significant difference, and against that would likely be better used elsewhere - either the paladin that does more damage or to keep our cleric up.

Thanks anyway, I'm not looking for general buffing advice, I'm looking for helps the monk and makes sense to do on her with her high rate of attack vs. the paladin with his lower but much more damaging rate of attack. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that 5e buffs are generally better on the latter.

 

[Yunru]

I'm going to restate dropping Greater Invisibilty on the Monk then, as it'll shore up the AC deficit while also increasing the chance of hitting. Not much can be done about the Monk's low Save DC though.

 

[hejtmane]

While for dps pretty simple

Straight fighter again Human Variant and go with either
Crossbow expert + Sharpshooter (hand crossbow)
or
Polearm master and GWM
and 1 action sure and second wind per long or short rest

either way you get three attacks at level 5 and can do -5 +10

EK or Battlemaster

Battle master more damage and utilities (menacing, goading, trip etc etc)
EK take int as a dump stat and use absorb elements and shield spells (reaction spells) to be more tank like and reduce incoming damage

Other option is paladin and use spell slots for smite and you do get the aura later levels to help teammates can add some sorcerer levels for extra spell slots do not remember how many in the build right now but basically you are building a smite knight

 

[cooperjer]

...

Thanks anyway, I'm not looking for general buffing advice, I'm looking for helps the monk and makes sense to do on her with her high rate of attack vs. the paladin with his lower but much more damaging rate of attack. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that 5e buffs are generally better on the latter.

It looks like you made up your mind on what you want to do. Another way to look at this group is to put the paladin and monk as the defensive line which allows the ranged attackers and healer to move about the battle field. At higher levels the monk is not indented as a high DPR build, in my opinion. The monk starts to have great defense features that allow them to hold a front against the enemy. They also have features that allow them to move about the battle field and plug holes that develop by enemy movement or other PC movement. When your archer dies there will be a pretty decent loss of DPR, which increases the consumption of the team resources on the defensive end, i.e Lay on Hands, Cure Wounds, etc.

I'm going to recommend looking at a way to increase the defensive capability of the monk while maintaining a decent DPR on your character. My first thought is to utilize the spell Haste for the +2 AC, or utilize the spell Enlarge/Reduce to give the monk a chance to grapple and advantage on grapple checks vs. the giants. As a bonus the monk also gets 1d4 added to their weapon damage. This puts your character down the path of an arcane caster. I don't know the Wizards school features well enough to recommend one, but there may be one that works well with modifying the luck of others or providing defense to others.