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Monks Are Not Tanks And Shouldn’t Be
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<blockquote data-quote="Mephista" data-source="post: 9072091" data-attributes="member: 6786252"><p>Several reasons. Monks are actually not masters of unarmed combat. A barbarian with Tavern Brawler deals comparable damage with fists while raging (thanks to bonus rage damage) on a hit, and can actually grapple / shove / trip worth a dang. This is intentional. Because... </p><p></p><p>"Master of unarmed combat" is not actually the core class fantasy. The core class fantasy is based around wuxia stories like Kung Fu tv show with buddhist monks (ergo the class name), Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon style martial artists, certain ninja fantasies, Avatar the Last Airbender, anime battle nuns. There's far more to all these than just being "master of unarmed combat," several of them use weapons, and none of these really are invovled with grappling at all. </p><p></p><p>Let alone the parkour aspects, the unarmored aspects, the mystic aspects. (healing, elements/energy blasts, shadows, etc). </p><p></p><p>Here's the thing. The only real advantage the monk has when it comes to unarmed damage is that it starts off with better damage than a flat 1 and effectively get FS: TWF and the light/finesse properties on their unarmed attacks. Baseline unarmed attacks are crap, and there needs to be some boost to make it a viable choice. </p><p></p><p>If all it really takes to make unarmed viable is damage, light property and FS:TWF, then that's not really a good defense of the monk as an "overachiever." "But Flurry of Blows exists!" Yeah, and most Fighter subclasses give damage boosts, Barbarians get rage bonus damage and damage boosts from many subclasses, whereas most monk ones don't. "But stunning strike.." is not actually tied to being unarmed. </p><p></p><p>Its a sad truth, but the monk's level 1 features only exist to bring their unarmed damage and unarmored AC up to par with a duel wielding fighter in heavy armor. In no way, shape, or form can that be called "overachieving." That is "monk is the only way to dual weild fists!" as a concept. Which... is kinda narrow compared to what everyone else can do.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mephista, post: 9072091, member: 6786252"] Several reasons. Monks are actually not masters of unarmed combat. A barbarian with Tavern Brawler deals comparable damage with fists while raging (thanks to bonus rage damage) on a hit, and can actually grapple / shove / trip worth a dang. This is intentional. Because... "Master of unarmed combat" is not actually the core class fantasy. The core class fantasy is based around wuxia stories like Kung Fu tv show with buddhist monks (ergo the class name), Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon style martial artists, certain ninja fantasies, Avatar the Last Airbender, anime battle nuns. There's far more to all these than just being "master of unarmed combat," several of them use weapons, and none of these really are invovled with grappling at all. Let alone the parkour aspects, the unarmored aspects, the mystic aspects. (healing, elements/energy blasts, shadows, etc). Here's the thing. The only real advantage the monk has when it comes to unarmed damage is that it starts off with better damage than a flat 1 and effectively get FS: TWF and the light/finesse properties on their unarmed attacks. Baseline unarmed attacks are crap, and there needs to be some boost to make it a viable choice. If all it really takes to make unarmed viable is damage, light property and FS:TWF, then that's not really a good defense of the monk as an "overachiever." "But Flurry of Blows exists!" Yeah, and most Fighter subclasses give damage boosts, Barbarians get rage bonus damage and damage boosts from many subclasses, whereas most monk ones don't. "But stunning strike.." is not actually tied to being unarmed. Its a sad truth, but the monk's level 1 features only exist to bring their unarmed damage and unarmored AC up to par with a duel wielding fighter in heavy armor. In no way, shape, or form can that be called "overachieving." That is "monk is the only way to dual weild fists!" as a concept. Which... is kinda narrow compared to what everyone else can do. [/QUOTE]
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