D&D 5E 4-Element monks are the only monk archetype that excels against flying enemies

[Flamestrike]

Yeah, that doesn't happen in my game. If there's an Archmage in town, and he feels like talking to you, there's about a zero chance he's got a pair of flying boots just sitting around. "What do I look like, Ye Olde Magic Shoppe?!?! Now be off with you, before I set my enchanted flying brooms on you!"

That's unfortunate. Because that player has just come to you with:

a) An opportunity for you to send him on a quest, he is personally invested in, and
b) An opportunity to make the player happy by exersizing his agency to interact with your world, and your NPCs.

Instead you brush him off (literally).

 

[Guest 6801328]

That's unfortunate. Because that player has just come to you with:

a) An opportunity for you to send him on a quest, he is personally invested in, and
b) An opportunity to make the player happy by exersizing his agency to interact with your world, and your NPCs.

Instead you brush him off (literally).

Are you really defining "agency" as "I can get any specific magic item I want?"

EDIT: And to give it some context, you obviously prefer a setting where characters know (or believe) that things like "Boots of Flying", or maybe even every specific magic item in the DMG, exists, and therefore it makes sense to go looking for it. The way I play, "Boots of Flying", if such a thing is found, is a shorthand way of letting the player, not the character, know what the item is, and what the mechanics are.

So walking up to the Archmage and saying, "Do you have (insert magic item)" would be like walking into a real life hardware store and asking, "Do you have a +1 Hammer"?

Now maybe, just maybe, if the heroes approached the archmage and described the problem they were trying to overcome, like getting into the featureless tower to steal the MacGuffin, the archmage might say, "I have a solution for you. I know of a pair of magical boots that will enable you to get to the top of the tower. But there's something I need you to do for me first...."

 

[Flamestrike]

It also doesn't really matter how high or low magic your setting is, without DM permission, you may never see a flying magic item the entire campaign.

Maybe you missed where I said I ask the DM if I can (a) buy r (b) craft or (c) in game acquire magic items, other than as the result of a treasure hoard I have no control over.

If the answer is no, I'll pick a class with access to flight and misty step baked in.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

That's unfortunate. Because that player has just come to you with:

a) An opportunity for you to send him on a quest, he is personally invested in, and
b) An opportunity to make the player happy by exersizing his agency to interact with your world, and your NPCs.

Instead you brush him off (literally).

That all depends on the game world.

 

[Asisreo]

And that's fine if you want to go that way.

My Monk approaches an Archmage in town In your campaign) and requestes some Boots of Flying. In exchange he will complete a quest or provide some service for the Archmage (or exchange a magic item the Mage might be interested in).

What do you say?

I mean, if you're going with a hard 'YOU CANT GET AN ITEM UNLESS I RANDOMLY ROLL IT ON A CHART AS PART OF TREASURE' that's fine man; I'll just Multiclass into something with fly, or if you dont allow multiclassing, I'l just play a damn Wizard (seeing as you want to bar martials from fun things like flight).

I'd say there's no one selling such an item because that wasn't for you to decide. I carefully choose magic items based on my setting. You might find a healing potion and you may even find a wand for what you're doing. But I'm not just giving you a magic item because you didn't cover your weaknesses.

If you multiclass to get fly, that's fine by me, you're really just a spellcaster with a little bit of monk, meaning you're probably closer to a d4-d6 martial arts die and you probably don't get evasion, extra attack, and much fewer ki points for stunning strike had you stayed with monk. You also have to get your other score high enough to multiclass into fly anyways. It's however you want to get fly yourself, no limitations on that.

Just know a 4-Element's fly has a unique synergy than a multiclass Wiz or Bard's fly.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

Maybe you missed where I said I ask the DM if I can (a) buy r (b) craft or (c) in game acquire magic items, other than as the result of a treasure hoard I have no control over.

If the answer is no, I'll pick a class with access to flight and misty step baked in.

Based on what you've written, I think you might just be better off finding a different DM who has the same expectations of the game as you do.

 

[Flamestrike]

Are you really defining "agency" as "I can get any specific magic item I want?"

No, as in the player has things he wants to do. He wants to be able to fly. He's going out of his way to find a way to do so in your world, and your response is 'Nope'.

A Good DM uses that desire to fly as a quest or character hook. It should be the pretext for a thrilling and difficult adventure. Instead you had a NPC hit him with a broom, and brushed him off.

 

[Flamestrike]

Based on what you've written, I think you might just be better off finding a different DM who has the same expectations of the game as you do.

It's not to hard to do seeing as most default games all have magic items, flying wizards and so forth.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

It's not to hard to do seeing as most default games all have magic items, flying wizards and so forth.

There's that word again. I think it would be wonder if you could define "default game." It's really quite confusing.

 

[Flamestrike]

I'd say there's no one selling such an item because that wasn't for you to decide. I carefully choose magic items based on my setting. You might find a healing potion and you may even find a wand for what you're doing. But I'm not just giving you a magic item because you didn't cover your weaknesses.

And at that point I leave the campaign.

What you're saying is 'because I didnt pick a class with fly baked into the class, you wont ever give me a chance to get the ability to fly'.

Can I play an Aaracroka? (You - No).
Can I craft magic items (You - No).
Can I buy or otherwise exchange services for magic items (You - No).

You - you should have taken levels in a class with Fly if you wanted to Fly. Im not letting you fly 'because you didnt cover your weakness'.

Sounds like a fun game.