D&D 5E Homebrew monkey race balance question?

[Hope]

So I've created this rough first draft for a Homebrew monkey race and I'd appreciate constructive criticism of it's mechanics or lore.

Hozu are a race of humanoid monkey folk who live in jungles and forests of high elevation. They mostly live in large family groups, which are ruled by two leaders - The Great Sage - who is the group's oldest and wisest member and The Uuaah - who is the group's war leader, chosen in a grand tournament every four years.

• Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and either your Wisdom or Strength score increases by 1.
• Size. Hozu stand between 5 and 6 feet. Your size is medium.
• Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.
• Creature Type. Your creature type is humanoid.
• Nimble Dodge. If a melee attack misses you, you can immediately move 5 feet in any direction that isn't blocked as a reaction. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.
• Monkey Grip. You gain proficiency in Acrobatics. In addition, you can use Acrobatics in place of Athletics for any checks made to grapple, shove or jump.
• Tricky Fist. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d4 bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage and can use Dexterity for both attack rolls and damage rolls.
• Trip and Bash. Once per turn when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can either Shove or Grapple that creature as part of the attack. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
• Agile Climber. You have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.
• Languages. You can speak, read and write Common and Simian.

 

[Blue]

Looking at the racial redo in the new MP:MM book, race natural attacks have been across the board increased to 1d6 base damage. I would increase it the damage in Tricky Fist. On the other hand, I would pick one damage type - nothing else in 5e gives B/P/S damage flexibility. I like how you kept the Monk wording about using DEX.

To bring it in line with similar features in 5e, I wold make Trip and Bash a bonus action. This is pretty powerful, a shove can prone someone and give you Advantage on every attack later in the round. And considering the Monkey Grip feature which focus it on DEX which is already the most powerful ability score, this is not a minor feature. Putting those together makes this exceedingly strong, so having it part of the action economy like Shield Master as well as the limited usage you have listed.

In general the racial features are really focused towards certain types of classes, it seems someone wanting to play classes that aren't focused on melee will find little usage of the features of the class. I would suggest thinking about reducing the magnitude of that focus to broaden it to features that can be useful for other class types.

 

[aco175]

What is their role? How do you see them in the world? I look at it and get the feel of a Rafiki-monk type, rather than the Planet of the Apes-type. Some of the abilities should depend on if you are wearing shoes like Agile Climber, monkey grip, and Trip and Bash.

 

[Hope]

Looking at the racial redo in the new MP:MM book, race natural attacks have been across the board increased to 1d6 base damage. I would increase it the damage in Tricky Fist. On the other hand, I would pick one damage type - nothing else in 5e gives B/P/S damage flexibility. I like how you kept the Monk wording about using DEX.

To bring it in line with similar features in 5e, I wold make Trip and Bash a bonus action. This is pretty powerful, a shove can prone someone and give you Advantage on every attack later in the round. And considering the Monkey Grip feature which focus it on DEX which is already the most powerful ability score, this is not a minor feature. Putting those together makes this exceedingly strong, so having it part of the action economy like Shield Master as well as the limited usage you have listed.

In general the racial features are really focused towards certain types of classes, it seems someone wanting to play classes that aren't focused on melee will find little usage of the features of the class. I would suggest thinking about reducing the magnitude of that focus to broaden it to features that can be useful for other class types.

I think turning trip into a bonus action ruins any synergy with the monk class though. In addition, minotaurs get unlimited bonus action 10 foot shoves, though those can't prone.

 

[Hope]

What is their role? How do you see them in the world? I look at it and get the feel of a Rafiki-monk type, rather than the Planet of the Apes-type. Some of the abilities should depend on if you are wearing shoes like Agile Climber, monkey grip, and Trip and Bash.

View attachment 154189View attachment 154190View attachment 154191

They're more like the first and third image, being dexterous and agile dirty fighters.

 

[Blue]

I think turning trip into a bonus action ruins any synergy with the monk class though. In addition, minotaurs get unlimited bonus action 10 foot shoves, though those can't prone.

It does mess it up - and that's okay. Tailoring a race with multiple features that are a perfect fit with a class is part of being overly focused that I talked about. Also, regardless if it's not perfect synergy with the class, it does need balancing because of how powerful it is. Especially with another feature multiplying it so it works with DEX or STR.

The the Minotaur does have it as a Bonus Action - showing the action economy hit. This is more powerful than the Minotaur because of Monkey Grip, as well as being able to do more things. It needs to be limited even more than that.

 

[Professor Murder]

Just feels like they get too many things, imo. One of the dangers when designing a animal based pc race is the desire to give them every attribute we ascribe to the animal. This is not to say they are too powerful, as all told, their abilities are niche, quality of life kinda improvements. It's just a lot to keep track of. I would ditch Tricky Fist, remove Agile Climber and instead add it to the list of Acrobatics additions under Monkey Grip. I would say use the Tabaxi as a guide, as in terms of broad strokes, they cover similar ground. Tabaxi also get a whole lota powers.

 

[Hope]

Just feels like they get too many things, imo. One of the dangers when designing a animal based pc race is the desire to give them every attribute we ascribe to the animal. This is not to say they are too powerful, as all told, their abilities are niche, quality of life kinda improvements. It's just a lot to keep track of. I would ditch Tricky Fist, remove Agile Climber and instead add it to the list of Acrobatics additions under Monkey Grip. I would say use the Tabaxi as a guide, as in terms of broad strokes, they cover similar ground. Tabaxi also get a whole lota powers.

Not giving the monkey people climbing speed ??

 

[Hope]

I

 

[Hope]

It does mess it up - and that's okay. Tailoring a race with multiple features that are a perfect fit with a class is part of being overly focused that I talked about. Also, regardless if it's not perfect synergy with the class, it does need balancing because of how powerful it is. Especially with another feature multiplying it so it works with DEX or STR.

The the Minotaur does have it as a Bonus Action - showing the action economy hit. This is more powerful than the Minotaur because of Monkey Grip, as well as being able to do more things. It needs to be limited even more than that.

They've gotta be decent ones though. Turning trip into a bonus action makes them naughty word ones.