D&D General Monk: The Past, Present, and Questionable Future of an Iconic Class

[CleverNickName]

The Monk never belonged in D&D proper. It's throwing Liu Kang into LotR. It only happened because the money guys behind TSR (the Blumes) wanted Gary to include Grasshopper from Kung-Fu into their D&D campaign. Just say no to the money-man and see what happens. It is %$@$^!% ridiculous to see Ryu fighting alongside D&D fighters, wizards, rogues and whatever else class that better fits that kinda-Medieval setting players are in Like WHY is this happening? Oh yeah because Brian Blume said so a generation ago. I WISH Gary had said 'Yanno I've made my money. !%^$ your idea and I'm retiring'. Instead we get these WHAT IF episodes of Goku with Legolas, Conan, Dr. Strange and Jack Sparrow. WoTC just make it stop. Well yes:: differing opinion and maybe thou dost loveth monks. Karate*Chop ON!

Welcome to ENWorld, Theory!

There's a lot to unpack here, but I'll start with the first point you mentioned. How would you define "D&D proper"? Because there have been several editions and iterations over the years, and even the TSR-era Companion Rules and the Rules Cyclopedia had the Mystic.

 

[Theory of Games]

Welcome to ENWorld, Theory!

There's a lot to unpack here, but I'll start with the first point you mentioned. How would you define "D&D proper"? Because there have been several editions and iterations over the years, and even the TSR-era Companion Rules and the Rules Cyclopedia had the Mystic.

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Any and all editions that include the Monk. Next?

 

[CleverNickName]

Any and all editions that include the Monk. Next?

Yep, that's about what I expected. I think I can extrapolate from there.

 

[Theory of Games]

Please do.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

The Monk never belonged in D&D proper. It's throwing Liu Kang into LotR. It only happened because the money guys behind TSR (the Blumes) wanted Gary to include Grasshopper from Kung-Fu into their D&D campaign. Just say no to the money-man and see what happens. It is %$@$^!% ridiculous to see Ryu fighting alongside D&D fighters, wizards, rogues and whatever else class that better fits that kinda-Medieval setting players are in Like WHY is this happening? Oh yeah because Brian Blume said so a generation ago. I WISH Gary had said 'Yanno I've made my money. !%^$ your idea and I'm retiring'. Instead we get these WHAT IF episodes of Goku with Legolas, Conan, Dr. Strange and Jack Sparrow. WoTC just make it stop. Well yes:: differing opinion and maybe thou dost loveth monks. Karate*Chop ON!

You seem to have missed that it was specifically based on Remo Williams.

Regardless, I absolutely think it belongs in D&D. D&D is not for one set of fantasy, it covers many and has for a long time!

 

[Theory of Games]

You seem to have missed that it was specifically based on Remo Williams.

Regardless, I absolutely think it belongs in D&D. D&D is not for one set of fantasy, it covers many and has for a long time!

You are ASSUMING YOUR D&D is EVERYBODIES D&D. Which is %^$^*. Monks are from Eastern history/fantasy. How do they fit in semi-Medieval fantasy? Plus explain? Or is this one of those "Fantasy is McDonalds Fantasy" things where they tell me at the drive-thru window that the shake machine is dead?

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

You are ASSUMING YOUR D&D is EVERYBODIES D&D. Which is %^$^*. Monks are from Eastern history/fantasy. How do they fit in semi-Medieval fantasy? Plus explain? Or is this one of those "Fantasy is McDonalds Fantasy" things where they tell me at the drive-thru window that the shake machine is dead?

I am not, I specifically said D&D covers “many” fantasies.

You seem to think D&D = semi-medieval fantasy. That seems to be you trying to say there is one-true-way, which I don’t agree with. I don’t need to explain how monks fit a fantasy setting (though I could), because D&D is a fantasy setting, not just a medieval fantasy setting. Exhibit one: barrier peaks

 

[Theory of Games]

No actually YOU SAYING the Monk fits wherever you want Kung-Fu Joe to go is okay is the definition of One-True Wayism. It's saying 'No. You can't say No to Monks.' Which is $%&^@(. Of course I can say no to Monks. Unless I'm at your table where I might get forced to play a Monk if I want to play a Fighter who gets down unarmed. Get your BS labels right.

 

[Vael]

Those are my brief thoughts. I'm sure others have better ideas. But fundamentally, the Monk is, and should remain, a kinda squishy and fast martial character with great defensive abilities and some cool ribbon abilities.

I think it might become necessary to evolve the Monk, or at least go back to the core engagement of the Monk. There's all these Kill Bill quotes in your post, and I wouldn't call those characters squishy. Because, yeah, if I were to play a Monk, it's The Bride, Li Mu Bai, the IP man, Leeloo The Fifth Element ... heck, a Jedi in flippy lightsaber mode, that is what I'm kinda looking to emulate. And while they're agile and dodging attacks, they also go toe to toe in melee combat. And so, I think giving them the HP of other martial characters is still a nod to just how DnD combat goes. This is why I think the squishy part of the Monk might need to go.

 

[Mecheon]

You are ASSUMING YOUR D&D is EVERYBODIES D&D. Which is %^$^*. Monks are from Eastern history/fantasy. How do they fit in semi-Medieval fantasy? Plus explain? Or is this one of those "Fantasy is McDonalds Fantasy" things where they tell me at the drive-thru window that the shake machine is dead?

We've had Oni forever, the tengu-inspired kenku are one of the more popular races around, kirin are fairly common good celestials, Metallic dragons were very specifically based on ryu and lung originally.

D&D's always has stuff from out east. I haven't even gone into naga or rakshasa. From, y'know. India

If you want a purely "Western European Medieval Era" game, D&D ain't it and never has been it