D&D (2024) Asians Represent: "Has WotC Fixed the D&D Monk?"

[DEFCON 1]

That feels a bit mean-spirited. But it also feels true. Why else would you complain about it?

Maybe in the hope that at least some of the changes you like will get into the next edition if you're vocal enough about it? I can get behind that. I can't help but feel that those thoughts might be better received if they weren't couched in such hyperbolic negativity though.

Complain about it in the surveys? Absolutely. Complain about it here on EN World? An entire confluence of situations all have to fall completely right for anyone who can actually do something with the complaint take it and possibly see it get used.

The survey needs to have a scoring level wherein it's still up in the air whether or not a change is to happen... plus there has to be enough disparity between score and the written responses for there to not be a definitive answer... plus the designers have to choose to come scoping out EN World to find out what some people might be saying about it... plus they have to be willing to sift through the mountains of chaff in all of these threads to find the slightest hint of wheat... and then even after all of that, the complaint gets added to the large piles of other responses from all the other places across the internet that WotC has checked IN HOPES that the complaint made here on EN World can have an effect.

So in truth... my personal opinion is that no one should actually believe any posts they make here will have a tangible effect on what gets published in 5E24. This is not the place to try and impact the game (that would be the surveys)... this is just the place to entertain ourselves and while away the hours typing to one another and getting into fake internet arguments.

 

[MGibster]

Mainly I suspect it's because most of them can't find any game that is actually more of what they actually want and 5E is the best of the worst options so they're stuck with it... or they can't find other players who actually give a shite about nearly all these same things they hate about 5E in order to put a table together of some other game they prefer.

In the words of Bruce Dickerson as portrayed by Christopher Walken: "Guess what? I've got a fever and the only prescription is more D&D." While I do enjoy playing other games, even other fantasy games, there are times when I specifically want to play D&D and part of what separates the game from others is all the D&Disms. i.e. A division of magic into arcane & divine, classes, the myriad of sources for monsters, and D&D's particular versions of kobolds, chromatic dragons, etc., etc. When I'm playing D&D, I want the Druid to be a D&D Druid not something more closely resembling a real druid. (I have never used druid more in a sentence than I just did.)

Personally, I suspect the vast majority of players don't really give a rip about what we consider hot topics here. There are nerds who play RPGs and then there are nerds to talk about those RPGs online. They are level 2 nerds at best and we're at least level 12. I am a multiclass Nerd/Cool Guy though.

 

[DEFCON 1]

You have to pick your battles. I make 5e as close to what I want as my players will accept, because they won't accept the OSR game I really want to run.

And I feel for you. For me it's board games-- I haven't been able to get Illuminati on the table for a full game in over 10 years at least cause nobody else gives a crap about it.

 

[Clint_L]

Absolutely. I use bouldering and rock climbing as an example. Most people will instinctively try to use their arms to pull themselves up the cliff face. So they think it's a strength based skill. But doing that will just burn out your arms quickly. You need technique more than anything else. Not upper body strength.

Dude, preach! My spouse and I are former climbing instructors (my spouse was a hardcore competition climber, as well; she's the climber in the old Ocean Spray "Crave the Wave" commercial filmed on the Stawamus Chief). We used to sometimes get groups of musclebound guys from the gym come in, all cocky, and those guys can't climb at all. Not only would their technique be awful, like they were doing pull-ups, but their strength to weight is the pits. Which is why we always use acrobatics, not athletics, for climbing checks at our table, TYVM.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

I am a multiclass Nerd/Cool Guy though.

I'm a single class Cool Guy. I don't even know why I'm here talking to you dorks.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I'm a single class Cool Guy. I don't even know why I'm here talking to you dorks.

Huh.

As Mama Snarf was so fond of reminding me ... I have no class.

 

[Nikosandros]

Or you can go to the Bronx.

They are very similar, after all!

Well, John Wick 2 taught me that the National Modern Art Gallery in Rome had moved to NYC, so what's wrong about moving a few mountains?

 

[Charlaquin]

I'm saying that I don't think it is compatible with the monk class.

Don’t think what’s compatible with it, armor? Yeah, I agree. My point is that the reason it’s incompatible has nothing to do with realism. It’s about class identity, same as all class-based weapon and armor restrictions. There’s no realistic reason a monk shouldn’t be able to wear armor or a wizard shouldn’t be able to use a sword or a rogue shouldn’t be able to use a greataxe. It just doesn’t fit with the archetypal image of the class for them to do so.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

I'm actually surprised they haven't axed the monk. The seemingly unresolvable cultural sensitivity issues on top of how WotC appears to be unable to design a monk class that doesn't suck to ought to make it really tempting to just eliminate the problems completely.

 

[nevin]

Look at what happened when they redesigned the ranger. It's been a pit fight since 2e. now the assassin only the min maxers that liked being able to roll a dice to kill the bbegi or a PC cared. They axe the monk they get the whole ranger fight and they haven't even stomped those flames out yet.