D&D 5E Buffing monks: with simple changes.
kapars
Adventurer
I agree that Stunning Strike should be nerfed because it is at best situationally useful yet occupies a lot of the power budget of the class. The designers seem to be terrified of it. In terms of making it better I’d consider the following options:
1. Revert to the playtest where the attempt triggered on a critical hit. It would become quite niche but make space for other features to improve.
2. Make it one attempt per turn. Similar to 1 but less rare and consumes resources. Not my favorite
3. Keep it as is but have it have a similar effect to the Slow spell. No save. More frequent and less encounter breaking
4. Combine 1+3.
I actually like 4 because you can flurry to increase the chances, some DMs don’t get nervous about their encounter balance and you are not consuming yet more resources that you need to play your sub-class. There will be an outcry for the change from Stun to Slow but that can be reduced by still letting you spend a Ki to try for the CON save. Rare though not impossible, much less of a trap, makes it seem more fair when it occurs to those not running the math.
The playtest had a lot more of this approach of having features that work without Ki but can be enhanced by spending it. Something got lost before the 2014 version.
1. Revert to the playtest where the attempt triggered on a critical hit. It would become quite niche but make space for other features to improve.
2. Make it one attempt per turn. Similar to 1 but less rare and consumes resources. Not my favorite
3. Keep it as is but have it have a similar effect to the Slow spell. No save. More frequent and less encounter breaking
4. Combine 1+3.
I actually like 4 because you can flurry to increase the chances, some DMs don’t get nervous about their encounter balance and you are not consuming yet more resources that you need to play your sub-class. There will be an outcry for the change from Stun to Slow but that can be reduced by still letting you spend a Ki to try for the CON save. Rare though not impossible, much less of a trap, makes it seem more fair when it occurs to those not running the math.
The playtest had a lot more of this approach of having features that work without Ki but can be enhanced by spending it. Something got lost before the 2014 version.
jgsugden
Legend
I believe this has been answered several times, but: The monk is a highly mobile control focused PC melee class. It is intended that they'd use their mobility and versatility to engage key targets in a battle and shut them down.
In my experiences, the (mid level and above) monk will get to a key bad guy in Rd 1 and engage them, locking them down with a stun. While they can take about one less hit than other classes, they do have defensive abilities that make up for that lack in hps, and by mid-levels are often competitive in AC with non-shield melee classes.
The monks I have played have been very effective at these tactics, especially as the levels advance up. There have been battles where they've been unable to do their shtick (outside versus a flying dragon, for example), but every class has battles where they are less effective (wizard versus beholder, archers against highly mobile foes that get in their face, etc...)
Undrave
Legend
and in my experience, what happens is that you waste two or three Ki points failing to get a Stun, maybe even doing a flurry of blow for another shot at it, doing about 15 pts of damage total, and, whether you get the stun or not, you end up stuck behind enemy lines where any doofus can land a hit and take off 2/3 of your meager life points. Then you have to waste a turn limping out of there.
It sounds cool in concept but in reality it doesn't work.
'Lock down one guy' is NOT a real party role. It's not something a mobile skirmisher should do! That's more of a defender's schtick.
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
I think I'd go with being able to regain half your ki as an action, proficiency bonus per day, instead of increasing the size of the pool.
As for the HP issue, I do two things.
1. Deflect Missiles becomes Deflect Attacks. Works against any attack. Full stop. If a melee attack is reduced to 0 damage, you can make one unarmed strike as part of the same reaction by spending 1 ki. If a spell attack is reduced to 0 damage, your next successful unarmed strike before the end of your next turn deals extra damage of the same type equal to your unarmed strike damage die plus your wisdom modifier.
2. When you use Patient Defense, you gain THP equal to your unarmed strike damage die plus your wisdom modifier, and if you make an attack as a reaction before the start of your next turn, you can instead use your flurry of blows feature without spending ki. (this means that if your subclass boosts FoB in any way, that boost comes into play with reaction attacks, and it also makes patient defense synergize with Deflect Attacks.
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
I think your experience is non-standard, judging by the fact that there doesn't seem to be anywhere near the same kind of dissatisfaction with the monk as there has been with the ranger and sorcerer. In fact, the elemental monk stands out as the only subclass that people who aren't into CharOp forum discussions rag on, IME.
It certainly doesn't match any experience I've had in my own games, or watching other people's games.
hell, I rarely use stun with my Eberron monk. He's collected several ways to stack damage onto every attack over the 10 levels he's seen, so he focuses on dealing damage, harrying enemies the other's can't get to as easily, and doing things like teleporting in with blessing of the raven queen (30ft teleport, resist all damage until start of next turn), patient defense, cobalt soul counter attack when someone misses, and 2+ enemies are tied up trying to mess with him.
Bill Zebub
“It’s probably Matt Mercer’s fault.”
That’s not a question I even ask, and feels like a carryover from a previous edition. In 5e I don’t think in terms of striker, controller, etc., and I don’t believe the designers do, either.
It’s role, it’s purpose, is to allow people to play a martial artist. It’s as simple as that.
Now, I’ll grant that it may contribute less to a party than some other classes, and there are things about the class I would change, but that’s an issue with execution not concept.
Bill Zebub
“It’s probably Matt Mercer’s fault.”
Yeah I could get behind changing Stunning Strike to proc on a crit. I would keep the save, with a reduced effect on a save, and/or a more potent result on a fail.
Then buff the class, including an increased Ki pool, without worrying about SS spamming.
Then buff the class, including an increased Ki pool, without worrying about SS spamming.
Garthanos
Arcadian Knight
Lock down one guy is maybe a single spell like banishment
Bill Zebub
“It’s probably Matt Mercer’s fault.”
Or level 2 Enchantment wizard ability.
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