D&D 5E Building a better Monk

[Tony Vargas]

Only part where I balk is, again, gating the unarmed/unarmored stuff behind a subclass.

Cool, I get to agree with you!

When you consider that armed/armored combat is sliced up into fairly narrow styles and feats and spread out over classes, maybe unarmed/unarmored should just be a style & some feats?

I'm not sure you could get the monk's core comepetences and the existing subclass concepts into a single subclass, even with discipline choices.

Possibly several sub-classes over more than one class?

In fact, make that change to the existing monk and...fold the sorcerer and mystic into 1 class, and add some new subclasses to the monk...oh and change the name of their various points systems to Ki (Least sci-fi name, most like something it might be called in world, doesn't require the word "points"), and I think you're over 90% of the way there.

I mean, you could change the name of the monk, but that is a very minor thing, and hardly necessary.

Psionic points and Ki points both have flavor issues, but I'm sure there's something could be used, and those are mostly pretty good ideas...

...broadening the flavor could be good, the name isn't exactly the worst thing about it.

I mean it makes sense for martial arts to be restricted in weapon choice,

That's essentially the way combat style works, so, yeah, does make sense.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

When you consider that armed/armored combat is sliced up into fairly narrow styles and feats and spread out over classes, maybe unarmed/unarmored should just be a style & some feats?

That makes a lot of sense. Make it a fighting style and fighters can pick it up: They already have the niche of the armed "pure" martial artists compared to the unarmed magical martial artist of the Monk. Mix in an unarmoured defence and unarmed attack improvement as a style or feat that can be swapped around with other starting proficiencies and you can get an unarmed martial artist from the Fighter as well as an armed mystical artist from the monk-type class.

Psionic points and Ki points both have flavor issues, but I'm sure there's something could be used, and those are mostly pretty good ideas...

...broadening the flavor could be good, the name isn't exactly the worst thing about it.

Will? Enlightenment? Heck, call them Grok points if you want to.

 

[Yunru]

Possibly several sub-classes over more than one class?

That is the single worst way to go about including it.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

That is the single worst way to go about including it.

Pretty much. It *kinda* works for the assassin, but I doubt it would work for the monk.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I'm with you on this one. A Battlemaster Fighter with Proficiency in something like Painting or Calligraphy tools, makes such a good Samurai.

IMO it needs a subclass, with at least an extra skill and the profs you mention. Give them maneuvers, too.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

IMO it needs a subclass, with at least an extra skill and the profs you mention. Give them maneuvers, too.

How would you build that subclass in order to be distinct from the current subclass that was suggested?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

How would you build that subclass in order to be distinct from the current subclass that was suggested?

It could be done as a battle master, but I'd at least add a few maneuvers. Of course imo BM needs more maneuvers anyway.

But I prefer purpose built to repurposed, 9.9 times out of ten.

So, bonus proficiency in persuasion or insight, and any 1 artisan tools, martial arts, ability to make a dash attack of some kind, and an ability to draw and attack as a reaction under some conditions. Maybe ability to get extra fighting styles, but only use one at a time?
Some of that could be done with a couple background options (Samurai, Ronan, that guy trained by a samurai in exile, etc).

Cultural variants on. Broad concepts are exactly what I want subclasses for.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

It could be done as a battle master, but I'd at least add a few maneuvers. Of course imo BM needs more maneuvers anyway.

Would you rather see extra maneuvers as subclass-specific, or added to the available BM options? Or a bit of both?

So, bonus proficiency in persuasion or insight, and any 1 artisan tools, martial arts, ability to make a dash attack of some kind, and an ability to draw and attack as a reaction under some conditions. Maybe ability to get extra fighting styles, but only use one at a time?

How did you feel about the UA Samurai Fighter Subclass? - Generally a good idea? - Its a cultural-specific Fighter subclass with definite flavour which seems to be what you're after. Did the capabilities of the subclass mesh with what you think a 'Samurai' subclass should have?

Some of that could be done with a couple background options (Samurai, Ronan, that guy trained by a samurai in exile, etc).

The 'courtier' style abilities are probably best provided by background, allowing different Samurai to come from a number of different backgrounds: Nobles, Soldiers, wandering vagabonds etc.