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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Chaosmancer" data-source="post: 8227901" data-attributes="member: 6801228">So, one of my biggest complaints about the supposed role of Monks has always been that the two things I as a DM have noticed the most about them are their speed and their anti-ranged abilities. Those stick out far more than stunning strike. That being said, the last time this came around I was convinced of the problem stemming from level 11 on, and also of a few other things. So, here is a quick breakdown of various solutions I took. An important note. I am assuming that monks will not get magical items that improve their defense, speed, or unarmed attacks. I have noted that the vast majority of these items are armors or simply just don't fit the monk or don't exist. Also, monk's don't benefit from most Feats, not only because of MAD, but because they require specific weapons that monks don't use.[SPOILER="The changes"]Ki is level + wisdom mod, just gives a little more for higher levels. I know it is a big boost early on, but I think it should work out fineClass Specific worth mentioning: I made the Way of the Sun Soul and the Way of the Astral Self Wisdom based attackers. Same with 4 elements, partially, though I'm still tweaking that one. This was because I wanted to make a version of the monk that could focus more on increasing wisdom, without feeling like it was only for stunning strike. Level 10: When the Monk gains Purity of Body, I rewrote it to do the following (I figured it was better than putting a new ability at 11)At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison.Every morning after a long rest, you perform a purification ritual. This has removed impure influences from your bodyand improved your performance. The following effects now take place.<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">When you use your Martial Arts ability or Flurry of Blows to make a bonus action unarmed strike, you can make an additional unarmed strike. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">When you use Step of the Wind, to Dash or to Disengage, your movement speed is increased by 10 ft. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">You can spend a ki to take the Dodge action as a Reaction to an attack being declared against you </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">You can take two reactions (on different turns) before the start of your next turn.</li> </ol>The idea was to boost all of the key ki abilities you gained at level 2, because they never actually get better as the game progressesThe first ability addresses the damage problem. You get 2 strikes as a bonus action, bringing you back in line, and you can boost it to 3 attacks for Ki. The two reactions is because a lot of the monk's defensive ability comes from reactions, and I wanted to have someone who can act multiple times out of turn. And, well, it is excessive perhaps, but even more speed was all I could think of for Step of the WindBut the big boost I think actually comes from #3. And it addresses a major issue Monks have. Monks are fast enough to get to the enemy, but this sometimes leaves them surrounded. If they are planning for it, they can Patient Defense as a bonus action, but if they get caught off-guard, then they can do it as a reaction, leaving them quite a bit tankier than expected. Which is good since they have generally poor AC once the armored individuals start getting magical gear. Level 15: I noticed that timeless body was kind of... pointless crap. So I kept going, right around the time for the level 17 boost. And again, I was trying not to add new named abilities, just mod what was there. At 15th level, your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can’t be aged magically. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, you no longer need food or water.Your purification rituals have completed, boosting your performace to the highest levels of natural performance. The following effects apply.<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">You may make a third attack with your attack action. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">You may take up to three reactions (on different turns) before the start of your turn </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">When you use your step of the wind, you may dash and disengage with the same bonus action</li> </ol>Simple, yet effective. The level 10 boost increased their bonus action attacks, but what if you want to use your bonus action for something else? So I gave them the fighters level 11 boost to attack actions. Then increased reactions again, and boosted Step of the Wind. Now it is a single ki for a dash, disengage and +10 spd. Which is a lot, but also... most of the time you only need one or the other, and this allows you to run through a crowd of enemies, which is kind of cool. And finally, level 20 capstone: Almost all capstone's suck, so I improved this one.At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain 4 ki points..Additionally, Flurry of Blows, Distant Eye, Patient Defense, Step of the Wind, and the reaction from Deflect Missiles nolonger cost any ki.Finally, your unarmed strikes gain a +2 to hit and damage and you may take up to four reactions (on different turns) before the start of your turnWhy not? Level 20 is supposed to be crazy, and using your level 2 or 4 abilities for free is going to feel really like you've mastered these techniques. Boost the unarmed strikes, because you likely don't have any and if you want to go fully unarmed, it should be more viable than using a magic item. [/SPOILER]A lot of people might tell me this is too much, but I wanted a Monk to feel just as effective as an SS fighter with a magic bow and magic plate, or a Paladin with Magic Plate and a Holy Avenger with GWM. I've boosted a lot of classes for late game play. This just felt like it was going more towards the fantasy of the Monk.</blockquote>

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