D&D (2024) (+) Hopes for The Monk

[doctorbadwolf]

So, first thing, it’s a plus thread. Discussion is good, crapping on people’s ideals, petty bickering, and arguing that the monk shouldn’t exist or shouldn’t be updated or that OneDnD is bad and we should feel bad, are all not it.

That said, I have some hopes for the monk, and I’m curious what everyone else’s are.

• New name - I doubt this will happen, but mystic or adept are both good alternatives to monk
• Renamed Ki to focus, spirit, energy, anything but ki or exertion
• A clean way to regain extra ki* to effectively give more ki without changing the numbers on the class table or the max you can have going into a scene, like regain wisdom mod ki as an action PB/LR
• More ki features, less hard focus on being Unarmored and unarmed.
  • Unarmored Defense like the Barbarian, no features only working if Unarmored, flurry of blows and the martial arts attack deal set damage dice but don’t have to be unarmed attacks. Flavor can be pommel strikes or even just quick jabs with the weapon, etc.
• Add a mystical power attack that just adds force damage to a successful attack.
• Stunning strike dazed target, and the target becomes stunned if you use it on them again while they are dazed. Or replace it entirely with a set of upgrades to each of the level 2 ki abilities.
• High level step of the wind allows you to exceed your movement for the round with a jump, and/or gives a short burst fly speed.
• Add a feat of strength ability
• Add fighting styles, with multiple that do not require a weapon
• Maybe have a choice from 3 Forms or whatever at level 1, like the cleric’s Holy Orders. Here you choose whether to be totally unarmed and Unarmored, or to have a specially bonded weapon, or to have more skills?

And the PHB subclasses:

• Open Hand is mostly perfect as is
• Shadow gains 1/LR free use of each leveled spell it gains, teleport at level 3 that scales with levels and gain the advantage rider at level 6
• Elements takes the elemental attunement features of the Wu Jen mystic from UA, gains pb/lr free casting of certain elemental spells, and disciplines drop down by 1 ki each in cost.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

• Monks get d10 as HD
• There's ways of using WIS or DEX to offset the MAD that everyone complains about
• They get bonus feats to offset the MAD that everyone complains about
• Way of Elements gets cantrips they can cast, and possibly use as a bonus action

 

[Incenjucar]

More variety in core class abilities to reflect a wider variety of concepts. Late-career monk features get so incredibly specific.

 

[OB1]

My changes would be

• d10 HD
• Regain Ki by meditating for 1 minute (2x per long rest)
• Flurry of Blows doesn't cost Ki, but you must have at least 1 Ki point remaining to use

I also like your Stunning Strike suggestion @doctorbadwolf !

 

[TerraDave]

I don't agree with everything in the OP, but the monk definitely needs help!

Based on what we have seen so far, not sure they are going to get it.

 

[James Gasik]

Yes, a front-line melee class needs more hit points. People will say "what about the Rogue", but nothing stops a Rogue from plinking away with a crossbow from a safe distance.

I don't mind ki, even small ki pools, but can some abilities have "as long as you have one ki in your pool, you can do X"? Bonus action Dodge or Disengage seem kind of vital for a character like the Monk.

On these same lines, forcing a Monk to spend a limited resource to keep up with the damage of other characters seems a bit unfair.

Unpopular Opinion: get rid of Stunning Strike. I don't mind Monks having control options, but this thing is encounter warping when it actually works, and the balance point seems to be "most of the time it doesn't, and it prevents you from doing anything else cool". Bleh.

Let Monks wear light armor. We're ok with Barbarians wearing armor and having an unarmored defense option. Heck, I've even seen Kung Fu movies where martial artists pick up shields!

Either make Unarmed Strikes competitive with weapons, or make Monks a weapon using class. The idea that my martial artist still wants a magic short sword at higher levels seems kind of bizarre.

Archetypes should make you better at what you are already doing; we don't need more uses for ki, thank you very much!

 

[mellored]

I'd rather see more dynamic ki, something you can be gain and lose durring the battle.

I.e.
As a bonus action, you can gain 1 ki, up to a maximum of your wisdom modifier (minimum 1). Ki last for 1 minutes or until you spend it. Trying to maintain ki for more than a minute will give you a level of exhaustion.
Level 5: you gain 1 ki when you roll initiative.
Level 11: gain 2 ki as an action.
Level 17: gain 2 ki as a bonus action.

*may need to balance other stuff.

Unarmored defense: 13+Dex OR 12+Str, whichever is higher.

Spend 1 ki to make an opportunity attack miss.

 

[Vael]

I'd like Strength focused Monks to be more viable. Also, larger hit dice.

 

[Clint_L]

I would like to see patient defence and step of the wind both become bonus actions with no ki cost.

I would like to see them get D10 hit dice.

I would like to see stunning strike limited to one attempt/turn.

I would like to see another strong ki ability in the basic monk kit so that stunning strike has real competition.

I would like to see their unarmed attack damage standardized and bonus to damage come in other ways.

I would like to see them get ki from Level 1 and add their Wisdom bonus to their ki pool.

 

[Horwath]

I would like to see patient defence

I would always say that monk is underpowered class, this would make it overpowered in a single move.
at-will Dodge as Bonus action is simply too much.

and step of the wind both become bonus actions with no ki cost.

I would like to see them get D10 hit dice.

I would like to see stunning strike limited to one attempt/turn.

I would like to see another strong ki ability in the basic monk kit so that stunning strike has real competition.

I would like to see their unarmed attack damage standardized and bonus to damage come in other ways.

I would like to see them get ki from Level 1 and add their Wisdom bonus to their ki pool.

agree with the rest.