D&D 5E How Good/Bad are Monks?

[Weiley31]

I mean, if you want a Monk with BM Maneuvers, that's Fighting Initiate for the Superior Technique fighting style and Martial Adept.

May not be the most optimal, but you still get your level 8 Monk and a slight taste of the cake.

 

[Ancalagon]

I'm playing a Kensei Monk right now and recently reached level 4. Two nights ago I essentially saved the party's bacon by tanking for a few critical rounds - we were lighting bolt-ed at point blank range and the fighter went down like a sack of potatoes.

I don't think that the Kensei is the "ultimate archer", but he's pretty good at it. Combine that with high mobility and defenses vs returning fire on top of all the other monk goodness? It's very nice.

 

[Ancalagon]

Hell hath frozen over. I made it to level 3 with an Open Hand monk. I actually enjoyed the class despite having a GWF Barbarian in the part putting my damage output to shame. have not got the kewl stuff yet and ki was limited. Still not a massive fan of the concept (asian kung fu master) but mechanically it was fun/effective enough.

Did you keep playing this character? How did it turn out?

 

[Oofta]

I think the real question is whether this is the monk in question

Because this is thread necromancy at it's finest! Not that there's anything wrong with that!

 

[Weiley31]

I think the real question is whether this is the monk in question
View attachment 130520

Because this is thread necromancy at it's finest! Not that there's anything wrong with that!

I'm all for Jiangshi monks attacking the party.

 

[Weiley31]

Monks are pretty cool despite the 5E opinion on them be very mixed. The Way of Astral Self monk subclass from the new Tasha's is pretty wicked cool though.

Also, the Way of Soul Knife Monk by Mearls is pretty cool. And it pretty much has the potential of doing double damage to enemies by having the ability to switch it's damage type to Psychic damage and then giving itself the ability to make enemies vulnerable to Psychic damage. Meaning your hits basically could do double damage in theory.

 

[jayoungr]

I've played a Drunken Master monk up to level 9 (so far), and I love it. Insane mobility, good tools for both single-target and groups, and a free disengage with flurry of blows. Not to mention you can make your enemies punch each other, in true Jackie Chan style.

 

[Guest 6801328]

This is my experience as well. Not a power gamer class, but can be a fun and effective class to play.

That about sums it up. If you are the type who gets worried about whiteroom analysis then this might not be your class. But if what you want is to have fun options at the table and feel like you are contributing, monks are great.

One of my favorite abilities is Deflect Missiles. It's a blast to contemptuously swat aside an enemy's arrow.

Or not contemptuously, but retort with an improvised Buddhist-sounding aphorism about serenity.

EDIT: I will agree with the criticism of the class (shared with sorcerer) that when a subclass gives you a new option for a way to spend a class resource, it becomes a trade-off to actually use that ability. So it may be an increase in versatility, but with an opportunity cost. WotC is apparently in agreement, because some of the new designs give you some finite number of free uses before abilities start costing Ki.

But that's a theorycrafting criticism, and doesn't make the class less fun.

 

[Weiley31]

Beyond Damage Dice: Monk Weapons, Part 1 - Kobold Press

Kobold Press's Beyond Damage Dice pretty much gives Monks the option of doing a Maneuver, that uses an Attack Action, that when making a Melee Attack Roll via an Unarmed Strike, you can immediately use the a Dodge Action free. In theory that could help out with the Monk's ability to tank a bit more.