D&D 5E Making monks cool again

[Cyan Wisp]

I loved playing a grapple monk. I was Str 10 and way of shadow, and I only took up the challenge when no one in the party wanted the gauntlets of ogre power we found. Luckily I'd taken athletics proficiency at the start. Dragging enemies around at high speed was super useful. Track down some gauntlets!

 

[Ancalagon]

The notion that monks need to be made cool again baffles me. I run a game here 2/5 party members are monks (Open hand, drunken master). They are cool enough!

 

[Undrave]

The notion that monks need to be made cool again baffles me. I run a game here 2/5 party members are monks (Open hand, drunken master). They are cool enough!

Plus, from what I hear, they used to be pretty terrible

 

[jgsugden]

I've seen all of the classes (except artificer) multiple times. They've all been fun and can be effective when their abilities are used well (including, it seems, the artificer). No classes needs to be fixed or made cooler...

I'm playing a 3rd level monk. He is insanely fun. He is an efficient build (Open Hand - human variant [warlock / hex / prest / mage hand]), but not opimized. I've actually ony used hex 3 times in his entire career so far, and one of those times had nothing to do with combat (he gave a guard disadvantage on wisdom checks to make it easier to sneak past it).

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Hex pest?

 

[FarBeyondC]

As someone who plays a lot of monks, I thoroughly reject the idea that monks (in their current incarnation) aren't cool.

 

[bedir than]

How to make monks cool

• Roll for stats or use preferred method
• Pick a race
• Pick Monk

Done

 

[Yaarel]

I'm playing a monk in a campaign right now so I'm sure as hell biased, but there's a couple of things I would love to do with my STR 10 monk that'd make him feel super cool.

1) give monks at a certain level (maybe 2) the ability to use DEX acrobatics to grapple and push enemies. Maybe I've watched too many kung fu movies, but this is monk essence in my mind. Monks get a number of attacks and this would be a cool way for them to use one or two up. I envisage tripping two enemies followed up by a flurry when they're down. Cool.

2) also be able to use dex acrobatics to climb and jump long distances. Again too many kung fu movies.

Yes there will be naysayers who claim that I should just pump my strength and choose athletics as a proficency, but it's very limiting and I can't choose other important proficiencies like nature and medicine. You wouldn't put your cat in a box would you? You wouldn't do the same to my poor monk, would you?

No, I say freedom to monks! Make them the zany martial class for people who like fun!

If you switch to an ability foursome:

• Str-Con
• Dex-Athletics
• Int-Perception
• Cha-Wis

Then Dex-Athletics works as intended.

 

[kyuss]

Monks have never been cool.

 

[Unwise]

You wouldn't put your cat in a box would you?

That's an odd metaphor. Cats are already in the box, they got in there the second you put the box on the ground. A box is a cat's natural environment, they love it in the box. In fact if you turn your back on a box for a second and turn back, there will be a cat in it. At least as far as I ever observe.