D&D 5E Monk Weapons

[Sacrosanct]

Umm...+1 to all unarmed and monk weapon attacks damage, +1 to hit with all such attacks, and +1 to AC is far superior to an extra 10ft of movement in a class that hands out extra movement regularly.

Just sayin'...

Depends on what you want and how the game is played. I found that my choice of the mobile feat more than made up for any perceived differences from not raising a stat.

 

[hejtmane]

Per players handbook Monk Proficiencies (page 77PHB)
Weapons" Simple Weapons, Shortswords

Chapter 5 Equipment (pg 149 PHB)
Has simple weapons broken out by melee and ranged

Simple Ranged Weapons
Crossbow Light
Dart
Short Bow
Sling

Then on page 78 PHB under monk clarifies monk weapons as melee

You could always go Monk way of shadow multiclass assassin for some ranged flexibility plus teleport fun if you like that type of concept. 6/14 or 11/9 split depending on how you want to use the build or dip in for a cantrip as suggested or fighter 2 levels and get action surge + archery style

some options


If you look at starting equipment they list 10 darts

 

[Li Shenron]

Depends on the DM, I guess. My monk was the classic ninja, so my weapons were a ninja-to and shuriken. shuriken are more like darts than anything else. They certainly aren't a melee weapon. It wasn't game breaking or anything.

Absolutely.

I think partially the definition of 'monk weapons' is based on narrative, and partially is a balance factor, mostly to exclude weapons that have large base damage, but for that it might have been enough to avoid martial weapons, should the Monk find a way to become proficient. However, bows and crossbows might have been purposefully excluded to make sure the Monk won't be a great ranged combatant (but IMHO she can still be, it's just that she can't use the Martial Arts benefits with projectile weapons).

Per players handbook Monk Proficiencies (page 77PHB)
Weapons" Simple Weapons, Shortswords

Chapter 5 Equipment (pg 149 PHB)
Has simple weapons broken out by melee and ranged

Simple Ranged Weapons
Crossbow Light
Dart
Short Bow
Sling

Then on page 78 PHB under monk clarifies monk weapons as melee

You could always go Monk way of shadow multiclass assassin for some ranged flexibility plus teleport fun if you like that type of concept. 6/14 or 11/9 split depending on how you want to use the build or dip in for a cantrip as suggested or fighter 2 levels and get action surge + archery style

some options


If you look at starting equipment they list 10 darts

There is nothing in Monk rules saying simple ranged weapons are not monk weapons

Only the definition of 'monk weapons'

See that 'monk weapons' and 'weapons which monks are proficient with' are two different things. The latter include some weapons which are not 'monk weapons'. By 'monk weapons' we mean weapons that can be used to gain the benefits from the Martial Arts feature of the Monk, and that's where you'll find the sentence that says that they have to be simple + melee (but not heavy or two-handed).

 

[hejtmane]

Absolutely.

I think partially the definition of 'monk weapons' is based on narrative, and partially is a balance factor, mostly to exclude weapons that have large base damage, but for that it might have been enough to avoid martial weapons, should the Monk find a way to become proficient. However, bows and crossbows might have been purposefully excluded to make sure the Monk won't be a great ranged combatant (but IMHO she can still be, it's just that she can't use the Martial Arts benefits with projectile weapons).



Only the definition of 'monk weapons'

See that 'monk weapons' and 'weapons which monks are proficient with' are two different things. The latter include some weapons which are not 'monk weapons'. By 'monk weapons' we mean weapons that can be used to gain the benefits from the Martial Arts feature of the Monk, and that's where you'll find the sentence that says that they have to be simple + melee (but not heavy or two-handed).

Sorry that one line was suppose to be deleted I fixed it doh

 

[bganon]

IMO the text is pretty clear: "monk weapons" are defined as shortswords and simple melee weapons without two-handed or heavy properties. Full stop. This does not include darts. Monks are proficient with darts, but that does not make them a "monk weapon".

That said, daggers definitely are monk weapons, and when thrown are pretty much mechanically identical to darts, so I don't really think it matters very much. Technically by RAW, if a monk throws a dart they don't get the bonus action unarmed attack, whereas they could if they threw a dagger, and the dart damage won't scale with level (but this only matters after level 5). But either version still allows for Flurry, Extra Attack, etc...

 

[discosoc]

Depends on the DM, I guess. My monk was the classic ninja, so my weapons were a ninja-to and shuriken. shuriken are more like darts than anything else. They certainly aren't a melee weapon. It wasn't game breaking or anything.

Everything depends on the GM. But when talking about actual rules, he's right about darts not being monk weapons.

 

[TheCosmicKid]

The Zen archer would be an excellent monk subclass.

 

[GainVanquish]

The Zen archer would be an excellent monk subclass.

Excuse my naivety but Zen Archer? Could you elaborate please?

Sorry still new to DnD

 

[Bleys Icefalcon]

Hmm. No two handed weapons? Other than the obvious "because the rules say so" - why not? Various lengths of fighting sticks, many wielded with two hands go all the way to the very roots of almost every known martial arts style in recorded history.

 

[Lanliss]

On a slightly unrelated topic, does the extra attack class feature count as it's own attack action? Meaning, can you attack, bonus unarmed strike, extra attack, also bonus unarmed strike? Just curious as I have a monk PC, and want to make sure I know what I am doing.