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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mirrorrorrim" data-source="post: 9067188" data-attributes="member: 7040132">High AC and High HP the two most basic, incremental ways of reducing the amount of damage any character takes, because that is just basic design that applies to all characters. I think it takes more than that to be able to perform the function of a "tank." A wizard can get heavy armor training and have high AC, and occasionally use the Shield spell, but that does not make them a "tank."What sets "Tanks" apart from anyone else is:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">They are designed to be able get BOTH high AC and HP, not just one.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">They have other reliable abilities to mitigate the damage or otherwise keep themselves alive.</li> </ol> <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fighters get Second Wind and can opt into more defensive fighting styles, they later can get Indomitable and Unconquerable, and some fighters can opt into subclass abilities that help their survivability (like Battle Master maneuvers).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Barbarians get an increasingly effective Rage ability to keep themselves alive (damage resistance), and can use subclasses to increase that (like the Bear Totem ability to resist more damage types). Unarmored Defense is a ribbon ability to enforce the theme that a barbarian doesn't need armor.</li> </ul>In order for a monk to be a "tank", which can include a "dodge tank", they still need to:<ol style="margin-left: 20px"> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Have d10 HD (It would be fine for a melee-focused Monk to have the same HD as a ranged ranger).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Be able to get AC comparable to a barbarian. (At first glance, a monk's Unarmored Defense is a little behind because of MAD and they can't use shields. Barbarians only need Str and Con. Monks need Dex, Wis, and Con.) But this may not need changed if they get more reliable access to the damage mitigation (see below).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Be able to mitigate melee attack damage better, which while they get Deflect Arrows for ranged attacks, and Evasion for Dex save AoEs, they currently do not handle targeted melee attacks very well because of low Di Points at low level preventing them from using Patient Defense very well. This can be fixed by adding Wis mod to Di points.</li> </ol>Making the Monk function as a Dodge Tank is totally do-able in a way that fits the theme.</blockquote>

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