D&D (2024) My proposed fix for the Monk

[mellored]

I independently had the thought a few days ago that I was going to recommend in the playlets feedback that they change "Discipline Points," which I do not prefer, with "Psi Points," so I like seeing this here...quite confirming.

IMO: focus points.

Works for psi or not psi.

 

[Corinnguard]

It would look like Psionics.

In Pathfinder 1st edition, Psionics is a form of magic that requires thoughts and emotions as it's components. You have to think and feel a certain way in order to cast a particular psychic spell.

 

[Horwath]

So what would a component-less spell look like?

3.5e "spell-like ability"

 

[ChameleonX]

But psionics need not be the power source for only a single class. There can be a psionicist as well as the monk, just as there is the cleric and paladin for divine power or the druid and the ranger for primal power.

Agreed. In fact, I'd bring back the whole team from 4th edition:

Psion = Psionic "Mage"
Warmind = Psionic Warrior
Ardent = Psionic Healer
Monk = Psionic Skirmisher

 

[ChameleonX]

Since we're just talking about any old subject on this thread, rather than the UA monk, how does everyone feel about the latest Indiana Jones movie?

I probably won't bother watching it. I don't support the idea of dragging every beloved franchise back from the dead just so we can see all of our childhood heroes get old, miserable, and outclassed by the newer generation of "Strong Female Characters" TM.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Since we're just talking about any old subject on this thread, rather than the UA monk, how does everyone feel about the latest Indiana Jones movie?

thinking ....

.......needz moar Monks!

 

[ChameleonX]

Update

• For the sake of refocusing criticism, I have removed explicit references to Psionics.
• Unarmored Defense has been replaced with Natural Armor as a result of feedback.
• Acrobatic Movement has been altered to incorporate a suggestion from another thread.

 

[Corinnguard]

Adept | Level Up This is A5e's take on the Monk class. This class represents anyone in A5e who has trained their bodies and honed their minds to perfection.

 

[shadowoflameth]

 Monk
Hit Points
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + CON score
Hit Points per level: 1d10 (or 5) + CON mod per level
Hit Dice: 1d10 per level

Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: All simple and martial weapons
Saving Throws: Dexterity and Strength
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, History, Insight, Perception, Persuasion, Religion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth
Tools: one of your choice.

Level	Features	Martial Arts Die	Natural Armor	Focus Points	Movement Bonus
1	Martial Arts, Martial Focus, Natural Armor, Weapon Mastery	1d6	12 + DEX	2	---
2	Deflect Missiles, Unarmored Movement	1d6	12 + DEX	4	+10ft
3	Monk Subclass	1d6	12 + DEX	6	+10ft
4	Feat, Slow Fall	1d6	12 + DEX	8	+10ft
5	Extra Attack	1d8	13 + DEX	10	+10ft
6	Vital Strike, Subclass Feature	1d8	13 + DEX	11	+15ft
7	Evasion	1d8	13 + DEX	12	+15ft
8	Feat	1d8	13 + DEX 13 + DEX	13	+15ft
9	Acrobatic Movement	1d8	14 + DEX	14	+15ft
10	Focused Restoration	1d8	14 + DEX	15	+20ft
11	Subclass Feature	1d10	14 + DEX	15	+20ft
12	Feat	1d10	14 + DEX	16	+20ft
13	Soul Speech	1d10	15 + DEX	16	+20ft
14	Diamond Soul	1d10	15 + DEX	17	+25ft
15	Perfect Self	1d10	15 + DEX	17	+25ft
16	Feat	1d10	15 + DEX	18	+25ft
17	Subclass Feature	1d12	16 + DEX	18	+25ft
18	Empty Body	1d12	16 + DEX	19	+30ft
19	Feat	1d12	16 + DEX	19	+30ft
20	Mind Beyond Death	1d12	16 + DEX	20	+30ft

Martial Arts
You have mastered a style of combat using unarmed strikes and simple weapons. Your study of martial arts grants you the following benefits:

- Bonus Unarmed Strike. When you use the Attack action with an Unarmed Strike or weapon that lacks the two-handed or heavy property on your turn, you can make one Unarmed Strike as a bonus action on the same turn.
- Insightful Attacks. You can use Wisdom instead of Strength or Dexterity for the attack and damage rolls of Unarmed Strikes and attacks using weapons that lack the two-handed or heavy property.
- Martial Arts Dice. You can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of your Unarmed Strikes and attacks with Simple Weapons. This die changes as you gain levels, as noted on the table.

Martial Focus
(As Martial Discipline, but with Discipline Points renamed to Focus Points, and with the following paragraph added)

Alternatively, you can take 1 minute to meditate and recover all of your Focus Points. You must then finish a long rest to do so again.

Natural Armor
Your rigorous training has hardened your body to the point that it can resist blows more easily. While you aren't wearing armor, your AC is equal to 13 + your Dexterity modifier. Your natural armor improves as you gain levels in this class, as noted on the table. If you wear armor that leaves you with a lower AC, you can use your natural armor instead. You still gain this benefit while wearing a shield.

Weapon Mastery
(Unchanged from UA)

Deflect Missiles
(As UA, but with Deflect Energy added in.)

Unarmored Movement
(Unchanged from UA)

Slow Fall
(Unchanged from UA)

Extra Attack
(Unchanged)

Vital Strike
(As the UA Stunning Strike and Empowered Strikes features, United into one)

Evasion
(Unchanged)

Acrobatic Movement
While you aren't wearing Medium or Heavy armor, you gain the ability to move across vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the movement.

In addition, when you are hit with an opportunity attack, you can use your reaction to make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check and compare the result to the triggering attack roll. If your result is equal or higher, the attack misses you.

Focused Restoration
(As Self-Restoration, but with the following paragraph added)

In addition, when you meditate to recover Focus Points, you also gain all of the benefits of a Short Rest.

Soul Speech
You can now speak telepathically to any creature you can see that knows at least one language, and you can allow that creature to respond in kind.

Diamond Soul
(As Disciplined Survivor)

Perfect Self
(As Perfect Discipline)

Empty Body
As a Bonus Action, you can spend 3 Focus Points to transform into a being of pure mental energy for 1 minute, or until you gain the Incapacitated condition. You gain the following benefits:

• Incorporeal. You are invisible, and you can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You take 1d10 damage if you end your turn inside a solid object.
• Insubstantial. You gain resistance to all damage except for force damage.
• Defy Gravity. You gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed, but you move at only half speed (round down) when you are flying upwards.

Mind Beyond Death
You do not fall unconscious when you drop to 0 hit points as long as you have at least 1 Focus Point left.

You can continue to act normally while at 0 hit points for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier, or until you run out of Focus Points, at which point you fall unconscious unless you have at least 1 hit point.

You still must make death saving throws at the end of each of your turns while at 0 hit points, and you can still die as normal.

Interesting, and there's a lot here that I like. IMHO the simple fixes are best for the game because players and DMs have the easiest time transitioning to them.


My own thoughts on the play test monk:

Give the monk a fighting style at 1st.

Keep the increased damage die. A d4 on unarmed strikes makes unarmed strikes better. All monk weapons and most weapons in the game already do a d4 or better making this a non-benefit in 5e unless the monk uses Unarmed Strikes only. The Unarmed Fighting style does this better.

Let Martial Arts Dice apply to Monk Weapons. Let any weapon proficiency that the Monk gains make that weapon a Monk Weapon.

Keep Monk Weapons in name and in design both for fun and backward compatibility with abilities that use the Monk Weapon name.

Make Unarmed Strikes a Melee Weapon giving them access to the Martial Mastery properties in the play test, and make Unarmed Strike a Monk Weapon. Give Monks mastery of Unarmed Strikes.

Drop Ki Point requirement for Patient Defense and Step of the Wind entirely.

Give the Monk 2 plus Wisdom Bonus Ki Points at 2nd Add a 1st level feat to let the Monk gain more and have them sooner.

Don’t Nerf Stunning Strike It’s already hard to pull off. Making it 1/turn uncouples it from Flurry of Blows and thereby Nerfs both. These are the only features that the 5e monk has that work well in combat. This is no longer true in this playtest for either ability.

Drop the awkward, un-fun and pointless name changes of things.

Heightened Metabolism should just be part of what Martial Discipline does.

Perfect Discipline and Superior Defense are good but need to be at earlier levels. This is entirely doable if Heightened Metabolism is part of Martial Discipline.

Bring Back Perfect Self.

Fix the 5E Sub-classes. They are ALL bad. Just different levels of bad.

 

[ChameleonX]

Make Unarmed Strikes a Melee Weapon giving them access to the Martial Mastery properties in the play test, and make Unarmed Strike a Monk Weapon. Give Monks mastery of Unarmed Strikes.

I really don't understand the devs' insistence in such a hard distinction between unarmed strikes and weapon attacks. From my perspective, there is really no good reason not to make unarmed strikes a weapon. It would simplify so many features, and open up a ton of design space and build options.

Sure, I can see plenty of unintended consequences, but pretty much all of them are either hilarious or badass, and none that I can think of would break the game.