The Karate Kid: A Guide to Monk/Druid Multiclassing

[Blue Orange]

Pity this never finished. I was waiting for the writeup on their enemies, the monk/necromancer Cobra Society.

 

[jgsugden]

I was considering adding some druid levels to my monk to get to wildshape and add a few spells. It would be Monk 8, Druid 3, then 9 more monk. It ... doesn't work for me. I'm better off adding 3 rogue, fighter, ranger, warlock, sorcerer or bard levels.

 

[Pi_Ro]

I like the concept, but both monk and druid are very dependent on class level, not character level. It's like there's little natural synergy except for unarmed defense occasionally raising AC and the extra martial arts attack.

Monk levels don't increase wildshape CR, nor casting. Until you reach high levels of Monk the unarmed damage is probably no/minimal increase over a druid form.

Druid levels don't help get to extra attack, don't advance monk unarmed or Ki points.

This does give a strong tier 1 & 2 character - and that's not something to be dismissed since that's where most play time seems to happen.

But ignoring Elemental forms as not much synergy discounts how improved they are over beast forms already. Is a monk/druid better at physical then a straight druid with elemental form? The straight druid would also have the advantage casting when not wildshaped. I worry this won't keep up.

Or is the idea to have an unbalanced growth as primary - monk 2 and the rest druid for unarmored defense, movement, extra martial arts attack, and ki. Or Moon Druid 2 for wild shape extra HPs/form's movement and then go the rest Monk?

Let me tell you as someone who is playing a Revised Way of the Four Elements Monk 7/Moon Druid 3 right now, unbalanced growth is the way to go. It’s a crazy build, and between elemental cantrips, lots of combat forms, and elemental buffs to movement and attacks, ba da ba ba ba, I’m loving it. I’m keeping up with our Bear Totem Barbarian in terms of tanking, and still have Moonbeam, and I’ve discovered the existence of angels in our campaign because of it, much to my DM’s surprise. 10/10 this combo.