D&D (2024) The Missing Monk

[OB1]

I was so looking forward to getting a look at the revised Monk with this playtest, and was bummed that it wasn't there, but my thoughts immediately went to the question of why. I'm guessing it's because the Monk class may be the most heavily redesigned of all of the classes so far. I think the Monk will end up being a Warrior version of the Warlock.

I'm guessing at 1st level you'll make a choice to get either Unarmed Strike or some other new way to attack (psionic? commander? elemental? arcane?) either with or without traditional weapons. Then you'll add 'Exploits' to further fuel you abilities as well as half-caster slot progression (each of the other groups has a half-caster, so I'm guessing the new Monk will be that for Warriors, but with points instead of spell slots).

You'll be able to recreate the traditional Monk via your Strike and Exploit choices, but also a true Psionic, Gish or Warlord. It will be the most complex warrior to play, much like the Bard, Druid and Warlock are the most complex of their respective groups. For compatibility, there will be a note that existing monk subclasses can only be used if you choose Unarmed Strike as your first level feature.

 

[mellored]

I'm guessing they want to see how the warlock losing short rest spells plays out first.

Then they can decide how the monks short rest plays out.

 

[Minigiant]

I'm guessing they want to see how the warlock losing short rest spells plays out first.

Then they can decide how the monks short rest plays out.

That and they want to see feedback on weapon mastery to see how we feel about attack riders.

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

As mentioned in another thread, there was a recent blow-up on social media about the term "Spirit Points" being problematic and a fresh round of discussions about racist tropes surrounding the monk (including the name), so they may have punted some of those changes back to the sensitivity readers and diversity consultants, or simply delayed the Monk so that discussion doesn't hijack feedback on the Weapon Masteries and the other classes.

 

[Parmandur]

I was so looking forward to getting a look at the revised Monk with this playtest, and was bummed that it wasn't there, but my thoughts immediately went to the question of why. I'm guessing it's because the Monk class may be the most heavily redesigned of all of the classes so far. I think the Monk will end up being a Warrior version of the Warlock.

I'm guessing at 1st level you'll make a choice to get either Unarmed Strike or some other new way to attack (psionic? commander? elemental? arcane?) either with or without traditional weapons. Then you'll add 'Exploits' to further fuel you abilities as well as half-caster slot progression (each of the other groups has a half-caster, so I'm guessing the new Monk will be that for Warriors, but with points instead of spell slots).

You'll be able to recreate the traditional Monk via your Strike and Exploit choices, but also a true Psionic, Gish or Warlord. It will be the most complex warrior to play, much like the Bard, Druid and Warlock are the most complex of their respective groups. For compatibility, there will be a note that existing monk subclasses can only be used if you choose Unarmed Strike as your first level feature.

I suspect thst the Monk is indeed in line for some radical.design changes, and that fresh sensitivity reader review is probavly occurring as @The Myopic Sniper suggests. I tend to think that they have a couple Monk designs I'm the wing, waiting to see how the Warlock lands, since they are so structurally similar.

However, even the new Warlock is maintaining the structural compatibility with 2014 Subclasses, so I donthink the new Monk will break that, either.

 

[Horwath]

If they give us Artificer and/or Warlord in PHB, I am happy that monk gets cut.

Whole class is overinflated Tavern brawler feat.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I was so looking forward to getting a look at the revised Monk with this playtest,

I was, too.

Then I saw how bland the changes were to other classes, and now I just don't even care.

 

[Retros_x]

If they give us Artificer and/or Warlord in PHB, I am happy that monk gets cut.

Whole class is overinflated Tavern brawler feat.

Monk is my favorite martial class and its definitely more than that feat.

 

[BookTenTiger]

It would be wild if they completely retooled the monk and renamed it as a psion. I could see it happening though, focusing on the class as a master of mind / body balance and going into either psionic-empowered martial arts or mind-mastery.

I give it about a 5% chance of happening, but maybe somewhere out in the multiverse it becomes true.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I also assume it's due to wanting to see how the Weapon Masteries get over on standard weapons first, before then deciding how to incorporate them on Unarmed Attacks.

The last thing they'd need would be for everyone spending all their time arguing about the narrative and fluff of punches and kicks causing Nicks, Cleaves, Topples, Vexes etc., and not the actual mechanics themselves.

We players can get a little goofy like that.