D&D 5E Thoughts on Multi Class Monk Build

[ccs]

Remember, your gaining of ASIs/Feats is dependent upon hitting those lvs in a specific class, not in-total.
So if you go Monk 6/Ranger 2 you're still 2 lvs away from that ASI/Feat.

 

[NitesShade]

Remember, your gaining of ASIs/Feats is dependent upon hitting those lvs in a specific class, not in-total.
So if you go Monk 6/Ranger 2 you're still 2 lvs away from that ASI/Feat.

Good Call out I would like to minimize the number of ASI/Feats lost.

 

[NitesShade]

First, keep in mind that your campaign may not run long enough for you to see the topmost tiers of play. Most campaigns don't. I'm not saying you shouldn't give any thought to the final tier, but don't put too much weight on it.

Second, if you plan to go assassin, Gloom Stalker ranger is definitely the way to go. The synergy there is fantastic. If you can get surprise on your enemies and drop a hunter's mark on the first round, you can unload a barrage of attacks with bonus damage dice and then double everything.

Even without that, the Gloom Stalker has a lot of very nice toys, especially Umbral Sight, which makes you a god when fighting in darkness. (Do note that this requires the rest of your party to have darkvision or they will be fighting blind; if they don't have it naturally, there are spells and magic items to supply it for them.)

Yes I think this build will be a fun to play. I hope for sure to reach 12 level where I can bring Gloom Stalker and Assassin in to play. I want to see how much havoc I can reek during that first round of combat. lol.

After 12th level it is all gravy.

 

[NitesShade]

I'm AFB but it sounds like you are assigning too much to the first few levels of Ranger. My pre-subclass Ranger was not doing all of that cool stuff.

The Ranger is a class that is heavily loaded up front
Phase 2: Ranger 3 levels
Offensive Benefits:
-- Sharpshooter <feat taken at 4th level monk>
-- Archery (+2 Att roll) <fighting style>
-- Spell casting 3 spells per long rest <you only know 3 at 3rd level. I would choose from the below>

• - Hunters mark <This is a must>
• - Jump <This just fits with the build. Not needed>
• - Hail of thorns <Awesome ranged attack when used with sharpshooter for -5, +10 to the main target and extra damage to nearby CR>
• - Ensnaring strike <Good for slowing down a caster (i.e. STR save)>
  

Then we move to the Archetype at 3rd level:
[Alert feat] +5 initiative <but as ccs Pointed out more levels in a particular class are needed to gain this>
[Gloomstarker] +10 MV round 1 <This plus Alert, when you finally get it will be great on round 1>
[Gloomstarker] +1 ATT round 1

 

[jgsugden]

I'll start by saying that any combination can be effective enough, so play whatever sounds fun and don't worry about whether it is optimal. But, if you want to talk efficienct multi-classing....

Having played a monk that had access to Hex - it is hard to use because you're so good at getting into position to use a bonus action to attack. In terms of damage, it really only makes sense when you're attacking a big creature that PCs need to gang up on. Beyond that, you're giving up one or two hits on the enemy to add a d6 per hit - which means you need several hits to make up for the lost damage. I find I use it more often to give the penalty to key ability checks - which you can't do with Hunter's Mark.

If I am multi-classing with a monk, I generally want to look for things that the monk can do that do not require actions or bonus actions. That means either things that trigger on an attack without an action, or use reactions, or are prepared long before a combat (such as long duration buff spells). Those tend to be tall orders for a dip into another class, but clerics, fighters, rogues, and paladins (if you have the stats) tend to fit the bill.

In truth, I find that if I want the feel of a multi-class on top of a monk, I am often better off achieving it via magic items if I can get them. A ring of spell storing, for example, can give a monk some interesting options. My warlock played in a party with a monk that had a ring of spell storing. We loaded it up with a 5th level Armor of Agathys often and that, in the hands of a monk, was a lot of fun and very effective.

 

[Eltab]

The Ranger is a class that is heavily loaded up front
Phase 2: Ranger 3 levels
Offensive Benefits:
-- Sharpshooter <feat taken at 4th level monk>
-- Archery (+2 Att roll) <fighting style>
-- Spell casting 3 spells per long rest <you only know 3 at 3rd level. I would choose from the below>

• - Hunters mark <This is a must>
• - Jump <This just fits with the build. Not needed>
• - Hail of thorns <Awesome ranged attack when used with sharpshooter for -5, +10 to the main target and extra damage to nearby CR>
• - Ensnaring strike <Good for slowing down a caster (i.e. STR save)>
  

Then we move to the Archetype at 3rd level:
[Alert feat] +5 initiative <but as ccs Pointed out more levels in a particular class are needed to gain this>
[Gloomstarker] +10 MV round 1 <This plus Alert, when you finally get it will be great on round 1>
[Gloomstarker] +1 ATT round 1

Thank you for explaining your thought more fully (and defining the options); the earlier post sounded like you were using everything listed.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Kind of off-topic, but I keep daydreaming about Assassin 17, Grave Domain Cleric 2, with Purple Worm Poison. When the stars align and you use your Channel Divinity then get a surprise attack and your target fails its save* you do: (10d6 * 2) + 12d6 + 5) * 2 * 2 = 468 (avg) 788 (max). In one hit.

It would be worth playing the entire campaign just to have this work once against a really high level boss (who doesn't have Legendary Resistance, anyway).

Just occurred to me that if you find a way to get Booming Blade (either with your one unused level, or with a Feat, or race like High Elf), that's an additional +3d8 on the attack. The new numbers are:

(20d6 sword + 12d6 poison + 6d8 booming blade + 5 dex) * 2 * 2 = 576 average. Almost 1k max.