D&D 5E What is your least favorite class in 5E?

[jmartkdr2]

Monks carry a lot of conceptual space in one class. Like Druids they would benefit from a more modular approach to character design. 5e works better with classes that have a tighter focus.

Monks have two distinct concepts that don't depend on each other but don't exist in other classes: unarmed combat and ki as a magic style.

Both could probably hold their own class if a bit of a thin one, but the real issue is if you want one, you have to take the other along with it, which makes a lot of monk-adjacent concepts not workable.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Monks have two distinct concepts that don't depend on each other but don't exist in other classes: unarmed combat and ki as a magic style.

Both could probably hold their own class if a bit of a thin one, but the real issue is if you want one, you have to take the other along with it, which makes a lot of monk-adjacent concepts not workable.

unarmed needs the magic to work in dnd as how are your fists supposed to break steel or dragon hide?

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

Monk. It's like peanut butter on chocolate or peanut butter on a hamburger. Both are great options, but I still don't care for monks.

In fact, it took me an embarrassingly long time to understand what a monk was. I always referred to those guys as ninjas, or karate masters, or Chuck Norris; but, for the longest time, 'monk' was synonymous with Friar Tuck for me (and still is a little bit).

 

[jmartkdr2]

unarmed needs the magic to work in dnd as how are your fists supposed to break steel or dragon hide?

Magic, okay, but it doesn't have to be Ki. It could be divine or primal or psychic - but the rules don't support that.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

unarmed needs the magic to work in dnd as how are your fists supposed to break steel or dragon hide?

With a magic boxing glove of course. Same way anybody else does it, right?

 

[Minigiant]

Monk.

It displays clearly my 4 main criticisms of 5e all in one class. 5e is excellent but all it's flaws collide in monk.

Oh and my 4 main criticisms explained.

1) Simplicity in game design even when it hurts usability. Ki equal to level is easy to understand but too few for fun. Sorcerer and fighter feel this as well.

2) Legacy ribbons masquerading as major core feature. Many of the weak and/or situational kung fu master class features take up space in an underpowered class. Shares problem with ranger.

3) Forced gameplay styles. Why does every monk have to be "fast monk" and have the same martial arts and ki abilities? Woulda loved wrestler monk, slow one punch monk, or counterpuncher monk. Shares with the one note melee based barbarian.

4) Overuse of spells to create effects. Self explanatory. I don't know if it was to save page space or for ease.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Magic, okay, but it doesn't have to be Ki. It could be divine or primal or psychic - but the rules don't support that.

ki and psionics are the same thing internal magic both having to do with breath if you go back far and look at this and tell me it is not almost psionic Ṛddhi - Wikipedia

With a magic boxing glove of course. Same way anybody else does it, right?

do you want fighters to end up even more of a mess? as we must never let them hear that or it will happen plus I happen to like monks.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Sorcerer, it just feels like the Warlock did it better.

My logic as well. Warlock feels like an entirely different class than a wizard. Sorcerers, on the other hand, feel like a particularly complex wizard subclass.

 

[MGibster]

Monk. I just never cared for an eastern style martial artist in my western fantasy games.

 

[Minigiant]

Monks have two distinct concepts that don't depend on each other but don't exist in other classes: unarmed combat and ki as a magic style.

Both could probably hold their own class if a bit of a thin one, but the real issue is if you want one, you have to take the other along with it, which makes a lot of monk-adjacent concepts not workable.

unarmed needs the magic to work in dnd as how are your fists supposed to break steel or dragon hide?

The issue is not ki.

The issue is that forces one martial art, one genre of fiction, and one style on all monks.

I played Street Fighter and KOF. Any martial art can be KIed