D&D 5E Why do Monks only have d8 HP instead of d10 HP?

[tomBitonti]

Could it be the difference between a “brute” strength and mass based, armored, martial weapon wielding fighter and the more agile, technique based, unarmed or lightly armed, un-armed or lightly armed fighter?

Also, rogues (ninjas, at least) have excruciating martial training. Climbing; holding stillness.

TomB

 

[tomBitonti]

On second though … there are lots of strength and mass based martial artists. With training that emphasizes toughness and endurance. I’m thinking a pure martial artist ought to be a kind of fighter, with monk reserved for a mystic warrior.
TomB

 

[Deset Gled]

Could it be the difference between a “brute” strength and mass based, armored, martial weapon wielding fighter and the more agile, technique based, unarmed or lightly armed, un-armed or lightly armed fighter?

This was always my understanding. The Barbarian has a bigger HD than the Fighter, because he's expected to take heavy blows and shrug them off. The Monk has a smaller HD, because he's supposed to be nimble and avoid blows instead of taking them head on.

Cool in theory. Stressful in practice.

 

[Slit518]

Could it be the difference between a “brute” strength and mass based, armored, martial weapon wielding fighter and the more agile, technique based, unarmed or lightly armed, un-armed or lightly armed fighter?

TomB

No, because you can be a Fighter with Leather Armor and a Rapier and still have more beefy HP.

Also, think of large folks like Nathan Jones; Dan "the Beast" Severn; Brock Lesnar; Cain Valasquez, etc.
They're large, most of them agile, and would fit under this Monk/Martial Artist category.

I mean Brock Lesnar had to cut down to 265 for example, and is very agile for a Heavyweight, said to move like a Middleweight. That is an 80 pound difference!

Whoops! I missed your 2nd part. I don't know, I like Monk turned into Martial Artist and divided into Disciplines instead of just being a Fighter sub-category.

 

[Slit518]

P.S.

I will admit, I am being a bit of a hypocrite, because in the setting I am creating Martial Artists are d8 instead of the d10 I am advocating for.

I have no good reason, except the fact that I have 12 classes -- 3 which are d10 HP, 3 which are d8 HP, and 3 which are d6 HP, the Martial Artist falling into the d8 category.

I guess I just like things a certain wait, I might have a weird thing with numbers

 

[Arilyn]

This was always my understanding. The Barbarian has a bigger HD than the Fighter, because he's expected to take heavy blows and shrug them off. The Monk has a smaller HD, because he's supposed to be nimble and avoid blows instead of taking them head on.

Cool in theory. Stressful in practice.

Yep. They should be harder to hit in order to fit the nimble warrior avoiding blows, but they often end up with a mediocre armour class.

 

[tomBitonti]

I’m thinking there is a bit of overlapping function. Looking back to 3.5e, a fighter could get extra HP with the toughness feat. Or by putting more points on Con. Which ought to have meant dropping a fighter’s base HP to d8. Or, the base fighter should have d8 base and receive improved toughness as a bonus feat at first level. Or as part one of several starting packages, in the same way that Rangers did.
TomB

 

[Frozen_Heart]

I definitely think that monks should find it easier to disengage than they do. Currently they have to sacrifice way too much in order to get out of base contact.

Unlike the rogue who can get full attack benefits, and still walk away once they've hit.

 

[Icarii]

I think its odd they have a D8 too. Sure, you want them to be more nimble, but their defenses are already going to be lower without the usual armor and such. I came up with a rework idea that includes them having a D10 as well as some improved defensive options, including the choice to redirect melee attacks as a "signature technique" separate to their projectile catching. Y'all should check it out!

D&D 5E - Signature Technique! 5E Monk Rework

Hello All! After listening to Treantmonk's video on the Monk being underpowered, and reading forum post here and elsewhere online, I wanted to rework the monk to make the overly baseline it gives more powerful, a bit better to multiclass with, and some additional fluff. That said, this rework...

www.enworld.org

 

[Undrave]

Could it be the difference between a “brute” strength and mass based, armored, martial weapon wielding fighter and the more agile, technique based, unarmed or lightly armed, un-armed or lightly armed fighter?

Also, rogues (ninjas, at least) have excruciating martial training. Climbing; holding stillness.

TomB

There's a bit of a bias (possibly even racist undertones) with the idea that a nimble martial artist isn't "strong": that kind of speed requires powerful muscles just the same.

Yep. They should be harder to hit in order to fit the nimble warrior avoiding blows, but they often end up with a mediocre armour class.

Yup. Monks have bad AC and bad HP and they're too MAD to be good at either.