D&D 5E (2014) Worst Classes Level 1.

[Minigiant]

The classes with martial weapons at least have those weapons. Barbarians, Fighters, Paladins, and Rangers are all good enough for level 1. If you are a caster and have decent skills, you are golden at level 1.

It's the casters and monks who worry at level 1.

 

[Ancalagon]

No, they're not. Of the classes who can shut down key enemies, they're on the weaker side due to the serious limitation of ki points. A wizard for example can shut down more enemies with a single third level spell than most monks can shut down in a day of adventuring.

Monks seriously suck.

(incidentally, I'm not arguing about the level 1 monk)

A wizard may shut down more enemies yes, but they can't provide that focused locking power a monk can. A level 5+ monk can try four times per round to lock down one foe. The mooks can be dealt by the wizard, the lieutenant by the fighter and other warriors, but that monk can shut down the big bad guy just long enough for the rest of the party to mop up most of the other foes and then BLAM focus fire the bad guy.

 

[Todd Roybark]

DO you think they hold up over mid levels and high levels?

I do actually. The monk and the game is more then DPS calculations, that assume scenarios with terrain found from Abbott’s’ Flatland.

Increased Movement and Step of the Wind means elevated opponents are vulnerable to a monk.
The PAM Fighter, not so much.

Evasion. Running up vertical surfaces and across liquids. Prof in Wisdom saves, and then Stillness of Mind to be extra sure of not being charmed/frightened.
The monk is not going to be charmed and go Wookie on the party and rip someone’s arms off.

Immunity to Poison and Disease. Eventual prof in all saves with chance to spend a Ki point to re-role a failed save.

Being able to understand all languages and be understood in return....is a nice ability to have, especially if one’s DM is a pedantic jerk, that takes the literal translation part of Comp/Lang seriously. (I admit, to being that DM.)

The literal translation of the French term for “orgasm“ in English is “Little Death”. Imagine the translation confusion that arrives from languages like Primordial translated to humanoid languages.....
............Parelez Vous crackle, crackle, glug-glug, woosh? The Monk does.

most other characters with a shirtsword can do

My shirtsword did such shirty damage, I retired it and placed it above my *lint*el.
Sadly my towel whip might be worse...(sorry, being -y)

 

[Xenonnonex]

Monk at high levels. Is there to shut down bosses. And get them to blow Legendary Resistances.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I was going to say the same thing. As a 1st level monk you only have the passive effects of your martial arts, but you still do have anything ''buttons'' to press to do cool stuff with your ki.

Warlocks are also pretty bad: 1 slot, no invocation, no boons...ouch

The trick is to make sure you pick a race or vuman feat that gives you at least one "button".

The artificer in our Eberron game picked Magic Adept at 1st level, giving them a familiar and a decent range of cantrips. 1st level moment of awesome: casting Mending through a spider familiar to repair a decaying staircase.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

if we are talking dex monk vs str fighter That givesthe monk alot of other benefits.

A dex fighter would be just the same, apart from getting AC 16 for 25 gp less.

 

[Helldritch]

With mobility, a 1st level human V monk can effectively never be in range of any melee attackers. I think monks are great when used for what they are best for: "shutting down single target boss/casters and harassers".

The real loser at first level is the ranger.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

With mobility

Yes, with a feat (or some racial abilities) any class can be interesting at 1st level.

 

[Sacrosanct]

.

The real issue is that Monk has zero feat support for increasing damage,

Well, this isn’t true at all. My aforementioned shadow monk? With the magic initiate feat and hex, that’s a feat that significantly increases damage. Better than any other class because the monk has the most attacks with flurry for most of the game.
Also, I don’t know why you and others are so caught up in DPR and AC. That’s not the monks strengths. You’re comparing apples to oranges and setting the monk up for failure that way.

 

[Zardnaar]

Sorry was away.

Monks extra damage is always on. Unlike rogue.

Forgot about the twf but that's kind of weak. Monk is top top tier damage though.

The feat thing is a problem with the feats not classes.

I called out the -5/+10 feats back in 2014. Opinion hasn't really changed on them.

I usually allow 3pp feats or be careful with magic items in my games. Don't expect great magic bows and greatswords.