That is how I would play it, but it feels a bit cheesy. If you are blind and can only hear movements and fighting, it’s odd to assume that is enough to pinpoint someone’s location.
but in general, I’m not sure how useful the feat is for the monk
The fun of Blind Fighting combos is weighing up what's worse; blinding your party, or leaving the enemy free to attack normally; there are some enemies with seriously nasty direct attacks.
Also if you have allies with any means of gaining advantage then it's not necessarily a hopeless situation; Barbarian's Reckless Attacks, Oath of Vengeance Paladin's Oath of Enmity, Faerie Fire and so-on can all counter the penalty for your allies, while leaving the enemy screwed if you play it right.
Definitely talk to your party though, because if you can come up with a way for them not to be royally screwed by it then it's less likely to piss people off.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
From experience, mobility on an open-hand monk was a lot of fun. The extra move adds insult to injury, and combined with flurry or your ki-enabled jump/wall running the ability to avoid AOs lets you get around the minions to the boss to lay a beat-down fast. Run, throw one blow each at the minion(s) in the way on your way past on the wall or over them (don't even care if they hit), stun/quivering palm the boss. Go full on wire-fu. Don't need no ranged weapon; with your base move you are a ranged weapon. With super-leap even punched a dragon out of the air.
BTW, I forgot to mention the King of Combat feats for monks: Fighting Initiate to get the Unarmed Fighting Style and get a 1d8 for your attacks, what you normally get at level 11 as a monk. And, you can replace it later on.
The problem witht the Unarmed Fighting Style is that it explicitly states that you use STR with it. It's worth a shot talking to the DM but RAW it contradicts Martial Arts and you'd have to pick one or the other.
I would disagree. RAW, all melee weapon attacks use STR. The feat is no different, they just list it so you know you add your modifier. The monks martial arts feature overrides this, if you choose. You are not required to use DEX with martial arts, but you can, instead of STR
PHB: Making an Attack
Ability Modifier. The ability modifier used for a melee weapon attack is Strength, and the ability modifier used for a ranged weapon attack is Dexterity. Weapons that have the finesse or thrown property break this rule.
Anyway, I like mobile, crusher, and depending on character concept magic initiate, fey/shadow touched. But only one of those as ASI’s are so important
When I have to create a Monk, very often I feel almost obliged to choose the human variant race, clearly to take a feat. I recommend the "Mobile", or even better "Crusher" feat. At 5th monk level take 3 ranger levels for "Hunter mark" and "Druidic warrior" combat style for the spells "Create bonfire" and "Guidance". "Create bonfire" combined with "Crusher" feat and the open hands martial arts synnergy could have good results. (haven't tried yet). The spells the ranger offers are gold. "zephyr strike", "absorb elements", "black lotus assault",....
Too bad the ranger doesn't reload spells like warlocks do. That would be epic.
In the character builder AURORA I found this subclass for the ranger. If it wasn't a homebrew, I would always take the first 3 levels of this subclass to make a monk.
NENTYAR HUNTER The Nentyar archdruid of the Circle of Leth grants unique primal abilities to a special conclave of rangers in their employ. These rangers master a greater command of druidic and totemic powers. Using these gifts, the Nentyar Hunters, as they are called, root out evil that would threaten the forest and the natural order.
In Other Settings Outside the Forgotten Realms, these rangers are referred to as Wildheart Striders, named for their greater connection to the natural world. In worlds such as Eberron, these rangers serve the druids in the Eldeen Reaches. In Ravnica, these rangers might be guardians of the Selesnya Conclave’s guildhall, Vitu- Ghazi, or gifted scouts of the Gruul Clans. However you might choose to use them, these rangers are often considered champions of the primeval.
NENTYAR HUNTER MAGIC Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Nentyar Hunter Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.
NATURE’S GRACE You can leap, bound, dive, and swim gracefully through any environment. At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Acrobatics, if you aren’t already proficient, and as long as you are not wearing armor heavier than light armor, and have at least one hand free, you have a climb and swim speed equal to your movement speed.
NATURE’S FURY When you access the primal powers granted to you through your spells, it invigorates your inner hunter. Starting at 3rd level, while you concentrate on a ranger spell, your movement speed increases by 10 feet, and you gain a bonus to weapon damage rolls equal to your proficiency bonus. Additionally, once per long rest you may change a normal hit from a weapon attack into a critical hit.
AGILITY OF THE WILD Starting at 7th level, you have resistance to the damage dealt by opportunity attacks. Also, when you provoke an opportunity attack, you can use your reaction to cause the opportunity attack to miss you, but you must choose to do so before the attack roll is made against you.
You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses of this feature when you finish a long rest.
MASTER OF THE HUNT You swiftly coordinate hunts to the utmost efficiency, ending them faster than they began. Beginning at 11th level, you have advantage on initiative rolls. Also, when you roll for initiative, every allied creature within 30 feet of you gains a bonus to their initiative rolls and weapon damage rolls during the first round of combat equal to your Wisdom modifier.
UNTAMED FEROCITY When challenged, you fearlessly strike back at all that would oppose you. Starting at 15th level, you can no longer be frightened.
Additionally, when a creature misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to make an attack against the creature as long as it is within range of your weapon.
That is how I would play it, but it feels a bit cheesy. If you are blind and can only hear movements and fighting, it’s odd to assume that is enough to pinpoint someone’s location.
but in general, I’m not sure how useful the feat is for the monk
The fun of Blind Fighting combos is weighing up what's worse; blinding your party, or leaving the enemy free to attack normally; there are some enemies with seriously nasty direct attacks.
Also if you have allies with any means of gaining advantage then it's not necessarily a hopeless situation; Barbarian's Reckless Attacks, Oath of Vengeance Paladin's Oath of Enmity, Faerie Fire and so-on can all counter the penalty for your allies, while leaving the enemy screwed if you play it right.
Definitely talk to your party though, because if you can come up with a way for them not to be royally screwed by it then it's less likely to piss people off.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
From experience, mobility on an open-hand monk was a lot of fun. The extra move adds insult to injury, and combined with flurry or your ki-enabled jump/wall running the ability to avoid AOs lets you get around the minions to the boss to lay a beat-down fast. Run, throw one blow each at the minion(s) in the way on your way past on the wall or over them (don't even care if they hit), stun/quivering palm the boss. Go full on wire-fu. Don't need no ranged weapon; with your base move you are a ranged weapon. With super-leap even punched a dragon out of the air.
I would disagree. RAW, all melee weapon attacks use STR. The feat is no different, they just list it so you know you add your modifier. The monks martial arts feature overrides this, if you choose. You are not required to use DEX with martial arts, but you can, instead of STR
PHB: Making an Attack
Ability Modifier. The ability modifier used for a melee weapon attack is Strength, and the ability modifier used for a ranged weapon attack is Dexterity. Weapons that have the finesse or thrown property break this rule.
Anyway, I like mobile, crusher, and depending on character concept magic initiate, fey/shadow touched. But only one of those as ASI’s are so important
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
When I have to create a Monk, very often I feel almost obliged to choose the human variant race, clearly to take a feat. I recommend the "Mobile", or even better "Crusher" feat. At 5th monk level take 3 ranger levels for "Hunter mark" and "Druidic warrior" combat style for the spells "Create bonfire" and "Guidance". "Create bonfire" combined with "Crusher" feat and the open hands martial arts synnergy could have good results. (haven't tried yet). The spells the ranger offers are gold. "zephyr strike", "absorb elements", "black lotus assault",....
Too bad the ranger doesn't reload spells like warlocks do. That would be epic.
In the character builder AURORA I found this subclass for the ranger. If it wasn't a homebrew, I would always take the first 3 levels of this subclass to make a monk.
NENTYAR HUNTER
The Nentyar archdruid of the Circle of Leth grants unique primal abilities to a special conclave of rangers in their employ. These rangers master a greater command of druidic and totemic powers. Using these gifts, the Nentyar Hunters, as they are called, root out evil that would threaten the forest and the natural order.
In Other Settings
Outside the Forgotten Realms, these rangers are referred to as Wildheart Striders, named for their greater connection to the natural world. In worlds such as Eberron, these rangers serve the druids in the Eldeen Reaches. In Ravnica, these rangers might be guardians of the Selesnya Conclave’s guildhall, Vitu- Ghazi, or gifted scouts of the Gruul Clans. However you might choose to use them, these rangers are often considered champions of the primeval.
NENTYAR HUNTER MAGIC
Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Nentyar Hunter Spells table. The spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.
Nentyar Hunter Spells
Ranger Level Spell
3rd entangle
5th enhance ability
9th dispel magic
13th dominate beast
17th hold monster
NATURE’S GRACE
You can leap, bound, dive, and swim gracefully through any environment. At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Acrobatics, if you aren’t already proficient, and as long as you are not wearing armor heavier than light armor, and have at least one hand free, you have a climb and swim speed equal to your movement speed.
NATURE’S FURY
When you access the primal powers granted to you through your spells, it invigorates your inner hunter. Starting at 3rd level, while you concentrate on a ranger spell, your movement speed increases by 10 feet, and you gain a bonus to weapon damage rolls equal to your proficiency bonus. Additionally, once per long rest you may change a normal hit from a weapon attack into a critical hit.
AGILITY OF THE WILD
Starting at 7th level, you have resistance to the damage dealt by opportunity attacks. Also, when you provoke an opportunity attack, you can use your reaction to cause the opportunity attack to miss you, but you must choose to do so before the attack roll is made against you.
You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses of this feature when you finish a long rest.
MASTER OF THE HUNT
You swiftly coordinate hunts to the utmost efficiency, ending them faster than they began. Beginning at 11th level, you have advantage on initiative rolls. Also, when you roll for initiative, every allied creature within 30 feet of you gains a bonus to their initiative rolls and weapon damage rolls during the first round of combat equal to your Wisdom modifier.
UNTAMED FEROCITY
When challenged, you fearlessly strike back at all that would oppose you. Starting at 15th level, you can no longer be frightened.
Additionally, when a creature misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction to make an attack against the creature as long as it is within range of your weapon.