Everyone pretty much want Step of the Wind to function like Cunning Action.
although I do like patient defense not consuming a BA.
I'm partial to the idea of scaling FOB to follow prof bonus at the risk of removing extra attack but making it add additional attacks without consuming a BA, either that or keeping the same amount but not cost Ki to replace the BA unarmed strike,it bothers me a tad that only monks can BA unarmed strike its functionally two weapon fighting but unarmed so they should be a standard so non monk hand to hand characters can deal more hits without a monk dip.
Every time someone suggests extra attacks to FOB I always have to ask which monk subclasses does this help and which ones does it hurt? Help: Mercy, Long Death, Open Hand, Shadow and Astral self. 2 of these are going to be rewritten in the same book that monk is re-done in and they are all some of the strongest monk subclasses already. The ones it hurts, Elemental, Sun Soul, Way of the dragon, Drunken master and Kensei. All some of the weaker subclasses that need some help from the base monk class upgrades and only 1 of which is going to get re-written. Why am I saying each of these is hurt by the change to FoB? Well since they aren't being re-written losing extra attack on sun soul means it only has 1 attack and is still only getting 2 more rays as a bonus action for 1 ki. Kensei is about being able to use 1 ranged and 1 melee martial weapon, the martial weapon gets helped, but again any kind of ranged monk is screwed by the lost of extra attacks for their ranged weapon outside of FoB. Way of the Dragon already does low damage with its breath weapon, by making them have access to more attacks through FoB it is an even worse trade for them to use their breath over attacking. Finally Drunken master is going to need even more enemies to make its final feature something that isn't a trap or just worse for them overall (though this is the least problematic one since it comes up so late). All of these are solved by better Martial die scaling, even the other monks are all solved with better martial arts die scaling. The other thing that helps all of these sub classes is more ki and the biggest factor for the weakest among them is Stunning Strike synergy. Sun soul, Kensei, way of the dragon and elementalist all have anti-synergy with the best feature the monk has to offer. Stunning strike.
Finally Monk is also pretty good from levels 1-8. It only really starts having issues around level 11. If you think about it there are several power spikes for characters throughout the game. Level 3 gets subclasses, level 5 gets extra attack, 3rd level spells, and increased damage from cantrips, level 9 gets 5th level spells and usually some powerful features and your proficiency bonus goes to +4, level 11 fighters get a 3rd attack, casters get their 6th level spell slot, cantrips scale again and most classes get another boost to damage.
Monk at 3 gets a subclass, they are fine here, at 5 their martial arts die scales up and they get extra attack, still good, level 9 they get the ability to run along walls and water, honestly a really solid ability that can be replicated with spells, but this burns party resources where the monk can do it for free. Level 11, their die increases again, but this time it is much weaker increase because it doesn't come with anything else unlike the level 5 boost all you get is another monk sublcass feature, so the good subclasses like mercy, Shadow, Astral self that kind of keep up past level 11 get great level 11 features. While the others that all fall off, at this point don't (Elemental gets a pretty good feature at 11 being able to get fireball and fly, but they are already anti-synergistic with the other monk features and cost so much ki that it doesn't matter too much.)
Honestly, I am ok with making my suggestion flipped for Flurry and Patient defense. Make Flurry read "When you take the attack action you may spend 1 ki to make one additional unarmed strike as apart of that action" This would allow the Kensei monk to attack twice and use the flurry of blows attack for their agile parry, but it does make some of the others ones I mentioned unable to dodge and use their sublcass replacements for flurry, which is why I made the original suggestion that I did. Maybe the trick is both dodge and flurry get taken off the bonus action? but if this is the case step of the wind would have to cost ki because being free and not having bonus action bloat to make you choose whether to step or not means the already fast monk is now dashing like a mad man and I don't think anyone wants that.
Honestly, lets try that. Flurry now reads what I said above, Patient now also reads like I suggested, and step is unchanged from how it is now. Stunning strike now works with monk damage abilities and monk weapons instead of just melee. Maybe this works? Looking at sun soul it can now stunning strike which is good, drunken master can now flurry and dodge which turns its tipsy sway on and its 17th level ability now only needs 4 people instead of 5 to fully function, kensei can now make 2 weapon attacks flurry for an unarmed and get its agile parry, Acendant dragon can now flurry and use its fear effect giving it 3 attacks at level 11 while still getting its fear off or it can breath and fear and still dodge if it wants. All the while the good monk subclasses still do well. (open hand, shadow and elemental will get reprinted to possibly work better) Mercy , Long death, and astral self are all pretty good, astral self even gets better with the ability to activate its astral body and flurry at the same time so also getting 3 attacks + astral activation. Long death is probably the weakest one here in terms of offense, but defense it is still a long death monk.
1) The first is that in the feature "martial style" have a technique of "combat master" but that uses ki. The probelm is at 1st level the monk has no ki yet. What to do?
Mixed Martial Arts. You learn one MMA Technique of your choice from among those available to the Combat Master archetype. The Mixed Martial arts use your ki power to fuel the MMA technique. 1 ki power is expended when you use it.
2) The second problem is the feature "Dao of yinyang" where the ki consumed indicates the level of the spell. Only I didn't introduce a limit. Although a hallucinating waste, a 20th level monk could cast "inflict wonds" with 22d10 damage if he consumed 20 ki at once XD. The image of a monk casting a level 20 spell when the limit is 9 made me laugh.
Dao of YinYang
Also at 3rd level, if you spend 1 ki power or more as part of your action on your turn, you can make one attack with an unarmed strikes or a monk weapon as a bonus action before the end of the turn. Additionally, you can choose 1 of the following spells and this choice will be permanent.
ki
YinYang spells
1x level
Burning Hands
1x level
Earth Tremor
1x level
Frost Fingers
1x level
Inflict Wonds
1x level
Magic Missile
1x level
Thunderwave
As an action, you can spend 1 ki power per level of the spell casted without providing material components.
I also imagined 22 darts of "magic missile" being thrown at the enemy, basically a scene from Dragon Ball Z.
For the first problem I was thinking of reversing the level of the features. The feature "ki" go in the 1st level and "martial style" to 2nd level.
For the second problem i would like to leave it as it is XD! But, probably a lot of people wouldn't agree, so I was thinking to use this formula. max: 1ki x 1/2 monk level -1.
I wanted to ask your opinion on this modification I made as well.
Ki-Empowered Body
Starting at 6th level, your hard training has made your body a weapon. Spells directed at weapons also work on your body and your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
I once found myself in the situation that the buff of a spell did not work because the unarmed attacks of the monk are not weapons and then the spell was not compatible.
Honestly man, just change the ruling. Don't add more super situational features to a class with already ultra specific features. Just make it less awkward to use alternate fighting methods for everyone.
Honestly man, just change the ruling. Don't add more super situational features to a class with already ultra specific features. Just make it less awkward to use alternate fighting methods for everyone.
Are you talking about the "Ki-Empowered Body"? What do you mean about changing the rules?
It never occurred to you a monk that only uses unarmed attacks because he is already at 17th level. The whole group receives a weapon buff... the monk does not. Just because the monk's body isn't specified as a weapon? Every now and then we need some clarification in order to have working rules.
Yes I am referring to ki-empowered body. Just make it where spells effect unarmed attacks the same as melee weapons. I am not saying "change the rules" I am saying "Change the RULING". Aka change your interpretation of the rule. Technically, yes rules as written unarmed attacks are not weapons, but if it is messing with your game screw that idea as written and just interpret unarmed strikes as weapons. It works for Unarmed fighting style fighters as well. Let people have their fantasy without having to add more features to a class. Change the ruling, not the rules.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this new modification. The problem is that the monk gives inportance to both the main action and the bonus action, making it difficult to decide which one to sacrifice. My idea is that the monk's power is concentrated in his bonus attacks, leaving the main action free to launch cantrip attacks. This would make it more practical to use and also more interesting to the magical classes that want to fight.
Martial Arts
You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an attack that deals bludgeoning damage, you can move it 5 feet to an unoccupied space, provided the target is no more than one size larger than you.
You can make one unarmed attack as a bonus action.
Ki
Flurry of Blows. Immediately after you make your bonus action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki power to make one unarmed strikes as part of your bonus action
Reactive Defense. You can spend 1 ki point to use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you.
World Energies. You learn 1 of the following spells. Burning Hands, Earth Tremor, Frost Fingers, Inflict Wonds, Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave As an action, as an action, you can cast this spell by using 1 ki power per spell level (max:1ki x 1/2 monk level), the spell is performed without providing material components. Additionally, you learn tree cantrips of your choice from the Druid spell list. You can replace one of these cantrips whenever you gain a level in this class.
Extra unarmed Attack
Beginning at 5th level, after you make your bonus action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strikes as part of the same action.
Ki-Empowered Body
Starting at 6th level, your hard training has made your body a weapon. Your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. Additionally, when your weapon is enhanced by a spell, your unarmed attacks are also enhanced in the same way.
This is what I think could help improve the core Monk class. I have taken some ideas from other sources and blended it with my own thoughts.
At level one additionally gain a fighting style; unarmed, dueling, two weapon, Druidic warrior, blind fighting, thrown, archery, and interception, grappling. Let them change fighting style at ASI. Gain proficiency in Versatile weapons and one martial weapon; for the purposes of martial arts the special and heavy properties can be ignored for this one weapon.
Level 2 gain disengage, ki equals monk level plus wisdom modifier plus proficiency modifier.
Level 3 gain trained block: as a reaction add your wisdom modifier to you AC this can be done a number of time equal to proficiency modifier.
Level 4 Martial arts die is now a d6
Level 8 martial arts die now a d8
Level 9 purity of body moved to here
Level 10 gain ASI
Level 11 Step of the wind now gives let’s you fly until the end of your turn. Extra attack now attack three times for one action
Level 12 martial arts die now a d10
Level 13 flurry of blows now does 3 attacks, diamond soul and unarmed movement moved here
Level 14 gain ASI
Level 15 for the cost of 1 ki gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed for 1 minute. This can be done a number of times equals to twice your wisdom modifier. Minimum 1 time Recharge on a long rest. Step of the wind now lets you teleport
Level 16 martial arts die now a d12
Level 20 martial arts die now 4d4, for the cost of one bonus action refill all ki points. This can be done a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier. Extra attack; for one action now attack four times. Flurry of blows now attacks four times.
This is what I think could help improve the core Monk class. I have taken some ideas from other sources and blended it with my own thoughts.
At level one additionally gain a fighting style; unarmed, dueling, two weapon, Druidic warrior, blind fighting, thrown, archery, and interception, grappling. Let them change fighting style at ASI. Gain proficiency in Versatile weapons and one martial weapon; for the purposes of martial arts the special and heavy properties can be ignored for this one weapon.
Level 2 gain disengage, ki equals monk level plus wisdom modifier plus proficiency modifier.
Level 3 gain trained block: as a reaction add your wisdom modifier to you AC this can be done a number of time equal to proficiency modifier.
Level 4 Martial arts die is now a d6
Level 8 martial arts die now a d8
Level 9 purity of body moved to here
Level 10 gain ASI
Level 11 Step of the wind now gives let’s you fly until the end of your turn. Extra attack now attack three times for one action
Level 12 martial arts die now a d10
Level 13 flurry of blows now does 3 attacks, diamond soul and unarmed movement moved here
Level 14 gain ASI
Level 15 for the cost of 1 ki gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed for 1 minute. This can be done a number of times equals to twice your wisdom modifier. Minimum 1 time Recharge on a long rest. Step of the wind now lets you teleport
Level 16 martial arts die now a d12
Level 20 martial arts die now 4d4, for the cost of one bonus action refill all ki points. This can be done a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier. Extra attack; for one action now attack four times. Flurry of blows now attacks four times.
I think I made the capstone too good. I’ll leave the martial arts die at 1d12, 3 attacks and three flurry of blows. I think the perfect self ability should refill all ki points like I said before. My idea for the monk is that in levels 10+ they become the masters of movement and number of attacks. Give them more ASI and ki. I think it would make sense for each monastic tradition to have its own capstone like with the paladin.
I tinkered with a spreadsheet calculating damage at each level. The first experiment was granting expertise in unarmed strikes. Assuming each ki is used for another unarmed strike (oversimplified for easier numbers), resulted in a noticeable increase in average damage. A second change of keeping the martial arts dice static at 1d4 brought the damage back down.
What are people’s thoughts about trading martial arts dice increase for expertise in unarmed strikes? Each attack would be more likely to hit, but at lower damage. The monk would have a role of consistent, reliable damage.
What are people’s thoughts about trading martial arts dice increase for expertise in unarmed strikes? Each attack would be more likely to hit, but at lower damage. The monk would have a role of consistent, reliable damage.
Expertise is a very interesting idea; the only in built way most Monks have to increase their chances to hit is landing a Stunning Strike (which is dependant upon hitting in the first place) so being able to hit more reliably than most could be an excellent benefit.
I think the Martial Arts dice scaling should probably still go up, but only to d12 (not some of the higher proposals) and at a more linear pace (every four levels or so? i.e- d6 [5th] d8 [9th] d10 [13th] d12 [17th]) since this expertise would still presumably apply to monk weapons, so most monks don't really start on d4 anyway.
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I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Inspired by what Thrikeen was going for, plus what I liked from Haraviks and Aanx tweaks, and numerous ideas i read in this thread.
Class Features
As a monk, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per monk level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8+ your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None Weapons: Simple weapons, shortswords and pikes. Tools: Choose one type of artisan's tools or one musical instrument Saving Throws:Wisdom, Dexterity Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Medicine, Religion, and Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
10 darts
Unarmored Defense
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.
Martial Arts
At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords, pikes and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property.
You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing heavy armor or wielding a shield:
You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die size increase as you gain monk levels, d6 at 5th, d8 at 9th, d10 at 13th and finally d12 at 17th.
When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn.
Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon on the Weapons page.
Ki
Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points. Your monk level + your wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus determine the number of points you have.
You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class.
When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points.
Some of your ki features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Ki save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Flurry of Blows. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two additional unarmed strikes as part of the same action.
Flurry of Blows (Optional Variant). Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 2 ki points to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action. The amount of unarmed strikes increase as you gain levels in this class following your Proficiency Bonus, as do the cost for every additional unarmed strike by 1 ki point for each subsequent strike (max of 6 ki points).
Patient Defense. You can spend 1 ki point to use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you.
Step of the Wind. You can spend 2 ki point to freely take the Dodge, Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.
Martial Techniques (Optional)
Replaces the Ki Response feature.
At 2nd level, you learn maneuvers that are fueled by special dice called Technique dice.
The number of Ki points you now have is determined by this class's Proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.
Maneuvers
You learn two maneuvers of your choice, which are chosen from the list of maneuvers available to fighters with the Battle Master archetype. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver per attack.
You learn one additional maneuver of your choice at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels. Each time you learn a new maneuver, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.
Technique Dice
You have five Technique dice, which are equal to your martial arts die. A Technique die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended Technique dice when you finish a short or long rest.
Additionally, you can spend a Ki point to preform a maneuver without adding the martial arts die to the attack's damage roll.
Saving Throws
Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom or Dexterity modifier (your choice)
Unarmored Movement
Starting at 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the Monk table.
At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.
Dedicated Weapon (Optional)
Also at 2nd level, you train yourself to use a variety of weapons as monk weapons, not just simple melee weapons and shortswords. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can touch one weapon, focus your ki on it, and then count that weapon as a monk weapon until you use this feature again.
The chosen weapon must meet these criteria:
The weapon must be a simple or martial weapon.
You must be proficient with it.
It must lack the heavy and special properties.
Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Blind Fighting. You have blind sight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.
Mariner (UA). As long as you are not wearing heavy armor or using a shield, you have a swimming speed and a climbing speed equal to your normal speed, and you gain a +1 bonus to armor class.
Tunnel Fighter (UA). As a bonus action, you can enter a defensive stance that lasts until the start of your next turn. While in your defensive stance, you can make opportunity attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.
Ranged Melee Fighting. When use a two-handed or versatile melee weapon, add 5 feet to your reach when you Attack with it, as well as when determining your reach for Opportunity Attacks with it.
Two-Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Monastic Tradition
When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.
Deflect Attack
Starting at 3rd level, you can spend 1 ki point to use your reaction to deflect an attack or catch the missile when you or one of your allies within your range are hit by an attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level.
When you reduce the damage to 0 and if you catch the missile provided it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can make a ranged attack with a range of 20/60 using the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack.
Ki-Fueled Attack (Optional)
Also at 3rd level, if you spend 1 ki point or more as part of your action on your turn, you can make one attack with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon as a bonus action before the end of the turn.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Martial Versatility (Optional)
Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace a fighting style you know with another fighting style available to rangers. This replacement represents a shift of focus in your martial practice.
Slow Fall
Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your monk level. Moreover you can use your Dexterity modifier to determine your Jump distance.
Quickened Healing (Optional)
Also at 4th level, as an action, you can spend 2 ki points and roll a Martial Arts die. You or one of your allies regain a number of hit points equal to the number rolled plus your proficiency bonus.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Stunning Strike
Starting at 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent's body. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become dazed. On a failed save the target has a -2 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks and Dexterity saving throws and it can’t take reactions until the end of your next turn.
Beginning at 9 level, on a failed Constitution saving throw the target is stunned until the end of your next turn, and at 17th level every time you make a critical hit the enemy is automatically stunned until the end of your next turn.
Focused Aim (Optional)
Also at 5th level, when you miss with an attack roll, you can spend 1 to 3 ki points to increase your attack roll by 2 for each of these ki points you spend, potentially turning the miss into a hit.
Ki-Empowered Strikes
Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Ki Response
At 7th level, your training in the mystic art of Ki has grown; providing you access to additional features.
Counter-Strike: When a creature misses you with an attack, you can use your reaction and expend 1 ki point to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. (Riposte)
Puppeteer-Strike: When you hit a creature with an attack, you can expend a ki point to maneuver one of your comrades into a more advantageous position. You choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you. That creature can use its reaction to move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks from the target of your attack.(Maneuvering Attack)
First-Strike: When a creature you can see moves into your reach, you can use your reaction to expend one Ki point and make one attack against the creature, using that weapon or unarmed strike. (Brace)
Evasion
At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Stillness of Mind
Starting at 7th level, you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. This applies to initial saves as well as ongoing saving throws. If you become aware that you or one of your allies are charmed or frightened you can use your action to end one of these effects.
Pressure Points
At 10th level, when you channel ki into your attacks you augment its effectiveness.
Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the following effects on the target:
Weakened Body. The target has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.
Terror Touch. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
Blind Rage. The target suffers disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn.
Tender Flesh. The target gains vulnerability to bludgeoning damage until the end of your next turn.
Purity of Body
At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison.
Timeless Body
At 10th level, your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can't be aged magically. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, you no longer need food or water.
Tongue of the Sun and Moon
Starting at 13th level, you learn to touch the ki of other minds so that you understand all spoken languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.
Empty Mind (Optional)
At 13th level, you have practiced emptying your mind of all thoughts, desires, and assumptions. When your mind is clear, you are free from your ego and are able to act spontaneously and fluidly without emotion and hesitation.
When you hit a creature with an attack roll, you can target it as your Sole Focus for 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell).
Every time that you hit the Sole Focus and deal damage to it, including when you target it, you increase that damage by your Martial Arts die.
You can use this feature to target a Sole Focus a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Empty Mind (Optional)
For Flurry of Blows (Optional Variant)
At 13th level, you have practiced emptying your mind of all thoughts, desires, and assumptions. When your mind is clear, you are free from your ego and are able to act spontaneously and fluidly without emotion and hesitation.
When you hit a creature with an attack roll, you can target it as your Sole Focus for 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell).
The first time on each of your turns that you hit the Sole Focus and deal damage to it, including when you target it, you increase that damage by your Martial Arts die.
You can use this feature to target a Sole Focus a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Diamond Soul
Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki grants you proficiency in all saving throws.
Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result.
Empty Body
Beginning at 18th level, you can use your action to spend 4 ki points to become invisible for 1 minute. During that time, you also have resistance to all damage but force damage.
Additionally, you can spend 4 ki points to cast the Astral Projection spell, without needing material components. When you do so, you can't take any other creatures with you.
Perfect Self
At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain half your total Ki points. Additionally, your Flurry of Blows feature no longer costs Ki.
I probably should shuffle some of the additive features around, I'm not entirely sure what their level placements should be. I'm approaching them for gradual growth rather than introducing them too early or late.
I thought that the monk has a tactical problem because he gives too much importance to both his action and his bonus action. Very often the bonus action is a sacrifice for many features in other classes. The monk has 2 normal attacks as an action and 1+1 bonus attacks. Making it difficult to optimize it. I would try to have more attacks as an action or as a bonus action.
So I tried a variant where the bonus attacks are not dependent on the main attack, but as a bonus action you can make an unarmed attack. At 5th level he gets another bonus unarmed attack and the "flurry of blow" adds another unarmed attack. Leading to 1 attack as a main action and 2+1 bonus attacks. This allow the monk to do attacks spell / cantrip + unarmed attacks. Since the bonus attacks are not dependent on the main attack the Disengage, Hide or Sprint actions can be done without then losing the bonus action.
Martial Arts At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are any Simple and Martial Weapons,that don't have the heavy and special properties. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons that you have proficiency and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield: (This also takes into account "Dedicated Weapon" feature)
You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an attack that deals bludgeoning damage, you can move it 5 feet to an unoccupied space, provided the target is no more than one size larger than you. (You already know how I feel about a practical way to disengage from the enemy).
You can make one unarmed attack as a bonus action. (This is an independent attack on the main action and this is also a variant of the "Ki-Fueled Attack" feature).
Ki
Flurry of Blows.Immediately after you make your bonus action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki power to make one unarmed strikes as part of your bonus action.
Reactive Defense.You can spend 1 ki power to use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you.
World Energies. You learn 1 of the following spells. Burning Hands, Earth Tremor, Frost Fingers, Inflict Wonds, Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave As an action, as an action, you can cast this spell by using 1 ki power per spell level (max:1ki x 1/2 monk level), the spell is performed without providing material components. Additionally, you learn tree cantrips of your choice. You can replace one of these cantrips whenever you gain a level in this class.(I have to say that this doesn't convince me yet, but I like the concept of having flurry of blow that boosts the bonus action, Reactive defense uses reaction to increase defense and the "World Energies" allows the monk to use some spell / cantrip in the main action) ( bonus action - reaction - action).
Martial Style Starting at 2nd level, you can adopt a particular style in your Martial art. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Martial Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield:
Archery. You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons
Blind Monk. You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.
Close Quarters Shooter. When making a ranged attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. Your ranged attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover against targets within 30 feet of you. You have a +1 bonus to attack rolls on ranged attacks.
Defensive Stance.As an action, you can enter a defensive stance that lasts until the start of your next turn. While in your defensive stance, you can make opportunity attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.
Divine Sense. As an action you can activate your divine sense on the region around you. For 1 minute per ki power you use, you can sense whether the following types of presences are present within 1 mile of you: Lawful good, Neutral good, Chaotic good, Lawful neutral, Neutral, Chaotic neutral, Lawful evil, Neutral evil, Chaotic evil. This feature doesn’t reveal the creatures’ location or number.
Eight Extraordinary Meridians. Your ki pool increases by a number equal to your wisdom modifier. Additionally, when you score a critical hit you regain 1 ki power.
Flurry of Weapon Attacks. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki power to treat monk weapons as unarmed strikes for the purposes of other class abilities. (This is for being able to make multiple attacks with the main weapon(s)).
Interception. When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a monk weapon to use this reaction.
Athlete. You have a swimming speed and a climbing speed equal to your normal speed, and you gain a +1 bonus to armor class.
Mask of Many Faces. You can cast Disguise Self at will, without expending ki point.
Mixed Martial Arts. You learn one MMA Technique of your choice from among those available to the Combat Master archetype. The Mixed Martial arts use your ki power to fuel the MMA technique. 1 ki power is expended when you use it.
Monkey Step. You become difficult to pin down during a fight. You can move up to half your movement speed as a reaction when an enemy ends its turn within 5 feet of you. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
Protection. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a monk weapon.
Staff Control. When you use a quarterstaff, or a spear, they gain the reach property, and your jump distance is doubled.
Thrown Weapon Fighting. You can draw a monk weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon. In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.
Turtle Breathing Art. You can hold your breath for a number of hours equal to half of your monk level, and you gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. Additionally, you can use your action to give this same power to up to 4 people within 60 feet of you by consuming 1 ki power.
Two-Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two monk weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Wrestler. When you are totally unarmed, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with unarmed attacks.
Unarmored Movement At 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing heavy armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the Monk table. At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move. You can choose to use your reaction to not fall for a turn. At 18th level, you gain the ability to move in the air on your turn without falling during the move.(I love that the monk goes beyond the concept of physics and can almost fly)
Extra Unarmed Attack Beginning at 5th level, after you make your bonus action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strikes as part of the same action.(I had to put the text in this way for the two weapons users. The text is the same as the flurry of blow).
This in addition to making the monk class more practical would make it interesting to the magical classes that want to fight in melee. If you have any critiques I would be delighted to hear them. If you are interested here is the link to the full verion.
I thought that the monk has a tactical problem because he gives too much importance to both his action and his bonus action. Very often the bonus action is a sacrifice for many features in other classes. The monk has 2 normal attacks as an action and 1+1 bonus attacks. Making it difficult to optimize it. I would try to have more attacks as an action or as a bonus action.
So I tried a variant where the bonus attacks are not dependent on the main attack, but as a bonus action you can make an unarmed attack. At 5th level he gets another bonus unarmed attack and the "flurry of blow" adds another unarmed attack. Leading to 1 attack as a main action and 2+1 bonus attacks. This allow the monk to do attacks spell / cantrip + unarmed attacks. Since the bonus attacks are not dependent on the main attack the Disengage, Hide or Sprint actions can be done without then losing the bonus action.
Martial Arts At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are any Simple and Martial Weapons,that don't have the heavy and special properties. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons that you have proficiency and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield: (This also takes into account "Dedicated Weapon" feature)
You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an attack that deals bludgeoning damage, you can move it 5 feet to an unoccupied space, provided the target is no more than one size larger than you. (You already know how I feel about a practical way to disengage from the enemy).
You can make one unarmed attack as a bonus action. (This is an independent attack on the main action and this is also a variant of the "Ki-Fueled Attack" feature).
Ki
Flurry of Blows.Immediately after you make your bonus action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki power to make one unarmed strikes as part of your bonus action.
Reactive Defense.You can spend 1 ki power to use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you.
World Energies. You learn 1 of the following spells. Burning Hands, Earth Tremor, Frost Fingers, Inflict Wonds, Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave As an action, as an action, you can cast this spell by using 1 ki power per spell level (max:1ki x 1/2 monk level), the spell is performed without providing material components. Additionally, you learn tree cantrips of your choice. You can replace one of these cantrips whenever you gain a level in this class.(I have to say that this doesn't convince me yet, but I like the concept of having flurry of blow that boosts the bonus action, Reactive defense uses reaction to increase defense and the "World Energies" allows the monk to use some spell / cantrip in the main action) ( bonus action - reaction - action).
Martial Style Starting at 2nd level, you can adopt a particular style in your Martial art. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Martial Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield:
Archery. You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons
Blind Monk. You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.
Close Quarters Shooter. When making a ranged attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. Your ranged attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover against targets within 30 feet of you. You have a +1 bonus to attack rolls on ranged attacks.
Defensive Stance.As an action, you can enter a defensive stance that lasts until the start of your next turn. While in your defensive stance, you can make opportunity attacks without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.
Divine Sense. As an action you can activate your divine sense on the region around you. For 1 minute per ki power you use, you can sense whether the following types of presences are present within 1 mile of you: Lawful good, Neutral good, Chaotic good, Lawful neutral, Neutral, Chaotic neutral, Lawful evil, Neutral evil, Chaotic evil. This feature doesn’t reveal the creatures’ location or number.
Flurry of Weapon Attacks. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki power to treat monk weapons as unarmed strikes for the purposes of other class abilities. (This is for being able to make multiple attacks with the main weapon(s)).
Interception. When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within 5 feet of you with an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a monk weapon to use this reaction.
Athlete. You have a swimming speed and a climbing speed equal to your normal speed, and you gain a +1 bonus to armor class. Mask of Many Faces. You can cast Disguise Self at will, without expending ki point.
Mixed Martial Arts. You learn one MMA Technique of your choice from among those available to the Combat Master archetype. The Mixed Martial arts use your ki power to fuel the MMA technique. 1 ki power is expended when you use it.
Monkey Step. You become difficult to pin down during a fight. You can move up to half your movement speed as a reaction when an enemy ends its turn within 5 feet of you. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
Protection. When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a monk weapon.
Staff Control. When you use a quarterstaff, or a spear, they gain the reach property, and your jump distance is doubled.
Thrown Weapon Fighting. You can draw a monk weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon. In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.
Turtle Breathing Art. You can hold your breath for a number of hours equal to half of your monk level, and you gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. Additionally, you can use your action to give this same power to up to 4 people within 60 feet of you by consuming 1 ki power.
Two-Weapon Fighting. When you engage in two monk weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.
Wrestler. When you are totally unarmed, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with unarmed attacks.
Unarmored Movement At 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing heavy armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the Monk table. At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move. You can choose to use your reaction to not fall for a turn. At 18th level, you gain the ability to move in the air on your turn without falling during the move.(I love that the monk goes beyond the concept of physics and can almost fly)
Extra Unarmed Attack Beginning at 5th level, after you make your bonus action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strikes as part of the same action.(I had to put the text in this way for the two weapons users. The text is the same as the flurry of blow).
This in addition to making the monk class more practical would make it interesting to the magical classes that want to fight in melee. If you have any critiques I would be delighted to hear them. If you are interested here is the link to the full verion.
I really like the idea of giving the monk a little spell casting. Very interesting ideas for making monk a better multi class candidate for spell casters.
I love the use of battle master maneuvers being part of what the monk does. The rewording of the abilities makes them so much functional and reliable.
Thanks, I'm still reviewing some MMA tenics. Since these techniques use the ki power and the martial dice of the monk's unarmed attacks, in the feature "martial style" it is presented as a single technique, but it can be repeated as long as the monk have ki power, and the dice increases with the monk's level. So it's one of the most useful and powerful techniques in the list of "Martial Style" feature.
I really like the idea of giving the monk a little spell casting. Very interesting ideas for making monk a better multi class candidate for spell casters.
I find that this could be a good characteristic for the monk. A fighter that combines martial arts and spiritual power (ki) that allows him to perform techniques similar to simple magic. It should also be said that I love the idea of mages using martial arts. I'm just afraid it makes it too strong, maybe the Extra Unarmed Attack should be added at a higher level.
I love the use of battle master maneuvers being part of what the monk does. The rewording of the abilities makes them so much functional and reliable.
Thanks, I'm still reviewing some MMA tenics. Since these techniques use the ki power and the martial dice of the monk's unarmed attacks, in the feature "martial style" it is presented as a single technique, but it can be repeated as long as the monk have ki power, and the dice increases with the monk's level. So it's one of the most useful and powerful techniques in the list of "Martial Style" feature.
I really like the idea of giving the monk a little spell casting. Very interesting ideas for making monk a better multi class candidate for spell casters.
I find that this could be a good characteristic for the monk. A fighter that combines martial arts and spiritual power (ki) that allows him to perform techniques similar to simple magic. It should also be said that I love the idea of mages using martial arts. I'm just afraid it makes it too strong, maybe the Extra Unarmed Attack should be added at a higher level.
Maybe world energies should be one of the fighting styles. It feels like adding magic to every monk might make it too powerful. Magic monk would be a great sub class idea. That way you could still have the extra unarmed attack without breaking the balance.
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Every time someone suggests extra attacks to FOB I always have to ask which monk subclasses does this help and which ones does it hurt? Help: Mercy, Long Death, Open Hand, Shadow and Astral self. 2 of these are going to be rewritten in the same book that monk is re-done in and they are all some of the strongest monk subclasses already. The ones it hurts, Elemental, Sun Soul, Way of the dragon, Drunken master and Kensei. All some of the weaker subclasses that need some help from the base monk class upgrades and only 1 of which is going to get re-written. Why am I saying each of these is hurt by the change to FoB? Well since they aren't being re-written losing extra attack on sun soul means it only has 1 attack and is still only getting 2 more rays as a bonus action for 1 ki. Kensei is about being able to use 1 ranged and 1 melee martial weapon, the martial weapon gets helped, but again any kind of ranged monk is screwed by the lost of extra attacks for their ranged weapon outside of FoB. Way of the Dragon already does low damage with its breath weapon, by making them have access to more attacks through FoB it is an even worse trade for them to use their breath over attacking. Finally Drunken master is going to need even more enemies to make its final feature something that isn't a trap or just worse for them overall (though this is the least problematic one since it comes up so late). All of these are solved by better Martial die scaling, even the other monks are all solved with better martial arts die scaling. The other thing that helps all of these sub classes is more ki and the biggest factor for the weakest among them is Stunning Strike synergy. Sun soul, Kensei, way of the dragon and elementalist all have anti-synergy with the best feature the monk has to offer. Stunning strike.
Finally Monk is also pretty good from levels 1-8. It only really starts having issues around level 11. If you think about it there are several power spikes for characters throughout the game. Level 3 gets subclasses, level 5 gets extra attack, 3rd level spells, and increased damage from cantrips, level 9 gets 5th level spells and usually some powerful features and your proficiency bonus goes to +4, level 11 fighters get a 3rd attack, casters get their 6th level spell slot, cantrips scale again and most classes get another boost to damage.
Monk at 3 gets a subclass, they are fine here, at 5 their martial arts die scales up and they get extra attack, still good, level 9 they get the ability to run along walls and water, honestly a really solid ability that can be replicated with spells, but this burns party resources where the monk can do it for free. Level 11, their die increases again, but this time it is much weaker increase because it doesn't come with anything else unlike the level 5 boost all you get is another monk sublcass feature, so the good subclasses like mercy, Shadow, Astral self that kind of keep up past level 11 get great level 11 features. While the others that all fall off, at this point don't (Elemental gets a pretty good feature at 11 being able to get fireball and fly, but they are already anti-synergistic with the other monk features and cost so much ki that it doesn't matter too much.)
Honestly, I am ok with making my suggestion flipped for Flurry and Patient defense. Make Flurry read "When you take the attack action you may spend 1 ki to make one additional unarmed strike as apart of that action" This would allow the Kensei monk to attack twice and use the flurry of blows attack for their agile parry, but it does make some of the others ones I mentioned unable to dodge and use their sublcass replacements for flurry, which is why I made the original suggestion that I did. Maybe the trick is both dodge and flurry get taken off the bonus action? but if this is the case step of the wind would have to cost ki because being free and not having bonus action bloat to make you choose whether to step or not means the already fast monk is now dashing like a mad man and I don't think anyone wants that.
Honestly, lets try that. Flurry now reads what I said above, Patient now also reads like I suggested, and step is unchanged from how it is now. Stunning strike now works with monk damage abilities and monk weapons instead of just melee. Maybe this works? Looking at sun soul it can now stunning strike which is good, drunken master can now flurry and dodge which turns its tipsy sway on and its 17th level ability now only needs 4 people instead of 5 to fully function, kensei can now make 2 weapon attacks flurry for an unarmed and get its agile parry, Acendant dragon can now flurry and use its fear effect giving it 3 attacks at level 11 while still getting its fear off or it can breath and fear and still dodge if it wants. All the while the good monk subclasses still do well. (open hand, shadow and elemental will get reprinted to possibly work better) Mercy , Long death, and astral self are all pretty good, astral self even gets better with the ability to activate its astral body and flurry at the same time so also getting 3 attacks + astral activation. Long death is probably the weakest one here in terms of offense, but defense it is still a long death monk.
Hi everyone,
In the monk class I have designed I have found 2 problems. https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-Mz734bN8gWVYvErwFpw
1) The first is that in the feature "martial style" have a technique of "combat master" but that uses ki. The probelm is at 1st level the monk has no ki yet. What to do?
Mixed Martial Arts. You learn one MMA Technique of your choice from among those available to the Combat Master archetype. The Mixed Martial arts use your ki power to fuel the MMA technique. 1 ki power is expended when you use it.
2) The second problem is the feature "Dao of yinyang" where the ki consumed indicates the level of the spell. Only I didn't introduce a limit. Although a hallucinating waste, a 20th level monk could cast "inflict wonds" with 22d10 damage if he consumed 20 ki at once XD. The image of a monk casting a level 20 spell when the limit is 9 made me laugh.
Dao of YinYang
Also at 3rd level, if you spend 1 ki power or more as part of your action on your turn, you can make one attack with an unarmed strikes or a monk weapon as a bonus action before the end of the turn. Additionally, you can choose 1 of the following spells and this choice will be permanent.
As an action, you can spend 1 ki power per level of the spell casted without providing material components.
I also imagined 22 darts of "magic missile" being thrown at the enemy, basically a scene from Dragon Ball Z.
Tell me if this is a good idea:
For the first problem I was thinking of reversing the level of the features. The feature "ki" go in the 1st level and "martial style" to 2nd level.
For the second problem i would like to leave it as it is XD! But, probably a lot of people wouldn't agree, so I was thinking to use this formula. max: 1ki x 1/2 monk level -1.
I wanted to ask your opinion on this modification I made as well.
Ki-Empowered Body
Starting at 6th level, your hard training has made your body a weapon. Spells directed at weapons also work on your body and your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
I once found myself in the situation that the buff of a spell did not work because the unarmed attacks of the monk are not weapons and then the spell was not compatible.
Honestly man, just change the ruling. Don't add more super situational features to a class with already ultra specific features. Just make it less awkward to use alternate fighting methods for everyone.
Are you talking about the "Ki-Empowered Body"? What do you mean about changing the rules?
It never occurred to you a monk that only uses unarmed attacks because he is already at 17th level. The whole group receives a weapon buff... the monk does not. Just because the monk's body isn't specified as a weapon? Every now and then we need some clarification in order to have working rules.
Yes I am referring to ki-empowered body. Just make it where spells effect unarmed attacks the same as melee weapons. I am not saying "change the rules" I am saying "Change the RULING". Aka change your interpretation of the rule. Technically, yes rules as written unarmed attacks are not weapons, but if it is messing with your game screw that idea as written and just interpret unarmed strikes as weapons. It works for Unarmed fighting style fighters as well. Let people have their fantasy without having to add more features to a class. Change the ruling, not the rules.
I understand what you mean, although I don't totally agree.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this new modification. The problem is that the monk gives inportance to both the main action and the bonus action, making it difficult to decide which one to sacrifice. My idea is that the monk's power is concentrated in his bonus attacks, leaving the main action free to launch cantrip attacks. This would make it more practical to use and also more interesting to the magical classes that want to fight.
Martial Arts
Ki
Extra unarmed Attack
Beginning at 5th level, after you make your bonus action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strikes as part of the same action.
Ki-Empowered Body
Starting at 6th level, your hard training has made your body a weapon. Your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. Additionally, when your weapon is enhanced by a spell, your unarmed attacks are also enhanced in the same way.
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-Mz734bN8gWVYvErwFpw
I think I made the capstone too good. I’ll leave the martial arts die at 1d12, 3 attacks and three flurry of blows. I think the perfect self ability should refill all ki points like I said before. My idea for the monk is that in levels 10+ they become the masters of movement and number of attacks. Give them more ASI and ki. I think it would make sense for each monastic tradition to have its own capstone like with the paladin.
I tinkered with a spreadsheet calculating damage at each level. The first experiment was granting expertise in unarmed strikes. Assuming each ki is used for another unarmed strike (oversimplified for easier numbers), resulted in a noticeable increase in average damage. A second change of keeping the martial arts dice static at 1d4 brought the damage back down.
What are people’s thoughts about trading martial arts dice increase for expertise in unarmed strikes? Each attack would be more likely to hit, but at lower damage. The monk would have a role of consistent, reliable damage.
Expertise is a very interesting idea; the only in built way most Monks have to increase their chances to hit is landing a Stunning Strike (which is dependant upon hitting in the first place) so being able to hit more reliably than most could be an excellent benefit.
I think the Martial Arts dice scaling should probably still go up, but only to d12 (not some of the higher proposals) and at a more linear pace (every four levels or so? i.e- d6 [5th] d8 [9th] d10 [13th] d12 [17th]) since this expertise would still presumably apply to monk weapons, so most monks don't really start on d4 anyway.
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.
Further tweaks for a proposed Revised Monk Class.
Inspired by what Thrikeen was going for, plus what I liked from Haraviks and Aanx tweaks, and numerous ideas i read in this thread.
Class Features
As a monk, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per monk level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8+ your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons, shortswords and pikes.
Tools: Choose one type of artisan's tools or one musical instrument
Saving Throws:Wisdom, Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Medicine, Religion, and Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
Unarmored Defense
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.
Martial Arts
At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords, pikes and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property.
You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing heavy armor or wielding a shield:
Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon on the Weapons page.
Ki
Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points. Your monk level + your wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus determine the number of points you have.
You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class.
When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points.
Some of your ki features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Ki save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
action as a bonusaction on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.Martial Techniques (Optional)
Replaces the Ki Response feature.
At 2nd level, you learn maneuvers that are fueled by special dice called Technique dice.
The number of Ki points you now have is determined by this class's Proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.
Maneuvers
You learn two maneuvers of your choice, which are chosen from the list of maneuvers available to fighters with the Battle Master archetype. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver per attack.
You learn one additional maneuver of your choice at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels. Each time you learn a new maneuver, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.
Technique Dice
You have five Technique dice, which are equal to your martial arts die. A Technique die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended Technique dice when you finish a short or long rest.
Additionally, you can spend a Ki point to preform a maneuver without adding the martial arts die to the attack's damage roll.
Saving Throws
Some of your maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom or Dexterity modifier (your choice)
Unarmored Movement
Starting at 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the Monk table.
At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.
Dedicated Weapon (Optional)
Also at 2nd level, you train yourself to use a variety of weapons as monk weapons, not just simple melee weapons and shortswords. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can touch one weapon, focus your ki on it, and then count that weapon as a monk weapon until you use this feature again.
The chosen weapon must meet these criteria:
Fighting Style
At 2nd level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
Monastic Tradition
When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.
Deflect Attack
Starting at 3rd level, you can spend 1 ki point to use your reaction to deflect an attack or catch the missile when you or one of your allies within your range are hit by an attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level.
When you reduce the damage to 0 and if you catch the missile provided it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can make a ranged attack with a range of 20/60 using the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack.
Ki-Fueled Attack (Optional)
Also at 3rd level, if you spend 1 ki point or more as part of your action on your turn, you can make one attack with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon as a bonus action before the end of the turn.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Martial Versatility (Optional)
Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace a fighting style you know with another fighting style available to rangers. This replacement represents a shift of focus in your martial practice.
Slow Fall
Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your monk level. Moreover you can use your Dexterity modifier to determine your Jump distance .
Quickened Healing (Optional)
Also at 4th level, as an action, you can spend 2 ki points and roll a Martial Arts die. You or one of your allies regain a number of hit points equal to the number rolled plus your proficiency bonus.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Stunning Strike
Starting at 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent's body. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become dazed. On a failed save the target has a -2 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks and Dexterity saving throws and it can’t take reactions until the end of your next turn.
Beginning at 9 level, on a failed Constitution saving throw the target is stunned until the end of your next turn, and at 17th level every time you make a critical hit the enemy is automatically stunned until the end of your next turn.
Focused Aim (Optional)
Also at 5th level, when you miss with an attack roll, you can spend 1 to 3 ki points to increase your attack roll by 2 for each of these ki points you spend, potentially turning the miss into a hit.
Ki-Empowered Strikes
Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Ki Response
At 7th level, your training in the mystic art of Ki has grown; providing you access to additional features.
Evasion
At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Stillness of Mind
Starting at 7th level, you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. This applies to initial saves as well as ongoing saving throws. If you become aware that you or one of your allies are charmed or frightened you can use your action to end one of these effects.
Pressure Points
At 10th level, when you channel ki into your attacks you augment its effectiveness.
Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the following effects on the target:
Purity of Body
At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison.
Timeless Body
At 10th level, your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can't be aged magically. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, you no longer need food or water.
Tongue of the Sun and Moon
Starting at 13th level, you learn to touch the ki of other minds so that you understand all spoken languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.
Empty Mind (Optional)
At 13th level, you have practiced emptying your mind of all thoughts, desires, and assumptions. When your mind is clear, you are free from your ego and are able to act spontaneously and fluidly without emotion and hesitation.
When you hit a creature with an attack roll, you can target it as your Sole Focus for 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell).
Every time that you hit the Sole Focus and deal damage to it, including when you target it, you increase that damage by your Martial Arts die.
You can use this feature to target a Sole Focus a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Empty Mind (Optional)
For Flurry of Blows (Optional Variant)
At 13th level, you have practiced emptying your mind of all thoughts, desires, and assumptions. When your mind is clear, you are free from your ego and are able to act spontaneously and fluidly without emotion and hesitation.
When you hit a creature with an attack roll, you can target it as your Sole Focus for 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell).
The first time on each of your turns that you hit the Sole Focus and deal damage to it, including when you target it, you increase that damage by your Martial Arts die.
You can use this feature to target a Sole Focus a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Diamond Soul
Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki grants you proficiency in all saving throws.
Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result.
Empty Body
Beginning at 18th level, you can use your action to spend 4 ki points to become invisible for 1 minute. During that time, you also have resistance to all damage but force damage.
Additionally, you can spend 4 ki points to cast the Astral Projection spell, without needing material components. When you do so, you can't take any other creatures with you.
Perfect Self
At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain half your total Ki points. Additionally, your Flurry of Blows feature no longer costs Ki.
I probably should shuffle some of the additive features around, I'm not entirely sure what their level placements should be. I'm approaching them for gradual growth rather than introducing them too early or late.
I thought that the monk has a tactical problem because he gives too much importance to both his action and his bonus action. Very often the bonus action is a sacrifice for many features in other classes. The monk has 2 normal attacks as an action and 1+1 bonus attacks. Making it difficult to optimize it. I would try to have more attacks as an action or as a bonus action.
So I tried a variant where the bonus attacks are not dependent on the main attack, but as a bonus action you can make an unarmed attack. At 5th level he gets another bonus unarmed attack and the "flurry of blow" adds another unarmed attack. Leading to 1 attack as a main action and 2+1 bonus attacks. This allow the monk to do attacks spell / cantrip + unarmed attacks. Since the bonus attacks are not dependent on the main attack the Disengage, Hide or Sprint actions can be done without then losing the bonus action.
Martial Arts
At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are any Simple and Martial Weapons, that don't have the heavy and special properties. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons that you have proficiency and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield: (This also takes into account "Dedicated Weapon" feature)
Ki
Martial Style
Starting at 2nd level, you can adopt a particular style in your Martial art. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Martial Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield:
Unarmored Movement
At 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing heavy armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the Monk table. At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move. You can choose to use your reaction to not fall for a turn. At 18th level, you gain the ability to move in the air on your turn without falling during the move. (I love that the monk goes beyond the concept of physics and can almost fly)
Extra Unarmed Attack
Beginning at 5th level, after you make your bonus action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strikes as part of the same action. (I had to put the text in this way for the two weapons users. The text is the same as the flurry of blow).
This in addition to making the monk class more practical would make it interesting to the magical classes that want to fight in melee. If you have any critiques I would be delighted to hear them. If you are interested here is the link to the full verion.
https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-Mz734bN8gWVYvErwFpw
I love the use of battle master maneuvers being part of what the monk does. The rewording of the abilities makes them so much functional and reliable.
I really like the idea of giving the monk a little spell casting. Very interesting ideas for making monk a better multi class candidate for spell casters.
Thanks, I'm still reviewing some MMA tenics. Since these techniques use the ki power and the martial dice of the monk's unarmed attacks, in the feature "martial style" it is presented as a single technique, but it can be repeated as long as the monk have ki power, and the dice increases with the monk's level. So it's one of the most useful and powerful techniques in the list of "Martial Style" feature.
I find that this could be a good characteristic for the monk. A fighter that combines martial arts and spiritual power (ki) that allows him to perform techniques similar to simple magic. It should also be said that I love the idea of mages using martial arts. I'm just afraid it makes it too strong, maybe the Extra Unarmed Attack should be added at a higher level.
Maybe world energies should be one of the fighting styles. It feels like adding magic to every monk might make it too powerful. Magic monk would be a great sub class idea. That way you could still have the extra unarmed attack without breaking the balance.