I'm honestly against just giving out spells left and right. Not everything needs to do magic or use the spell mechanics in this game. I know it's WotCs cheap solution for everything because they can't think of other proper interesting mechanics apparently but I'm already annoyed that this is what happened to one of the Ranger's core mechanics as well.
Just going to double down on this. None of the other martials needed this kind of treatment, so I don't think the does monk either. Rogues, since they seem to be the best comparison here, have absolutely zero spells in their base class. Neither does any other martial. So it's certainly possible.
I mean, I can see the argument and some monk subclasses do indeed use spells like four elements and shadow, as well as the monk Empty Body, but would still prefer it be separate for the most part cause that's the way it currently is.
3) ...They should sense the positive and the negative energy (ki) around them.
I had a idea for a replacement feature for the Monk "can sense all languages" feature, cause you know, nobody likes that feature. You could have it be a sort of Sense Emotion or something along those lines. Makes sense, since ki is tied to meditation and calmness, so being able to sense other peoples calmness/lack of might be vaguely similar.
I'm trying to figure out what the monk's strengths are. The Rogue receives 4 basic skills of which 4 expertise while the monk receives only two and 0 expertise, and then it seems clear to me that I am looking for its uniqueness compared to the Rogue where it is clear that consists in its strong skills.
It's not that the monk's abilities are bad, it's that they are too specific and unless the master pushes the story so that they are used this almost never happens. Practically having them and not having them is the same thing ...
Arcane Trickster and Eldritch Knight are subclasses. Nobody said there shouldn't be subclasses with spells. We responded to the suggestion of giving the base class spells.
I said neither the Fighter nor Rogue needed spells to fix their main identity.
The identity of a Eldritch Knight yeah that needs spells, but I wasn't discussing that.
Edit: I specifically said "base class" as well. And I mentioned the subclasses argument in my post.
Rogues, since they seem to be the best comparison here, have absolutely zero spells in their base class. Neither does any other martial. So it's certainly possible.
I mean, I can see the argument and some monk subclasses do indeed use spells like four elements and shadow, as well as the monk Empty Body, but would still prefer it be separate for the most part cause that's the way it currently is.
Note that "other martial" is building upon "have absolutely zero spells in their base class"
I see Arcane Trickster & Eldritch Knight as equivalent to Four Elements. Fighters & Rogues & Monks don't have spells, but EK/AT/FE do have spells. If this works for Rogue/Fighter, than you can make it work for monks.
As I said, there is a argument for a spellcasting monk, and if it works for you than that's fine.
A lot of us just prefer a non-spellcasting monk as that's the way it's currently written, and there's evidence that shows that you don't need spellcasting to have a identity or be viable. It's not that it's a bad idea, I'm just explaining why I personally dislike it.
I echo that the Monk needs some necessary boosts like how the Ranger received.
Giving them Expertise is a good way to add more variety in how each individual Monk is built as well as giving them an additional ASI to match how Rogue has one as well.
How do you all feel about giving Monks an additional extra attack at lets say 13th level?
Sure they already do one more attack than base Fighter but it uses Ki and eats up their bonus action, while Fighter can still out do Monks in attack number by action surging.
I'm honestly against just giving out spells left and right. Not everything needs to do magic or use the spell mechanics in this gaIme. I know it's WotCs cheap solution for everything because they can't think of other proper interesting mechanics apparently but I'm already annoyed that this is what happened to one of the Ranger's core mechanics as well.
The point is to give Monks more utility. And my point as that have roughly the same function as utility spells, but not be actual magic. You were the one to say that you mostly want to see mechanics, right? Flavor them as inherent Monk abilities usable _____ times per short rest for some, ____ times per long rest for others.
Ultimately, to make Monks feel roughly equivalent to classes like the Rogue or the Fighter but yet play differently , we would need to dig deeper. While I do agree that some things that Monks do should cost less or no Ki, if Ki is how WotC wants to distinguish the Monks, then another way to make Monks more commensurate with other martial classes is to let them recharge Ki without taking a short or long rest. For instance, maintain a counter using a d4. Start at 4. Every time the Monk dodges successfully or use deflect missiles to reduce or evade damage to 0, lower the counter by 1. At 1, the Monk recharges 1 Ki.
Combine this with a d10 HD and adjust the AC of Unarmored Defense: At 1st level, your AC equals your DEX modifier and your Monk level. This would reduce the MAD-ness of the class, give it some basic survivability, and discourage cheap multi-class dips into Monk for an AC boost. This ability stops at Level 9. Monk's max AC becomes 24 at that point, which is better than most classes can get without using Shield.
I understand your reasoning. The monk is a martial arts master who takes his body to the extreme, to the point that he can perform abilities that only mind with spells would be possible. Abilities such as "Slow Fall", "Tongue of the Sun and Moon" and "Empty Body" (invisibility, Astral Projection)... These are all abilities taken from spells, but at the same time they are not. This is all a matter of interpretation and how they are presented. The mantra is a form of self-hypnosis to increase one's concentration, but in the end it works as a spell.
The monk is a middle ground between martial arts (body) and spiritual energy (ki). The two abilities bind together like Ying and Yang, helping each other. Ki helps the body perform almost magical abilities. The body is the base that allows ki to manifest (bonus-action-special action).
...I guess I've discovered my romance side.
In Wuxia, ki can be recovered through ki-containing stones. I have always thought that in this edition they have not created items for monks at all. it would be interesting to create martial arts books, ki self-charging stones ... but nothing.
List of Martial art Books
Tactics Martial art Book (1th level)
Choose between Patient Defense and Step of the Wind. For the chosen features you don't need to spend 1 ki point.
Push Martial art Book (1th level)
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.
Migthy Martial art Book (1th level)
The damage die of your martial arts goes up by a higher die number. 1d4 -> 1d6 / 1d6 -> 1d8 / 1d8 -> 1d10 / 1d10 -> 2d6
Kick Martial art Book (6th level)
Your unarmed attack have reach 10 feet.
Martial art Book +1/+2/+3 (6th level)
You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with your unarmed strikes. The power increases as you gain monk levels. At 11th level, this increases to +2, and at 17th level, this increases to +3.
Ki control Martial art Book (6th level)
Your ki pool increases by a number equal to your wisdom modifier. These Ki points are not calculated by this feat for receiving a new book. Additionally, when you score a critical hit you regain 1 ki.
Footwork Martial art Book (6th level)
Your speed increases by 10 feet. When you make a melee attack against a creature, you don’t provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not.
Extreme Flurry of blow Martial art Book (11th level)
Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make three unarmed strikes as a bonus action. The power increases as you gain monk levels. At 17th level, this increases to four unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
Difence Martial art Book (11th level)
When you are wielding a monk weapon or you are unarmed and another creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you.
Power Martial art Book (11th level)
You gain a bonus to unarmed damage rolls equal to your proficiency bonus on all the creatures you have the advantage of. Additionally, once per long rest you may change a normal hit from a unarmed attack into a critical hit.
Bracers of attack Martial art Book (11th level)
If you are wearing Bracers of defense, now they can also be used to attack. You can adds the Bacers bonus +2 AC to unarmed attack damage.
You have to think of the monk as a spiritual warrior, something like the Buddhist religion of Shaoling monks, where the monk learns to fight in order to sharpen his mind and find enlightenment and as a buddha to separate himself from reincarnation and become practically a god. The monk is like a paladin who does not believe in a god, but seeks self-perfection in order to find enlightenment and approach the perception of a god.
In terms of usefulness, the monk should be based on perception through ki. "True Seeing," "Ranger: Primeval Awareness," "cure wounds," "Detect-Protection-Dispel Evil and Good, "etc..
There are spells that improve one's abilities of movement, sight-perception, performances... "Darkvison", "zephyr strike", "Absorb elements", "Longstrider", "guidance",....
There are monks who are more related to the concept of the 5 main elements and their branches or you have 3003 Dao. But I don't think we should get too much into Wuxia, but keep it simple.
In the monk class there should definitely add "Fighting Style" with monk techniques, or like the Maneuvers of the "Battle Master".
In the monk class there should definitely add "Fighting Style" with monk techniques, or like the Maneuvers of the "Battle Master".
I believe thrikeen_warrior brought up an idea similar to this where they suggested using the open hand monk's starting feature as a core Monk feature.
Open Hand Technique
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can manipulate your enemy's ki when you harness your own. 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 that target:
It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you.
It can't take reactions until the end of your next turn.
I believe this a good approuch of making Flurry of Blows do more than add an addtional attack but we also need more options too i feel, here are some I think would be good;
It has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.
It must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, the target is blinded.
It must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, the target is deafened.
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level you learn three martial arts techniques of your choice. You learn one additional technique of your choice at 6th level. Each new level, you can also replace one technique you know with a different one. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the technique you choice on that target:
It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you.
It must make a Intelligence saving throw. If it fails, it can’t take a reaction until the end of its next turn. Moreover, on its next turn, it must choose whether it gets a move, an action, or a bonus action; it gets only one of the three.
It must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn.
It must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object lands at its feet.
It must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn.
It must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or have the movement becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed until the end of your next turn.
Choose another creature within 5 feet of the original target within your reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes the same damage dealt by the original target.
Ki Master
At 6th level, you gain the ability to use your Ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells.
As an action, you can spend 1 ki points to cast Darkvision, Detect Evil and Good, Absorb elements, and Longstrider, without providing material components. Additionally, you learn the guidance and invisible mage hand cantrips if you don't already know it. You cast this cantrips without any somatic or verbal components. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Superior Martial Arts
At 11th level, you learn one superior martial arts techniques of your choice. You can only use these technique if you have consumed at least one ki power during your turn. You learn one additional Superior Technique of your choice at 17th level. You cannot use the same superior technique twice in the same turn.
As a reaction you instantly leap at the creature that is prone, and make a single unarmed strike. If you hit, the target’s movement speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of their next turn and they must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn.
As a reaction you can control the creature that is frightened of you, the target must move up to its speed in a direction you choose. In addition, you can cause the target to drop whatever it is holding.
As a reaction you can make a single unarmed strike against the creature that its movement has become 0, and making it restrained by your ki until the end of your next turn.
As a reaction you can make a single unarmed strike against a poisoned creature, and until the end of your next turn you add your proficiency bonus to the damage you deal to this creature.
When you push a creature, you can use your reaction to make a single unarmed strike against the creature to push it 10 feet further and it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone, if this while pushed goes against another creature it too must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
When a creature drops an object, if you are in range and the object does not weigh more than 2 lbs, you can use your reaction to kick it and move it 30 feet away or try to make a ranged attack with a range of 15/30. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the object counts as a monk weapon for the attack.
When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make a single unarmed strike against the creature as long as it is within your range.
Grand Master
At 17th level, your martial arts training has allowed you to go beyond the human limit.
Your body is so used to certain movements that they have become one with your being.
You can take two reactions in each round of combat, instead of one.
I know others have mentioned similar but what if monks got the ability to tap into their Ki and for one minute (or 10 minutes?) they can do one of the following for the duration:
1. Gain proficiency in one skill that they are not proficient in. Or
2. Gain expertise in one skill that they are already proficient in.
maybe more options I just can’t think of right now
And they can do this PB times per short or long rest. So they have flexibility without being yet one more class to throw expertise on their class features list.
Edit: And give them more skills (3 or 4 instead of 2 at 1st level monk) and access to more WIS based skills to choose from would help too.
I know others have mentioned similar but what if monks got the ability to tap into their Ki and for one minute (or 10 minutes?) they can do one of the following for the duration:
1. Gain proficiency in one skill that they are not proficient in. Or
2. Gain expertise in one skill that they are already proficient in.
maybe more options I just can’t think of right now
And they can do this PB times per short or long rest. So they have flexibility without being yet one more class to throw expertise on their class features list.
Edit: And give them more skills (3 or 4 instead of 2 at 1st level monk) and access to more WIS based skills to choose from would help too.
Not bad. This seems to be the direction they were trying to take with Astral Self Monk, but they got confused along the way.
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level you learn three martial arts techniques of your choice. You learn one additional technique of your choice at 6th level. Each new level, you can also replace one technique you know with a different one. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the technique you choice on that target:
It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you.
It must make a Intelligence saving throw. If it fails, it can’t take a reaction until the end of its next turn. Moreover, on its next turn, it must choose whether it gets a move, an action, or a bonus action; it gets only one of the three.
It must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn.
It must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object lands at its feet.
It must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn.
It must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or have the movement becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed until the end of your next turn.
Choose another creature within 5 feet of the original target within your reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes the same damage dealt by the original target.
Ki Master
At 6th level, you gain the ability to use your Ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells.
As an action, you can spend 1 ki points to cast Darkvision, Detect Evil and Good, Absorb elements, and Longstrider, without providing material components. Additionally, you learn the guidance and invisible mage hand cantrips if you don't already know it. You cast this cantrips without any somatic or verbal components. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Superior Martial Arts
At 11th level, you learn one superior martial arts techniques of your choice. You can only use these technique if you have consumed at least one ki power during your turn. You learn one additional Superior Technique of your choice at 17th level. You cannot use the same superior technique twice in the same turn.
As a reaction you instantly leap at the creature that is prone, and make a single unarmed strike. If you hit, the target’s movement speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of their next turn and they must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn.
As a reaction you can control the creature that is frightened of you, the target must move up to its speed in a direction you choose. In addition, you can cause the target to drop whatever it is holding.
As a reaction you can make a single unarmed strike against the creature that its movement has become 0, and making it restrained by your ki until the end of your next turn.
As a reaction you can make a single unarmed strike against a poisoned creature, and until the end of your next turn you add your proficiency bonus to the damage you deal to this creature.
When you push a creature, you can use your reaction to make a single unarmed strike against the creature to push it 10 feet further and it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone, if this while pushed goes against another creature it too must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
When a creature drops an object, if you are in range and the object does not weigh more than 2 lbs, you can use your reaction to kick it and move it 30 feet away or try to make a ranged attack with a range of 15/30. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the object counts as a monk weapon for the attack.
When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make a single unarmed strike against the creature as long as it is within your range.
Grand Master
At 17th level, your martial arts training has allowed you to go beyond the human limit.
Your body is so used to certain movements that they have become one with your being.
You can take two reactions in each round of combat, instead of one.
I like some of the ideas here. Kind of like Battle Master maneuvers. I worry about the one granting poisoned condition as it steps on the toes of the Mercy monk ability. As for the Superior Martial Arts since it’s an upgrade to the earlier choices you made for Martial Arts it’s not really much of a choice. Maybe these could be unique abilities and the earlier Martial Arts choices can scale up. So if you chose the technique that allows you to knock prone it says:
It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. At 11th level, as a reaction you instantly leap at the creature that is prone, and make a single unarmed strike. If you hit, the target’s movement speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of their next turn and they must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn.
Edit: And granting 2 reactions may cause unexpected consequences, especially with multiclassing, but it is 17th level so may be ok. Just seems too powerful for the action economy.
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level you learn three martial arts techniques of your choice. You learn one additional technique of your choice at 17th level. Each new level, you can also replace one technique you know with a different one. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the technique you choice on that target:
It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. At 11th leve, as a reaction you instantly leap at the creature that is prone, and make a single unarmed strike. If you hit, the target’s movement speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of their next turn and it must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn.
It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you. At 11th leve, you can use your reaction to make a single unarmed strike against the creature to push it 10 feet further and it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone, if this while pushed goes against another creature it too must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone too.
It must make a Intelligence saving throw. If it fails, it can’t take a reaction until the end of its next turn. Moreover, on its next turn, it must choose whether it gets a move, an action, or a bonus action; it gets only one of the three. At 11th leve, as a reaction you can subtract to the same creature your wisdom bonus from the next saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.
It must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn. At 11th leve, as a reaction you can control that frightened creature, the target must move up to its speed in a direction you choose. In addition, you can cause the target to drop whatever it is holding.
It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn. At 11th leve, as a reaction you can make a single unarmed strike against the poisoned creature, and until the end of your next turn you add your wisdom bonus to the damage you deal to this creature.
It must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or have the movement becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed until the end of your next turn. At 11th leve, as a reaction you can make a single unarmed strike against the same creature, and making it restrained by your ki until the end of your next turn.
Choose another creature within 5 feet of the original target within your reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes the same damage dealt by the original target. At 11th leve, until the start of your next turn you can use your reaction to make a single unarmed strike against a creature that misses you with a melee attack.
Ki Master
At 6th level, you gain the ability to use your Ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 1 ki points to cast Darkvision, Detect Evil and Good, Absorb elements, and Longstrider, without providing material components. Additionally, you learn the guidance and invisible mage hand cantrips if you don't already know it. You cast this cantrips without any somatic or verbal components. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Bloody martial arts
At 11th level, you gain a bonus to unarmed damage rolls equal to your proficiency bonus on all the creatures you have advantage of. Additionally, every time you make a critical hit the enemy is automatically stunned until the end of your next turn.
Grand Master
At 17th level, your martial arts training has allowed you to go beyond the human limit.
Your body is so used to certain movements that they have become one with your being.
You can take two reactions in each round of combat, instead of one.
3) ...They should sense the positive and the negative energy (ki) around them.
I had a idea for a replacement feature for the Monk "can sense all languages" feature, cause you know, nobody likes that feature. You could have it be a sort of Sense Emotion or something along those lines. Makes sense, since ki is tied to meditation and calmness, so being able to sense other peoples calmness/lack of might be vaguely similar.
Any opposition or comment to this before I add it to my personal list of possible monk fixes?
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if I edit a message, most of the time it's because of grammar. The rest of the time I'll put "Edit:" at the bottom.
3) ...They should sense the positive and the negative energy (ki) around them.
I had a idea for a replacement feature for the Monk "can sense all languages" feature, cause you know, nobody likes that feature. You could have it be a sort of Sense Emotion or something along those lines. Makes sense, since ki is tied to meditation and calmness, so being able to sense other peoples calmness/lack of might be vaguely similar.
Any opposition or comment to this before I add it to my personal list of possible monk fixes?
It seems like it's just the Insight skill. Is it meant to detect hidden creatures like Divine Sense? That feature is kinda bad.
I've recently been looking at the Star Wars 5e pdfs, and I rather like some of the changes made to the Monk. It is more-or-less the same but here are some of the significant changes.
Dash and Disengage and Single Unarmed Strike are bonus actions that can be taken for free.
Dash+1 ki gives you a bonus to your jump speed. After 11th level, Dash + 2ki gives a fly speed
Disengage+1ki lets you Dodge as well. After 11th level, Disengage+2ki gives a Dodge & an extra reaction (only one reaction per turn)
Single Unarmed Strike + 1 ki gives an additional unarmed strike. After 11th level, Unarmed strike + 2 ki gives two additional unarmed strikes (3 total)
Unarmed Strike/Monk Weapon damage scales up to d12
Monastic Vow features (a la cart features that you can choose for your monk at certain levels). Kinda like mini feats, but all focused around improving on the monk chasis and personalizing your character's playstyle.
Perfect Self gives 6 ki points when you roll for initiative AND comes with a +2 boost to Dexterity and Wisdom for both the ability scores and their caps.
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I've recently been looking at the Star Wars 5e pdfs, and I rather like some of the changes made to the Monk. It is more-or-less the same but here are some of the significant changes.
Dash and Disengage and Single Unarmed Strike are bonus actions that can be taken for free.
Dash+1 ki gives you a bonus to your jump speed. After 11th level, Dash + 2ki gives a fly speed
Disengage+1ki lets you Dodge as well. After 11th level, Disengage+2ki gives a Dodge & an extra reaction (only one reaction per turn)
Single Unarmed Strike + 1 ki gives an additional unarmed strike. After 11th level, Unarmed strike + 2 ki gives two additional unarmed strikes (3 total)
Unarmed Strike/Monk Weapon damage scales up to d12
Monastic Vow features (a la cart features that you can choose for your monk at certain levels). Kinda like mini feats, but all focused around improving on the monk chasis and personalizing your character's playstyle.
Perfect Self gives 6 ki points when you roll for initiative AND comes with a +2 boost to Dexterity and Wisdom for both the ability scores and their caps.
Love it!
If you do this they are already much better balanced IMO....
Hit Dice: 1d8 per monk level Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None Weapons: Simple weapons, shortswords Tools: Choose one type of artisan's tools or one musical instrument Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, Nature, Medicine 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
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 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 armor or wielding a shield:
You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for athletics check, attacks 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. You gain a bonus to unarmed damage rolls equal to your proficiency bonus on all the creatures you have advantage.
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.
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 choose a Martial Arts book that allows you to learn a personalised martial art. You can't take a Martial Art Book option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.
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 determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Monk table. 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 unarmed strikes as a bonus action. The power increases as you gain monk levels. At 11th level, you can spend 2 ki point to make this increases to three unarmed strikes and at 17th level, you can spend 3 ki point to make four unarmed strikes.
Patient Defense. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.
Step of the Wind. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.
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. Difficult terrain is not a problem for you.
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 or a set of weapons like darts (max 20), 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.
Deflect Missiles
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10, 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.
Slow Fall
Quickened Healing (Optional)
Extra Attack
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 be stunned until the end of your next turn.Every time you make a critical hit the enemy is automatically stunned until the end of your next turn, without having to spend ki points. Enemies immune to the stun state do not suffer the effect.
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. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with your unarmed strikes. The power increases as you gain monk levels. At 11th level, this increases to +2, and at 17th level, this increases to +3.
Evasion
Stillness of Mind
Ki Master
You gain the ability to use your Ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 1 ki points to cast Darkvision, Detect Evil and Good, Tongue, Detect Poison and Disease and Longstrider. Additionally, you learn the guidance and invisible mage hand cantrips if you don't already know it. You cast this cast without any somatic or verbal components and without providing material components. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Body and Soul Cultivation
Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison and grants you proficiency in all saving throws. Additionally, whenever you make an ability check or a saving throw, you may spend 1 Ki point to roll an additional d20. You can use this ability after the original roll, but before the outcome is revealed. You choose which of the d20s is used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.
Timeless Body
At 15th level, your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can't be aged magically. The Ki power that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, you no longer need food or water.
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. You can spend 6 ki points to open your third eye and have the same effects as the spell True Seeing. Additionally, you can spend 8 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
Feats (suggestions)
Extreme Unarmed Warrior
Prerequisite: Dexterity or Strength 13 or higher
The damage die of your unarmed damage goes up by a higher die number. 1d4 -> 1d6 / 1d6 -> 1d8 / 1d8 -> 1d10 / 1d10 -> 2d6. If you are wearing Bracers, now they can also be used to attack. You can adds the Bacers AC bonus to your unarmed attack damage. Every time you make a critical hit the enemy is automatically stunned until the end of your next turn. Enemies immune to the stun state do not suffer the effect.
Objets: Bracers of bands (+1AC) / Bracers of defense (+2AC) / Bracers of combat (+3AC)
Innate Ki Enlightenment
Prerequisite: Wisdom 13 or higher
Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
You gain a number of ki points equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain your expended ki point when you finish a short or long rest.
Whenever you make an ability check you can spend 1 ki point to add your Wisdom modifier to the result of the roll.
When you score a critical hit you regain 1 ki point.
Magic Items (suggestions)
Bracers of Bans
Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement)
While wearing these bracers, you gain a +1 bonus to AC if you are wearing no armor and using no shield.
Notes: Bonus: Unarmored Armor Class, Warding, wrist and shin
Bracers of Defense
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)
While wearing these bracers, you gain a +2 bonus to AC if you are wearing no armor and using no shield.
Notes: Bonus: Unarmored Armor Class, Warding, wrist and shin
Bracers of Combat
Wondrous Item, very rare (requires attunement)
While wearing these bracers, you gain a +3 bonus to AC if you are wearing no armor and using no shield.
Notes: Bonus: Unarmored Armor Class, Warding, wrist and shin
Book of Martial Arts
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)
Choose one of the following techniques. This technique can be used once per turn when you hit an opponent with a melee attack. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. (very rare) As a reaction you instantly leap at the creature that is prone, and make a single unarmed strike. If you hit, the target’s movement speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of their next turn and it must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn.
It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you. (very rare) You can use your reaction to make a single unarmed strike against the creature to push it 10 feet further and it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone, if this while pushed goes against another creature it too must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone too.
It must make a Intelligence saving throw. If it fails, it can’t take a reaction until the end of its next turn. Moreover, on its next turn, it must choose whether it gets a move, an action, or a bonus action; it gets only one of the three. (very rare) As a reaction you can subtract to the same creature your wisdom bonus from the next saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.
It must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn. (very rare) As a reaction you can control that frightened creature, the target must move up to its speed in a direction you choose. In addition, you can cause the target to drop whatever it is holding.
It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn. (very rare) As a reaction you can make a single unarmed strike against the poisoned creature, and until the end of your next turn you add your wisdom bonus to the damage you deal to this creature.
It must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or have the movement becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed until the end of your next turn. (very rare) As a reaction you can make a single unarmed strike against the same creature, and making it restrained by your ki until the end of your next turn.
Choose another creature within 5 feet of the original target within your reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes the same damage dealt by the original target. (very rare) Until the start of your next turn you can use your reaction to make a single unarmed strike against a creature that misses you with a melee attack.
I've recently been looking at the Star Wars 5e pdfs, and I rather like some of the changes made to the Monk. It is more-or-less the same but here are some of the significant changes.
Dash and Disengage and Single Unarmed Strike are bonus actions that can be taken for free.
Dash+1 ki gives you a bonus to your jump speed. After 11th level, Dash + 2ki gives a fly speed
Disengage+1ki lets you Dodge as well. After 11th level, Disengage+2ki gives a Dodge & an extra reaction (only one reaction per turn)
Single Unarmed Strike + 1 ki gives an additional unarmed strike. After 11th level, Unarmed strike + 2 ki gives two additional unarmed strikes (3 total)
Unarmed Strike/Monk Weapon damage scales up to d12
Monastic Vow features (a la cart features that you can choose for your monk at certain levels). Kinda like mini feats, but all focused around improving on the monk chasis and personalizing your character's playstyle.
Perfect Self gives 6 ki points when you roll for initiative AND comes with a +2 boost to Dexterity and Wisdom for both the ability scores and their caps.
IOW, Star Wars treats Monk like a special Fighter. I mean, isn't that what the Psionic Warrior is in 5E?
What we have, ultimately, is a problem with A) the devs and B) the section of D&D fanbase that doesn't like the Monk to step on the toes of their fave class, whether that's Fighter or Rogue. Being able to Dash, Disengage as bonus actions are too much like Rogue for the anti-Monk fanbase. Proof of this is how much the devs agreed to heavily nerf Astral Self Monk and the Drake Monk in the new Fizban's Dragon book after the anti-Monk gamers complained.
We would either need to convince the devs to ignore the fanbase that complains that Monks would be OP if they became more like Rogues or convince them to totally redesign the Monk class from the ground up.
Just nerf stunning strike and buff everything else.
More consistency, monks aren't as reliant on Stunning Strike/their ki saving throw, opens up a lot more options for monk other than spamming Stunning Strike.
As of rn my current thoughts are something I slote from reddit, WIS saving throw or effects of slow (-2 AC/DEX saving throws, no reactions, only one attack, spellcasting 50% to be delayed, one turn no concentration).
Then buff their other stuff in tune with the previous posts in this thread. It'll make monks both more balanced in casual games (no game-ending stuns) and more balanced in optimized games (no reliance on save or suck, but it's still a option)
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if I edit a message, most of the time it's because of grammar. The rest of the time I'll put "Edit:" at the bottom.
Just nerf stunning strike and buff everything else.
More consistency, monks aren't as reliant on Stunning Strike/their ki saving throw, opens up a lot more options for monk other than spamming Stunning Strike.
As of rn my current thoughts are something I slote from reddit, WIS saving throw or effects of slow (-2 AC/DEX saving throws, no reactions, only one attack, spellcasting 50% to be delayed, one turn no concentration).
Then buff their other stuff in tune with the previous posts in this thread. It'll make monks both more balanced in casual games (no game-ending stuns) and more balanced in optimized games (no reliance on save or suck, but it's still a option)
Personally, I would be fine with that, but I also haven't played any high level games where Stunning strike was used on a Legendary creature. A wholesale rework of the Monk is needed, but it's really up to the devs to have the courage to admit their mistake and be willing to redesign even if it means drawing some ire from that subsection of Rogue/Fighter fans who don't want to see Monks get nice stuff relative to their fave class.
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Sorry, I didn't understand the entire speech.
Yeah that's fine.
As I said, there is a argument for a spellcasting monk, and if it works for you than that's fine.
A lot of us just prefer a non-spellcasting monk as that's the way it's currently written, and there's evidence that shows that you don't need spellcasting to have a identity or be viable. It's not that it's a bad idea, I'm just explaining why I personally dislike it.
if I edit a message, most of the time it's because of grammar. The rest of the time I'll put "Edit:" at the bottom.
I echo that the Monk needs some necessary boosts like how the Ranger received.
Giving them Expertise is a good way to add more variety in how each individual Monk is built as well as giving them an additional ASI to match how Rogue has one as well.
How do you all feel about giving Monks an additional extra attack at lets say 13th level?
Sure they already do one more attack than base Fighter but it uses Ki and eats up their bonus action, while Fighter can still out do Monks in attack number by action surging.
The point is to give Monks more utility. And my point as that have roughly the same function as utility spells, but not be actual magic. You were the one to say that you mostly want to see mechanics, right? Flavor them as inherent Monk abilities usable _____ times per short rest for some, ____ times per long rest for others.
Ultimately, to make Monks feel roughly equivalent to classes like the Rogue or the Fighter but yet play differently , we would need to dig deeper. While I do agree that some things that Monks do should cost less or no Ki, if Ki is how WotC wants to distinguish the Monks, then another way to make Monks more commensurate with other martial classes is to let them recharge Ki without taking a short or long rest. For instance, maintain a counter using a d4. Start at 4. Every time the Monk dodges successfully or use deflect missiles to reduce or evade damage to 0, lower the counter by 1. At 1, the Monk recharges 1 Ki.
Combine this with a d10 HD and adjust the AC of Unarmored Defense: At 1st level, your AC equals your DEX modifier and your Monk level. This would reduce the MAD-ness of the class, give it some basic survivability, and discourage cheap multi-class dips into Monk for an AC boost. This ability stops at Level 9. Monk's max AC becomes 24 at that point, which is better than most classes can get without using Shield.
I understand your reasoning. The monk is a martial arts master who takes his body to the extreme, to the point that he can perform abilities that only mind with spells would be possible. Abilities such as "Slow Fall", "Tongue of the Sun and Moon" and "Empty Body" (invisibility, Astral Projection)... These are all abilities taken from spells, but at the same time they are not. This is all a matter of interpretation and how they are presented. The mantra is a form of self-hypnosis to increase one's concentration, but in the end it works as a spell.
The monk is a middle ground between martial arts (body) and spiritual energy (ki). The two abilities bind together like Ying and Yang, helping each other. Ki helps the body perform almost magical abilities. The body is the base that allows ki to manifest (bonus-action-special action).
...I guess I've discovered my romance side.
In Wuxia, ki can be recovered through ki-containing stones. I have always thought that in this edition they have not created items for monks at all. it would be interesting to create martial arts books, ki self-charging stones ... but nothing.
Choose between Patient Defense and Step of the Wind. For the chosen features you don't need to spend 1 ki point.
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.
The damage die of your martial arts goes up by a higher die number. 1d4 -> 1d6 / 1d6 -> 1d8 / 1d8 -> 1d10 / 1d10 -> 2d6
Your unarmed attack have reach 10 feet.
You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with your unarmed strikes. The power increases as you gain monk levels. At 11th level, this increases to +2, and at 17th level, this increases to +3.
Your ki pool increases by a number equal to your wisdom modifier. These Ki points are not calculated by this feat for receiving a new book. Additionally, when you score a critical hit you regain 1 ki.
Your speed increases by 10 feet. When you make a melee attack against a creature, you don’t provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not.
Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make three unarmed strikes as a bonus action. The power increases as you gain monk levels. At 17th level, this increases to four unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
When you are wielding a monk weapon or you are unarmed and another creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you.
You gain a bonus to unarmed damage rolls equal to your proficiency bonus on all the creatures you have the advantage of. Additionally, once per long rest you may change a normal hit from a unarmed attack into a critical hit.
If you are wearing Bracers of defense, now they can also be used to attack. You can adds the Bacers bonus +2 AC to unarmed attack damage.
You have to think of the monk as a spiritual warrior, something like the Buddhist religion of Shaoling monks, where the monk learns to fight in order to sharpen his mind and find enlightenment and as a buddha to separate himself from reincarnation and become practically a god. The monk is like a paladin who does not believe in a god, but seeks self-perfection in order to find enlightenment and approach the perception of a god.
In terms of usefulness, the monk should be based on perception through ki. "True Seeing," "Ranger: Primeval Awareness," "cure wounds," "Detect-Protection-Dispel Evil and Good, "etc..
There are spells that improve one's abilities of movement, sight-perception, performances... "Darkvison", "zephyr strike", "Absorb elements", "Longstrider", "guidance",....
There are monks who are more related to the concept of the 5 main elements and their branches or you have 3003 Dao. But I don't think we should get too much into Wuxia, but keep it simple.
In the monk class there should definitely add "Fighting Style" with monk techniques, or like the Maneuvers of the "Battle Master".
I recently created a subclass based on my view of the monk in the game (https://www.dndbeyond.com/subclasses/1150025-way-of-the-grand-master). I'm sure it's not balanced and that's why I'm asking for advice to improve it (https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/dungeons-dragons-discussion/homebrew-house-rules/130991-help-me-develop-a-monk-way-of-the-grand-master).
I believe thrikeen_warrior brought up an idea similar to this where they suggested using the open hand monk's starting feature as a core Monk feature.
I believe this a good approuch of making Flurry of Blows do more than add an addtional attack but we also need more options too i feel, here are some I think would be good;
Martial Arts
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level you learn three martial arts techniques of your choice. You learn one additional technique of your choice at 6th level. Each new level, you can also replace one technique you know with a different one. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the technique you choice on that target:
Ki Master
At 6th level, you gain the ability to use your Ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells.
As an action, you can spend 1 ki points to cast Darkvision, Detect Evil and Good, Absorb elements, and Longstrider, without providing material components. Additionally, you learn the guidance and invisible mage hand cantrips if you don't already know it. You cast this cantrips without any somatic or verbal components. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Superior Martial Arts
At 11th level, you learn one superior martial arts techniques of your choice. You can only use these technique if you have consumed at least one ki power during your turn. You learn one additional Superior Technique of your choice at 17th level. You cannot use the same superior technique twice in the same turn.
Grand Master
I know others have mentioned similar but what if monks got the ability to tap into their Ki and for one minute (or 10 minutes?) they can do one of the following for the duration:
1. Gain proficiency in one skill that they are not proficient in. Or
2. Gain expertise in one skill that they are already proficient in.
maybe more options I just can’t think of right now
And they can do this PB times per short or long rest. So they have flexibility without being yet one more class to throw expertise on their class features list.
Edit: And give them more skills (3 or 4 instead of 2 at 1st level monk) and access to more WIS based skills to choose from would help too.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
Not bad. This seems to be the direction they were trying to take with Astral Self Monk, but they got confused along the way.
I like some of the ideas here. Kind of like Battle Master maneuvers. I worry about the one granting poisoned condition as it steps on the toes of the Mercy monk ability. As for the Superior Martial Arts since it’s an upgrade to the earlier choices you made for Martial Arts it’s not really much of a choice. Maybe these could be unique abilities and the earlier Martial Arts choices can scale up. So if you chose the technique that allows you to knock prone it says:
Edit: And granting 2 reactions may cause unexpected consequences, especially with multiclassing, but it is 17th level so may be ok. Just seems too powerful for the action economy.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
Martial Arts
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level you learn three martial arts techniques of your choice. You learn one additional technique of your choice at 17th level. Each new level, you can also replace one technique you know with a different one. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the technique you choice on that target:
Ki Master
At 6th level, you gain the ability to use your Ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 1 ki points to cast Darkvision, Detect Evil and Good, Absorb elements, and Longstrider, without providing material components. Additionally, you learn the guidance and invisible mage hand cantrips if you don't already know it. You cast this cantrips without any somatic or verbal components. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Bloody martial arts
At 11th level, you gain a bonus to unarmed damage rolls equal to your proficiency bonus on all the creatures you have advantage of. Additionally, every time you make a critical hit the enemy is automatically stunned until the end of your next turn.
Grand Master
Any opposition or comment to this before I add it to my personal list of possible monk fixes?
if I edit a message, most of the time it's because of grammar. The rest of the time I'll put "Edit:" at the bottom.
You can add your Wisdom or Dexterity bonus to athletic skill?
This could create monks using grab techniques, although I'm not a big fan of grab techniques.
It seems like it's just the Insight skill. Is it meant to detect hidden creatures like Divine Sense? That feature is kinda bad.
I've recently been looking at the Star Wars 5e pdfs, and I rather like some of the changes made to the Monk. It is more-or-less the same but here are some of the significant changes.
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Love it!
If you do this they are already much better balanced IMO....
Class Features (suggestions)
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 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons, shortswords
Tools: Choose one type of artisan's tools or one musical instrument
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose three from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, Nature, Medicine and Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
Unarmored Defense
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 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 armor or wielding a shield:
You can choose a Martial Arts book that allows you to learn a personalised martial art. You can't take a Martial Art Book option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.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 determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Monk table. 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
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. Difficult terrain is not a problem for you.
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 or a set of weapons like darts (max 20), 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:
Deflect Missiles
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10, 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.
Slow Fall
Quickened Healing (Optional)
Extra Attack
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 be stunned until the end of your next turn.
Every time you make a critical hit the enemy is automatically stunned until the end of your next turn, without having to spend ki points. Enemies immune to the stun state do not suffer the effect.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. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with your unarmed strikes. The power increases as you gain monk levels. At 11th level, this increases to +2, and at 17th level, this increases to +3.
Evasion
Stillness of Mind
Ki Master
You gain the ability to use your Ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 1 ki points to cast Darkvision, Detect Evil and Good, Tongue, Detect Poison and Disease and Longstrider. Additionally, you learn the guidance and invisible mage hand cantrips if you don't already know it. You cast this cast without any somatic or verbal components and without providing material components. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Body and Soul Cultivation
Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison and grants you proficiency in all saving throws. Additionally, whenever you make an ability check or a saving throw, you may spend 1 Ki point to roll an additional d20. You can use this ability after the original roll, but before the outcome is revealed. You choose which of the d20s is used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.
Timeless Body
At 15th level, your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can't be aged magically. The Ki power that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, you no longer need food or water.
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. You can spend 6 ki points to open your third eye and have the same effects as the spell True Seeing. Additionally, you can spend 8 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
Feats (suggestions)
Extreme Unarmed Warrior
Prerequisite: Dexterity or Strength 13 or higher
The damage die of your unarmed damage goes up by a higher die number. 1d4 -> 1d6 / 1d6 -> 1d8 / 1d8 -> 1d10 / 1d10 -> 2d6. If you are wearing Bracers, now they can also be used to attack. You can adds the Bacers AC bonus to your unarmed attack damage. Every time you make a critical hit the enemy is automatically stunned until the end of your next turn. Enemies immune to the stun state do not suffer the effect.
Objets: Bracers of bands (+1AC) / Bracers of defense (+2AC) / Bracers of combat (+3AC)
Innate Ki Enlightenment
Prerequisite: Wisdom 13 or higher
Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Magic Items (suggestions)
Bracers of Bans
While wearing these bracers, you gain a +1 bonus to AC if you are wearing no armor and using no shield.
Notes: Bonus: Unarmored Armor Class, Warding, wrist and shin
Bracers of Defense
While wearing these bracers, you gain a +2 bonus to AC if you are wearing no armor and using no shield.
Notes: Bonus: Unarmored Armor Class, Warding, wrist and shin
Bracers of Combat
While wearing these bracers, you gain a +3 bonus to AC if you are wearing no armor and using no shield.
Notes: Bonus: Unarmored Armor Class, Warding, wrist and shin
Book of Martial Arts
IOW, Star Wars treats Monk like a special Fighter. I mean, isn't that what the Psionic Warrior is in 5E?
What we have, ultimately, is a problem with A) the devs and B) the section of D&D fanbase that doesn't like the Monk to step on the toes of their fave class, whether that's Fighter or Rogue. Being able to Dash, Disengage as bonus actions are too much like Rogue for the anti-Monk fanbase. Proof of this is how much the devs agreed to heavily nerf Astral Self Monk and the Drake Monk in the new Fizban's Dragon book after the anti-Monk gamers complained.
We would either need to convince the devs to ignore the fanbase that complains that Monks would be OP if they became more like Rogues or convince them to totally redesign the Monk class from the ground up.
Just nerf stunning strike and buff everything else.
More consistency, monks aren't as reliant on Stunning Strike/their ki saving throw, opens up a lot more options for monk other than spamming Stunning Strike.
As of rn my current thoughts are something I slote from reddit, WIS saving throw or effects of slow (-2 AC/DEX saving throws, no reactions, only one attack, spellcasting 50% to be delayed, one turn no concentration).
Then buff their other stuff in tune with the previous posts in this thread. It'll make monks both more balanced in casual games (no game-ending stuns) and more balanced in optimized games (no reliance on save or suck, but it's still a option)
if I edit a message, most of the time it's because of grammar. The rest of the time I'll put "Edit:" at the bottom.
Personally, I would be fine with that, but I also haven't played any high level games where Stunning strike was used on a Legendary creature. A wholesale rework of the Monk is needed, but it's really up to the devs to have the courage to admit their mistake and be willing to redesign even if it means drawing some ire from that subsection of Rogue/Fighter fans who don't want to see Monks get nice stuff relative to their fave class.