I'd like for this thread to be a discussion of Monk Tactics. As such, it would be the complimentary opposite to guides on how to build monks, it would be a guide on how to optimize what the monk gets during combat.
Yes, I am a big time roleplayer. Optimization isn't roleplay usually. But, I'm setting that aside.
Please contribute as you see fit. I'm only one person and can't possibly think of everything.
!.) Make use of your movement. Bypass the enemy's shield wall and get to their rear ranks where the arcane spellcasters are. Grapple them, stun them, do whatever you need to to keep them from casting and to kill them quickly.
2.) When the enemy doesn't have a real line of arcane casters, try to focus on those enemy who have lower con. This will take some practice, but if you can identify the enemy's class, that should help. Stunning fist and Quiverng Palm work best on targets with low con.
3.) You should probably use ability score adjustments to raise Wis and Dex until those two attributes have gotten as high as possible and only then think about picking up feats (thanks to ECM03 for pointing this out below)
4.) You probably won't be able to get as high a bonus to hit as the other martial characters. Flanking will help you hit. Magical monk weapons can help with that as well.
5.) You likely won't do as much damage as other martial classes. But, you can make up for that with add-ons to your damage such as Stunning Fist.
6.) A Cloak of Displacement can be fun - causing you to move in a literal blur and helping your AC.
7.) You will need a high Wis and a high Dex. That means that you will probably be the first to perceive a threat and the first to react to it. You are made to be a scout.
8.) I would dearly love for the Monk to have a power like "Words of Wisdom" which grants them the ability to use Wisdom instead of Charisma on social skills, but, alas, that's not the case, which means that your ability to bypass the language barrier with whomever you speak with will largely go to waste. However, don't underestimate it. You can talk to animals which can give you a lot of information about your environment outdoors. You can also talk to dungeon rats and other vermin indoors. Carry some kibble, birdseed, and other tasty nuggets with which to barter information.
9.) Don't forget about Disengage. It costs only one ki point, but allows you to ignore all attacks of opportunity for the round. This is much better than the Mobility feat..
One thing I used to love to do with my monk was bait and run. As you mentioned, your damage output as a monk will not be as high as other martial classes, but you will definitely be faster and more agile. I love to grab the enemies attention, be on them like an annoying mosquito by going in to hit and stun, run away, rinse and repeat until they follow; then run/bait them to the closest barbarian/fighter and let them deal with the enemy.
With invisibility and movement, and walls not being an obstacle, I love messing with foes when I pop up behind them. Then stun the casters or knock them prone. Then get out of dodge. The move ability is the fun part of Monk. Flurries of blows combo stun. Pick up weapon mastery in the expansion and have more fun.
* Carry hit point restorers. Goodberry is ideal for this if you have a Druid in the party. You can be a lifesaver if a party member starts making Death Saves since you'll probably get to them before anyone else can.
*You've got lots of different defenses and the options can be overwhelming. Prioritize using Patient Defense against multi-attackers or when fighting a mob.
*Sometimes using a monk weapon can be more helpful than using open hands. Carry a magic monk weapon for when you are having trouble hitting a target. Also, some monsters can't be touched safely. Monk weapons help with that.
*You can best use natural terrain to your advantage compared to any other PC. You can run out onto the water to avoid being hit by a melee attacker. You can run up walls to surprise attack a caster or archer. You can make prodigious leaps. At higher levels, you can even pass through walls by becoming Ethereal. You can go diagonal when your party and the enemy are moving in metaphorically speaking straight lines.
*The party will often have to do adventuring type actions like climbing walls or sneaking. Remember that you can aid another. Your less skilled party members will thank you.
I'd like for this thread to be a discussion of Monk Tactics. As such, it would be the complimentary opposite to guides on how to build monks, it would be a guide on how to optimize what the monk gets during combat.
Yes, I am a big time roleplayer. Optimization isn't roleplay usually. But, I'm setting that aside.
Please contribute as you see fit. I'm only one person and can't possibly think of everything.
!.) Make use of your movement. Bypass the enemy's shield wall and get to their rear ranks where the arcane spellcasters are. Grapple them, stun them, do whatever you need to to keep them from casting and to kill them quickly.
2.) When the enemy doesn't have a real line of arcane casters, try to focus on those enemy who have lower con. This will take some practice, but if you can identify the enemy's class, that should help. Stunning fist and Quiverng Palm work best on targets with low con.
3.) Pick up Mobility if possible, or Acrobatics, and work with your party members to flank enemy characters. Due to your high movement and acrobatics, you should be particularly adept at moving into a flanking position.
4.) You probably won't be able to get as high a bonus to hit as the other martial characters. Flanking will help you hit. Magical monk weapons can help with that as well.
5.) You likely won't do as much damage as other martial classes. But, you can make up for that with add ons to your damage such as Stunning Fist.
6.) A Cloak of Displacement can be fun - causing you to move in a literal blur and helping your AC.
7.) You will need a high Wis and a high Dex. That means that you will probably be the first to perceive a threat and the first to react to it. You are made to be a scout.
I agree with most of these. Getting the mobile feat is the only one I strongly disagree with. You need a high Wisdom and Dexterity and taking a feat like Mobile which offers neither is going to delay those scores and make you less effective. SS works better on creatures with a low Con, but it also works better on Monks with a high Wisdom.
People seem to think Mobile is the same or nearly equivalent to the disengage action and it isn't. It prevents AOOs from an enemy you make a melee attack against, so it is not very useful for getting around bad guys to the people in the back. You have to use half your attacks to do this against 1 enemy or your whole action with extra attack to do it against two of them, while disengage eliminates all AOOs from all enemies for an entire round.
Even if you don't want to bonus action disengage, when you get down to it AOOs are not that bad anyway and taking 2 or 3 of them a fight is not worth playing with a lower Wisdom for every turn.
I'd like for this thread to be a discussion of Monk Tactics. As such, it would be the complimentary opposite to guides on how to build monks, it would be a guide on how to optimize what the monk gets during combat.
Yes, I am a big time roleplayer. Optimization isn't roleplay usually. But, I'm setting that aside.
Please contribute as you see fit. I'm only one person and can't possibly think of everything.
!.) Make use of your movement. Bypass the enemy's shield wall and get to their rear ranks where the arcane spellcasters are. Grapple them, stun them, do whatever you need to to keep them from casting and to kill them quickly.
2.) When the enemy doesn't have a real line of arcane casters, try to focus on those enemy who have lower con. This will take some practice, but if you can identify the enemy's class, that should help. Stunning fist and Quiverng Palm work best on targets with low con.
3.) Pick up Mobility if possible, or Acrobatics, and work with your party members to flank enemy characters. Due to your high movement and acrobatics, you should be particularly adept at moving into a flanking position.
4.) You probably won't be able to get as high a bonus to hit as the other martial characters. Flanking will help you hit. Magical monk weapons can help with that as well.
5.) You likely won't do as much damage as other martial classes. But, you can make up for that with add ons to your damage such as Stunning Fist.
6.) A Cloak of Displacement can be fun - causing you to move in a literal blur and helping your AC.
7.) You will need a high Wis and a high Dex. That means that you will probably be the first to perceive a threat and the first to react to it. You are made to be a scout.
I agree with most of these. Getting the mobile feat is the only one I strongly disagree with. You need a high Wisdom and Dexterity and taking a feat like Mobile which offers neither is going to delay those scores and make you less effective. SS works better on creatures with a low Con, but it also works better on Monks with a high Wisdom.
People seem to think Mobile is the same or nearly equivalent to the disengage action and it isn't. It prevents AOOs from an enemy you make a melee attack against, so it is not very useful for getting around bad guys to the people in the back. You have to use half your attacks to do this against 1 enemy or your whole action with extra attack to do it against two of them, while disengage eliminates all AOOs from all enemies for an entire round.
Even if you don't want to bonus action disengage, when you get down to it AOOs are not that bad anyway and taking 2 or 3 of them a fight is not worth playing with a lower Wisdom for every turn.
* As your primary job is going to be mage killing and ranged weapon user killing, I should probably take a moment to point out some issues that you can have with that.
First off is fire shield, fire elementals, remorhaz and various other things too hot to touch without taking damage. Of course, the optimal solution is to get yourself a ring of fire resistance, but, barring that, you can try missile weapons or hit-and-run tactics via Disengage. Also, remember that you are in a party. Party members may be able to help you by casting fire resistance on you.
Black puddings, similar to fire effects above, but the damage is acid. Acid is much more difficult to get resistance to than fire. This is one of the reasons you should carry some missile weapons.
Rust monsters and Black Puddings. RAW won't affect rings on the hands you are attacking with (if they aren't weapons), but the GM may rule otherwise. So, ask beforehand.
Myconoid Sovereign This probably won't affect you due to your immunity to poison, but keep in mind that it can probably affect your buddy who is fighting the creature with you. Prepare what you'll do if your buddy gets taken out of the action. Of course, that's good general advice - you should always plan ahead and have an exit strategy if things get too ugly, so it probably goes without saying here. You are not a tank until late game. Even if you can manage to match other martials' AC, you won't have the hitpoints of most other martial. Your job is to hit and run, not to stand like a shield wall. If your buddy goes down, get the hell out of dodge until you can come back to feed your buddy a healing potion or good berry.
Shambling Mounds These things are a PITA. While you can probably escape from their grapple easily enough, you can end up doing nothing but escaping their grapple, which means you aren't helping to defeat them.
Example Escape Plan
Initial Grapple: If the shambling mound grapples you, first assess your options and plan your escape.
Attempt to Escape: On your turn, use your action to make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to escape the grapple. Remember, you can use your proficiency bonus on this check if you are proficient in Acrobatics.
Use Ki Abilities:
Step of the Wind: If you escape, use Step of the Wind to Dash away as a bonus action, putting distance between you and the shambling mound.
Patient Defense: If you’re unable to escape, consider using Patient Defense to take the Dodge action, giving attacks against you disadvantage and increasing your chances of avoiding damage and another grapple attempt.
Coordinate with Allies: Signal to your allies that you need assistance. They can use the Help action or cast supportive spells to aid your escape.
Strategic Retreat: Once free, use your enhanced movement to stay out of the shambling mound’s reach, attacking from a distance if possible.
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I'd like for this thread to be a discussion of Monk Tactics. As such, it would be the complimentary opposite to guides on how to build monks, it would be a guide on how to optimize what the monk gets during combat.
Yes, I am a big time roleplayer. Optimization isn't roleplay usually. But, I'm setting that aside.
Please contribute as you see fit. I'm only one person and can't possibly think of everything.
!.) Make use of your movement. Bypass the enemy's shield wall and get to their rear ranks where the arcane spellcasters are. Grapple them, stun them, do whatever you need to to keep them from casting and to kill them quickly.
2.) When the enemy doesn't have a real line of arcane casters, try to focus on those enemy who have lower con. This will take some practice, but if you can identify the enemy's class, that should help. Stunning fist and Quiverng Palm work best on targets with low con.
3.) You should probably use ability score adjustments to raise Wis and Dex until those two attributes have gotten as high as possible and only then think about picking up feats (thanks to ECM03 for pointing this out below)
4.) You probably won't be able to get as high a bonus to hit as the other martial characters. Flanking will help you hit. Magical monk weapons can help with that as well.
5.) You likely won't do as much damage as other martial classes. But, you can make up for that with add-ons to your damage such as Stunning Fist.
6.) A Cloak of Displacement can be fun - causing you to move in a literal blur and helping your AC.
7.) You will need a high Wis and a high Dex. That means that you will probably be the first to perceive a threat and the first to react to it. You are made to be a scout.
8.) I would dearly love for the Monk to have a power like "Words of Wisdom" which grants them the ability to use Wisdom instead of Charisma on social skills, but, alas, that's not the case, which means that your ability to bypass the language barrier with whomever you speak with will largely go to waste. However, don't underestimate it. You can talk to animals which can give you a lot of information about your environment outdoors. You can also talk to dungeon rats and other vermin indoors. Carry some kibble, birdseed, and other tasty nuggets with which to barter information.
9.) Don't forget about Disengage. It costs only one ki point, but allows you to ignore all attacks of opportunity for the round. This is much better than the Mobility feat..
One thing I used to love to do with my monk was bait and run. As you mentioned, your damage output as a monk will not be as high as other martial classes, but you will definitely be faster and more agile. I love to grab the enemies attention, be on them like an annoying mosquito by going in to hit and stun, run away, rinse and repeat until they follow; then run/bait them to the closest barbarian/fighter and let them deal with the enemy.
With invisibility and movement, and walls not being an obstacle, I love messing with foes when I pop up behind them. Then stun the casters or knock them prone. Then get out of dodge. The move ability is the fun part of Monk. Flurries of blows combo stun. Pick up weapon mastery in the expansion and have more fun.
* Carry hit point restorers. Goodberry is ideal for this if you have a Druid in the party. You can be a lifesaver if a party member starts making Death Saves since you'll probably get to them before anyone else can.
*You've got lots of different defenses and the options can be overwhelming. Prioritize using Patient Defense against multi-attackers or when fighting a mob.
*Sometimes using a monk weapon can be more helpful than using open hands. Carry a magic monk weapon for when you are having trouble hitting a target. Also, some monsters can't be touched safely. Monk weapons help with that.
*You can best use natural terrain to your advantage compared to any other PC. You can run out onto the water to avoid being hit by a melee attacker. You can run up walls to surprise attack a caster or archer. You can make prodigious leaps. At higher levels, you can even pass through walls by becoming Ethereal. You can go diagonal when your party and the enemy are moving in metaphorically speaking straight lines.
*The party will often have to do adventuring type actions like climbing walls or sneaking. Remember that you can aid another. Your less skilled party members will thank you.
*
I agree with most of these. Getting the mobile feat is the only one I strongly disagree with. You need a high Wisdom and Dexterity and taking a feat like Mobile which offers neither is going to delay those scores and make you less effective. SS works better on creatures with a low Con, but it also works better on Monks with a high Wisdom.
People seem to think Mobile is the same or nearly equivalent to the disengage action and it isn't. It prevents AOOs from an enemy you make a melee attack against, so it is not very useful for getting around bad guys to the people in the back. You have to use half your attacks to do this against 1 enemy or your whole action with extra attack to do it against two of them, while disengage eliminates all AOOs from all enemies for an entire round.
Even if you don't want to bonus action disengage, when you get down to it AOOs are not that bad anyway and taking 2 or 3 of them a fight is not worth playing with a lower Wisdom for every turn.
I agree with you. Edits have been made above.
* As your primary job is going to be mage killing and ranged weapon user killing, I should probably take a moment to point out some issues that you can have with that.
First off is fire shield, fire elementals, remorhaz and various other things too hot to touch without taking damage. Of course, the optimal solution is to get yourself a ring of fire resistance, but, barring that, you can try missile weapons or hit-and-run tactics via Disengage. Also, remember that you are in a party. Party members may be able to help you by casting fire resistance on you.
Black puddings, similar to fire effects above, but the damage is acid. Acid is much more difficult to get resistance to than fire. This is one of the reasons you should carry some missile weapons.
Rust monsters and Black Puddings. RAW won't affect rings on the hands you are attacking with (if they aren't weapons), but the GM may rule otherwise. So, ask beforehand.
Myconoid Sovereign This probably won't affect you due to your immunity to poison, but keep in mind that it can probably affect your buddy who is fighting the creature with you. Prepare what you'll do if your buddy gets taken out of the action. Of course, that's good general advice - you should always plan ahead and have an exit strategy if things get too ugly, so it probably goes without saying here. You are not a tank until late game. Even if you can manage to match other martials' AC, you won't have the hitpoints of most other martial. Your job is to hit and run, not to stand like a shield wall. If your buddy goes down, get the hell out of dodge until you can come back to feed your buddy a healing potion or good berry.
Shambling Mounds These things are a PITA. While you can probably escape from their grapple easily enough, you can end up doing nothing but escaping their grapple, which means you aren't helping to defeat them.
Example Escape Plan