As a DM I would tell my players that play Monk, their racial weapons(ex. Dwarf, Elf) and/or any feat that grant weapon proficiencies(Weapon Master) will count as a Monk weapon as long as that weapon isn't Heavy and/or Two Handed. I think this should be limited to proficiencies gained when leveling in Monk, not any multiclass gains.
If your character has been training since childhood, why shouldn't they know how to adabt their Fighting Style to these weapons.
A Dwarf using a Warhammer or an Elf using a Longsword as a Monk weapon isn't something that I think is OP. What do you guys think?
Funny how that is literally the change to monk they introduced in the new UA.
RAW Monks are proficient with short bows and darts but they dont count as monk weapons because 2 handed ranged simple weapon.. It was silly considering all monks literally start with darts but them the breaks.
You know, instead of making a new thread maybe I can piggyback off this one. As a monks martial arts dice increases, it effects a weapons damage dice as well. What happens to a versatile weapon (we'll use the quarterstaff for example) who has two sets of weapon dice? Does the D8 always go up as well or is there a point where usintg it one or two handed just doesnt matter?
You know, instead of making a new thread maybe I can piggyback off this one. As a monks martial arts dice increases, it effects a weapons damage dice as well. What happens to a versatile weapon (we'll use the quarterstaff for example) who has two sets of weapon dice? Does the D8 always go up as well or is there a point where usintg it one or two handed just doesnt matter?
Lunali already answered correctly; I'm just going to further clarify.
When it comes to Versatile monk weapons, the damage die--for wielding the weapon two-handed--works like this:
Martial Arts replaces the weapon's "two-handed" damage die exactly as it would for the "one-handed" die
The "two-handed" die of a Versatile weapon is not always going to be higher or "incremented"
You use the higher value of either your Martial Arts damage die, or the weapon's damage die
I.e., if your Martial Arts die is 1d8 then using a Quarterstaff in one hand makes that a 1d8, but it doesn't mean using the Quarterstaff two-handed makes the damage a 1d10--It is also just 1d8.
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
the problem i have with the list when looking at irl martial arts weapons example guandoa (would be a glaive stats wise), monkspade (would be a spear with a hammer on otherside so probely maul) and such weapons or the odachi (longsword that has reach basicly) they are all historicly known as monk weapons in my opinion put them in give them mw (only if you have martial artis feature uasable and it uses your martial artist die) propotion and special nothing more using special for its looks and give it something like the odachi thing a small buff like more reach and like twice as expensive because you need to commision them at a blacksmith or give him a picture of the weapon
the problem i have with the list when looking at irl martial arts weapons example guandoa (would be a glaive stats wise), monkspade (would be a spear with a hammer on otherside so probely maul) and such weapons or the odachi (longsword that has reach basicly) they are all historicly known as monk weapons in my opinion put them in give them mw (only if you have martial artis feature uasable and it uses your martial artist die) propotion and special nothing more using special for its looks and give it something like the odachi thing a small buff like more reach and like twice as expensive because you need to commision them at a blacksmith or give him a picture of the weapon
Well, the thing is that D&D have very little to do with history. But if you want to go the historical route, just giving a picture of a weapon to any old blacksmith would probably result in you ending up with a pretty crappy weapon made by someone who doesn't know how to make that particular weapon.
What you could do however is to do what the PHB suggest and just reflavour the monk weapons into something more "monk-like". For example, the guandoa could just be a reflavoured spear and the monkspade could be a quarterstaff. If you want a longsword-equivalent, just go kensei and choose longsword as a kensei weapon. It all works out in the end. :)
In the UA PHP varients, there is a rule that a monk can make a weapon that it is proficient with into a monk weapon depending on wisdom modifier I believe and a long rest. Ex: elves are proficient with long bow. Be a wood elf monk and now make long bow your monk weapon without being kensei.
What I have done in the past for certain "Monk Schools" to represent special styles is switch out a proficiency or two on the monk list. I would mostly keep away from the two handed and the heavy weapons. Like switching out the Short Sword for the Whip as a common example.
But when it comes to some weapons most of the time even if we add them onto the monk weapon list. It's hard for them to function as monk weapons because either the martial arts die is so much smaller most of the time, it can be hard to link them into certain monk abilities that trigger off of monk attacks such as flurry of blows, or something like Kensai may make better allowances for them. If not having multiple of these happen at the same time. The long bow is a fine example of this since it fits all 3 categories for the most part (d8 in damage, it's typical ranges far outstrip where something like flurry of blows would normally be used, and Kensai in particular synergizes specifically with the long bow and bows in general). But a Kensai is still going to be much better with that long bow than any other type of monk is and gets to add the long bow as a monk weapon to their build anyway because of the kensai specifications about additional monk weapons and other class features specifically designed to work with ranged weapons like the longbow combined with feats like sharpshooter that any ranged weapon character can utilize that the core class and other archetypes don't necessarily work as well with.
Something like the short bow on the other hand. which is on the monks proficiency list but not monk weapon, or a racial weapon like the hand axe, battle axe, or war hammer actually benefits quite a bit more from becoming a monk weapon even without getting the kensai archetype specifically involved and can potentially add some interesting flavor to things that with a good player and a good idea of what they are looking for I may be willing to make the appropriate substitutions to the monk list to match that flavor. Though some of them might benefit more from martial arts than others and a couple things might actually benefit martial arts because of the weapon a bit more. With good reason and flavor I can overlook that to some extent to allow a bit different monk weapon list under the right conditions.
The ultimate issue is to not take away too much from something like say the Kensai or it will lose that bit that makes it unique and thus give no reason to play it when a lot of the benefits can be gotten elsewhere. Kensai does revolve around it's use of weapons to a fair extent afterall.
As a DM I would tell my players that play Monk, their racial weapons(ex. Dwarf, Elf) and/or any feat that grant weapon proficiencies(Weapon Master) will count as a Monk weapon as long as that weapon isn't Heavy and/or Two Handed. I think this should be limited to proficiencies gained when leveling in Monk, not any multiclass gains.
If your character has been training since childhood, why shouldn't they know how to adabt their Fighting Style to these weapons.
A Dwarf using a Warhammer or an Elf using a Longsword as a Monk weapon isn't something that I think is OP. What do you guys think?
I do the same. If someone has a cool idea with a monk using a whip. They just get that proficency. Why should you limit it to only simple weapons and short swords? I already use that rule in my games. Not at all op.
It does sort of invalidate one of the bigger draws of Kensei. Might not be an issue for you, but I'd understand if one player who specifically took the Kensei path to be able to use a long sword as a monk weapon got upset over a random wood elf shadow monk getting the same benefit on grounds of race.
I like the idea of Re-flavoring as long as it still fits the simple, no two handed/heavy/ranged requirement. Back in 1E I had a monk who used Thri-Kreen weaponry that his monastery taught as they studied the Thri-Kreen fighting style. Would like to do that again with quarter staff.
I do worry, as some have already mentioned, encroaching on the Kensei’s territory almost making them obsolete.
You can buy more darts if you want, but they still wont be considered monk weapons. You'd be better off buying a bunch of daggers to throw which are considered monk weapons and can use martial arts die when thrown.
Doesn’t help him. The problem is not proficiency. The problem is that the whip is a martial weapon, and hence does not qualify as a monk weapon. The only way to get the whip as a monk weapon is to be a Kensai monk. That’s the answer to his problem.
Does a thrown monk weapon use martial arts die or proficiency die?
There's no such thing as a proficiency die in the basic rules. Proficiency is used to hit with a weapon (if you are proficient with them), the monk's martial art die is for damage. Monk weapons that are thrown (like a dagger, for example) use the martial art die for damage. A dart would not since it's nto a monk weapon.
I'm assuming a Yklwa is fine... since my Monk is a sailor, I'm thinking his can have a hook up by the business end, facing back, to use for mooring ropes, and other seafaring activities.
IMO Monk weapons are based on nothing to do with any kind of Monk....using Asian style monks Glaives, Polearms, two weapon fighting, are all classical monk weapons. As are long swords...if you go friar Tuck style Staff's are both two handed and heavy weapons. Feats like GWM and Polearm Master should be available to Monks. This is why the 5e Monk is often rated with the beast master ranger as the worst classes in DnD. I like the idea of the Astral and Shadow Monk but you will have to multiclass them to make them competitive. Ki points are too few as well and are burned up even faster.
IMO Monk weapons are based on nothing to do with any kind of Monk....using Asian style monks Glaives, Polearms, two weapon fighting, are all classical monk weapons. As are long swords...if you go friar Tuck style Staff's are both two handed and heavy weapons. Feats like GWM and Polearm Master should be available to Monks. This is why the 5e Monk is often rated with the beast master ranger as the worst classes in DnD. I like the idea of the Astral and Shadow Monk but you will have to multiclass them to make them competitive. Ki points are too few as well and are burned up even faster.
Are you sure you've read the right book? Because GWM and PAM are already available to Monks and Quearterstaff is a monk weapon to begin with (it has neither the two-handed nor the heavy ability). And Monks very often rank very high on class lists. Ki points are a resource just like spell slots, second wind or indominatable. Knowing when to use them for best effect is part of the game.
IMO Monk weapons are based on nothing to do with any kind of Monk....using Asian style monks Glaives, Polearms, two weapon fighting, are all classical monk weapons. As are long swords...if you go friar Tuck style Staff's are both two handed and heavy weapons. Feats like GWM and Polearm Master should be available to Monks. This is why the 5e Monk is often rated with the beast master ranger as the worst classes in DnD. I like the idea of the Astral and Shadow Monk but you will have to multiclass them to make them competitive. Ki points are too few as well and are burned up even faster.
Are you sure you've read the right book? Because GWM and PAM are already available to Monks and Quearterstaff is a monk weapon to begin with (it has neither the two-handed nor the heavy ability). And Monks very often rank very high on class lists. Ki points are a resource just like spell slots, second wind or indominatable. Knowing when to use them for best effect is part of the game.
"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."
I know Staff's are allowed but they have the two handed property, staff's are boring to me glaives, and halberds have both the two handed and heavy property and are considered martial weapons. Not simple ones. I have been able to convince a DM to allow me to use a spear with two handed ability...a d8 but won't give me anything with reach or doesn't meet the above restrictions. PAM and GWM would not allow me to use my bonus action for flurry of blows in addition to the above according to several DM's. I think thats absurd.
As far as Ki points...a 6 lvl shadow monk has 6 ki points...if he uses pass without a trace or silence it uses two ki points each...so he has 4 left if he uses one of those. Flurry of blows and two stunning strike attempts and he's got one...that's one turn of combat....if he uses none of the spell abilities he's got two rounds of combat before he's out of ki points. That seems inadequate to me especially doing a d6 for dmg.
I'd love for you to show me highly reviewed monk classes vs other class reviews. The ones I've read or watched on Youtube all say nay. I loved the 1st Ed Monk and want to like this...I'm playing two multi class ones now even though I think aside from stunning strike most of they're abilities are less than par.
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Funny how that is literally the change to monk they introduced in the new UA.
RAW Monks are proficient with short bows and darts but they dont count as monk weapons because 2 handed ranged simple weapon.. It was silly considering all monks literally start with darts but them the breaks.
You know, instead of making a new thread maybe I can piggyback off this one. As a monks martial arts dice increases, it effects a weapons damage dice as well. What happens to a versatile weapon (we'll use the quarterstaff for example) who has two sets of weapon dice? Does the D8 always go up as well or is there a point where usintg it one or two handed just doesnt matter?
Both dice will get adjusted by the martial arts die, so after a certain point it won't matter whether you use it one or two handed.
Lunali already answered correctly; I'm just going to further clarify.
When it comes to Versatile monk weapons, the damage die--for wielding the weapon two-handed--works like this:
I.e., if your Martial Arts die is 1d8 then using a Quarterstaff in one hand makes that a 1d8, but it doesn't mean using the Quarterstaff two-handed makes the damage a 1d10--It is also just 1d8.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
the problem i have with the list when looking at irl martial arts weapons example guandoa (would be a glaive stats wise), monkspade (would be a spear with a hammer on otherside so probely maul) and such weapons or the odachi (longsword that has reach basicly) they are all historicly known as monk weapons in my opinion put them in give them mw (only if you have martial artis feature uasable and it uses your martial artist die) propotion and special nothing more using special for its looks and give it something like the odachi thing a small buff like more reach and like twice as expensive because you need to commision them at a blacksmith or give him a picture of the weapon
Well, the thing is that D&D have very little to do with history. But if you want to go the historical route, just giving a picture of a weapon to any old blacksmith would probably result in you ending up with a pretty crappy weapon made by someone who doesn't know how to make that particular weapon.
What you could do however is to do what the PHB suggest and just reflavour the monk weapons into something more "monk-like". For example, the guandoa could just be a reflavoured spear and the monkspade could be a quarterstaff. If you want a longsword-equivalent, just go kensei and choose longsword as a kensei weapon. It all works out in the end. :)
In the UA PHP varients, there is a rule that a monk can make a weapon that it is proficient with into a monk weapon depending on wisdom modifier I believe and a long rest. Ex: elves are proficient with long bow. Be a wood elf monk and now make long bow your monk weapon without being kensei.
What I have done in the past for certain "Monk Schools" to represent special styles is switch out a proficiency or two on the monk list. I would mostly keep away from the two handed and the heavy weapons. Like switching out the Short Sword for the Whip as a common example.
But when it comes to some weapons most of the time even if we add them onto the monk weapon list. It's hard for them to function as monk weapons because either the martial arts die is so much smaller most of the time, it can be hard to link them into certain monk abilities that trigger off of monk attacks such as flurry of blows, or something like Kensai may make better allowances for them. If not having multiple of these happen at the same time. The long bow is a fine example of this since it fits all 3 categories for the most part (d8 in damage, it's typical ranges far outstrip where something like flurry of blows would normally be used, and Kensai in particular synergizes specifically with the long bow and bows in general). But a Kensai is still going to be much better with that long bow than any other type of monk is and gets to add the long bow as a monk weapon to their build anyway because of the kensai specifications about additional monk weapons and other class features specifically designed to work with ranged weapons like the longbow combined with feats like sharpshooter that any ranged weapon character can utilize that the core class and other archetypes don't necessarily work as well with.
Something like the short bow on the other hand. which is on the monks proficiency list but not monk weapon, or a racial weapon like the hand axe, battle axe, or war hammer actually benefits quite a bit more from becoming a monk weapon even without getting the kensai archetype specifically involved and can potentially add some interesting flavor to things that with a good player and a good idea of what they are looking for I may be willing to make the appropriate substitutions to the monk list to match that flavor. Though some of them might benefit more from martial arts than others and a couple things might actually benefit martial arts because of the weapon a bit more. With good reason and flavor I can overlook that to some extent to allow a bit different monk weapon list under the right conditions.
The ultimate issue is to not take away too much from something like say the Kensai or it will lose that bit that makes it unique and thus give no reason to play it when a lot of the benefits can be gotten elsewhere. Kensai does revolve around it's use of weapons to a fair extent afterall.
It does sort of invalidate one of the bigger draws of Kensei. Might not be an issue for you, but I'd understand if one player who specifically took the Kensei path to be able to use a long sword as a monk weapon got upset over a random wood elf shadow monk getting the same benefit on grounds of race.
I like the idea of Re-flavoring as long as it still fits the simple, no two handed/heavy/ranged requirement. Back in 1E I had a monk who used Thri-Kreen weaponry that his monastery taught as they studied the Thri-Kreen fighting style. Would like to do that again with quarter staff.
I do worry, as some have already mentioned, encroaching on the Kensei’s territory almost making them obsolete.
Does this mean if I want to buy more darts they will automatically be Monk weapons or will they be regular darts unless specified?
You can buy more darts if you want, but they still wont be considered monk weapons. You'd be better off buying a bunch of daggers to throw which are considered monk weapons and can use martial arts die when thrown.
Doesn’t help him. The problem is not proficiency. The problem is that the whip is a martial weapon, and hence does not qualify as a monk weapon. The only way to get the whip as a monk weapon is to be a Kensai monk. That’s the answer to his problem.
Does a thrown monk weapon use martial arts die or proficiency die?
There's no such thing as a proficiency die in the basic rules. Proficiency is used to hit with a weapon (if you are proficient with them), the monk's martial art die is for damage. Monk weapons that are thrown (like a dagger, for example) use the martial art die for damage. A dart would not since it's nto a monk weapon.
I'm assuming a Yklwa is fine... since my Monk is a sailor, I'm thinking his can have a hook up by the business end, facing back, to use for mooring ropes, and other seafaring activities.
Would ylkwa count
IMO Monk weapons are based on nothing to do with any kind of Monk....using Asian style monks Glaives, Polearms, two weapon fighting, are all classical monk weapons. As are long swords...if you go friar Tuck style Staff's are both two handed and heavy weapons. Feats like GWM and Polearm Master should be available to Monks. This is why the 5e Monk is often rated with the beast master ranger as the worst classes in DnD. I like the idea of the Astral and Shadow Monk but you will have to multiclass them to make them competitive. Ki points are too few as well and are burned up even faster.
Are you sure you've read the right book? Because GWM and PAM are already available to Monks and Quearterstaff is a monk weapon to begin with (it has neither the two-handed nor the heavy ability). And Monks very often rank very high on class lists. Ki points are a resource just like spell slots, second wind or indominatable. Knowing when to use them for best effect is part of the game.
"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."
I know Staff's are allowed but they have the two handed property, staff's are boring to me glaives, and halberds have both the two handed and heavy property and are considered martial weapons. Not simple ones. I have been able to convince a DM to allow me to use a spear with two handed ability...a d8 but won't give me anything with reach or doesn't meet the above restrictions. PAM and GWM would not allow me to use my bonus action for flurry of blows in addition to the above according to several DM's. I think thats absurd.
As far as Ki points...a 6 lvl shadow monk has 6 ki points...if he uses pass without a trace or silence it uses two ki points each...so he has 4 left if he uses one of those. Flurry of blows and two stunning strike attempts and he's got one...that's one turn of combat....if he uses none of the spell abilities he's got two rounds of combat before he's out of ki points. That seems inadequate to me especially doing a d6 for dmg.
I'd love for you to show me highly reviewed monk classes vs other class reviews. The ones I've read or watched on Youtube all say nay. I loved the 1st Ed Monk and want to like this...I'm playing two multi class ones now even though I think aside from stunning strike most of they're abilities are less than par.