Wow this subclass has been so royally... buffed? Wizards have basically turned what used to be the level 3 features into the whole subclass and removed the poison synergy (particularly for Grung PCs)... However, they have also made some subtle and not so subtle improvements.
Lv3 (Buff, though I like the flavour and use of tool proficiencies) Implements of Mercy now Insight, Medicine and Herbalism. It was Insight or Medicine, with Herbalism and Poisoners.
Lv3 Hands of Healing remains the same.
Lv3 (Mixed) Hands of Harm, now does 1 martial arts die +Wisdom damage 1/turn. Used to not add modifier but also do 3x martial arts die, if the target was poisoned or incapacitated.
Lv6 (Buff) Noxious Aura has been removed (5ft poisoning aura with wisdom mod damage). It has been replaced by Physician’s Touch: Hands of Healing also can remove 1 disease or condition: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, poisoned, or stunned (this used to be the lv11 ability). Also Hands of Harm can flat out impose poison condition (no save), till end of next turn.
Lv11 (Buff) Healing Technique has been moved (with a massive hands of harm buff) to Lv6, now we get Flurry of Healing and Harm: Healing can be done instead of both Flurry of Blows (Cool!), Harm has no Ki cost if used with a flurry of blows hit (Cool!), but still only 1/ turn.
Lv17 (Mixed) No longer get a play dead/immunity/stasis but instead a 5 ki 1/ long rest 24 hour time frame revive. (Seems a little late in the game for this to be impactful, though still useful, but the previous ability was more fun!)
I am sad about the lose of internal and external synergy with poisons, but it’s hard to see this as anything but a buff overall. It’s cool that this Monk subclass is now a full healer, albeit a weak one compared to other classes.
I feel like this subclass works really well as both a healer and a debuffer (as I'm sure was the intention), as now at only level 6 you can inflict both the Stunned and the Poisoned condition through unarmed strikes on top of being able to remove certain debuffs from your allies as you heal them, all in 1 turn if you're willing to spend the ki. I feel like this cannot be understated in how useful that can be.
Im disappointed with this one. Missing noxious aura and the synergy buff to damage of Hands of Harm with the poison status. Just a really cool poison and healing aesthetic now just... slightly more healing than poison.
Not crazy about the level 17 as you almost surely have someone else in the party that can revive someone. I'd probably MC after 11 to cleric or rogue or something to further develop the healing/poison theme.
I must admit that I can't complain about the pure mechanics of it... But the removal of the poison synergy kills the cool factor for me... I was interestedin the original version primarily because making a poison based character could be really cool and thematic.. Now.. it's more of a field doctor which is fine.. It's just not very cool imo.
1. No Save 2. I was more so thinking of applying this ability to poison one mook, stunning another, and healing an ally all on the same turn, which imo is kinda crazy for crowd control. You can even do that for less ki as the subclass progresses.
Not crazy about the level 17 as you almost surely have someone else in the party that can revive someone. I'd probably MC after 11 to cleric or rogue or something to further develop the healing/poison theme.
Yea, it's an ability that might be really nice if it were either lower level or the GP cost of revivify actually mattered at that level. That said, I still really like the base monk abilities at 14 and 18 so I'd be a bit torn on that.
Again, I don't think it's particularly weak (Anymore than any other monk anyway) I just really liked the interaction with the poison condition the subclass had in UA.. When I read it back then I was already going through cool ways of poisoning people to make use of the subclass feature.
I was really let down to see they took out the poison synergy too, it was the most interesting thing about the subclass. The capstone level 17 ability was really unique too, a 24 hour resurrect is fine and all but like others said, a plethora of other classes have far, far more impressive resurrection spells and mechanics by that point. I didn't even really find the original level 17 ability busted or anything. I really wonder about this trend of just okay 17 cap stone abilities for this class, either that or giving them something casters and even some martial/caster hybrids got levels ago it's almost like they're afraid to make this class' subclass capstone features stand out too much. Maybe all Monk subclasses have to carry the weight of Open Hand's Quivering Palm capstone...
All my griping aside though it's still nice to finally have a supportive monk subclass, I hope it's not the last. Even speeding around the field healing people while fighting at the same time is cool. I was thinking it might have interesting multiclass synergy with the new Domain of Peace Cleric, healing and buffing with emboldening bond and bless, and using Monk's inherently super high movement speed in conjunction with Peace's Channel Divinity move for a clutch group wide heal. Might be an interesting flavor.
Has everyone missed that the level 17 ability is an action that also heals, i.e. something you can use mid-combat?
You can, but only on someone that's dead and you can only use it once a day, so you're risking not being able to get them back up after the fight if they take another hit or two.
Has everyone missed that the level 17 ability is an action that also heals, i.e. something you can use mid-combat?
You can, but only on someone that's dead and you can only use it once a day, so you're risking not being able to get them back up after the fight if they take another hit or two.
Ok, you seem to have missed the point. Short of a wish spell, I'm pretty sure this is the only character that can bring someone back from the dead in the middle of a combat situation. At this level there's presumably a Cleric or other spell caster that can spend the next hour resurrecting/revivifying if someone else truly dies, but the monk is the only one who can make someone that has been outright killed re-join the battle. It's not an amazing, must have ability, but it's far from the useless ribbon ability your'e making it out to be. A better question is why does my monk have this incredible instant resurrection ability that no cleric in the world has, it feels really jarring and flavour wise I agree they should have something different.
I mean... revivify, the 3th level spell, takes 1 action to cast as well and also returns you to life with 1 hp, meaning you can join combat right away.
Reading through this subclass, it seems like a very powerful choice.
I think Kensei monk is actually the only monk subclass so far that gains DPS from its subclass features (that is, until level 17 but who ever gets there...). The other subclasses instead get extra mobility, utility, crowd control, range...
Well, the way of mercy is here to change that! Hand of harm effectively adds another attack to your turn, with the only difference that that attack cannot miss and scales with wisdom instead of Dex. This makes it a more effective way of increasing DPS than Flurry of blows! If you decide to spend 2 kipoints to use both hand of harm and flurry of blows, then you can really go to town with effectively 5 attacks on level 5. On top of that, we get a free poison without saving throw added into the mix so you also get some decent control tools.
And that was only the damage. Know that spell, cure wounds? Or lesser restoration? For which you have to give up your action? Well, fear no more, for this monk can cast those spells and add in another 2 punches free of charge! (or 3 at higher level). Ok yeah, not such a good comparisson since cure wounds isn't all that good and the amount of healing is closer to healing word... Still, it is quite a hefty amount of healing with low action economy cost. And the fact that the amount you heal would be just as high as the amount of damage you would deal if you chose not to heal (if and only if you were to hit!) makes it extremely efficient compared to most other healing abilities in this game.
So yeah, powerwise this seems to be a very solid subclass.
Reading through this subclass, it seems like a very powerful choice.
I think Kensei monk is actually the only monk subclass so far that gains DPS from its subclass features (that is, until level 17 but who ever gets there...). The other subclasses instead get extra mobility, utility, crowd control, range...
Well, the way of mercy is here to change that! Hand of harm effectively adds another attack to your turn, with the only difference that that attack cannot miss and scales with wisdom instead of Dex. This makes it a more effective way of increasing DPS than Flurry of blows! If you decide to spend 2 kipoints to use both hand of harm and flurry of blows, then you can really go to town with effectively 5 attacks on level 5. On top of that, we get a free poison without saving throw added into the mix so you also get some decent control tools.
And that was only the damage. Know that spell, cure wounds? Or lesser restoration? For which you have to give up your action? Well, fear no more, for this monk can cast those spells and add in another 2 punches free of charge! (or 3 at higher level). Ok yeah, not such a good comparisson since cure wounds isn't all that good and the amount of healing is closer to healing word... Still, it is quite a hefty amount of healing with low action economy cost. And the fact that the amount you heal would be just as high as the amount of damage you would deal if you chose not to heal (if and only if you were to hit!) makes it extremely efficient compared to most other healing abilities in this game.
So yeah, powerwise this seems to be a very solid subclass.
I'm not sure that's how it works. The hands of healing REPLACE an attack. And technically you only get 1 bonus action. I don't see how you get 5 attacks at level 5
Wannyboy was saying that the added 'Hands of Harm' necrotic damage with added wisdom mod is effictively another attack. So for two Ki, two Attacks on the Action, two attacks with Flurry of Blows and finally the added Hands of Harm for 5xMartial Arts Die, +4x Dexterity Mod, +1x Wisdom Mod.
Hand of harm effectively adds another attack to your turn, with the only difference that that attack cannot miss and scales with wisdom instead of Dex. This makes it a more effective way of increasing DPS than Flurry of blows! If you decide to spend 2 kipoints to use both hand of harm and flurry of blows, then you can really go to town with effectively 5 attacks on level 5.
I'm not sure that's how it works. The hands of healing REPLACE an attack. And technically you only get 1 bonus action. I don't see how you get 5 attacks at level 5
Wow this subclass has been so royally... buffed? Wizards have basically turned what used to be the level 3 features into the whole subclass and removed the poison synergy (particularly for Grung PCs)... However, they have also made some subtle and not so subtle improvements.
Lv3 (Buff, though I like the flavour and use of tool proficiencies) Implements of Mercy now Insight, Medicine and Herbalism. It was Insight or Medicine, with Herbalism and Poisoners.
Lv3 Hands of Healing remains the same.
Lv3 (Mixed) Hands of Harm, now does 1 martial arts die +Wisdom damage 1/turn. Used to not add modifier but also do 3x martial arts die, if the target was poisoned or incapacitated.
Lv6 (Buff) Noxious Aura has been removed (5ft poisoning aura with wisdom mod damage). It has been replaced by Physician’s Touch: Hands of Healing also can remove 1 disease or condition: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, poisoned, or stunned (this used to be the lv11 ability). Also Hands of Harm can flat out impose poison condition (no save), till end of next turn.
Lv11 (Buff) Healing Technique has been moved (with a massive hands of harm buff) to Lv6, now we get Flurry of Healing and Harm: Healing can be done instead of both Flurry of Blows (Cool!), Harm has no Ki cost if used with a flurry of blows hit (Cool!), but still only 1/ turn.
Lv17 (Mixed) No longer get a play dead/immunity/stasis but instead a 5 ki 1/ long rest 24 hour time frame revive. (Seems a little late in the game for this to be impactful, though still useful, but the previous ability was more fun!)
I am sad about the lose of internal and external synergy with poisons, but it’s hard to see this as anything but a buff overall. It’s cool that this Monk subclass is now a full healer, albeit a weak one compared to other classes.
I feel like this subclass works really well as both a healer and a debuffer (as I'm sure was the intention), as now at only level 6 you can inflict both the Stunned and the Poisoned condition through unarmed strikes on top of being able to remove certain debuffs from your allies as you heal them, all in 1 turn if you're willing to spend the ki. I feel like this cannot be understated in how useful that can be.
Surely stunned is already a superior condition than completely encapsulates poisoned?
I kinda missed the poisoner kit
Im disappointed with this one. Missing noxious aura and the synergy buff to damage of Hands of Harm with the poison status. Just a really cool poison and healing aesthetic now just... slightly more healing than poison.
This difference being that the target gets no save against the poison
Yes, no save + no ki expenditure later on.
Not crazy about the level 17 as you almost surely have someone else in the party that can revive someone. I'd probably MC after 11 to cleric or rogue or something to further develop the healing/poison theme.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
I must admit that I can't complain about the pure mechanics of it... But the removal of the poison synergy kills the cool factor for me... I was interestedin the original version primarily because making a poison based character could be really cool and thematic.. Now.. it's more of a field doctor which is fine.. It's just not very cool imo.
IMO, the cool factor is the plague doctor aesthetic the subclass has. Like, I mean c'mon, you can never go wrong with a Plague Doctor look.
1. No Save 2. I was more so thinking of applying this ability to poison one mook, stunning another, and healing an ally all on the same turn, which imo is kinda crazy for crowd control. You can even do that for less ki as the subclass progresses.
Yea, it's an ability that might be really nice if it were either lower level or the GP cost of revivify actually mattered at that level. That said, I still really like the base monk abilities at 14 and 18 so I'd be a bit torn on that.
Again, I don't think it's particularly weak (Anymore than any other monk anyway) I just really liked the interaction with the poison condition the subclass had in UA.. When I read it back then I was already going through cool ways of poisoning people to make use of the subclass feature.
I was really let down to see they took out the poison synergy too, it was the most interesting thing about the subclass. The capstone level 17 ability was really unique too, a 24 hour resurrect is fine and all but like others said, a plethora of other classes have far, far more impressive resurrection spells and mechanics by that point. I didn't even really find the original level 17 ability busted or anything. I really wonder about this trend of just okay 17 cap stone abilities for this class, either that or giving them something casters and even some martial/caster hybrids got levels ago it's almost like they're afraid to make this class' subclass capstone features stand out too much. Maybe all Monk subclasses have to carry the weight of Open Hand's Quivering Palm capstone...
All my griping aside though it's still nice to finally have a supportive monk subclass, I hope it's not the last. Even speeding around the field healing people while fighting at the same time is cool. I was thinking it might have interesting multiclass synergy with the new Domain of Peace Cleric, healing and buffing with emboldening bond and bless, and using Monk's inherently super high movement speed in conjunction with Peace's Channel Divinity move for a clutch group wide heal. Might be an interesting flavor.
Monks can’t have anything nice I guess. At least now there’s a subclass that demands the new poisoner feat...?
Has everyone missed that the level 17 ability is an action that also heals, i.e. something you can use mid-combat?
You can, but only on someone that's dead and you can only use it once a day, so you're risking not being able to get them back up after the fight if they take another hit or two.
Ok, you seem to have missed the point. Short of a wish spell, I'm pretty sure this is the only character that can bring someone back from the dead in the middle of a combat situation.
At this level there's presumably a Cleric or other spell caster that can spend the next hour resurrecting/revivifying if someone else truly dies, but the monk is the only one who can make someone that has been outright killed re-join the battle.
It's not an amazing, must have ability, but it's far from the useless ribbon ability your'e making it out to be.
A better question is why does my monk have this incredible instant resurrection ability that no cleric in the world has, it feels really jarring and flavour wise I agree they should have something different.
I mean... revivify, the 3th level spell, takes 1 action to cast as well and also returns you to life with 1 hp, meaning you can join combat right away.
Reading through this subclass, it seems like a very powerful choice.
I think Kensei monk is actually the only monk subclass so far that gains DPS from its subclass features (that is, until level 17 but who ever gets there...). The other subclasses instead get extra mobility, utility, crowd control, range...
Well, the way of mercy is here to change that! Hand of harm effectively adds another attack to your turn, with the only difference that that attack cannot miss and scales with wisdom instead of Dex. This makes it a more effective way of increasing DPS than Flurry of blows! If you decide to spend 2 kipoints to use both hand of harm and flurry of blows, then you can really go to town with effectively 5 attacks on level 5. On top of that, we get a free poison without saving throw added into the mix so you also get some decent control tools.
And that was only the damage. Know that spell, cure wounds? Or lesser restoration? For which you have to give up your action? Well, fear no more, for this monk can cast those spells and add in another 2 punches free of charge! (or 3 at higher level). Ok yeah, not such a good comparisson since cure wounds isn't all that good and the amount of healing is closer to healing word... Still, it is quite a hefty amount of healing with low action economy cost. And the fact that the amount you heal would be just as high as the amount of damage you would deal if you chose not to heal (if and only if you were to hit!) makes it extremely efficient compared to most other healing abilities in this game.
So yeah, powerwise this seems to be a very solid subclass.
I'm not sure that's how it works. The hands of healing REPLACE an attack. And technically you only get 1 bonus action. I don't see how you get 5 attacks at level 5
Wannyboy was saying that the added 'Hands of Harm' necrotic damage with added wisdom mod is effictively another attack. So for two Ki, two Attacks on the Action, two attacks with Flurry of Blows and finally the added Hands of Harm for 5xMartial Arts Die, +4x Dexterity Mod, +1x Wisdom Mod.