Shortswords need to be included as part of a Monk’s weapon proficiencies. So many feats are locked out for the Monk because of the lack of a Martial Weapon proficiency.

Unpopular opinion, but shouldn’t be changed. Monks are the hit and run martial class; they should leave tanking with high AC and HP to the Barbarian and Fighters. I have edited their 18 Level Ability to buff this later.

Unarmed Strikes / Marital Arts should also benefit from Weapon Mastery. Some Weapon Mastery features should be applied to Unarmed Strikes – potentially one feature at 1 Level then another feature later on, say 9 Level. As a balance to not tread on Fighter, I would accept a return to the old Martial Arts damage progression. As a martial class, Weapon Mastery needs to be built into the Monk, rather than be an ‘either or’ choice that the player has to make. By doing this, it allows the Monk to mechanically be strong whilst allowing the player to pick their flavour on how their Monk chooses to fight.

Discipline Points should be equal to Monk Level + WIS Modifier. Remembering that Rogue gets a similar feature to Unarmored Movement at no resource cost, and that most campaigns don’t go into the higher tiers of play, it would be a small boon that doesn’t leave Monk players with decision paralysis on using or saving Discipline Points during combat etc.

Like the new feature, as long as Discipline Points are equal to Monk Level + WIS Modifier. Otherwise, make it so there is no point cost except for the Dodge bonus action.

One a side note, you could lose Dedicated Weapon from Tasha’s IF my changes for Martial Arts + Weapon Mastery are included.

Suggest changing to DELFLECT ATTACK – when the monk is hit with an attack, they can choose to catch the projectile or a Melee attack. If they succeed, they ranged scenario works as written in One D&D, but in the case of a melee attack, that can attack can be redirected against a different opponent within 5ft or they are A thrown prone Large or smaller or B pushed away by 5ft if Large or smaller (WotC Designer’s choice). A lot of Martial Arts in the real world are built on using the opponents moves against them, so this would accomplish flavour that is missing from the D&D Monk.

Additionally, a Monk should be able to spend a Discipline Point to gain an additional reaction to redirect another attack. Martial Artists in movies traditionally parry a lot of attacks, so this feature should be added.

Also, I think the Dex Modifier should be added to the damage, but not too bothered if this isn’t included for balancing – the Monk should be the best striker but not necessarily the best damage dealer in comparison to the other martial classes.

I appreciate the need to turn the Monk away from a ‘Stun Machine’, however I feel what’s happened to the Monk in One D&D has been an over-correction.

My suggested fixes are:

• Option 1 – Bring back the 2014 Handbook version but raise the Discipline Point cost to 2.

• Option 2 – Change the wording so that the stun contest can only be applied to creature once, meaning the Monk has the option to stun a different creature if they fail to stun the original target.

In either case, I think that the stun effect should still last until the end of the Monk’s next turn, not the start.

An argument could be made that it should include attacks made with a weapon, so that the monk isn’t restricted to using just unarmed strikes – unless of course resistant to magic weapons in monsters is being phased out, which it seems to be, in which case no change is necessary.

Self-Restoration should also be changed to STILLNESS OF MIND AND BODY – keep the Self-Restoration feature but subtract the removal of the Poisoned Condition and add back immunity to Poison damage from the 2014 Handbook, OR make the Monk resistant to Poison damage and gain advantage on Saving Throws against the Poisoned Condition.

To keep up with other Martial Classes, I would advise giving the Monk the EXTRA ATTACK ability to the Monk at 11 Level which is the same level the Fighter gets this ability. To keep from treading on their toes however, they won’t be able to get 3 Extra Attacks like the Fighter does and, like previously suggested at 1 Level, you could keep the 2014 Handbook Martial Arts damage die progression.

An awesome feature that should be incorporated into the 3 Level DEFLECT ATTACK. For comparison, Wizards are dropping Forcecage at this level, the new Monk can now deflect one firebolt at this level.

Glad that it is not the capstone, however I would edit this so that every time the Monk player rolls initiative, they gain 4 Discipline Points regardless of whether they have no Discipline Points at the start of combat (it’s doubtful at this level the Monk is running out of Discipline Points, making this feature near obsolete).

The old Empty Body feature is superior to the new feature. For comparison, Wizards are casting Wish at this level. It is fair to let the Monk be Invisible – I would keep the 2014 Empty Body and scrap Superior Defense.

That said, it was always weird that the Monk would be invisible as a feature. As an alternative, you could change the name to SUPERIOR WARRIOR but copy the Barbarian feature that they get at this level in the new playtest and change the wording to the following:

‘You embody the ultimate disciplined form. Your Dexterity and Wisdom scores increase by 2, and their maximum is now 22.’

It’s a great feature, but as a capstone it could use improving. I would make it so that the Monk comes back at half hit points, however repeated uses of this feature first cost 6 Discipline points, then 8 Discipline points etc.

• Option 1 - Addle needs changing back to the 2014 Handbook version where there was no save involved. A Shocking Grasp cantrip takes away a reaction at no resource cost. Additionally, a slight nerf/buff where the push and topple effects only work on Medium or smaller creatures. Then, at later levels in the subclass, allow this to work on Large, then Huge, then Gargantuan creatures.

• Option 2 – Tweak this ability to instead use a Discipline Point to instantly push 15ft away (Medium or smaller), knock a creature prone (Medium or smaller) or take away reactions, no saving throw required. I would again add the increase in creature size this ability affects the same as Option 1 but increase the Ki Point cost to +1 per size.

I would keep the 2014 Handbook version as it’s less complicated to track (1 resource pool instead of two), and I would tweak it to healing of 5 x Monk Level.

Could keep, however this is the ‘Combat Focused’ Monk – dashing around more easily, whilst good, does not synergise well with the combat focus of this class.

• Option 1 – Assuming the Extra Attack is not already baked into the Monk Class like I suggested, I would give this Monk the Extra Attack feature for 3 attacks, much like the Fighter does at the same level.

• Option 2 – Change the name of the ability to RAPID STRIKE and give it the benefit of no Discipline Point cost for using Flurry of Blows.

• Option 3 - A different and more combat focused ability (WotC Designer’s choice).

This has been nerfed too hard. For comparison, spellcasters are using Wish or changing into Adult Gold Dragons at this level. I would bring back the old 2014 Handbook version, especially as enemies at this level have stronger Constitution, buffs to saving throws and Legendary Resistances. You could, as a slight nerf, increase the Discipline cost but I think it’s fine as it is.

Slight addendum, but maybe change the name to FINISHING STRIKE or similar. Using the word ‘Palm’ takes the flavour away on how a player would roleplay this ability. Plus, the new name sounds more fun!