I am new to DnD 5e. I exclusively played 3.5 for many years, skipped over 4 edition. I am now looking into DnD 5e from both a player, and DM standpoint.
One of the class that is interesting me is the open-handed monk. I was thinking through the possibilities of playing one as a character, and tactics that could be implemented during battle as a DM. The mechanic of jump stood out to me with the monk because I would love to give a monk that I would play the flair of doing high acrobatics, doing “crocheting tiger hidden dragon” type of moves.
I see that you get the step of the wind ability.
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.
Along with athlete this may be potent. I am just curious on the way to interpret Step of the wind, and the possibility of doing a ‘long jump and attacking.’ Depending on the scenario.
Long Jump. When you make a long jump, you cover a number of feet up to your Strength score if you move at least 10 feet on foot immediately before the jump. When you make a standing long jump, you can leap only half that distance. Either way, each foot you clear on the jump costs a foot of movement.
This rule assumes that the height of your jump doesn't matter, such as a jump across a stream or chasm. At your DM's option, you must succeed on a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to clear a low obstacle (no taller than a quarter of the jump's distance), such as a hedge or low wall. Otherwise, you hit it.
Let me set the stage
We have a 6 level Human Variant Monk with the Mobile, and Athlete Feat. He is six-foot-tall, and the corridor ceiling is 15 feet tall. He has all his Ki points and it is the start of his turn. His Long Jump should be 20 ft. with both Athlete feat, and Step of the wind active. His (vertical is 6 ft. be because he has a strength of 10. If any obstacles in his way can not be over 5 ft tall. Both enemies he is facing is under 5 foot tall.
It is E, M, UOS, EH, UOS, ED, UOS : Note: I couldn't get my picture to work so had to write out the scenario. Assume the (comma, seperate 5ft Square Blocks)
E = Enemy
M = Monk
UOS = unoccupied Square
ED = Enemy Dwarf
The monk wants to on his turn.
Use a ki point to activate Step of the Wind
Uses bonus action to disengage and move right five feet (5ft movement)
Using athlete long jump right until he occupies the square to the right of the dwarf (20 ft long jump, 6 ft height on jump round up for 30 ft movement)
During his Jump he makes an Acrobatics (Strength) check 10 for the enemy halfling.
Upon Success, he uses the attack action to use an unarmed attack on the Enemy Halfling and uses a Ki point for stunning strike.
If he succeeded the acrobatics (strength) against the halfling he makes a second one to get over the Dwarf.
Upon success he makes his (extra attack) using another ki point against the dwarf.
Upon the success of the second acrobatics check, he lands safely with no damage on the other side of the dwarf, since slow fall prevents 30 damage, and the approx. 30 feet fall would have done max 18 damage.
This is how I interpreted the ability, with the jumping mechanics.
Now comes one question is the and your jump distance is doubled dependent on taking the bonus action, or is it separate?
If it (the jump clause) separate from having to perform the bonus action, then let’s add a bit to the top scenario.
In this scenario we will be doing steps 1 – 9 but omitting the bonus action usage on step 2.
M, UOS, EH, UOS, ED, UOS, UOS, E
E = Enemy
M = Monk
UOS = unoccupied Square
ED = Enemy Dwarf
Assume everything goes well to get to step 9.
Monk moves five feet toward the enemy on the far right.
Uses Ki Point to do Flurry of Blows with Stunning Strikes on both to that enemy.
So that is 5-6 Ki points used. Awesome acrobatics and feels like something from a movie. Didn’t use all the movement available.
Always helpful to start these things off by quoting relevant rule text. Chapter 8 - Adventuring has rules for jumping.
Jumping
Your Strength determines how far you can jump.
Long Jump. When you make a long jump, you cover a number of feet up to your Strength score if you move at least 10 feet on foot immediately before the jump. When you make a standing long jump, you can leap only half that distance. Either way, each foot you clear on the jump costs a foot of movement.
This rule assumes that the height of your jump doesn't matter, such as a jump across a stream or chasm. At your DM's option, you must succeed on a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to clear a low obstacle (no taller than a quarter of the jump's distance), such as a hedge or low wall. Otherwise, you hit it.
When you land in difficult terrain, you must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to land on your feet. Otherwise, you land prone.
High Jump. When you make a high jump, you leap into the air a number of feet equal to 3 + your Strength modifier (minimum of 0 feet) if you move at least 10 feet on foot immediately before the jump. When you make a standing high jump, you can jump only half that distance. Either way, each foot you clear on the jump costs a foot of movement. In some circumstances, your DM might allow you to make a Strength (Athletics) check to jump higher than you normally can.
You can extend your arms half your height above yourself during the jump. Thus, you can reach above you a distance equal to the height of the jump plus 1 1/2 times your height.
So a normal long jump is up to Strength score, and a normal high jump is up to 3+ Strength modifier, and you reach on a high jump is your jump distance + 1.5 x your height. Both long and high jump presume you have moved 10 feet beforehand, and are halved if you have not. And jumped distance costs movement, so will end short if you run out of movement points.
Long jumps aren't presumed to clear any particular amount of vertical distance, but with an easy Athletics check, can clear 1/4 of jump length as jump height as well.
A Monk's Step of the Windhelps jumps in two respects: first of all, it optionally involves a bonus action Dash, so it gives you a bigger pool of movement points that turn before your jump will stop short. Second, it "doubles" your jump distance regardless of whether either bonus action is taken, as soon as you spend the ki point (which itself takes no action).
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.
The Athlete feat is also relevant. by dropping the usual 10 foot movement requirement for a full jump down to 5 feet.
You can make a running long jump or a running high jump after moving only 5 feet on foot, rather than 10 feet.
With that out of the way... 6 foot tall human level 6 monk with Athletics and 10 strength is the parameters given, in a 15-foot-tall corridor. This monk's speed is 45, his long jump is 10 or 5 normally, his high jump is 3 or 1.5 normally. With Step of the Wind active his long jump is 20 or 10, and his his high jump is 6 or 3. He only needs 5 feet of move to get a full jump.
With a 5-foot step after taking a Step of the WInd disengage bonus action, he can then comfortably jump 20 feet, and indeed, jump 20 more feet after landing. With a DC 10 Athletics check, during those jumps he could clear 5-foot-high obstacles. That all looks good.
Questions
1. Is clearing 5 feet of height sufficient to jump through the square occupied by an under-5-foot halfling (small creature)? What about the square occupied by a 5-foot-or-over human (medium creature)? What about an under-5-foot dwarf (medium creature)?
Answer: It depends on whether your DM caps a "space" as a 5x5x5 cube, or as some sort of cylinder extending upwards from the 5x5 square that a creature stands in up to that creature's height. If a small and medium creature's "space" is always a 5x5x5 cube, then yes for all. If it's the cylinder option, yes for the halfling and dwarf, but probably no for the enemy human. Chapter 9 provides that you can't move through a hostile creature's space unless it is two or more sizes larger/smaller than yourself. Note however, the DMG does list some optional rules for "tumbling" or "overrunning" through an enemy's space, so it isn't outside the realm of possibility that your DM would be somewhat open to you jumping through/over enemies.
Moving Around Other Creatures
You can move through a nonhostile creature's space. In contrast, you can move through a hostile creature's space only if the creature is at least two sizes larger or smaller than you. Remember that another creature's space is difficult terrain for you.
However, please also note that in your example your monk is only jumping 10 feet at a time over the halfling and over the dwarf, which would involve only clearing 2.5 vertical foot of height, which is clearly not enough to argue that you are not moving through that creature's space. I don't think you can move the way you've described in your scenario as a result.
2. Can the monk make attacks mid-jump as he passes?
Answer: Yes absolutely. Breaking up your move to intersperse attacks is something specifically allowed, and there's no language suggesting that an attack or a jump takes so much time that it can't be interrupted and broken up as normal.
3. Does jumping cause fall damage?
Answer: Not explicit whether or not vertical distance you have descended as part of a "jump" is the same as vertical distance you have descended as part of a "fall." I probably wouldn't think so myself, the Monk's fall damage reduction probably isn't relevant in this thought exercise.
4. Can you double your jump distance with Step of the Wind but not use the bonus action Dash/Disengage?
Answer: Yes I think so, the sentence is structured such that spending the ki point causes two seperate benefits to accrue. But I can see the counterargument that you spend the point "to take" the actions, not "to have the option to take" those actions. Certainly room for disagreement there.
You can move through a nonhostile creature's space. In contrast, you can move through a hostile creature's space only if the creature is at least two sizes larger or smaller than you. Remember that another creature's space is difficult terrain for you.
However, please also note that in your example your monk is only jumping 10 feet at a time over the halfling and over the dwarf, which would involve only clearing 2.5 vertical foot of height, which is clearly not enough to argue that you are not moving through that creature's space. I don't think you can move the way you've described in your scenario as a result.
I can see your point on the moving through a hostiles square. Because like you had stated if it was a humanoid over 5 ft. tall the (6ft. vertical jump would not happen). I guess if he was on a five foot incline before he did the jump. Then he would have 7 foot clearance over the top of the monsters, but may not be able to attack then. Thank you for your time in answering these questions. :)
4. Can you double your jump distance with Step of the Wind but not use the bonus action Dash/Disengage?
Answer: Yes I think so, the sentence is structured such that spending the ki point causes two seperate benefits to accrue. But I can see the counterargument that you spend the point "to take" the actions, not "to have the option to take" those actions. Certainly room for disagreement there.
Thank you for your interpretation on this. I think it would have to be up to the DM on their own personal interpretation, but regardless of the ruling it would be a sight to marvel at the table for something like this to happen. :)
However, please also note that in your example your monk is only jumping 5 feet at a time over the halfling and over the dwarf, which would involve only clearing .
Also, I wanted to note that in the scenario the monk would be in the air the whole time, from the halfling until he landed on the other side of the dwarf. So that is 15 feet in the air. Although I may not have conveyed that very well in my scenario. Thanks for catching it, and commenting on it.
Oh, jumping the whole way, not two skips? Then yes, that's 20 feet, and you have 5 feet of clearance so that should be sufficient to clear both, my bad!
I was going to say, if you're just doing two 10-foot jumps, you aren't actually benefiting from Step of the Wind at all, other than to get the bonus action Disengage out of the way!
That is what I was getting at. That is awesome. I think it would be up to the DM to decide if the DC check would be done twice or once just to clear the initial halfling.
I wanted to put another small creature in the unoccupied space in between the two but (If there were three under five foot creatures) I did not know if the attacks would go off, and secondly if the DM decided I had to use the bonus action then I would just be facing against another opponent without attacking. If they ruled that I didn't use the bonus action, then I would be able to attack the first, second, and flurry of the blows the dwarf. :)
Thanks,
Vettatori
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Hello All,
I am new to DnD 5e. I exclusively played 3.5 for many years, skipped over 4 edition. I am now looking into DnD 5e from both a player, and DM standpoint.
One of the class that is interesting me is the open-handed monk. I was thinking through the possibilities of playing one as a character, and tactics that could be implemented during battle as a DM. The mechanic of jump stood out to me with the monk because I would love to give a monk that I would play the flair of doing high acrobatics, doing “crocheting tiger hidden dragon” type of moves.
I see that you get the step of the wind ability.
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.
Along with athlete this may be potent. I am just curious on the way to interpret Step of the wind, and the possibility of doing a ‘long jump and attacking.’ Depending on the scenario.
Long Jump. When you make a long jump, you cover a number of feet up to your Strength score if you move at least 10 feet on foot immediately before the jump. When you make a standing long jump, you can leap only half that distance. Either way, each foot you clear on the jump costs a foot of movement.
This rule assumes that the height of your jump doesn't matter, such as a jump across a stream or chasm. At your DM's option, you must succeed on a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to clear a low obstacle (no taller than a quarter of the jump's distance), such as a hedge or low wall. Otherwise, you hit it.
Let me set the stage
We have a 6 level Human Variant Monk with the Mobile, and Athlete Feat. He is six-foot-tall, and the corridor ceiling is 15 feet tall. He has all his Ki points and it is the start of his turn. His Long Jump should be 20 ft. with both Athlete feat, and Step of the wind active. His (vertical is 6 ft. be because he has a strength of 10. If any obstacles in his way can not be over 5 ft tall. Both enemies he is facing is under 5 foot tall.
It is E, M, UOS, EH, UOS, ED, UOS : Note: I couldn't get my picture to work so had to write out the scenario. Assume the (comma, seperate 5ft Square Blocks)
The monk wants to on his turn.
This is how I interpreted the ability, with the jumping mechanics.
Now comes one question is the and your jump distance is doubled dependent on taking the bonus action, or is it separate?
If it (the jump clause) separate from having to perform the bonus action, then let’s add a bit to the top scenario.
In this scenario we will be doing steps 1 – 9 but omitting the bonus action usage on step 2.
M, UOS, EH, UOS, ED, UOS, UOS, E
Assume everything goes well to get to step 9.
So that is 5-6 Ki points used. Awesome acrobatics and feels like something from a movie. Didn’t use all the movement available.
How would you rule this? Am I missing anything?
Thank you,
Vettatori
Always helpful to start these things off by quoting relevant rule text. Chapter 8 - Adventuring has rules for jumping.
So a normal long jump is up to Strength score, and a normal high jump is up to 3+ Strength modifier, and you reach on a high jump is your jump distance + 1.5 x your height. Both long and high jump presume you have moved 10 feet beforehand, and are halved if you have not. And jumped distance costs movement, so will end short if you run out of movement points.
Long jumps aren't presumed to clear any particular amount of vertical distance, but with an easy Athletics check, can clear 1/4 of jump length as jump height as well.
A Monk's Step of the Wind helps jumps in two respects: first of all, it optionally involves a bonus action Dash, so it gives you a bigger pool of movement points that turn before your jump will stop short. Second, it "doubles" your jump distance regardless of whether either bonus action is taken, as soon as you spend the ki point (which itself takes no action).
The Athlete feat is also relevant. by dropping the usual 10 foot movement requirement for a full jump down to 5 feet.
With that out of the way... 6 foot tall human level 6 monk with Athletics and 10 strength is the parameters given, in a 15-foot-tall corridor. This monk's speed is 45, his long jump is 10 or 5 normally, his high jump is 3 or 1.5 normally. With Step of the Wind active his long jump is 20 or 10, and his his high jump is 6 or 3. He only needs 5 feet of move to get a full jump.
With a 5-foot step after taking a Step of the WInd disengage bonus action, he can then comfortably jump 20 feet, and indeed, jump 20 more feet after landing. With a DC 10 Athletics check, during those jumps he could clear 5-foot-high obstacles. That all looks good.
Questions
1. Is clearing 5 feet of height sufficient to jump through the square occupied by an under-5-foot halfling (small creature)? What about the square occupied by a 5-foot-or-over human (medium creature)? What about an under-5-foot dwarf (medium creature)?
Answer: It depends on whether your DM caps a "space" as a 5x5x5 cube, or as some sort of cylinder extending upwards from the 5x5 square that a creature stands in up to that creature's height. If a small and medium creature's "space" is always a 5x5x5 cube, then yes for all. If it's the cylinder option, yes for the halfling and dwarf, but probably no for the enemy human. Chapter 9 provides that you can't move through a hostile creature's space unless it is two or more sizes larger/smaller than yourself. Note however, the DMG does list some optional rules for "tumbling" or "overrunning" through an enemy's space, so it isn't outside the realm of possibility that your DM would be somewhat open to you jumping through/over enemies.
However, please also note that in your example your monk is only jumping 10 feet at a time over the halfling and over the dwarf, which would involve only clearing 2.5 vertical foot of height, which is clearly not enough to argue that you are not moving through that creature's space. I don't think you can move the way you've described in your scenario as a result.
2. Can the monk make attacks mid-jump as he passes?
Answer: Yes absolutely. Breaking up your move to intersperse attacks is something specifically allowed, and there's no language suggesting that an attack or a jump takes so much time that it can't be interrupted and broken up as normal.
3. Does jumping cause fall damage?
Answer: Not explicit whether or not vertical distance you have descended as part of a "jump" is the same as vertical distance you have descended as part of a "fall." I probably wouldn't think so myself, the Monk's fall damage reduction probably isn't relevant in this thought exercise.
4. Can you double your jump distance with Step of the Wind but not use the bonus action Dash/Disengage?
Answer: Yes I think so, the sentence is structured such that spending the ki point causes two seperate benefits to accrue. But I can see the counterargument that you spend the point "to take" the actions, not "to have the option to take" those actions. Certainly room for disagreement there.
dndbeyond.com forum tags
I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
However, please also note that in your example your monk is only jumping 5 feet at a time over the halfling and over the dwarf, which would involve only clearing .
Also, I wanted to note that in the scenario the monk would be in the air the whole time, from the halfling until he landed on the other side of the dwarf. So that is 15 feet in the air. Although I may not have conveyed that very well in my scenario. Thanks for catching it, and commenting on it.
Oh, jumping the whole way, not two skips? Then yes, that's 20 feet, and you have 5 feet of clearance so that should be sufficient to clear both, my bad!
I was going to say, if you're just doing two 10-foot jumps, you aren't actually benefiting from Step of the Wind at all, other than to get the bonus action Disengage out of the way!
dndbeyond.com forum tags
I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
Yep it would be Then yes, that's 20 feet.
That is what I was getting at. That is awesome. I think it would be up to the DM to decide if the DC check would be done twice or once just to clear the initial halfling.
I wanted to put another small creature in the unoccupied space in between the two but (If there were three under five foot creatures) I did not know if the attacks would go off, and secondly if the DM decided I had to use the bonus action then I would just be facing against another opponent without attacking. If they ruled that I didn't use the bonus action, then I would be able to attack the first, second, and flurry of the blows the dwarf. :)
Thanks,
Vettatori