Surprised whip hasn't been brought up at all, as the reach is really nice. That was my first thought for this feature.
At issue is the fact you need to be proficient with the weapon to pull this off and nob race starts with proficiency at 1st level. Well, I suppose hobgoblins can. But that's it, which means either multiclassing for a single weapon (ick) or taking the Weapon Master feat.
Any race with an armor or martial weapon proficiency can use that proficiency to swap it to a whip with the customize your origin option. A 1 level dip to get martial proficiency or the long forgotten Weapon Master feat are decent options particularly if that's not all you want from it. It's a moot point if none of those options are available.
Surprised whip hasn't been brought up at all, as the reach is really nice. That was my first thought for this feature.
At issue is the fact you need to be proficient with the weapon to pull this off and nob race starts with proficiency at 1st level. Well, I suppose hobgoblins can. But that's it, which means either multiclassing for a single weapon (ick) or taking the Weapon Master feat.
Surprised whip hasn't been brought up at all, as the reach is really nice. That was my first thought for this feature.
At issue is the fact you need to be proficient with the weapon to pull this off and no race starts with proficiency at 1st level. Well, I suppose hobgoblins can. But that's it, which means either multiclassing for a single weapon (ick) or taking the Weapon Master feat.
Or the aforementioned 1 level fighter dip.
Assuming multiclassing is even on the table, I wouldn't bother with fighter. There's too much you can't use as a monk.
Surprised whip hasn't been brought up at all, as the reach is really nice. That was my first thought for this feature.
At issue is the fact you need to be proficient with the weapon to pull this off and no race starts with proficiency at 1st level. Well, I suppose hobgoblins can. But that's it, which means either multiclassing for a single weapon (ick) or taking the Weapon Master feat.
Or the aforementioned 1 level fighter dip.
Assuming multiclassing is even on the table, I wouldn't bother with fighter. There's too much you can't use as a monk.
Actually level 1 is pretty good for monk:
Fighting Style:
Blind Fighting works absolutely great with Shadow Monk as you can cast darkness and still get advantage on attacks with those fools in the dark.
Superior Technique: You can pick up a Battlemaster maneuver to allow you do a lot of things. Best for monk would be: Brace (Reaction to attack when something gets within range this paired with whip means you can hit and stun something off turn when it just enters your reach!), Trip attack (do it on a first attack then get advantage for the next three!).
Dueling: +2 damage for one handed attacks. Pair this with a rapier (Dedicated weapon!) you can do 1d8+7 damage for your first two attacks which means you are putting out +4 extra damage a turn.
BA healing with Second Wind can stack with Action ki healing for some serious heals per short rest.
Surprised whip hasn't been brought up at all, as the reach is really nice. That was my first thought for this feature.
At issue is the fact you need to be proficient with the weapon to pull this off and nob race starts with proficiency at 1st level. Well, I suppose hobgoblins can. But that's it, which means either multiclassing for a single weapon (ick) or taking the Weapon Master feat.
Any race with an armor or martial weapon proficiency can use that proficiency to swap it to a whip with the customize your origin option. A 1 level dip to get martial proficiency or the long forgotten Weapon Master feat are decent options particularly if that's not all you want from it. It's a moot point if none of those options are available.
Yeah I was thinking in context of the racial swap that makes proficiency much easier to get. I figured if some Tasha options were on the table, others would be as well.
Surprised whip hasn't been brought up at all, as the reach is really nice. That was my first thought for this feature.
At issue is the fact you need to be proficient with the weapon to pull this off and nob race starts with proficiency at 1st level. Well, I suppose hobgoblins can. But that's it, which means either multiclassing for a single weapon (ick) or taking the Weapon Master feat.
Any race with an armor or martial weapon proficiency can use that proficiency to swap it to a whip with the customize your origin option. A 1 level dip to get martial proficiency or the long forgotten Weapon Master feat are decent options particularly if that's not all you want from it. It's a moot point if none of those options are available.
Yeah I was thinking in context of the racial swap that makes proficiency much easier to get. I figured if some Tasha options were on the table, others would be as well.
The Mountain Dwarf has Warhammer, battleaxe, Light Armor, and Medium Armor that can all be changed to martial weapon. I made a mountain dwarf rogue guild artisan to explore those options and you can change so many things from the race that it's crazy. I was thinking that I'd ignore the race changes, but I've found that I like the idea of changing the bonuses to the stats I want and then throwing the 10 (and 12) at the normal bonus abilities to give that extra flavor even if I would normally dump the stat. With rogues, I'll often dump strength, but I put the 10 there instead of intelligence.
So, doesn't this feature kind of step all over the Kensie subclass?
I feel like it devalues some of the aspects of Kensei....but overall has little impact once you get to a high enough level.
At low levels this will make Kensei really only valuable for the BA Kensei shot and the +2 AC. Overall I still find these valuable mostly. I think I like the other monk options better now but put Kensei at the lower end of the spectrum until level 11.
So, doesn't this feature kind of step all over the Kensie subclass?
Not necessarily. It offers one benefit that the subclass offers but not much else. For one, it doesn't grant any extra proficiencies, meaning that you have to get the proficiency from somewhere else. While you can change the dedicated weapon during a short rest or a long rest, you can't change it between. Essentially, it's allowing all monks to get the 1 average damage increase that Kensei get, but that's it. They can't take a longbow with it even if they are proficient, but can make a shortbow, light crossbow, or darts into monk weapons.
If that is enough to cover the subclass for you, then sure, it steps all over it just like the Butcher's Bib does the Champion subclass. It allows you to have a little more flexibility in weapon and subclass choice. However, if you want the mechanics of the Kensei, then it isn't stepping all over it at all, just giving a touch of that ability, somewhat like magic initiate or one of the Adept feats, but only for monks.
I think Dedicated Weapon would be better if they remove the "must be proficient" in it as a bonus, and remove the during the long and short rest change dedicated weapon by focusing ki. It seems crazy that it is an optional Monk Feature that requires some other mechanic to make it active, such as mutli-classing to a gain a weapon proficiency, taking a race with a weapon proficiency, or taking a feat to gain weapon proficiency.
It seems frustrating as someone who wishes monks had more then "movement," that the monk has the ONLY optional class feature in Tasha's that needs something from some where else to even become active. It almost seems that there is somebody in WotC that hates monks as much as Gygax hated Wizards. The stun just doesn't work at higher levels due to high constitutions of monsters and legendary resistances.
I think Dedicated Weapon would be better if they remove the "must be proficient" in it as a bonus, and remove the during the long and short rest change dedicated weapon by focusing ki. It seems crazy that it is an optional Monk Feature that requires some other mechanic to make it active, such as mutli-classing to a gain a weapon proficiency, taking a race with a weapon proficiency, or taking a feat to gain weapon proficiency.
It seems frustrating as someone who wishes monks had more then "movement," that the monk has the ONLY optional class feature in Tasha's that needs something from some where else to even become active. It almost seems that there is somebody in WotC that hates monks as much as Gygax hated Wizards. The stun just doesn't work at higher levels due to high constitutions of monsters and legendary resistances.
Yeah, the fact that it requires proficiency makes it... odd. Because there are few weapons that Monks have proficiency with that don't already count as Monk weapons. Makes it feel like a null gain unless you take a race that gets extra proficiencies, burn feats for them, or actually have campaign "down time" to potentially learn some.
I think Dedicated Weapon would be better if they remove the "must be proficient" in it as a bonus, and remove the during the long and short rest change dedicated weapon by focusing ki. It seems crazy that it is an optional Monk Feature that requires some other mechanic to make it active, such as mutli-classing to a gain a weapon proficiency, taking a race with a weapon proficiency, or taking a feat to gain weapon proficiency.
It seems frustrating as someone who wishes monks had more then "movement," that the monk has the ONLY optional class feature in Tasha's that needs something from some where else to even become active. It almost seems that there is somebody in WotC that hates monks as much as Gygax hated Wizards. The stun just doesn't work at higher levels due to high constitutions of monsters and legendary resistances.
Yeah, the fact that it requires proficiency makes it... odd. Because there are few weapons that Monks have proficiency with that don't already count as Monk weapons. Makes it feel like a null gain unless you take a race that gets extra proficiencies, burn feats for them, or actually have campaign "down time" to potentially learn some.
Plus the fact that weapon proficiencies may not even be a racial feature in the future once the 2024 new core books come out. I like Dedicated Weapon as is right now, but if they removed the proficiency requirement but keep the weapon property restriction it would still be balanced I think.
It doesn't give the monk by itself a big boost, but dipping one level to another class might make it even better, perhaps the Hex Blade Warlock, barbarian, or fighter, which would give you proficiency in martial weapons. Could also use weapon master.
You could also do mountain dwarf, and make a strength based monk, gain proficient in battle axe, turn that into a monk weapon
It doesn't give the monk by itself a big boost, but dipping one level to another class might make it even better, perhaps the Hex Blade Warlock, barbarian, or fighter, which would give you proficiency in martial weapons. Could also use weapon master.
You could also do mountain dwarf, and make a strength based monk, gain proficient in battle axe, turn that into a monk weapon
Wouldn't need to go Strength build. As soon as you make a weapon (that you are proficient in) a Monk Weapon with Dedicated Weapon you get to choose Strength or Dexterity for your attack/damage rolls and can also choose the Weapon's Damage or your Martial Arts die.
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
If I used Dedicated Weapon on a Greatclub, do I still roll the normal damage die? I'm assuming yes, but thought I'd ask here to get others thoughts.
Someone mentioned taking the Weapon Master feat; I've done so and have gained proficiency in a few other weapons, including Warhammer and Whip. Now it's a matter of finding those weapons.
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
If I used Dedicated Weapon on a Greatclub, do I still roll the normal damage die? I'm assuming yes, but thought I'd ask here to get others thoughts.
Someone mentioned taking the Weapon Master feat; I've done so and have gained proficiency in a few other weapons, including Warhammer and Whip. Now it's a matter of finding those weapons.
You get to choose which damage die option to use between either your Martial Arts die or the normal damage die of the weapon.
The feature says "you can" which implies agency instead of telling you that you "must".
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
If I used Dedicated Weapon on a Greatclub, do I still roll the normal damage die? I'm assuming yes, but thought I'd ask here to get others thoughts.
Why would you do this? In what possible circumstance are you better off with a greatclub than a quarterstaff?
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
If I used Dedicated Weapon on a Greatclub, do I still roll the normal damage die? I'm assuming yes, but thought I'd ask here to get others thoughts.
Why would you do this? In what possible circumstance are you better off with a greatclub than a quarterstaff?
RP reasons? I’ve seen martial arts movies that have had characters using weapons like a great club. It’s a d8 weapon that qualifies for Dedicated Weapon (not heavy or special)
If you take the Path of the Kensei, you can get Whip as a Martial Monk weapon at level 3.
Whip is the way to go for this, not great club. By the time you hit level 11, Greatclub does nothing for you. Whip's reach is balanced by the low weapon damage, which starting at level 5, Monk begins to undo. Moreover, it is far more in tune with our fictionalized concept of a monk, particularly the freaky weapons like the flexible swords and even the 3 part nunchucks, which you can basically just reflavor your whip as saying it is a 3 part staff/nunchuck.
If you take the Path of the Kensei, you can get Whip as a Martial Monk weapon at level 3.
Whip is the way to go for this, not great club. By the time you hit level 11, Greatclub does nothing for you. Whip's reach is balanced by the low weapon damage, which starting at level 5, Monk begins to undo. Moreover, it is far more in tune with our fictionalized concept of a monk, particularly the freaky weapons like the flexible swords and even the 3 part nunchucks, which you can basically just reflavor your whip as saying it is a 3 part staff/nunchuck.
Yeah, but consider: What if the character they wanna play is a monk who uses a great club?
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Any race with an armor or martial weapon proficiency can use that proficiency to swap it to a whip with the customize your origin option. A 1 level dip to get martial proficiency or the long forgotten Weapon Master feat are decent options particularly if that's not all you want from it. It's a moot point if none of those options are available.
Or the aforementioned 1 level fighter dip.
Assuming multiclassing is even on the table, I wouldn't bother with fighter. There's too much you can't use as a monk.
Actually level 1 is pretty good for monk:
Fighting Style:
Blind Fighting works absolutely great with Shadow Monk as you can cast darkness and still get advantage on attacks with those fools in the dark.
Superior Technique: You can pick up a Battlemaster maneuver to allow you do a lot of things. Best for monk would be: Brace (Reaction to attack when something gets within range this paired with whip means you can hit and stun something off turn when it just enters your reach!), Trip attack (do it on a first attack then get advantage for the next three!).
Dueling: +2 damage for one handed attacks. Pair this with a rapier (Dedicated weapon!) you can do 1d8+7 damage for your first two attacks which means you are putting out +4 extra damage a turn.
BA healing with Second Wind can stack with Action ki healing for some serious heals per short rest.
Yeah I was thinking in context of the racial swap that makes proficiency much easier to get. I figured if some Tasha options were on the table, others would be as well.
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
The Mountain Dwarf has Warhammer, battleaxe, Light Armor, and Medium Armor that can all be changed to martial weapon. I made a mountain dwarf rogue guild artisan to explore those options and you can change so many things from the race that it's crazy. I was thinking that I'd ignore the race changes, but I've found that I like the idea of changing the bonuses to the stats I want and then throwing the 10 (and 12) at the normal bonus abilities to give that extra flavor even if I would normally dump the stat. With rogues, I'll often dump strength, but I put the 10 there instead of intelligence.
So, doesn't this feature kind of step all over the Kensie subclass?
I feel like it devalues some of the aspects of Kensei....but overall has little impact once you get to a high enough level.
At low levels this will make Kensei really only valuable for the BA Kensei shot and the +2 AC. Overall I still find these valuable mostly. I think I like the other monk options better now but put Kensei at the lower end of the spectrum until level 11.
Not necessarily. It offers one benefit that the subclass offers but not much else. For one, it doesn't grant any extra proficiencies, meaning that you have to get the proficiency from somewhere else. While you can change the dedicated weapon during a short rest or a long rest, you can't change it between. Essentially, it's allowing all monks to get the 1 average damage increase that Kensei get, but that's it. They can't take a longbow with it even if they are proficient, but can make a shortbow, light crossbow, or darts into monk weapons.
If that is enough to cover the subclass for you, then sure, it steps all over it just like the Butcher's Bib does the Champion subclass. It allows you to have a little more flexibility in weapon and subclass choice. However, if you want the mechanics of the Kensei, then it isn't stepping all over it at all, just giving a touch of that ability, somewhat like magic initiate or one of the Adept feats, but only for monks.
I think Dedicated Weapon would be better if they remove the "must be proficient" in it as a bonus, and remove the during the long and short rest change dedicated weapon by focusing ki. It seems crazy that it is an optional Monk Feature that requires some other mechanic to make it active, such as mutli-classing to a gain a weapon proficiency, taking a race with a weapon proficiency, or taking a feat to gain weapon proficiency.
It seems frustrating as someone who wishes monks had more then "movement," that the monk has the ONLY optional class feature in Tasha's that needs something from some where else to even become active. It almost seems that there is somebody in WotC that hates monks as much as Gygax hated Wizards. The stun just doesn't work at higher levels due to high constitutions of monsters and legendary resistances.
Yeah, the fact that it requires proficiency makes it... odd. Because there are few weapons that Monks have proficiency with that don't already count as Monk weapons. Makes it feel like a null gain unless you take a race that gets extra proficiencies, burn feats for them, or actually have campaign "down time" to potentially learn some.
Plus the fact that weapon proficiencies may not even be a racial feature in the future once the 2024 new core books come out. I like Dedicated Weapon as is right now, but if they removed the proficiency requirement but keep the weapon property restriction it would still be balanced I think.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
It doesn't give the monk by itself a big boost, but dipping one level to another class might make it even better, perhaps the Hex Blade Warlock, barbarian, or fighter, which would give you proficiency in martial weapons. Could also use weapon master.
You could also do mountain dwarf, and make a strength based monk, gain proficient in battle axe, turn that into a monk weapon
Wouldn't need to go Strength build. As soon as you make a weapon (that you are proficient in) a Monk Weapon with Dedicated Weapon you get to choose Strength or Dexterity for your attack/damage rolls and can also choose the Weapon's Damage or your Martial Arts die.
Clarification question:
If I used Dedicated Weapon on a Greatclub, do I still roll the normal damage die? I'm assuming yes, but thought I'd ask here to get others thoughts.
Someone mentioned taking the Weapon Master feat; I've done so and have gained proficiency in a few other weapons, including Warhammer and Whip. Now it's a matter of finding those weapons.
Greetings from Chicagoland!
You get to choose which damage die option to use between either your Martial Arts die or the normal damage die of the weapon.
The feature says "you can" which implies agency instead of telling you that you "must".
Why would you do this? In what possible circumstance are you better off with a greatclub than a quarterstaff?
RP reasons? I’ve seen martial arts movies that have had characters using weapons like a great club. It’s a d8 weapon that qualifies for Dedicated Weapon (not heavy or special)
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
If you take the Path of the Kensei, you can get Whip as a Martial Monk weapon at level 3.
Whip is the way to go for this, not great club. By the time you hit level 11, Greatclub does nothing for you. Whip's reach is balanced by the low weapon damage, which starting at level 5, Monk begins to undo. Moreover, it is far more in tune with our fictionalized concept of a monk, particularly the freaky weapons like the flexible swords and even the 3 part nunchucks, which you can basically just reflavor your whip as saying it is a 3 part staff/nunchuck.
Yeah, but consider: What if the character they wanna play is a monk who uses a great club?