Not multiple reactions allowed by WotC? *Cavalier's Vigilant Defender ceases to exist*
Monks have the chasis to become THE reaction-based class and Deflect Missiles (+ Deflect Energy) is already an example of additional options for reactions, and considering that the latest UA is really pushing forward Unarmed Strikes as your main attack option, they could really create a list of Monk-specific reactions triggering more than once per round and that can only work while unarmed (and unarmored to keep the trend going), and then make it so that Kensei can use them if they have only kensei weapons.
It slows the game down. The DM is trying to get through the monsters turn an the monk keeps saying oh wait. It also promotes a style of play to trigger as many reactions as possible. If the DM doesn’t create enough situations for you to use the reactions it becomes a waste. Whatever WoTC does to fix the monk should happen on the monks turn
I have kind of said this before, but I do believe Monk is in a very similar situation as now. A lot of people will just go 5 levels in monk and then multi-class out. I suspect this will still be very similar with maybe 7 or 8 levels of monk to get Heightened metabolism and an ASI. After that just dip out for fighter, ranger, cleric, druid even rogue seem like really solid options.
I have kind of said this before, but I do believe Monk is in a very similar situation as now. A lot of people will just go 5 levels in monk and then multi-class out. I suspect this will still be very similar with maybe 7 or 8 levels of monk to get Heightened metabolism and an ASI. After that just dip out for fighter, ranger, cleric, druid even rogue seem like really solid options.
But you get a nice subclass feature at level 11. Then fixing the class at some specifics should be better option.
I have kind of said this before, but I do believe Monk is in a very similar situation as now. A lot of people will just go 5 levels in monk and then multi-class out. I suspect this will still be very similar with maybe 7 or 8 levels of monk to get Heightened metabolism and an ASI. After that just dip out for fighter, ranger, cleric, druid even rogue seem like really solid options.
But you get a nice subclass feature at level 11. Then fixing the class at some specifics should be better option.
I am saying if they don't fix it. I am also pretty sure you jest about the level 11 subclass feature. They are all mobility features except mercy.
I have kind of said this before, but I do believe Monk is in a very similar situation as now. A lot of people will just go 5 levels in monk and then multi-class out. I suspect this will still be very similar with maybe 7 or 8 levels of monk to get Heightened metabolism and an ASI. After that just dip out for fighter, ranger, cleric, druid even rogue seem like really solid options.
Yes, the monk is not a self-sustaining class, and so many will take some monk levels just to have the unarmed and enhanced attacks and as a bonus action. Now that there is also the Heightened metabolism feature, it is even more inviting as a class turning point.
But seeing the turn it is taking, I think they will make the unarmed bonus attack an attack accessible to all classes (which is part of the basic unarmed attacks), and create a feat to enhance the unarmed attack so that they can simply remove the monk class.
I have kind of said this before, but I do believe Monk is in a very similar situation as now. A lot of people will just go 5 levels in monk and then multi-class out. I suspect this will still be very similar with maybe 7 or 8 levels of monk to get Heightened metabolism and an ASI. After that just dip out for fighter, ranger, cleric, druid even rogue seem like really solid options.
Yes, the monk is not a self-sustaining class, and so many will take some monk levels just to have the unarmed and enhanced attacks and as a bonus action. Now that there is also the Heightened metabolism feature, it is even more inviting as a class turning point.
But seeing the turn it is taking, I think they will make the unarmed bonus attack an attack accessible to all classes (which is part of the basic unarmed attacks), and create a feat to enhance the unarmed attack so that they can simply remove the monk class.
Ya the big trick with Heightened is it gives you the benefits of a short rest, not just ki points. So recovering your channel divinity, your wild shapes, your action surges. Heck Land druid has the 1 spell recover. Sure the spells aren't going to be as strong, but you have your full martial strength at that point as a monk anyway, heck warden druid could give you a little extra damage with higher levels giving you that +1d8 on one of your attacks.
Again the Rest system issues shows up. Limit to 2 Short Rest per Long Rest. The same system that generates so different POV about casters power based on Long Rest.
Monks have the chasis to become THE reaction-based class and Deflect Missiles (+ Deflect Energy) is already an example of additional options for reactions, and considering that the latest UA is really pushing forward Unarmed Strikes as your main attack option, they could really create a list of Monk-specific reactions triggering more than once per round and that can only work while unarmed (and unarmored to keep the trend going), and then make it so that Kensei can use them if they have only kensei weapons.
It slows the game down. The DM is trying to get through the monsters turn an the monk keeps saying oh wait. It also promotes a style of play to trigger as many reactions as possible. If the DM doesn’t create enough situations for you to use the reactions it becomes a waste. Whatever WoTC does to fix the monk should happen on the monks turn
solve that by saying monk gets only one opportunity attack per round. that still leaves defense or mobility reaction options.
actually, if you phrase it something like "no more than one reaction per round may include an attack," then you avoid Sentinel abuse and/or a 3 level dip for battlemaster 4-dice Brace maneuver (attack foe that enters your reach). but is it really abuse? monk doesn't have a lot of room for non-ASI feats and many campaigns won't be around long enough to facilitate a 3 or 4 levels investment in a meme. assuming the table even allows multiclassing since it's an optional rule. anyway, it doesn't seem any more harmful or less valid than someone else who insists on fighting with multiple conjured summons. if somebody wants to drop 5 or 11 levels into monk for extra reactions so that their psi warrior fighter can repeatedly protective field (take note: the existing melee deflect), is that too powerful? probably not. would it slow things down? maybe, but let's test it during the designated test and put this to rest.
Not multiple reactions allowed by WotC? *Cavalier's Vigilant Defender ceases to exist*
...
wow, i skip over cavalier too often apparently! level 18 is pretty up there but infinite reactions. yikes.
Yeah, I have to admit, I had overlooked that one as well. Kinda don’t know what to think of it / make of it.
Except it isn't really infinite reactions, it is infinite AoO (or AoO type-things) which is different from multiple reactions which could be used for lots of different things : e.g. getting multiple reactions for Counterspell, Shield, and Absorb Elements, or multiple reactions for Uncanny Dodge is very different from getting multiple reactions to make 1 melee weapon attack.
Except it isn't really infinite reactions, it is infinite AoO (or AoO type-things) which is different from multiple reactions which could be used for lots of different things : e.g. getting multiple reactions for Counterspell, Shield, and Absorb Elements, or multiple reactions for Uncanny Dodge is very different from getting multiple reactions to make 1 melee weapon attack.
"Infinite" opportunity attack is only as useful as your enemies make it, and for most characters is a maximum of eight reactions if you start surrounded, it's only more if enemies rush in and move away in the same turn without Disengaging. You could maybe get more with a reach weapon or similar, but again, it's the enemies moving away from you that choose how many opportunity attacks you actually get.
In practice this feature is more just a deterrent against enemies moving away once they know what will happen, it's almost never going to be the fistfuls of attacks that some people are imagining.
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It slows the game down. The DM is trying to get through the monsters turn an the monk keeps saying oh wait. It also promotes a style of play to trigger as many reactions as possible. If the DM doesn’t create enough situations for you to use the reactions it becomes a waste. Whatever WoTC does to fix the monk should happen on the monks turn
Again with this one... I've read it before, and not just on monk threads, apparently any Martial getting new reactions slows down the game, but casting Shield, Absorb Elements, Silbery Barbs, Hellish Rebuke, Counterspell or any other reaction spell is not a problem.
Also the trigger for such reactions are not meant to be so specific that it causes a burden to the DM, and there are quite a few examples for these in 5e, like Battlemaster's Brace, Vengeance's Soul of Vengeance, Gloom Stalker's Shadowy Dodge, Mastermind's Misdirection, etc.; all of these come from subclasses, what I suggest is having such kind of special reactions listed for the Monk base class. There could also be special reactions that could be extensions of your basic disciplines, which would increase the return of having to spend a bonus action and a DP, for example:
Using FoB would allow for an unarmed strike if an enemy moves within reach or moves 5 ft while inside your reach.
Using Patient Defense would allow halving the damage from a single attack that hits the monk.
Using Step of the Wind would allow for movement whenever an enemy ends its turn within 5 ft of you.
And these are just simple examples using features that already exist in 5e, surely someone else can come up with better ideas for a generic list.
P.D: I forgot that aside from Deflect Missiles, monks also had Slow Fall.
But you can't cast Shield and etc unlimited times. In the case of martial skills, we must be more careful as if we stack many options then yes it slows the game down a lot. I.e. stack attack, with multiple opportunity attack, with a reaction, with a bonus action, with weapon mastery that requires a check (like Topple), and stack this for all the martial characters, all the rounds, unlimited times.
At first? Sure, spell slots act as a limiter on how many times you can use shield etc. But by mid game that limit is effectively gone at a lot of tables that don't follow the 6-8 encounters per day guidelines and only run 1-3 per day. Wotc seems to be acknowledging that 6-8 with several short rests is not the most popular style anymore and is trying to make some tweaks accordingly (though they're missing the most critical tweak... reducing spell slots).
...There could also be special reactions that could be extensions of your basic disciplines, which would increase the return of having to spend a bonus action and a DP, for example:
Using FoB would allow for an unarmed strike if an enemy moves within reach or moves 5 ft while inside your reach.
Using Patient Defense would allow halving the damage from a single attack that hits the monk.
Using Step of the Wind would allow for movement whenever an enemy ends its turn within 5 ft of you.
i love these! i only wonder if they'd be more palatable to the "never more than one reaction" crowd by leaving off any mention of reaction activation. instead theres a new zone with new rules on the battlefield fueled by mystical discipline until the start of the monk's next turn.
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There are literally hundreds of martial arts disciplines from China alone, and thousands across the world with different focuses on weapons, striking, grappling, armor etc. Some of the most famous martial art forms focus on martial weapons (Kenpo and Kyudo focus on longsword fencing and longbow archery).
The reason Monks need access to martial weapons is two-fold:
Firstly, despite claims to the contrary by the developers D&D heavily focuses itself around magic weapons and armor. Entire official campaigns are based around getting items like the Dawnblade. In 2014, WOTC had a small concession to this by giving Monks access to short swords in addition to simple weapons - and sure enough the Dawnblade simultaneously counts as a Longsword and a Shortsword for proficiency options so that any martial-adjacent class or subclass can use it without issue.
Second, it is really aggravating to have WOTC arbitrarily restrict your equipment options without giving an alternative. Yes, Kensei Monks can get access to Longswords but they are still severely restricted in what they can take - no heavy weapons, no weapons with the "Special" property. Further still, the Kensei Monk's major subclass ability is the ability to gain extra AC - but this only happens if they don't attack with their weapon. And as a result it only works in melee - where the Monk is going to be most desperate to use its weapon attacks.
So right now, the 2024 Monk has the following issues with its interpretation of Martial Arts and martial artists:
1: Martial Arts and Unarmed Strikes consistently does reduced average damage compared to classes with Martial Weapons access.
2: Martial Arts eliminates access to some of the most useful Weapon Mastery options (Topple, Graze) and any weapons with Reach. Also, paradoxically, it eliminates access to several martial arts weapons that would have been extremely common for peasant use throughout most of history: heavy spears (glaives, halberds, pikes, tridents), blugeons (mauls,) and hunting equipment (longbows and blowguns).
3: The monk's inability to access light armor means that it can't even take padded cloth or leather armor, which would have absolutely been available for dedicated martial artists from an organization such as a temple or monastary through most of history. And not only full-torso options; martial artists from throughout history have worn durable covers such as padding, ropes, and animal skins over exposed joints and vulnerable organs for thousands of years.
4: Weapons are being determined by WOTC based on a very specific interpretaion of eastern monastic traditions as depicted in film and television. But the pop culture view of only light weapons and unarmed combat is a product of the Hong Kong filmmaking tradition, perpetuated overseas by Hollywood and enforced domestically by the CCP and its historically strong aversion to depictions of successful peasant uprisings. Weapons would traditionally be determined by the martial arts school or monastary, not by the general decision to undertake martial arts itself. Shaolin Kung Fu, (where the Monk class gets its name to begin with) for example has 18 diverse weapons forms covering functionally unarmed combat, peasant tools and items (knives, flails, rakes, spades, even a repurposed metal flute) to combat weapons (halberds and poleaxes, fencing and long swords, tridents, greataxes and mauls). Note how just that list means that almost half of the Monk's namesake traditional weapons cannot be used by the D&D Monk and many not even with the Kensei subclass.
5: Monks that want to use non-Asian martial arts inspirations like Pankraton, European and African boxing, Savate and others where the focus might be on strength instead of Dexterity lose access to their AC and Deflect Missiles feature. With reduced AC, a Monk is more likely to need to get access to a shield or armor so as a result the Monk will also lose access to their Unarmored Movement and Acrobatic Movement features.
So what we have here is a bunch of contradictions:
A: Monks are supposed to be distancing themselves from Asian martial arts stereotypes, but the inspirations are specific Asian mystic sterotypes because the majority of those inspirations are from media mimicking Asian martial arts films.
B: Monks are supposed to be using hit-and-run and battlefield control features, but many of those featues aren't available to the Monk (Topple), require a massive sacrifice of DPR (simple weapons instead of Unarmed Strike, bonus action attack instead of Dodge or Step of the Wind) or conflict with other Monk abilities (Step of the Wind, Flurry of Blows, Stunning Strike, Deflect Missiles all consuming the same limited pool of Discipline Points).
C: Monks are supposed to be representative of peak physical and mental discipline, but have to dump multiple physical and mental stats to get maximum AC and saves. They will need to take ASIs for nearly all of their improvements just to maximize their AC and combat output. Without Martial Weapons, their average DPR is much lower than most other classes especially if they don't use Flurry of Blows.
D: The Monk is suppoed to be self-sufficient, but they need to interrupt the party constantly to take Short Rests which have limited utility to most of the other party members. They need Short Rests because without their unique class resource, they cannot accomplish most of their unique class features. Further, by 10th level nearly every other class gets at least one class or subclass feature they can perform once per day without expending the class resource typically necessarily to use it. Monks never get a free Discipline Point action or bonus action with the single exception of Shadow Warrior's 17th Level subclass feature.
E: Monk core class features are dependent on melee combat, however their stat distribution and health bonuses are closer to that of a ranged spellcaster. A Monk that is not in melee combat loses access to significant portions of their 1st, 2nd, 6th, and 17th level features both for the core Monk class AND the 2024 subclasses presented in UA6 - because they all either involve melee combat, Unarmed Strikes, or give a bonus to Flurry of Blows.
It is my personal opinion that if WOTC doesn't address contradictions A-E, then the Monk is not a class that can effectively contribute to the party as well as another class.in the same role. And the Monk should be able to find a niche where it does something that the other classes cannot do. The Monk as-is cannot be a successful frontline combatant after tier 1 because it doesn't have enough DPR or health or AC to survive. It can't skirmish as well as a Rogue, Ranger or Paladin because it doesn't have the mobility options unless it sacrifices DPR that those other classes don't have to. It can't crowd control lik a Wizard, Sorcerer, Bard or Warlock because all of its damage needs to be in single attacks instead of AOEs. It can't reliably stunlock a dangerous target like a Fighter or Barbarian because it can no longer bypass Legendary Resistances with multiple save tests, whie the other Martial classes can use Topple and Daze weapon masteries every time they hit. And it can't contribute outside of combat because all of the Monks core features use the same single resource that it absolutely must have on hand to reach near-parity to other party members in combat while spellcasters can use individual spell slots and Experts get massive bonuses and party aid features that activate for free.
A 6th level full caster has 10 leveled spell slots, plus class resources (Channel Divinity, Bardic Inspiration, Wild Shape, Sorcery Points).
A 6th level half caster like a Paladin or Ranger has 6 leveled spell slots, plus applicable class resources (such as channel Divinity) plus a fighting Style.
A 6th level Fighter has already received 2 ASIs, a Fighting Style, and at-will ability to give itself an extra turn in combat.
A 6th level Barbarian has 4 uses of Rage and Reckless Attack. Each Rage gives bonus damage and the option to gain advantage on attack rolls for every turn of combat for up to 10 minutes, so that's up to 40 minutes per Long Rest of advantage in combat or while performing strength related skill tests.
A 6th level Rogue has Cunning Action, Cunning Strike, Uncanny Dodge, Expertise in 4 skills, and adds up to 3d6 damage to any successful hits it makes once per turn - possibly twice per round with an Attack of Opportunity. Also it has proficiency in some martial weapons.
A 6th level Monk has 6 Discipline Points, Stunning Strike, and a reduction to fall damage. None of the discipline effects last longer than 1 round of combat. It has no armor proficiency and no martial weapon proficiency - Monk is the only class to have neither of these proficiency bonuses that isn't a full caster.
It only gets more in the favor of the other class options the higher level you go.
At first? Sure, spell slots act as a limiter on how many times you can use shield etc. But by mid game that limit is effectively gone at a lot of tables that don't follow the 6-8 encounters per day guidelines and only run 1-3 per day. Wotc seems to be acknowledging that 6-8 with several short rests is not the most popular style anymore and is trying to make some tweaks accordingly (though they're missing the most critical tweak... reducing spell slots).
So are you going to cast shield with ALL the pure-caster spell slots? If not, cannot understand, you get max of 4 1st level spell slots if pure caster, and you have to use per round if required. Compared to Reaction, you have unlimited of this one.
I'm saying that because of the play style of many tables (limited fighting per day) by mid game casters have so many slots that they can burn a first or second level slot on shield or something else reactionary each time it would be applicable. By level 10 a full casters has 15 slots to spend (or more with arcane recovery etc). Most fights last 3-4 rounds, if you're at a table that's only using 1-3 fights per day then you're able to use those reaction spells at every opportunity and not worry about running out of slots.
It slows the game down. The DM is trying to get through the monsters turn an the monk keeps saying oh wait. It also promotes a style of play to trigger as many reactions as possible. If the DM doesn’t create enough situations for you to use the reactions it becomes a waste. Whatever WoTC does to fix the monk should happen on the monks turn
Again with this one... I've read it before, and not just on monk threads, apparently any Martial getting new reactions slows down the game, but casting Shield, Absorb Elements, Silbery Barbs, Hellish Rebuke, Counterspell or any other reaction spell is not a problem.
Also the trigger for such reactions are not meant to be so specific that it causes a burden to the DM, and there are quite a few examples for these in 5e, like Battlemaster's Brace, Vengeance's Soul of Vengeance, Gloom Stalker's Shadowy Dodge, Mastermind's Misdirection, etc.; all of these come from subclasses, what I suggest is having such kind of special reactions listed for the Monk base class. There could also be special reactions that could be extensions of your basic disciplines, which would increase the return of having to spend a bonus action and a DP, for example:
Using FoB would allow for an unarmed strike if an enemy moves within reach or moves 5 ft while inside your reach.
Using Patient Defense would allow halving the damage from a single attack that hits the monk.
Using Step of the Wind would allow for movement whenever an enemy ends its turn within 5 ft of you.
And these are just simple examples using features that already exist in 5e, surely someone else can come up with better ideas for a generic list.
P.D: I forgot that aside from Deflect Missiles, monks also had Slow Fall.
Having new reactions is fine, having multiple reactions is a problem. No one is arguing that the monk can’t or shouldn’t have cool, unique, new reactions. I’m arguing that no class should be built around having multiple reactions. It slows the game down.
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It slows the game down. The DM is trying to get through the monsters turn an the monk keeps saying oh wait. It also promotes a style of play to trigger as many reactions as possible. If the DM doesn’t create enough situations for you to use the reactions it becomes a waste. Whatever WoTC does to fix the monk should happen on the monks turn
I have kind of said this before, but I do believe Monk is in a very similar situation as now. A lot of people will just go 5 levels in monk and then multi-class out. I suspect this will still be very similar with maybe 7 or 8 levels of monk to get Heightened metabolism and an ASI. After that just dip out for fighter, ranger, cleric, druid even rogue seem like really solid options.
But you get a nice subclass feature at level 11. Then fixing the class at some specifics should be better option.
I am saying if they don't fix it. I am also pretty sure you jest about the level 11 subclass feature. They are all mobility features except mercy.
Yes, the monk is not a self-sustaining class, and so many will take some monk levels just to have the unarmed and enhanced attacks and as a bonus action. Now that there is also the Heightened metabolism feature, it is even more inviting as a class turning point.
But seeing the turn it is taking, I think they will make the unarmed bonus attack an attack accessible to all classes (which is part of the basic unarmed attacks), and create a feat to enhance the unarmed attack so that they can simply remove the monk class.
Ya the big trick with Heightened is it gives you the benefits of a short rest, not just ki points. So recovering your channel divinity, your wild shapes, your action surges. Heck Land druid has the 1 spell recover. Sure the spells aren't going to be as strong, but you have your full martial strength at that point as a monk anyway, heck warden druid could give you a little extra damage with higher levels giving you that +1d8 on one of your attacks.
Again the Rest system issues shows up. Limit to 2 Short Rest per Long Rest. The same system that generates so different POV about casters power based on Long Rest.
wow, i skip over cavalier too often apparently! level 18 is pretty up there but infinite reactions. yikes.
solve that by saying monk gets only one opportunity attack per round. that still leaves defense or mobility reaction options.
actually, if you phrase it something like "no more than one reaction per round may include an attack," then you avoid Sentinel abuse and/or a 3 level dip for battlemaster 4-dice Brace maneuver (attack foe that enters your reach). but is it really abuse? monk doesn't have a lot of room for non-ASI feats and many campaigns won't be around long enough to facilitate a 3 or 4 levels investment in a meme. assuming the table even allows multiclassing since it's an optional rule. anyway, it doesn't seem any more harmful or less valid than someone else who insists on fighting with multiple conjured summons. if somebody wants to drop 5 or 11 levels into monk for extra reactions so that their psi warrior fighter can repeatedly protective field (take note: the existing melee deflect), is that too powerful? probably not. would it slow things down? maybe, but let's test it during the designated test and put this to rest.
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Yeah, I have to admit, I had overlooked that one as well. Kinda don’t know what to think of it / make of it.
Except it isn't really infinite reactions, it is infinite AoO (or AoO type-things) which is different from multiple reactions which could be used for lots of different things : e.g. getting multiple reactions for Counterspell, Shield, and Absorb Elements, or multiple reactions for Uncanny Dodge is very different from getting multiple reactions to make 1 melee weapon attack.
Plus it's an 18th-level feature; by this point a full spellcaster is gaining their third 5th-level spell slot and probably learning a second 9th-level spell with which they can turn semi-permanently into a dragon, get advantage on all rolls/free Dodge for 8 hours, or wish an enemy had never been born or whatever other crazy nonsense they have access to.
"Infinite" opportunity attack is only as useful as your enemies make it, and for most characters is a maximum of eight reactions if you start surrounded, it's only more if enemies rush in and move away in the same turn without Disengaging. You could maybe get more with a reach weapon or similar, but again, it's the enemies moving away from you that choose how many opportunity attacks you actually get.
In practice this feature is more just a deterrent against enemies moving away once they know what will happen, it's almost never going to be the fistfuls of attacks that some people are imagining.
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Again with this one... I've read it before, and not just on monk threads, apparently any Martial getting new reactions slows down the game, but casting Shield, Absorb Elements, Silbery Barbs, Hellish Rebuke, Counterspell or any other reaction spell is not a problem.
Also the trigger for such reactions are not meant to be so specific that it causes a burden to the DM, and there are quite a few examples for these in 5e, like Battlemaster's Brace, Vengeance's Soul of Vengeance, Gloom Stalker's Shadowy Dodge, Mastermind's Misdirection, etc.; all of these come from subclasses, what I suggest is having such kind of special reactions listed for the Monk base class. There could also be special reactions that could be extensions of your basic disciplines, which would increase the return of having to spend a bonus action and a DP, for example:
And these are just simple examples using features that already exist in 5e, surely someone else can come up with better ideas for a generic list.
P.D: I forgot that aside from Deflect Missiles, monks also had Slow Fall.
But you can't cast Shield and etc unlimited times. In the case of martial skills, we must be more careful as if we stack many options then yes it slows the game down a lot. I.e. stack attack, with multiple opportunity attack, with a reaction, with a bonus action, with weapon mastery that requires a check (like Topple), and stack this for all the martial characters, all the rounds, unlimited times.
At first? Sure, spell slots act as a limiter on how many times you can use shield etc. But by mid game that limit is effectively gone at a lot of tables that don't follow the 6-8 encounters per day guidelines and only run 1-3 per day. Wotc seems to be acknowledging that 6-8 with several short rests is not the most popular style anymore and is trying to make some tweaks accordingly (though they're missing the most critical tweak... reducing spell slots).
i love these! i only wonder if they'd be more palatable to the "never more than one reaction" crowd by leaving off any mention of reaction activation. instead theres a new zone with new rules on the battlefield fueled by mystical discipline until the start of the monk's next turn.
unhappy at the way in which we lost individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
tell them you don't like features disappeared quietly in the night: provide feedback!
There are literally hundreds of martial arts disciplines from China alone, and thousands across the world with different focuses on weapons, striking, grappling, armor etc. Some of the most famous martial art forms focus on martial weapons (Kenpo and Kyudo focus on longsword fencing and longbow archery).
The reason Monks need access to martial weapons is two-fold:
Firstly, despite claims to the contrary by the developers D&D heavily focuses itself around magic weapons and armor. Entire official campaigns are based around getting items like the Dawnblade. In 2014, WOTC had a small concession to this by giving Monks access to short swords in addition to simple weapons - and sure enough the Dawnblade simultaneously counts as a Longsword and a Shortsword for proficiency options so that any martial-adjacent class or subclass can use it without issue.
Second, it is really aggravating to have WOTC arbitrarily restrict your equipment options without giving an alternative. Yes, Kensei Monks can get access to Longswords but they are still severely restricted in what they can take - no heavy weapons, no weapons with the "Special" property. Further still, the Kensei Monk's major subclass ability is the ability to gain extra AC - but this only happens if they don't attack with their weapon. And as a result it only works in melee - where the Monk is going to be most desperate to use its weapon attacks.
So right now, the 2024 Monk has the following issues with its interpretation of Martial Arts and martial artists:
1: Martial Arts and Unarmed Strikes consistently does reduced average damage compared to classes with Martial Weapons access.
2: Martial Arts eliminates access to some of the most useful Weapon Mastery options (Topple, Graze) and any weapons with Reach. Also, paradoxically, it eliminates access to several martial arts weapons that would have been extremely common for peasant use throughout most of history: heavy spears (glaives, halberds, pikes, tridents), blugeons (mauls,) and hunting equipment (longbows and blowguns).
3: The monk's inability to access light armor means that it can't even take padded cloth or leather armor, which would have absolutely been available for dedicated martial artists from an organization such as a temple or monastary through most of history. And not only full-torso options; martial artists from throughout history have worn durable covers such as padding, ropes, and animal skins over exposed joints and vulnerable organs for thousands of years.
4: Weapons are being determined by WOTC based on a very specific interpretaion of eastern monastic traditions as depicted in film and television. But the pop culture view of only light weapons and unarmed combat is a product of the Hong Kong filmmaking tradition, perpetuated overseas by Hollywood and enforced domestically by the CCP and its historically strong aversion to depictions of successful peasant uprisings. Weapons would traditionally be determined by the martial arts school or monastary, not by the general decision to undertake martial arts itself. Shaolin Kung Fu, (where the Monk class gets its name to begin with) for example has 18 diverse weapons forms covering functionally unarmed combat, peasant tools and items (knives, flails, rakes, spades, even a repurposed metal flute) to combat weapons (halberds and poleaxes, fencing and long swords, tridents, greataxes and mauls). Note how just that list means that almost half of the Monk's namesake traditional weapons cannot be used by the D&D Monk and many not even with the Kensei subclass.
5: Monks that want to use non-Asian martial arts inspirations like Pankraton, European and African boxing, Savate and others where the focus might be on strength instead of Dexterity lose access to their AC and Deflect Missiles feature. With reduced AC, a Monk is more likely to need to get access to a shield or armor so as a result the Monk will also lose access to their Unarmored Movement and Acrobatic Movement features.
So what we have here is a bunch of contradictions:
A: Monks are supposed to be distancing themselves from Asian martial arts stereotypes, but the inspirations are specific Asian mystic sterotypes because the majority of those inspirations are from media mimicking Asian martial arts films.
B: Monks are supposed to be using hit-and-run and battlefield control features, but many of those featues aren't available to the Monk (Topple), require a massive sacrifice of DPR (simple weapons instead of Unarmed Strike, bonus action attack instead of Dodge or Step of the Wind) or conflict with other Monk abilities (Step of the Wind, Flurry of Blows, Stunning Strike, Deflect Missiles all consuming the same limited pool of Discipline Points).
C: Monks are supposed to be representative of peak physical and mental discipline, but have to dump multiple physical and mental stats to get maximum AC and saves. They will need to take ASIs for nearly all of their improvements just to maximize their AC and combat output. Without Martial Weapons, their average DPR is much lower than most other classes especially if they don't use Flurry of Blows.
D: The Monk is suppoed to be self-sufficient, but they need to interrupt the party constantly to take Short Rests which have limited utility to most of the other party members. They need Short Rests because without their unique class resource, they cannot accomplish most of their unique class features. Further, by 10th level nearly every other class gets at least one class or subclass feature they can perform once per day without expending the class resource typically necessarily to use it. Monks never get a free Discipline Point action or bonus action with the single exception of Shadow Warrior's 17th Level subclass feature.
E: Monk core class features are dependent on melee combat, however their stat distribution and health bonuses are closer to that of a ranged spellcaster. A Monk that is not in melee combat loses access to significant portions of their 1st, 2nd, 6th, and 17th level features both for the core Monk class AND the 2024 subclasses presented in UA6 - because they all either involve melee combat, Unarmed Strikes, or give a bonus to Flurry of Blows.
It is my personal opinion that if WOTC doesn't address contradictions A-E, then the Monk is not a class that can effectively contribute to the party as well as another class.in the same role. And the Monk should be able to find a niche where it does something that the other classes cannot do. The Monk as-is cannot be a successful frontline combatant after tier 1 because it doesn't have enough DPR or health or AC to survive. It can't skirmish as well as a Rogue, Ranger or Paladin because it doesn't have the mobility options unless it sacrifices DPR that those other classes don't have to. It can't crowd control lik a Wizard, Sorcerer, Bard or Warlock because all of its damage needs to be in single attacks instead of AOEs. It can't reliably stunlock a dangerous target like a Fighter or Barbarian because it can no longer bypass Legendary Resistances with multiple save tests, whie the other Martial classes can use Topple and Daze weapon masteries every time they hit. And it can't contribute outside of combat because all of the Monks core features use the same single resource that it absolutely must have on hand to reach near-parity to other party members in combat while spellcasters can use individual spell slots and Experts get massive bonuses and party aid features that activate for free.
In Unearthed Arcana 5 and 6:
A 6th level full caster has 10 leveled spell slots, plus class resources (Channel Divinity, Bardic Inspiration, Wild Shape, Sorcery Points).
A 6th level half caster like a Paladin or Ranger has 6 leveled spell slots, plus applicable class resources (such as channel Divinity) plus a fighting Style.
A 6th level Fighter has already received 2 ASIs, a Fighting Style, and at-will ability to give itself an extra turn in combat.
A 6th level Barbarian has 4 uses of Rage and Reckless Attack. Each Rage gives bonus damage and the option to gain advantage on attack rolls for every turn of combat for up to 10 minutes, so that's up to 40 minutes per Long Rest of advantage in combat or while performing strength related skill tests.
A 6th level Rogue has Cunning Action, Cunning Strike, Uncanny Dodge, Expertise in 4 skills, and adds up to 3d6 damage to any successful hits it makes once per turn - possibly twice per round with an Attack of Opportunity. Also it has proficiency in some martial weapons.
A 6th level Monk has 6 Discipline Points, Stunning Strike, and a reduction to fall damage. None of the discipline effects last longer than 1 round of combat. It has no armor proficiency and no martial weapon proficiency - Monk is the only class to have neither of these proficiency bonuses that isn't a full caster.
It only gets more in the favor of the other class options the higher level you go.
So are you going to cast shield with ALL the pure-caster spell slots? If not, cannot understand, you get max of 4 1st level spell slots if pure caster, and you have to use per round if required. Compared to Reaction, you have unlimited of this one.
I'm saying that because of the play style of many tables (limited fighting per day) by mid game casters have so many slots that they can burn a first or second level slot on shield or something else reactionary each time it would be applicable. By level 10 a full casters has 15 slots to spend (or more with arcane recovery etc). Most fights last 3-4 rounds, if you're at a table that's only using 1-3 fights per day then you're able to use those reaction spells at every opportunity and not worry about running out of slots.
Having new reactions is fine, having multiple reactions is a problem. No one is arguing that the monk can’t or shouldn’t have cool, unique, new reactions. I’m arguing that no class should be built around having multiple reactions. It slows the game down.