Unarmed strikes was listed under simple weapons but not anymore. They took that away I assume because they believed unarmed strikes should not have weapon masteries. even though weapon a few mastery options for monks sound great I don't think they will give it unless there is a large outcry from the community about it on this UA. The simple weapon vs monk weapon debate would not be a thing if unarmed combat for the monk was better.
As it stands now, in 5E, weapons are better at most levels, maybe even all levels, because of magic weapons. I don't think Flame Tongue hand wraps need to be a thing (or +1 to +3 hand wraps either). I believe they took away martial arts die from weapons in Dexterous Attacks because they now have masteries. But I don't think they measure up. So, it kind of swung the other way to unarmed being the main option. I think both options should be viable. Giving unarmed strikes masteries, and weapons MA die keeps them more on par (and yes, magic weapons will skew them as a better option still. But I'm fine with that.). Even if they gave the base monk just the Push mastery with unarmed strikes would be beneficial for the skirmisher playstyle.
In my survey I had mentioned that I like the Rogue's Cunning Strikes and could monks have something similar, even if it was using Stunning Strike feature to implement various options. But here I think giving more unarmed strike options might be better in the long run. The default Unarmed Strikes can forgo damage to do Shove or Topple in the rules glossary doesn't do much for the monk. Especially since weapon masteries covers it better.
In my survey I had mentioned that I like the Rogue's Cunning Strikes and could monks have something similar, even if it was using Stunning Strike feature to implement various options. But here I think giving more unarmed strike options might be better in the long run. The default Unarmed Strikes can forgo damage to do Shove or Topple in the rules glossary doesn't do much for the monk. Especially since weapon masteries covers it better.
That's actually a great point. Why should only monks be able to use Topple or Shove with unarmed strikes still dealing damage? Just change the universal definition of unarmed strike to include: "if you have the Weapon Mastery class feature, your unarmed strikes gain the benefits of the Topple or Shove property (you choose when you make an unarmed strike)". Then just have a separate set of rules for Grappling. Though even Grappling I'd like it to be so that only characters with the Weapon Mastery class feature get to add their proficiency bonus to their grappling save DC.
In my survey I had mentioned that I like the Rogue's Cunning Strikes and could monks have something similar, even if it was using Stunning Strike feature to implement various options. But here I think giving more unarmed strike options might be better in the long run. The default Unarmed Strikes can forgo damage to do Shove or Topple in the rules glossary doesn't do much for the monk. Especially since weapon masteries covers it better.
That's actually a great point. Why should only monks be able to use Topple or Shove with unarmed strikes still dealing damage? Just change the universal definition of unarmed strike to include: "if you have the Weapon Mastery class feature, your unarmed strikes gain the benefits of the Topple or Shove property (you choose when you make an unarmed strike)". Then just have a separate set of rules for Grappling. Though even Grappling I'd like it to be so that only characters with the Weapon Mastery class feature get to add their proficiency bonus to their grappling save DC.
That's a cool idea, maybe every attack could be a bit much, as you could end up forcing a saving throw for every hit and really slow the game down, but I could certainly see being able to do it once per turn. Maybe Open Hand could then gain the ability to do it a second time via Flurry of Blows, so they could do a Grapple + Shove (to "pin" a target prone with speed 0) for "free" while dealing their full damage.
I know some of the current masteries like Topple can trigger a saving throw on every hit, but that's been one of my criticisms of the current masteries as it slows down a turn when you have to roll a saving throw for every single hit as the player just tries to brute force it into working (same as Monks in 5e can do with stunning strike). I'd rather have a way to make the saving throw harder.
That does give me some inspiration for the Focus mechanic I've been working on; being able to spend one or more focus point(s) to impose disadvantage on the grapple or shove would let it be more reliable while keeping it at once per turn.
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In my survey I had mentioned that I like the Rogue's Cunning Strikes and could monks have something similar, even if it was using Stunning Strike feature to implement various options. But here I think giving more unarmed strike options might be better in the long run. The default Unarmed Strikes can forgo damage to do Shove or Topple in the rules glossary doesn't do much for the monk. Especially since weapon masteries covers it better.
That's actually a great point. Why should only monks be able to use Topple or Shove with unarmed strikes still dealing damage? Just change the universal definition of unarmed strike to include: "if you have the Weapon Mastery class feature, your unarmed strikes gain the benefits of the Topple or Shove property (you choose when you make an unarmed strike)". Then just have a separate set of rules for Grappling. Though even Grappling I'd like it to be so that only characters with the Weapon Mastery class feature get to add their proficiency bonus to their grappling save DC.
actually, yeah. topple, push, vex, sap, graze... so much of mastery properties sounds like it should be a part of a martial artist's grapple. seems so obvious! devs need to make dex grapple happen asap. that's the sort of thing that shouldn't be locked away from the empty-handed-by-intent 'unarmed strike' class.
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I just realized why they removed martial arts die from monk’s weapons. A monk can use a weapon in each hand and still make unarmed attacks. So at level 1 a monk could have two daggers. With martial arts on weapons that would 1d6+3, Nick 1d6, Bonus action unarmed 1d6+3. Eventually that could be all d12s. Also Nick and flurry of blows can be used in tandem to make 5 attacks at level 5.
I just realized why they removed martial arts die from monk’s weapons. A monk can use a weapon in each hand and still make unarmed attacks. So at level 1 a monk could have two daggers. With martial arts on weapons that would 1d6+3, Nick 1d6, Bonus action unarmed 1d6+3. Eventually that could be all d12s. Also Nick and flurry of blows can be used in tandem to make 5 attacks at level 5.
Yep, but they still need to change things to "monk weapon" where you get the dex with any weapon that doesn't have the two-handed property you are proficient with, can use stunning strike with any weapon you are proficient with and can get mastery with any weapon you are proficient with. Would make for more versatile and interesting builds.
And beyond that, as others have noted, they just need to make monk unarmed strikes count as light weapons and have the nick property instead of the bonus action attack, in my opinion.
I just realized why they removed martial arts die from monk’s weapons. A monk can use a weapon in each hand and still make unarmed attacks. So at level 1 a monk could have two daggers. With martial arts on weapons that would 1d6+3, Nick 1d6, Bonus action unarmed 1d6+3. Eventually that could be all d12s. Also Nick and flurry of blows can be used in tandem to make 5 attacks at level 5.
Yep, but they still need to change things to "monk weapon" where you get the dex with any weapon that doesn't have the two-handed property you are proficient with, can use stunning strike with any weapon you are proficient with and can get mastery with any weapon you are proficient with. Would make for more versatile and interesting builds.
And beyond that, as others have noted, they just need to make monk unarmed strikes count as light weapons and have the nick property instead of the bonus action attack, in my opinion.
That would actually be a low level nerf for unarmed monks. Instead of adding you dex for both unarmed attacks you only add it to the first one. At 2nd level it makes flurry of blows stronger because you would have 4 unarmed attacks at 1d6 with 3 of them having your dex added. But once you do that twice you are back to only adding dex to your first attack.
I just realized why they removed martial arts die from monk’s weapons. A monk can use a weapon in each hand and still make unarmed attacks. So at level 1 a monk could have two daggers. With martial arts on weapons that would 1d6+3, Nick 1d6, Bonus action unarmed 1d6+3. Eventually that could be all d12s. Also Nick and flurry of blows can be used in tandem to make 5 attacks at level 5.
I guess it wouldn’t be too bad without MA die on weapons. It averages out to about the same if you d6 light weapon one attack, unarmed your extra attack, d4 Nick attack, and BA unarmed attack. 1d6+5, 1d12+5, d4 Nick, 1d12+5 BA attack (34 avg) compared to 3*(1d12+5) unarmed strikes (34.5 avg). These without FoB. Edit: this is at 17th level for d12 MA die.
If they remove the Two Handed restriction monks would have access to 6 of the 9 weapon properties. It leaves out Cleave, Graze, and Topple, which I think would be just fine if Kensei could use any martial weapon as their "Kensei Weapon" with no restrictions on property. Give monks the Dedicated Weapon feature with the restriction, no Heavy (Special was removed in the UA from properties), so they can use one Martial weapon. Let the Kensei have the Heavy weapons.
I also wanted martial weapons to be kensei-only at first, but the problem here is that simple weapons are just weaker than martial ones, and they lack options like reach or heavy (for GWM feat), so there's less tactical variety with them. Having a subclass that is a straight damage upgrade over the base class is a bad idea.
The conundrum here is balancing simple weapons against martial weapons. Simple weapons are usually not meant to be used (however absurd it may sound), as every class that is expected to go toe-to-toe with enemies has access to martial weapons, even clerics and druids can gain martial weapon proficiency at 1st level.
I'm trying to see through WotC's "balance" lens, and I think I understand why unarmed strikes are still not weapons with the light property and why monks were locked out of monk weapons, the shortsword and fighting styles:
Unarmed Strikes as light weapons: 3 reasons
It would give every single class a weaponized bonus action for absolutely no reason; basically erasing one of the most defining traits of a monk: two-weapon fighting(-ish) without needing a weapon nor feats, and adding your ability modifier on top of that (so no need for the fighting style). I guess it makes sense for the class that's theme'd around unarmed fighting to have that as an exclusive ability, which is why I think the unarmed fighting style should never allow for a bonus action attack.
As an extension of #1, everyone would get access to bonus action grappling/shoving. While this is accessible to all UA monks (with added teleportation on Shadow from level 11), they'd need be doing a Str-build, which is not a bad thing, there's not a "correct" way of playing the character you want (I don't like grappling, but that's just me...).
IF they were light weapons, then they'd more than likely have the Nick mastery, and WotC would not like the BASE monk freeing up their bonus action (they did that for Shadow though... different teams probably), otherwise Kensei monks would be able to use Agile Parry forever (supposedly the #1 complaint many have with the subclass). It would also affect FoB and the rework would be too much of a hussle for WotC and their promised "backwards compatibility".
Monk weapons block: 3 reasons
It's been already mentioned by others, just saying it again, access to the Nick mastery would add a free d6 attack right from the beginning going up to a d12. In UA6, monks using daggers are capable of 3 attacks from level 1 and 4 attacks at level 5 without spending DP; if FoB is used then it's 4 attacks from level 2 and 5 from level 5. WotC must have thought that these many attacks using your MA die were too powerful, so for the sake of "balance" monk weapons were removed, so now you pick between using your unarmed strikes for a higher die or using the weapon's lower die but with a free attack.
Magic weapons were already boosted by the MA die in 5e, their damage scaling would make stronger weapons redundant (only looking at the damage die); why would you pick a +3 quarterstaff when a +3 dagger deals the same damage (and has a better mastery)? Also any +x weapon has a better chance to hit than any unarmed strike (as of UA 6), so Monks would definitely want a magic weapon most of the time (and even more if they could still use your MA die).
Warlock's Pact of the Blade is already the best way to unify the monk's attack modifier and DC modifier (at least until Astral is released), it is also the best (or should I say 'the least bad') way of using Stunning Strike, since it gives you a Wis-based Shortbow or a Wis-based, hand-returning Handaxe. There're already enough benefits in the multiclass, adding a higher damage die would break "balance".
Shortsword block:
They wanted to prevent monks accessing Martial feats (read as feats that require proficiency with a Martial weapon), while leaving the Unarmed feats as "compensation". I guess they do not want your single Stunning Strike attempt to have Sharpshooter on top of that.
Fighting style block:
I guess in WotC's unbiased lens, monks accessing Dueling, or Two-Weapon fighting styles(which dials back to the light weapon issue) is most certainly "unbalanced" and should be kept out of the game.
I'm trying to see through WotC's "balance" lens, and I think I understand why unarmed strikes are still not weapons with the light property and why monks were locked out of monk weapons, the shortsword and fighting styles:
Unarmed Strikes as light weapons: 3 reasons
It would give every single class a weaponized bonus action for absolutely no reason; basically erasing one of the most defining traits of a monk: two-weapon fighting(-ish) without needing a weapon nor feats, and adding your ability modifier on top of that (so no need for the fighting style). I guess it makes sense for the class that's theme'd around unarmed fighting to have that as an exclusive ability, which is why I think the unarmed fighting style should never allow for a bonus action attack.
As an extension of #1, everyone would get access to bonus action grappling/shoving. While this is accessible to all UA monks (with added teleportation on Shadow from level 11), they'd need be doing a Str-build, which is not a bad thing, there's not a "correct" way of playing the character you want (I don't like grappling, but that's just me...).
IF they were light weapons, then they'd more than likely have the Nick mastery, and WotC would not like the BASE monk freeing up their bonus action (they did that for Shadow though... different teams probably), otherwise Kensei monks would be able to use Agile Parry forever (supposedly the #1 complaint many have with the subclass). It would also affect FoB and the rework would be too much of a hussle for WotC and their promised "backwards compatibility".
Monk weapons block: 3 reasons
It's been already mentioned by others, just saying it again, access to the Nick mastery would add a free d6 attack right from the beginning going up to a d12. In UA6, monks using daggers are capable of 3 attacks from level 1 and 4 attacks at level 5 without spending DP; if FoB is used then it's 4 attacks from level 2 and 5 from level 5. WotC must have thought that these many attacks using your MA die were too powerful, so for the sake of "balance" monk weapons were removed, so now you pick between using your unarmed strikes for a higher die or using the weapon's lower die but with a free attack.
Magic weapons were already boosted by the MA die in 5e, their damage scaling would make stronger weapons redundant (only looking at the damage die); why would you pick a +3 quarterstaff when a +3 dagger deals the same damage (and has a better mastery)? Also any +x weapon has a better chance to hit than any unarmed strike (as of UA 6), so Monks would definitely want a magic weapon most of the time (and even more if they could still use your MA die).
Warlock's Pact of the Blade is already the best way to unify the monk's attack modifier and DC modifier (at least until Astral is released), it is also the best (or should I say 'the least bad') way of using Stunning Strike, since it gives you a Wis-based Shortbow or a Wis-based, hand-returning Handaxe. There're already enough benefits in the multiclass, adding a higher damage die would break "balance".
Shortsword block:
They wanted to prevent monks accessing Martial feats (read as feats that require proficiency with a Martial weapon), while leaving the Unarmed feats as "compensation". I guess they do not want your single Stunning Strike attempt to have Sharpshooter on top of that.
Fighting style block:
I guess in WotC's unbiased lens, monks accessing Dueling, or Two-Weapon fighting styles(which dials back to the light weapon issue) is most certainly "unbalanced" and should be kept out of the game.
The suggestion for unarmed strikes as light weapons was SPECIFICALLY for monk not everyone.
If they remove the Two Handed restriction monks would have access to 6 of the 9 weapon properties. It leaves out Cleave, Graze, and Topple, which I think would be just fine if Kensei could use any martial weapon as their "Kensei Weapon" with no restrictions on property. Give monks the Dedicated Weapon feature with the restriction, no Heavy (Special was removed in the UA from properties), so they can use one Martial weapon. Let the Kensei have the Heavy weapons.
I also wanted martial weapons to be kensei-only at first, but the problem here is that simple weapons are just weaker than martial ones, and they lack options like reach or heavy (for GWM feat), so there's less tactical variety with them. Having a subclass that is a straight damage upgrade over the base class is a bad idea.
The conundrum here is balancing simple weapons against martial weapons. Simple weapons are usually not meant to be used (however absurd it may sound), as every class that is expected to go toe-to-toe with enemies has access to martial weapons, even clerics and druids can gain martial weapon proficiency at 1st level.
Even if they gave martial weapons to monk base it would probably still have heavy restrictions so pretty much reach wouldn’t be available either. And unarmed will be doing similar damage from level 5 on, surpassing versatile weapons at 17.
I do think they need to have Dedicated Weapon back, like they did with Steady Aim for Rogues (optional Tasha’s feature added to revised Rogue). Martial proficiency can come in for most monk that way and Kensei get no restrictions so can have heavy weapons. And I’m fine if that puts a subclass over the base class.
They wanted to prevent monks accessing Martial feats (read as feats that require proficiency with a Martial weapon), while leaving the Unarmed feats as "compensation". I guess they do not want your single Stunning Strike attempt to have Sharpshooter on top of that.
What unarmed feats? If I remember correctly, there is only 1, Wrestler, and currently Str is used for all the optional unarmed features. Leaving out of the monk the Mage Slayer or Charger is absurd and cannot see the excuse. In addition, all the other martials increase their damage by 2 ways at the same time, class features plus combat feats. The monk lacks both, but a ridiculous damage die increase, which averages +1 to damage per hit only.
Even if they gave martial weapons to monk base it would probably still have heavy restrictions so pretty much reach wouldn’t be available either. And unarmed will be doing similar damage from level 5 on, surpassing versatile weapons at 17.
But at least Monk could get Charger and/or Sentinel feats.
Monks not getting martial weapons is because they get their scaling martial-arts bonus strike, which they can double up on with Flurry of Blows. By the time they reach Level 5, they're already matching one-handed martial weapons with their unarmed strikes.
It's complaining about the lack of an ability the class is explicitly designed to not need.
Then the design as failed because they currently DO need it. If they are designed to not need it either simple weapons need to scale better or unarmed strikes need more than damage, especially now that weapons have mastery on them.
Yeah, and Monks also totally need 24 AC and five 3d6 attacks per turn and to be able to run 200 feet per turn without opportunity attacks for no cost.
I never said that, but mathmatically they are behind warlocks in at will damage, and warlocks can do their damage from 120 feet away and have spells. As mobile as the the monk is no one out mobiles flying and teleportation. AC wise, most classes can beat them at level 4, I think again Warlock no shield still gets medium armor and can match or beat them through most of the game AC wise, while being ranged. In the end anything monk can do most classes can do better. It does NEED something more, especially after level 6. That is just an objective fact when it comes to class balance at this point. It doesn't need a lot, but it needs something.
Hell, just read what I said, Unarmed strikes need more "THAN" damage, not "the only way to solve this is to make damage through the roof", there are things that can be done that isn't just make damage higher.
I suppose their idea is that after that level you spam FoB, which is not a good design. At low level has too few DP, at high level has too much, then seems like you have your extra attack from FoB. But then is combat, spam FoB, short rest, an repeat. When not using FoB it is left at previous tier level, taking into account that other classes will have combat feats, giving them not only improved attack, but options, making each character different and more interesting to play and try. And it uses the Bonus Action, so we have the problem of attack and defense overlapping. If we compare with others, their armor and even spells does not overlap with their attack options, look at the Paladin, can wear armor, multiple attacks and all that stuff, can cast a defensive spell and while active use Divine Smite. Not in the case of the monk, why?
IMO the monk underuses the Reaction, being the "agile" combatant should use it as reflexes for evading and etc. So its defensive options that uses DP should move to Reaction, leaving some free not using DP for the Bonus Action, showing that if focus more on defense has less attack, allowing to overstep with the use of DP.
Even if they gave martial weapons to monk base it would probably still have heavy restrictions so pretty much reach wouldn’t be available either. And unarmed will be doing similar damage from level 5 on, surpassing versatile weapons at 17.
But at least Monk could get Charger and/or Sentinel feats.
Which I think dedicated weapon can help with. Although how they changed species and weapon traits it might be harder. I think if they either got rid of martial weapon requirements on combat feats or gave back shortswords it would be fine.
The access to combat feats I did mention in the survey. No reason they should be excluded from them.
The more I have been thinking about it, the more I believe the Grapple/Shove DC for Monk should be WIS based instead of DEX based.
It gives Monks a single save DC to track, instead of 2.
WIS focused Monks (20 WIS at level 8) can still use Unarmed Strikes effectively to Grapple/Shove for control instead of damage. Or Grapple + wall running + dropping for damage.
The Monk + Moon Druid multiclass is interesting, but not game breaking.
The other alternative is DC = 8 + Proficiency Bonus + max(DEX,WIS) which works for either stat.
The more I have been thinking about it, the more I believe the Grapple/Shove DC for Monk should be WIS based instead of DEX based.
It gives Monks a single save DC to track, instead of 2.
WIS focused Monks (20 WIS at level 8) can still use Unarmed Strikes effectively to Grapple/Shove for control instead of damage. Or Grapple + wall running + dropping for damage.
The Monk + Moon Druid multiclass is interesting, but not game breaking.
The other alternative is DC = 8 + Proficiency Bonus + max(DEX,WIS) which works for either stat.
I'm not really a fan of the change to grapple to a save. Basically, you can't really build for grappling other than raising your stat. Astral Self could actually make a good grappler by maxing WIS and taking the Skill Expert feat to get Expertise in Athletics. But now you really can't build for grappling, which feels like a letdown. But maybe grapple builds were too powerful? I never got to play one myself.
As it stands now, in 5E, weapons are better at most levels, maybe even all levels, because of magic weapons. I don't think Flame Tongue hand wraps need to be a thing (or +1 to +3 hand wraps either). I believe they took away martial arts die from weapons in Dexterous Attacks because they now have masteries. But I don't think they measure up. So, it kind of swung the other way to unarmed being the main option. I think both options should be viable. Giving unarmed strikes masteries, and weapons MA die keeps them more on par (and yes, magic weapons will skew them as a better option still. But I'm fine with that.). Even if they gave the base monk just the Push mastery with unarmed strikes would be beneficial for the skirmisher playstyle.
In my survey I had mentioned that I like the Rogue's Cunning Strikes and could monks have something similar, even if it was using Stunning Strike feature to implement various options. But here I think giving more unarmed strike options might be better in the long run. The default Unarmed Strikes can forgo damage to do Shove or Topple in the rules glossary doesn't do much for the monk. Especially since weapon masteries covers it better.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
That's actually a great point. Why should only monks be able to use Topple or Shove with unarmed strikes still dealing damage? Just change the universal definition of unarmed strike to include: "if you have the Weapon Mastery class feature, your unarmed strikes gain the benefits of the Topple or Shove property (you choose when you make an unarmed strike)". Then just have a separate set of rules for Grappling. Though even Grappling I'd like it to be so that only characters with the Weapon Mastery class feature get to add their proficiency bonus to their grappling save DC.
That's a cool idea, maybe every attack could be a bit much, as you could end up forcing a saving throw for every hit and really slow the game down, but I could certainly see being able to do it once per turn. Maybe Open Hand could then gain the ability to do it a second time via Flurry of Blows, so they could do a Grapple + Shove (to "pin" a target prone with speed 0) for "free" while dealing their full damage.
I know some of the current masteries like Topple can trigger a saving throw on every hit, but that's been one of my criticisms of the current masteries as it slows down a turn when you have to roll a saving throw for every single hit as the player just tries to brute force it into working (same as Monks in 5e can do with stunning strike). I'd rather have a way to make the saving throw harder.
That does give me some inspiration for the Focus mechanic I've been working on; being able to spend one or more focus point(s) to impose disadvantage on the grapple or shove would let it be more reliable while keeping it at once per turn.
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actually, yeah. topple, push, vex, sap, graze... so much of mastery properties sounds like it should be a part of a martial artist's grapple. seems so obvious! devs need to make dex grapple happen asap. that's the sort of thing that shouldn't be locked away from the empty-handed-by-intent 'unarmed strike' class.
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I just realized why they removed martial arts die from monk’s weapons. A monk can use a weapon in each hand and still make unarmed attacks. So at level 1 a monk could have two daggers. With martial arts on weapons that would 1d6+3, Nick 1d6, Bonus action unarmed 1d6+3. Eventually that could be all d12s. Also Nick and flurry of blows can be used in tandem to make 5 attacks at level 5.
Yep, but they still need to change things to "monk weapon" where you get the dex with any weapon that doesn't have the two-handed property you are proficient with, can use stunning strike with any weapon you are proficient with and can get mastery with any weapon you are proficient with. Would make for more versatile and interesting builds.
And beyond that, as others have noted, they just need to make monk unarmed strikes count as light weapons and have the nick property instead of the bonus action attack, in my opinion.
That would actually be a low level nerf for unarmed monks. Instead of adding you dex for both unarmed attacks you only add it to the first one. At 2nd level it makes flurry of blows stronger because you would have 4 unarmed attacks at 1d6 with 3 of them having your dex added. But once you do that twice you are back to only adding dex to your first attack.
I guess it wouldn’t be too bad without MA die on weapons. It averages out to about the same if you d6 light weapon one attack, unarmed your extra attack, d4 Nick attack, and BA unarmed attack. 1d6+5, 1d12+5, d4 Nick, 1d12+5 BA attack (34 avg) compared to 3*(1d12+5) unarmed strikes (34.5 avg). These without FoB. Edit: this is at 17th level for d12 MA die.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
I also wanted martial weapons to be kensei-only at first, but the problem here is that simple weapons are just weaker than martial ones, and they lack options like reach or heavy (for GWM feat), so there's less tactical variety with them. Having a subclass that is a straight damage upgrade over the base class is a bad idea.
The conundrum here is balancing simple weapons against martial weapons. Simple weapons are usually not meant to be used (however absurd it may sound), as every class that is expected to go toe-to-toe with enemies has access to martial weapons, even clerics and druids can gain martial weapon proficiency at 1st level.
I'm trying to see through WotC's "balance" lens, and I think I understand why unarmed strikes are still not weapons with the light property and why monks were locked out of monk weapons, the shortsword and fighting styles:
The suggestion for unarmed strikes as light weapons was SPECIFICALLY for monk not everyone.
Even if they gave martial weapons to monk base it would probably still have heavy restrictions so pretty much reach wouldn’t be available either. And unarmed will be doing similar damage from level 5 on, surpassing versatile weapons at 17.
I do think they need to have Dedicated Weapon back, like they did with Steady Aim for Rogues (optional Tasha’s feature added to revised Rogue). Martial proficiency can come in for most monk that way and Kensei get no restrictions so can have heavy weapons. And I’m fine if that puts a subclass over the base class.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
What unarmed feats? If I remember correctly, there is only 1, Wrestler, and currently Str is used for all the optional unarmed features. Leaving out of the monk the Mage Slayer or Charger is absurd and cannot see the excuse. In addition, all the other martials increase their damage by 2 ways at the same time, class features plus combat feats. The monk lacks both, but a ridiculous damage die increase, which averages +1 to damage per hit only.
But at least Monk could get Charger and/or Sentinel feats.
Then the design as failed because they currently DO need it. If they are designed to not need it either simple weapons need to scale better or unarmed strikes need more than damage, especially now that weapons have mastery on them.
I never said that, but mathmatically they are behind warlocks in at will damage, and warlocks can do their damage from 120 feet away and have spells. As mobile as the the monk is no one out mobiles flying and teleportation. AC wise, most classes can beat them at level 4, I think again Warlock no shield still gets medium armor and can match or beat them through most of the game AC wise, while being ranged. In the end anything monk can do most classes can do better. It does NEED something more, especially after level 6. That is just an objective fact when it comes to class balance at this point. It doesn't need a lot, but it needs something.
Hell, just read what I said, Unarmed strikes need more "THAN" damage, not "the only way to solve this is to make damage through the roof", there are things that can be done that isn't just make damage higher.
I suppose their idea is that after that level you spam FoB, which is not a good design. At low level has too few DP, at high level has too much, then seems like you have your extra attack from FoB. But then is combat, spam FoB, short rest, an repeat. When not using FoB it is left at previous tier level, taking into account that other classes will have combat feats, giving them not only improved attack, but options, making each character different and more interesting to play and try. And it uses the Bonus Action, so we have the problem of attack and defense overlapping. If we compare with others, their armor and even spells does not overlap with their attack options, look at the Paladin, can wear armor, multiple attacks and all that stuff, can cast a defensive spell and while active use Divine Smite. Not in the case of the monk, why?
IMO the monk underuses the Reaction, being the "agile" combatant should use it as reflexes for evading and etc. So its defensive options that uses DP should move to Reaction, leaving some free not using DP for the Bonus Action, showing that if focus more on defense has less attack, allowing to overstep with the use of DP.
Which I think dedicated weapon can help with. Although how they changed species and weapon traits it might be harder. I think if they either got rid of martial weapon requirements on combat feats or gave back shortswords it would be fine.
The access to combat feats I did mention in the survey. No reason they should be excluded from them.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
The more I have been thinking about it, the more I believe the Grapple/Shove DC for Monk should be WIS based instead of DEX based.
The other alternative is DC = 8 + Proficiency Bonus + max(DEX,WIS) which works for either stat.
I'm not really a fan of the change to grapple to a save. Basically, you can't really build for grappling other than raising your stat. Astral Self could actually make a good grappler by maxing WIS and taking the Skill Expert feat to get Expertise in Athletics. But now you really can't build for grappling, which feels like a letdown. But maybe grapple builds were too powerful? I never got to play one myself.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?