I've been thinking over how to build a new monk. Using the point buy system and using the variant human as a race, I lose 4 ability points going variant as opposed to normal but using point buy it takes 2 points to take wisdom from 14 to 15. So by using the variant human's feat on Resilient-wisdom in a sense I'd gain 2 ability points, which I can use to keep other ability scores out of the negative and buy a +1 in con.
I know monk's get proficiency with all saves at 14, so it would be a wasted feat at that point but many characters don't ever get that high anyway, and I'll have 13 levels of game play with enhanced wisdom saves.
I'm just hoping for some feedback, it seems like an efficient way to gain a couple ability points and a wisdom save bonus. But maybe a monk's wisdom bonus is enough and there are better feats to take at lvl 1?
If you don't think you'll hit level 14, then Resilient is always a pretty good feat. Even if you do get to level 14, you're talking about a year (or whatever) of gameplay before you get Diamond Soul. Wisdom saves are pretty good, too (much better than the Monk's standard STR save proficiency).
I'm a little unclear what you're asking about the skill scores, though. With point buy VHuman, even without Resilient, you can get to +3 in both DEX and WIS, and still have plenty left over. I wouldn't worry so much about negative INT, for instance, especially if you have a wizard or artificer in your party.
As for other feats at level one for a monk, here are some I'd recommend:
Mobile: Extra movement, attack to avoid AOO. Basically made for a monk. Crusher (TCE): You can get that +1 to CON if you like, and you'll be doing plenty of bludgeoning damage with all those unarmed strikes. Fey Touched (TCE): You can get that +1 to WIS if you like, and a couple quality once-per-day spells. This is much more flavorful than Resilient, though if it doesn't work for your character then you can stick to Resilient. Lucky: Can't go wrong with it. I personally don't like it much (it's kinda bland), but it is very powerful. Turn disadvantage into super advantage, if your DM runs this by RAW -- and that could be stronger than +1 in any stat. Mage Slayer: Monks' mobility and multiple attacks per round can make them awesome at killing backline casters' concentration. This ups the ante. Observant: Gets you +1 in WIS and some really nice boosts to important passive skills. Shadow Touched (TCE): Similar to Fey Touched, but with different spells available. Again, can be very evocative for a certain character. Skill Expert (TCE): Gets you a +1 in whatever stat you want, and some great skill boosts -- including expertise, which is difficult to come by. Weapon Master: [don't laugh] Now that monks get Dedicated Weapon, they have the ability to transform just about any weapon they are proficient with into a monk weapon... and this gets you +1 DEX as well. Fighting Initiate (TCE) / Magic Initiate / Martial Adept / Polearm Master / Sentinel: None of these are half-feats, and none synergize perfectly with monks, but all give you something or another. Magic Initiate and Fighting Initiate are kinda mini-multiclassing, so if you see any spells from a full caster list you like or a fighting style you like, give them a go. Martial Adept, Polearm Master, and Sentinel all give you some good options for combat and specifically creature control.
I'm a little unclear what you're asking about the skill scores, though. With point buy VHuman, even without Resilient, you can get to +3 in both DEX and WIS, and still have plenty left over. I wouldn't worry so much about negative INT, for instance, especially if you have a wizard or artificer in your party.
Thanks for the feat suggestions. I'm saying that, yes I can get to 16 wisdom but since it takes 2 points to go from 14 to 15 by using a half feat I can get that same gain and allocate those points elsewhere, effectively gaining 2 ability score increases for the price of one. But looking it over some more I can still get a +1 in con and only have to take one -1, so maybe not such a big deal.
In that case, yes, I wouldn't worry about having some negative values. What that basically means is you have a 5% worse chance of succeeding on some ability checks (and saves) that Monks aren't really built for anyways.
But if that 14 to 15 cost is killing you, there are probably better, more flavorful feats than Resilient that will get it for you. Skill Expert is one of my favorites, personally.
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I've been thinking over how to build a new monk. Using the point buy system and using the variant human as a race, I lose 4 ability points going variant as opposed to normal but using point buy it takes 2 points to take wisdom from 14 to 15. So by using the variant human's feat on Resilient-wisdom in a sense I'd gain 2 ability points, which I can use to keep other ability scores out of the negative and buy a +1 in con.
I know monk's get proficiency with all saves at 14, so it would be a wasted feat at that point but many characters don't ever get that high anyway, and I'll have 13 levels of game play with enhanced wisdom saves.
I'm just hoping for some feedback, it seems like an efficient way to gain a couple ability points and a wisdom save bonus. But maybe a monk's wisdom bonus is enough and there are better feats to take at lvl 1?
If you don't think you'll hit level 14, then Resilient is always a pretty good feat. Even if you do get to level 14, you're talking about a year (or whatever) of gameplay before you get Diamond Soul. Wisdom saves are pretty good, too (much better than the Monk's standard STR save proficiency).
I'm a little unclear what you're asking about the skill scores, though. With point buy VHuman, even without Resilient, you can get to +3 in both DEX and WIS, and still have plenty left over. I wouldn't worry so much about negative INT, for instance, especially if you have a wizard or artificer in your party.
As for other feats at level one for a monk, here are some I'd recommend:
Mobile: Extra movement, attack to avoid AOO. Basically made for a monk.
Crusher (TCE): You can get that +1 to CON if you like, and you'll be doing plenty of bludgeoning damage with all those unarmed strikes.
Fey Touched (TCE): You can get that +1 to WIS if you like, and a couple quality once-per-day spells. This is much more flavorful than Resilient, though if it doesn't work for your character then you can stick to Resilient.
Lucky: Can't go wrong with it. I personally don't like it much (it's kinda bland), but it is very powerful. Turn disadvantage into super advantage, if your DM runs this by RAW -- and that could be stronger than +1 in any stat.
Mage Slayer: Monks' mobility and multiple attacks per round can make them awesome at killing backline casters' concentration. This ups the ante.
Observant: Gets you +1 in WIS and some really nice boosts to important passive skills.
Shadow Touched (TCE): Similar to Fey Touched, but with different spells available. Again, can be very evocative for a certain character.
Skill Expert (TCE): Gets you a +1 in whatever stat you want, and some great skill boosts -- including expertise, which is difficult to come by.
Weapon Master: [don't laugh] Now that monks get Dedicated Weapon, they have the ability to transform just about any weapon they are proficient with into a monk weapon... and this gets you +1 DEX as well.
Fighting Initiate (TCE) / Magic Initiate / Martial Adept / Polearm Master / Sentinel: None of these are half-feats, and none synergize perfectly with monks, but all give you something or another. Magic Initiate and Fighting Initiate are kinda mini-multiclassing, so if you see any spells from a full caster list you like or a fighting style you like, give them a go. Martial Adept, Polearm Master, and Sentinel all give you some good options for combat and specifically creature control.
Thanks for the feat suggestions. I'm saying that, yes I can get to 16 wisdom but since it takes 2 points to go from 14 to 15 by using a half feat I can get that same gain and allocate those points elsewhere, effectively gaining 2 ability score increases for the price of one. But looking it over some more I can still get a +1 in con and only have to take one -1, so maybe not such a big deal.
In that case, yes, I wouldn't worry about having some negative values. What that basically means is you have a 5% worse chance of succeeding on some ability checks (and saves) that Monks aren't really built for anyways.
But if that 14 to 15 cost is killing you, there are probably better, more flavorful feats than Resilient that will get it for you. Skill Expert is one of my favorites, personally.