So I just started a new tortle monk and while I've been looking at a lot of posts I'm still undecided with which way to pick. Storywise I would love to go with the drunken master but I'm wondering how it compares to the open hand. On top of it I've been thinking of multiclassing at least one level of either rogue or barbarian for rage or sneak attack. Anybody would have a recommendation?
Personal opinion, just go straight drunken master, the wise old turtle hermit rides again. You should probably be a bit perverted and perhaps actually drink a lot instead of just pretending.
Do keep in mind that the monk armor bonus and the tortle natural armor do not stack (you can choose whichever is higher) which can allow you to be a strength monk rather than dexterity if you so choose since you don't get to add dexterity to the tortle armor, just a thought.
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"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
The one thing that makes me hesitate is intoxicated furry. It's so weak compare to quivering palm. For a lvl 17 feature it's pretty bad, you can only use it in a very specific situation, otherwise it's really useless since you can't pile it on one enemy.
Well you gotta consider the role you're going to play, and the encounters that a Drunken Master and an Open Hand monk will play into.
A Drunken Master will be a pretty big hordebreaker. Dive into a bunch of enemies, use the dodge action or the bonus action dodge, then spend ki points as normal to make them hit each other. Pretty big deal when you deal with crowds, especially with big hitters like Giants or Trolls. You "tank" enemies via them having disadvantage on attacking you, having advantage on dex saves which are good against fireballs. And if you're fighting archers, just voluntarily go prone, and they have disadvantage. Then walk on up with your drunken master feature.
An Open Hand is a single target buster, I find. You're solid damage, and you're utility. Quivering Palm is cool, sure, but consider the ki-cost and remember that, by that point, the folks you'd be facing would probably have legendary resistance. You rush in, because you're a monk and you punch dragons like that, and you focus the big bad/major spellcasters/annoying enemy/npc you don't like, and stunning strike, prone, push, what have you. You are king in messing with the one guy you hate. If you get ganged up on, sure you can dodge, but it's not as effective as what a Drunken Master would be doing in those situations.
Ultimately it's a playstyle preference. Both have their shining moments, just in very different situations.
The one thing that makes me hesitate is intoxicated furry. It's so weak compare to quivering palm. For a lvl 17 feature it's pretty bad, you can only use it in a very specific situation, otherwise it's really useless since you can't pile it on one enemy.
It's pointless to compare class features individually; not all class features are equally powerful, even at the same level. It's the whole package you'd have at level 17 that counts.
For example, look at the War Magic wizard. Power Surge (the 6th level feature) is situational and weak, but it doesn't matter because the class features before and after it are strong. Power Surge is just a cool little side bonus. Another example is the Assassin rogue that gets one huge combat ability at 3rd and 17th, and roleplaying/exploration features in between. Meanwhile, Battle Master fighters get gradual improvements every couple of levels.
The complete insanity of how hard it is to pin you down as a Drunken Master monk is very fun. Also, the DMM plays a bit more like the "Soft Style" kung fu master, vs the OHM's "Hard Style". No one lays the hurt aggro styles like Open Hand, but no one destroys the enemy as punishment for their own aggression like the Drunken Master.
And I just love having Disengage every time I Flurry. I've got a Shadar-kai Drunken Master with Mage Slayer and Athlete, and it's really fun.
I'm playing a drunken master with spider climbing slippers... it is nearly impossible to hit me... and I've made large groups of enemies very angry... I also roleplay him with no regard for his body... so I'll drop 20 feet... deal the 2d6 damage to both me and the enemy... deal him damage... flurry of blows... disengage... RUN BACK UP THE WALL... and if it still lives do it again... I've defeated things before my party even got in the room because of the crazy movement speed. The healers show up... I'm laying on the ground with two HP but everything is dead around me... and I'm drinking. So much fun!!
Not to be too finicky, but if you look at the Drunken Master's 17th level ability, doesn't its function resemble one of the Hunter Ranger's 11th level abilities? Considering how similar they are, it feels like the DM's 17th level should have been made with more flexibility to target types or received a boost to damage to make up for it restrictions. Keep in mind that by 17th level, Rangers will have 5th level spells.
This isn't to say that DM Monks are bad, but it feels like the devs could have playtested this subclass more before rolling it out.
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So I just started a new tortle monk and while I've been looking at a lot of posts I'm still undecided with which way to pick. Storywise I would love to go with the drunken master but I'm wondering how it compares to the open hand. On top of it I've been thinking of multiclassing at least one level of either rogue or barbarian for rage or sneak attack. Anybody would have a recommendation?
Personal opinion, just go straight drunken master, the wise old turtle hermit rides again. You should probably be a bit perverted and perhaps actually drink a lot instead of just pretending.
Do keep in mind that the monk armor bonus and the tortle natural armor do not stack (you can choose whichever is higher) which can allow you to be a strength monk rather than dexterity if you so choose since you don't get to add dexterity to the tortle armor, just a thought.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
The one thing that makes me hesitate is intoxicated furry. It's so weak compare to quivering palm. For a lvl 17 feature it's pretty bad, you can only use it in a very specific situation, otherwise it's really useless since you can't pile it on one enemy.
Well you gotta consider the role you're going to play, and the encounters that a Drunken Master and an Open Hand monk will play into.
A Drunken Master will be a pretty big hordebreaker. Dive into a bunch of enemies, use the dodge action or the bonus action dodge, then spend ki points as normal to make them hit each other. Pretty big deal when you deal with crowds, especially with big hitters like Giants or Trolls. You "tank" enemies via them having disadvantage on attacking you, having advantage on dex saves which are good against fireballs. And if you're fighting archers, just voluntarily go prone, and they have disadvantage. Then walk on up with your drunken master feature.
An Open Hand is a single target buster, I find. You're solid damage, and you're utility. Quivering Palm is cool, sure, but consider the ki-cost and remember that, by that point, the folks you'd be facing would probably have legendary resistance. You rush in, because you're a monk and you punch dragons like that, and you focus the big bad/major spellcasters/annoying enemy/npc you don't like, and stunning strike, prone, push, what have you. You are king in messing with the one guy you hate. If you get ganged up on, sure you can dodge, but it's not as effective as what a Drunken Master would be doing in those situations.
Ultimately it's a playstyle preference. Both have their shining moments, just in very different situations.
Well you kind of just convinced me hahaha, I just started storm king's thunder so I guess drunken master will be preferable then.
Yes
The complete insanity of how hard it is to pin you down as a Drunken Master monk is very fun. Also, the DMM plays a bit more like the "Soft Style" kung fu master, vs the OHM's "Hard Style". No one lays the hurt aggro styles like Open Hand, but no one destroys the enemy as punishment for their own aggression like the Drunken Master.
And I just love having Disengage every time I Flurry. I've got a Shadar-kai Drunken Master with Mage Slayer and Athlete, and it's really fun.
We do bones, motherf***ker!
I'm playing a drunken master with spider climbing slippers... it is nearly impossible to hit me... and I've made large groups of enemies very angry... I also roleplay him with no regard for his body... so I'll drop 20 feet... deal the 2d6 damage to both me and the enemy... deal him damage... flurry of blows... disengage... RUN BACK UP THE WALL... and if it still lives do it again... I've defeated things before my party even got in the room because of the crazy movement speed. The healers show up... I'm laying on the ground with two HP but everything is dead around me... and I'm drinking. So much fun!!
Not to be too finicky, but if you look at the Drunken Master's 17th level ability, doesn't its function resemble one of the Hunter Ranger's 11th level abilities? Considering how similar they are, it feels like the DM's 17th level should have been made with more flexibility to target types or received a boost to damage to make up for it restrictions. Keep in mind that by 17th level, Rangers will have 5th level spells.
This isn't to say that DM Monks are bad, but it feels like the devs could have playtested this subclass more before rolling it out.