What seats are recommended for a Monk?

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

FunkySpunk

Jun 13, 2015 21:26:51

I am probably going the way of the open hand, but the shadow Monk is still a possibility as well.

#2

GladiusLegis

Jun 13, 2015 21:33:18

Monks don't make use of feats as much as most other martial-type characters. You definitely want to get DEX and WIS both to 20 for several reasons, so you'll only have space for one feat anyway (or two if Variant Human).

 

That said, Alert and Lucky are solid choices, but that goes for pretty much everyone.

#3

Mazzy

Jun 14, 2015 3:48:28

Open Palm is the best tradition. The problem with many of the Monastic Tradition features is they give you more ways to spend your ki points without actually giving you more ki points, which isn't really a feature since it comes at the cost of something you already had. Open Palm is burdened by this much less than the other two.

 

For my money the best monk feat is Mobile. You have mediocre HP and AC but are supposed to hang out in melee all the time. It is just too dangerous for you there. Mobile lets you move in, get your attacks, and leave, letting the fighter, paladin, and barbarians take the hits.

#4

Varden_Khol

Jun 14, 2015 14:18:55

I would definitely second Mobile, if you're worried about combat effectiveness.

#5

Macv12

Jun 14, 2015 21:59:44

Another monk with 20 DEX and WIS is not as interesting as a monk with a cool feat or style. You definitely don't need those stats to be effective. I'd take feats before ability scores any day, myself.

 

Get a dart, tie a rope to it, and take Sharpshooter. Sharpshooter gives it a ton of range and cover is no big, and you can potentially do ruinous damage with the thing. Use your object interaction to pull the dart back if the DM lets you, or pull out a new one and flavor it as pulling back. Hold something in the other hand that simulates the end of the rope, like a whip. Or a shortsword.

 

Defensive Duelist is also fun to use. It's a visceral "I blocked you HA HA" feeling every time you use your reaction to do it. It's kind of like Deflect Missiles, except when there are no missiles. Kind of makes you feel untouchable. Also works with a rope dart/knife.

#6

mellored

Jun 15, 2015 5:41:59

You definatly want 20 Dex.  AC, to-hit, and damage (*4) is just too much to pass up.

 

But 18 or even 16 wis won't kill you.  It's definatly up there, but not quite as required as Dex.

#7

jaappleton

Jun 15, 2015 6:18:50 		Haven't tried recliners? What about barstools?
(Reply to #5)

LordTwig

Macv12 wrote:
(Reply to #8)

Macv12

LordTwig wrote:
(Reply to #7)

Cutlass

jaappleton wrote:
#11

Sorsohka

Jun 16, 2015 5:34:00

Personnaly I love my shadow monk, it's generally very easy to find dim light. So you can run in combat, then teleport out of danger if you worry about stay in melee.

If you got a good defendor with protection/sentinel or any other ability greatly encouraging the enemy to attack them instead of you, then teleport in and attack with advantage. I like to multiclass rogue assassin, and with the teleport it's really easy to get a surprise round for a strong assassinate.

 

I love the battle master maneuver feat, allowing me to add extra damage dice on crit (specially on my assassinate).

Lucky is always a must have

 

Alert can be very cool, but usually with my play style I'm the one creating the surprise and I usually detect the ennemy surprise attempt fairly quickly. with those rogue level, expertise stealth and perception good luck to surprise me.

 

 

#12

BRJN

Jun 16, 2015 15:05:47

A traditional Monk doesn't need any seats, he can just park himself on the floor.

 

For my scout / spy / sneak Monk, I'm going to pick up Observant soonest.  I want his Passive Perception as big as I can get it, so he soaks in as much as possible.

Later I'm going to pick up Rogue3/Arcane Trickster so I can steal ... excuse me, find ... other people's stuff, in addition to information about them / their plans.

 

#13

TenaciousJ

Jun 16, 2015 20:43:53

Mobile gets ridiculous with a monk's speed boosts and number of attacks.  The uses for mobile are fairly obvious for dealing with melee attackers.  Against ranged attackers, mobile at least can get the monk closer with the speed boost and the ability to ignore difficult terrain when dashing, which a monk can do with a bonus action.  My group's open hand monk has also run up to a ranged attacker, flurried, and used the open palm push to force the ranged attacker closer to the rest of the party.

#14

SirCabbage

Jun 17, 2015 7:11:17

As far as feats go I can only recommend Mobile with certainty as it gives 10ft of movement speed and allows you to move in, attack, then move out without provoking attacks of opportunity, which I feel is paramount to Open Hands survival.

 

Alert for +5 Initiative, and Observant for +5 Passive Perception are both fair options as well but shouldn't be prioritized over Mobile unless you are playing with Shadows.

#15

durntaur

Jun 17, 2015 15:58:11

Monks are really the complete package, there are no must-have feats, though are some good ones. I agree with the suggestion of Defensive Duelist.

#16

Varden_Khol

Jun 17, 2015 16:45:30

I agree that Defensive Duelist is a good choice, but you'll want to check with your DM about how it interacts with Monk Weapons.
Defensive Duelist requires a Finesse weapon and although Monk Weapons are allowed to use Dex they do not technically become finesse weapons.

 

But really, I don't see anyone having a problem with allowing this combo. I certainly would at my table.

#17

DoctorBadWolf

Jun 17, 2015 23:56:35

I second the Mobile feat, and the rope dart trick. I mean, heck, silk rope is standard adventuring equipment, apperently, so why not?

 

Also, as a DM, I'd let your character use it as a basic grappling hook.

 

 

Imagine a monk PC taking a running leap accross a gorge, toward a castle wall. His jump, even with Step of The WInd, will only take him about 3/4 of the way there, so he charges the edge, spinning his rope dart, and leaps. At the apex of his jump, he launches the dart, buring it in a crack between stones, and descends, and then swings, landing with his feet against the stone wall, and begins climbing.

#18

vanadium322

Jun 18, 2015 0:34:07

Varden_Khol wrote:
#19

SirCabbage

Jun 18, 2015 8:31:55

Macv12 wrote:
(Reply to #19)

LordTwig

SirCabbage wrote:
(Reply to #18)

DoctorBadWolf

vanadium322 wrote:
(Reply to #21)

LordTwig

DoctorBadWolf wrote:
#23

Macv12

Jun 18, 2015 16:11:34

Here you go: http://youtu.be/aLCQA197rwc

 

Just allow for a longer rope because Ki.

(Reply to #19)

Macv12

SirCabbage wrote:
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Bloodscythe

Macv12 wrote:
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DoctorBadWolf

LordTwig wrote:
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jaappleton

DoctorBadWolf wrote:
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DoctorBadWolf

jaappleton wrote:
#29

LordTwig

Jun 23, 2015 11:17:43

So with D&D 5e's suggestions on reflavoring weapons I would assume that darts would be the closest thing to Shuriken. Is there any way to throw more than one or two per turn? I will probably house rule that it can be pulled like ammunition as part of the attack. This would give them some use, otherwise you could just throw daggers, which do exactly the same damage, but can also be used in melee.

 

The video provided seemed to show a "rope with a big weight on the end" but I assume that weight could be a heavy spike, or dart. Maybe like the one in the picture I posted? It doesn't look like it ever went further than 10', would would be the half distance I suggested. Of course if you say it can still go the full 20' effective distance because "Ki", that sound perfectly reasonable to me. I love fantastic fighting styles as much as the next guy.

(Reply to #29)

Macv12

LordTwig wrote: