Good Morning Game Fans, we’re back to continue our deeper investigation into the mysteries of Dungeons and Dragons, and how it shaped the larger roleplaying game community. We’ve put a temporary hold on our discussion about races in fantasy roleplaying (We’ll pick back up with the races from Volo’s Guide to Monsters and the Elemental Evil Player’s Companion after this interlude). We’re going to discuss the role of Classes in fantasy roleplaying games, and then we’ll take a look in turn at each of the character classes in the Player’s Handbook for Dungeons and Dragons, 5th Edition.
So what is a Character Class? In Dungeons and Dragons (and many other roleplaying games) A Character Class represents a combination of special abilities, options and skills that make up a character’s occupation. Your Character Class helps define what options you have to interact with the larger game world, and determines whether you’re a sneaky expert, or a bold warrior, or a crafty arcane magician.
It also serves to indicate to other players what they can expect your character to be capable of doing. In other words, it can serve as a keyword for you to identify a variety of factors. It’s also the second most common descriptor used to identify a character after race. For example, “He’s a human ranger, or she’s an elven wizard.” in the same way that people can identify as a lawyer, or a doctor or a soldier, the fantasy adventurer identifies as a barbarian, or a ranger, or a wizard.
Monk:
A Monk is a staple of the fantasy tradition. Steeped in ancient wisdom and secrets, the Monk is a master of unarmed combat, capable of doing with his or her fists what other characters need spells or weapons. Harnessing the energy of the universe, Monks channel Ki to perform amazing feats of physicality. As they grow in experience, they can perform more esoteric feats that defy the natural world.
A Monk occupies an interesting role in a party of adventurers. Capable of holding their own in hand to hand combat, Monks also have amazing abilities to move around the battlefield. They don’t typically adventure for wealth or rewards, but are often following their own traditions and rationales for taking up the adventuring life. Monks enter the world around them for a variety of reasons, but almost all of them have a monastery, temple, or cloister to return home to after their adventuring days are done.
Creating a Monk:
Why did you pick Monk for this character? Is your character a recent inductee into the monastery or have you been raised since birth among your brothers and sisters? Where is your home base, and what are its ideals? Why have you left the temple/cloister/monastery and are you eager to see the wider world, or are you desperate to return home? Answering these
A Monk works off of several abilities, Dexterity and Wisdom are key to several Monk powers/abilities. A high Constitution score helps the monk with additional hit points and the ability to shrug off poisons and other ailments. The Monk’s Martial Arts ability lets them get around needing a high strength score, and Charisma is less important to the Monk because it’s not typically a “Face” character that does the talking for the party. Intelligence is best considered a bonus for the adventuring Monk, because the skills that it improves are wonderful for a non-adventuring Monk, but are often covered by other characters in the party.
Class Features
This section contains all of the mechanically and statistically relevant information that you will need as a player to build your character.
Requirements
Monks have to be Lawful in alignment
Hit Points:
Hit points represent the amount of damage a character can take before being incapacitated and potentially dead. Every class has a specific range of potential hit point totals, modified by the character’s Constitution modifier.
Hit Dice: Monks use a D8 hit die. They fall into the same range as the Cleric and the Druid in that they have a healthy reserve of hit points, but not as many as more martial characters like a Paladin or Barbarian.
Hit Points at 1st level: A 1st level Monk will have 8 hit points plus an additional number of hit points equal to their constitution bonus.
Hit Points at higher levels: Every level after first, a Monk gains an additional D8 hit die, which they can roll for hit points, or take the average value of 5. They also get to add their Constitution modifier to whatever they roll. The new Hit Die plus Con mod is added to their existing Maximum hit points, and they are off to the races.
For example, a level 1 Monk has just gained enough experience points to achieve level 2. They roll a D8, and come up with a 6. The player adds their Constitution bonus of +2, and this comes to an 8. Added to the existing maximum Hit Point total of 10, the new 2nd level Monk has 18 hit points.
Proficiencies:
Proficiencies represent specific training and competency levels with a variety of weapons, armor, saving throws, tools, and skills. When using weapons and skills your character is proficient in, as well as making saving throws of types your character is proficient with, you get to add your proficiency bonus to the die roll.
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple Weapons, shortswords
Tools: Choose one type of Artisan’s Tools or one Musical Instrument
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choice of two from: Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival
Note: There are other ways to acquire certain proficiencies beyond the character class. Certain races, backgrounds, and other options allow a character to pick up proficiencies outside their normal range, so if you see something you’re looking for, you might just find it in another section.
Equipment:
Every character class has a recommended starting package of weapons and equipment. This is an excellent way to save yourself time by grabbing a gear package and being ready to go. All of the suggestions are laid out in a menu, and you as a player get to make one choice per bullet point for your character’s equipment.
- (a) shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s packs
- 10 darts
Class Abilities:
The majority of the remaining class description will feature a combination of special abilities and tricks that only members of this specific class have access to. These are the other professional capabilities that define this class and separate it from the remaining ones. They give the flavoring that make the bard play differently from the sorcerer. They have a specific format that they’ll likely follow:
1st Level
Martial Arts
The Monk is the undisputed master of unarmed combat. Long years of training and meditation have given him or her an understanding of martial combat that eschews most weapons. A Monk is a threat with their bare hands, feet, elbows, and any other part of their body they feel like using.This has the following benefits:
- The Monk can use either Dexterity instead of Strength for attack and damage rolls on unarmed strikes and monk weapons
- The Monk can roll 1D4 instead of the normal listed damage for an unarmed strike or monk weapon. This increases as the Monk levels up, (consult the chart on page 77).
- When the Monk makes an attack with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon, they can take a bonus action to make an unarmed strike.
It also has a couple of restrictions
- The Monk can not be wearing armor or using a shield.
- Monk weapons consist of:
- Shortswords
- Any simple melee weapon that doesn’t have the two-handed or heavy properties
Unarmored Defense
While the Monk is unarmored and not using a shield, they calculate their armor class as follows: 10+Dexterity Modifier+Wisdom Modifier.
2nd level
Ki
The Monk learns how to channel the power of the universe through their bodies. This enables the Monk to perform a variety of interesting feats that other characters cannot perform. The Monk starts with 2 Ki Points and gains additional Ki Points as they level up. A Monk can spend a Ki point to activate one of three special abilities at 2nd level. Other abilities are unlocked as the Monk levels up. They can regain spent Ki points after a short or long rest, during which the Monk must spend at least thirty minutes meditating.
- Flurry of Blows: Immediately after taking an Attack Action, a Monk can spend a Ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
- Patient Defense: The Monk can spend a Ki point as a bonus action to take the Dodge action.
- Step of the Wind: The monk can spend a Ki point to take the Disengage or the Dash action as a bonus action. Additionally, the Monk’s jumping distance is doubled for the round.
Unarmored Movement
The Monk is capable of moving much faster than other characters. Starting at 2nd level the Monk can move an additional 10 feet per round. This increases as the Monk increases in level, and starting at 9th level the Monk can move across liquids and vertical surfaces without falling during the move.
3rd Level
Monastic Tradition Ability 1
Depending on which Monastic Tradition you select, you’ll get one of three abilities. I’ll cover these below when i cover the archetypes in greater detail.
Deflect Missiles
When the Monk is hit by a ranged attack, they can use their Reaction to reduce the damage by 1D10 + Dexterity Modifier + Monk level. If this reduces the damage to 0, then the Monk can catch the missile, if it is small enough to be held in 1 hand. Further the Monk can spend a Ki point as part of the reaction to make a ranged attack with it. The Monk treats a monk weapon for the duration of this attack, and adds their normal proficiency bonus, even if it isn’t a weapon they are normally proficient with.
4th Level
Ability Score Increase
You can increase one ability score of your choice by two points or you can increase two different ability scores by one point. You can’t increase an ability score over 20 using this ability. Some games allow feats, and you can substitute a feat for an Ability Score Increase.
Slow Fall
The Monk can reduce the the falling damage taken from a fall as a reaction. Damage is reduced by amount equal to five times the Monk’s level.
5th Level
Extra Attack
When the Monk takes the attack action, he or she can attack twice in a turn.
Stunning Strike
The Monk can stun other creatures. When a creature is hit by a melee weapon attack from a Monk, the Monk can spend a Ki point to force the creature to make a Constitution Saving Throw or be stunned until the end of the Monk’s next turn.
6th Level
Monastic Tradition Ability 2
Depending on which Monastic Tradition you select, you’ll get one of three abilities. I’ll cover these below when i cover the archetypes in greater detail.
Ki-Empowered Strikes
The Monk has learned to infuse their body with Ki. This allows them to treat their unarmed attacks as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities.
7th Level
Evasion
When forced to make a Dexterity Saving Throw for half damage against a damage causing effect, the Monk takes no damage on a successful saving throw.
Stillness of Mind
The monk can take an action to end an effect that is causing either the charmed or frightened condition to effect the Monk. This only ends the effect on the Monk, even if part of a larger spell or effect.
8th Level
Ability Score Increase
You can increase one ability score of your choice by two points or you can increase two different ability scores by one point. You can’t increase an ability score over 20 using this ability. Some games allow feats, and you can substitute a feat for an Ability Score Increase.
9th Level
Unarmored Movement Improvement
The Monk gains the ability to move across liquids and vertical surfaces as part of their movement
10th Level
Purity of Body
The Monk’s attunement to their own Ki makes them immune to poisons and diseases
11th Level
Monastic Tradition Ability 3
Depending on which Monastic Tradition you select, you’ll get one of three abilities. I’ll cover these below when i cover the archetypes in greater detail.
12th Level
Ability Score Increase
You can increase one ability score of your choice by two points or you can increase two different ability scores by one point. You can’t increase an ability score over 20 using this ability. Some games allow feats, and you can substitute a feat for an Ability Score Increase.
13th Level
Tongue of the Sun and Moon
The Monk can understand all spoken languages and can be understood by any creature capable of understanding speech.
14th Level
Diamond Soul
The Monk has proficiency on all saving throws. Additionally, the Monk can spend a Ki point to reroll a failed saving throw.
15th Level
Timeless Body
The Monk’s understanding of their Ki slows the appearance of aging to almost nothing. The Monk no longer suffers the frailty of old age, nor can he or she be aged magically. The Monk can still die of old age, and must still eat and drink normally.
16th Level
Ability Score Increase
You can increase one ability score of your choice by two points or you can increase two different ability scores by one point. You can’t increase an ability score over 20 using this ability. Some games allow feats, and you can substitute a feat for an Ability Score Increase.
17th Level
Monastic Tradition Ability 4
Depending on which Monastic Tradition you select, you’ll get one of three abilities. I’ll cover these below when i cover the archetypes in greater detail.
18th Level
Empty Body
The Monk can spend 4 Ki points to become invisible for 1 minute. During this time, the Monk has resistance to all damage types except force. Further, the Monk can spend 8 Ki points to cast the Astral Projection spell without needing any components, but they can’t bring any companions with them.
19th Level
Ability Score Increase
You can increase one ability score of your choice by two points or you can increase two different ability scores by one point. You can’t increase an ability score over 20 using this ability. Some games allow feats, and you can substitute a feat for an Ability Score Increase.
20th Level
Perfect Self
If the Monk rolls iniative and has 0 Ki points remaining, he or she immediately regains 4 Ki points.
Thoughts and Ideas:
So what does all of this mean? The Monk is not a character type that necessarily wants to stand toe to toe and fight. They have a ton of options that give them maneuverability on the battlefield, and are capable of navigating around battlefield obstructions to get to softer targets. They might struggle with extremely heavily armored foes, but they aren’t typically going to engage those targets head on. With their relative advantage in speed and agility, they can easily threaten characters with softer armor that would typically be considered safe.
There are a variety of options to make the Monk more specialized, most of which are the three archetypes, but don’t overlook the role of a background in giving you some vital skills you might be looking for. The Monk, with its combination of high dexterity and wisdom scores along with access to skills that work with those abilities make Monks reasonable explorers in a dungeon environment, and they move faster than other scouts.
Archetypes:
A character class is built to be as broadly encompassing as it can be. There are many types of wizards in the world, and different types of fighters as well. Each class has access to a selection of Archetypes that allow a player to further tighten up their concept and build the type of character they are specifically looking for. Rogues have access to both thief and assassin, for example, and while they are both Rogues at heart, the abilities that each Archetype uses definitely change the way the class feels to play.
The three Monastic Traditions offered in the Player’s Handbook for the Monk are the Way of the Open Hand, the Way of Shadow, and the Way of the Four Elements.. Each one adds a group of abilities to the core Monk, and they can shift the way you look at your character and the feats of awesome you might want to pull off.
Way of the Open Hand
The Way of the Open Hand focuses on the unarmed prowess of the Monk and enahnces it by adding new options for both attack and maneuver. Part ascetic master, part wandering righter of wrongs, the Way of the Open Hand Monk is probably the most traditional of the fantasy Monks presented in the Player’s Handbook.
3rd Level
Open Hand Technique
When the Way of the Open Hand Monk hits a creature with a Flurry of Blows bonus attack, the Monk can impose one of the following effects on the creature.
- Succeed at a Dexterity Saving Throw or be knocked prone.
- Make a Strength Saving Throw or be pushed 15 feet away from the Monk.
- It can’t take reactions until the end of the Monk’s next turn.
6th Level
Wholeness of Body
As an Action, the Way of the Open Hand Monk can regain a number of hit points equal to 3 times their Monk level. This feature recharges after a long rest.
11th Level
Tranquility
The Way of the Open Hand Monk gains the benefits of the Sanctuary spell after completing a long rest. This spell lasts until the beginning of the Monk’s next long rest. The DC is 8 + Wisdom Modifier + Proficiency Bonus.
17th Level
Quivering Palm
The Monk has the ability to set up potentially lethal vibrations within a targeted creature. The Way of the Open Hand Monk spends 3 Ki points after it hits a creature with an unarmed attack. The vibrations last for a number of days equal to the Monk’s level, unless the Monk chooses to end them early. Both the Monk and the creature targeted must be on the same plane of existence, and the Monk has to use an Action to end the vibrations. The creature must make a Constituion Saving Throw, and if it fails, it is reduced to 0 hit points. A successful save causes 10D10 necrotic damage instead. The Monk can only have a single creature affected by this ability at a time. The Monk can also choose to end the effect harmlessly with an Action.
Thoughts and Ideas:
The Way of the Open Hand Monk offer an interesting way to play an established fantasy trope. The wizened master of esoteric arts that beats his or her opponents with carefully placed strikes and turning their own strengths against them has been part of the fantasy roleplaying idea since some of its earliest days. This tradition offers all of these familiar notes while giving a player options and choices throughout their game play experience.
Way of Shadow
The Way of Shadow Monk takes the Monk idea in a different direction. Using their connection to Ki, the Way of Shadow teaches the Monk to use darkness and shadow as allies to accomplish many feats. Often working as spies or assassins, the Way of Shadow Monk takes the Monk’s natural movement advantages and adds an assortment of tricks and secrets to make them more effective.
3rd Level
Shadow Arts
The Way of Shadow Monk can use Ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. For 2 Ki points, the Monk can cast Darkness, Darkvision, Pass Without Trace or Silence without providing material components. In addition, the Monk learns the Minor Illusion cantrip if they don’t already know it.
6th Level
Shadow Step
When in areas of dim light or darkness, the Monk use a bonus action to teleport up to 60 feet to an unnocupied space that is also in dim light or darkness. After moving, the Monk has advantage on the first melee attack it makes before the end of his or her turn.
11th Level
Cloak of Shadows
When the Way of Shadow Monk is in areas of dim light or darkness, he or she can spend an action to turn invisible. The Monk remains invisible until he or she makes an attack, casts a spell, or enters an area of bright light.
17th Level
Opportunist
When a creature within 5 feet of the Way of Shadow Monk is hit by an attack from a creature other than the Monk, the Monk can take a reaction to make a melee attack against the creature hit by the attack.
Thoughts and Ideas:
The Way of Shadow Monk turns the battlefield evasion aspect of the Monk into its primary focus. With spell like abilities that allow it to access it’s other features, the Way of Shadow offers a lot of options for being in the right place at the right time to end threats and deal with situations. Also, you can pretty effectively make a Batman type character with this ability, also, it lets you make ninjas and superspies, so you’ve got some neat choices.
Way of Four Elements
The Way of Four Elements ties the Monk to the elemental energies of the elemental planes of Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. The Ki allows them to tap into these primal energies and manipulate the environment around them. Some Way of Four Elements Monks focus exclusively on one element, while others work on unifying them as a whole.
3rd Level
Disciple of the Elements
The Way of Four Elements Monk attunes to Elemental power to generate magical effects by using Ki points. At 3rd level, the Monk learns the Elemental Attunement discipline and one additional discipline of their choice. They learn additional disciplines at 6th, 11h, and 17th level. Further, when they learn a new discipline, they can also replace a previously known discipline with a new one.
Some elemental disciplines allow the Monk to cast spells, which are described in great detail in Chapter 10. The Monk does not need material components to cast these spells. At 5th level, the Monk can spend additional Ki Points to increase the level at which a spell is cast (typically to generate a larger effect). See the chart on page 80 to determine the maximum amount of Ki points a Monk can spend on a spell.
For a full breakdown of the Elemental Disciplines, check out page 81.
6th Level
Disciple of the Elements
The Way of Four Elements Monk learns an additional Elemental discipline. Further, they can replace a previously known discipline with a new one.
11th Level
Disciple of the Elements
The Way of Four Elements Monk learns an additional Elemental discipline. Further, they can replace a previously known discipline with a new one.
17th Level
Disciple of the Elements
The Way of Four Elements Monk learns an additional Elemental discipline. Further, they can replace a previously known discipline with a new one.
Thoughts and Ideas:
The Way of Four Elements Monk adds supernatural powers and magical effects to the underlying Monk class. It feels like a natural change since the way monks are depicted in popular culture has changed over the years. It still feels like it fits into the fantasy feel of a dungeons and dragons game.
Conclusions:
The Monk is a combat specialist that features abilities designed to allow the character to maneuver around obstacles and deal with a variety of potential threats. It mixes this role with esoteric abilities and options that enable you to build a variety of different characters using the same framework.. Batman, Airbenders, and Mr. Miyagi are all built using this framework.
The key to playing a monk effectively is to keep moving. You’re faster than most things in the game, and when you pair that with your other movement abilities, you should be able to choose your battles and pick your opponents. Use that to your advantage, and make sure that you are adding value to the party of adventurers you are travelling with.
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