Playing with DnD5 Characters – 6th level Monk of the Four Elements
Moving on to the Monk, a character basically designed around Kwai Chang Caine. Monks are interesting to me because they seem to get something really cool every level. They have the power of ‘ki,’ expendable energy points that aren’t quite spell slots (or rather, they’re generic power points that might as well be slots). They can use a limited selection of weapons, the class does get the extra attack feature (as opposed to Rogues, for example, that only get one attack ever), plus various ways to increase that total, usually with unarmed strikes.
Race
The important traits for a Monk are Dexterity and Wisdom, which once again leads me down the path of the Wood Elf, which nails the +2 to DEX and +1 to WIS.
Stats
I wound up favoring WIS for my highest stat, because DEX gets the +2 – nonetheless DEX gets the second-highest raw score. After that, CON, because the temptation to try life out as a front-line brawler is going to be high. The low stat went to CHA, since it doesn’t do much for me. The stat advance at 4th went to DEX and CON evenly . . . but you’ll note that there are lots of odd scores that woudl benefit from the next advance – STR is a good one, giving the benefit of a damage bonus. In fact, since you only really need that +1, any Feat that gives an optional boost to STR would be a great choice at next opportunity.
STR 13 (+1); DEX 18 (+4); CON 16 (+2); INT 13 (+1); WIS 18 (+4); CHA 11 (+1)
- AC 18
- 45 Hit Points
- Two Attacks; plus one (or two if you spend 1 ki point) unarmed strike as bonus action under certain circumstances
- Unarmed Strike: 1d20+7; 1d6+4 damage; allows bonus unarmed strike
- Long sword: 1d20+4 to hit; 1d10+1 slashing; does not allow bonus unarmed strike
- Short sword: 1d20+7 to hit; 1d6+4 piercing, allows bonus unarmed strike
- Quarterstaff: 1d20+7 to hit; 1d8+4 bludgeoning, allows bonus strike.
- Longbow: 1d20+7 to hit; 1d8+4 piercing
- Flurry of Blows: Spend 1 ki point immediately after taking the Attack action to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
- Patient Defense Spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action.
- Step of the Wind Spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn
- Deflect Missiles Use your reaction to deflect or catch a missile when hit by a ranged weapon, the damage is reduced by 1d10+10. If damage is reduced to 0 and the missile is small enough for one hand and you have at least one hand free, you catch the weapon or ammunition. If you catch the missle in this way you can: Spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack (20/60ft, proficient) using it as part of the same reaction
- Stunning Strike Spend 1 ki point on a hit to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn
- Elemental Attunement Use your action to briefly control elemental forces nearby, choose one of the following effects:
- Create a harmless, instantaneous sensory effect related to air, earth, fire, or water, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, a spray of light mist, or a gentle rumbling of stone
- Instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire
- Chill or warm up to 1 pound of nonliving material for up to 1 hour
- Cause earth, fire, water, or mist that can fit within a 1 ft cube to shape itself into a crude form you designate for 1 min
- Fist of Unbroken Air Spend 2 ki points as an action and choose a creature within 30 ft. It makes a Strength save and takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage on a fail, plus an extra 1d10 bludgeoning damage for each additional ki point spent, and you can push it up to 20ft away from you and knock it prone or takes half as much damage, and is not pushed or knock it prone on a success
- Water Whip Spend 2 ki points as an action to create a whip of water that shoves and pulls a creature to unbalance it. A creature you can see that is within 30 feet must make a Dexterity save. On a failed save, it takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage, plus an extra 1d10 bludgeoning damage for each additional ki point you spend, and you can either knock it prone or pull it up to 25 feet closer to you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and you don’t pull it or knock it prone
charmed, magic cannot put you to sleep
semiconscious, for 4 hours a day
shortsword, shortbow and longbow
foilage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, etc
command the respect of those who share your faith, and you can perform the
religious ceremonies of your deity.
instrument
Insight, Religion and Stealth
unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike
as a bonus action
immediately after taking the Attack action to make two unarmed strikes as a
bonus action.
to take the Dodge action as a bonus action.
to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action, and your jump distance
is doubled for the turn
reaction to deflect or catch a missile when hit by a ranged weapon, the damage
is reduced by 1d10+10. If damage is reduced to 0 and the missile is small
enough for one hand and you have at least one hand free, you catch the weapon
or ammunition. If you catch the missile in this way you can: Spend 1 ki point to
make a ranged attack (20/60ft, proficient) using it as part of the same
reaction
on a hit to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a
Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn
strikes count as magical for overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical
attacks and damage
wearing no armor or wielding a shield
Elemental Disciplines 3rd Elemental Attunement Use your action to briefly
control elemental forces nearby, choose one of the following effects:
air, earth, fire, or water, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, a spray
of light mist, or a gentle rumbling of stone
small campfire
to 1 hour
ft cube to shape itself into a crude form you designate for 1 min
Unbroken Air Spend 2 ki points as an action and choose a creature within 30 ft.
It makes a Strength save and takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage on a fail, plus an
extra 1d10 bludgeoning damage for each additional ki point spent, and you can
push it up to 20ft away from you and knock it prone or takes half as much
damage, and is not pushed or knock it prone on a success
ki points as an action to create a whip of water that shoves and pulls a
creature to unbalance it. A creature you can see that is within 30 feet must
make a Dexterity save. On a failed save, it takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage, plus
an extra 1d10 bludgeoning damage for each additional ki point you spend, and
you can either knock it prone or pull it up to 25 feet closer to you. On a
successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and you don’t pull it
or knock it prone
falling damage by 30
score of your choice by 2, or increase two ability scores of your choice by 1
My players are finding monks to be doing about 75% as much damage as the fighters. Against multiple weaker foes, they rock. A 5th level monk has 2 attacks on the attack action, and a bonus action for 1 (no ki) or 2 (costing 1 ki) extra attacks every turn, doing 1d6+3 to 1d8+3 with each. And they're hitting just as often. (Due to target choices, often more often than the fighters). If using a staff (a monk weapon), the free unarmed strikes do less, but the default is 1d8+3/1d8+3/1d6+3, with 3 or more rounds of 1d8+3/1d8+3/1d6+3/1d6+3.
The heavy fighter, by comparison, is 2d6+3/2d6+3 sustained, with one round of double that.
For comparison purposes, the total for a ki round is 2d8+2d6+12, and non ki is 2d8+1d6+9, before accounting for hit rates. So, provided the combat's under 5 rounds, the monk does more damage than the two-hand specialist fighter.
6th level is where the monk really starts to shine in a low-magic-item game: the fighter needs a magic weapon, and can be disarmed. The monk IS a magic weapon.
Further, the option to stun? if monk and friends can surround, a stunned target's easy to hit…
Yeah, he's a second rate fighter, but the monk is, at tier 2, no longer quite so bad off, and can keep up with the fighter on a damage per round basis.
Oh, and Monks ROCK versus skeletons.