D&D (2024) 2024 Player's Handbook reveal: "New Monk"

"Largely a new class!"


Video Breakdown

Base Monk Class Notes
  • Knew monk was going to get a lot of attention - both satisfaction scores and actual play numbers have historically tended to be a bit low
  • Similar to ranger, monk is largely a "new class"
  • Martial Arts feature at 1st level
    • Monk weapons have been broadened to all simple melee weapons and martial melee weapons with light property
    • Can make an unarmed strike as bonus action
    • Can choose to use Dex to set DCs for unarmed strike grapple and shove options (see general notes below)
    • Martial Arts die - starts at d6 at level 1, scales to d12 at level 17
  • Monk's Focus feature at 2nd level
    • Ki/Discipline Points are now Focus Points
    • Patient Defense - can Disengage as bonus action for free
      • Spending 1 Focus Point lets you both Disengage and Dodge at the same time
    • Step of the Wind - can Dash as bonus action for free
      • Spending 1 Focus Point lets you both Dash and Disengage at the same time, and additionally your Jump distance is doubled for the rest of your turn
    • Flurry of Blows - Spend 1 Focus Point to make two unarmed strikes as bonus action
  • Uncanny Metabolism feature at 2nd level ("I didn't hear no bell.")
    • When rolling initiative, can regain all expended Focus Points and restore a number of hit points (1/long rest)
  • Redesigned Deflect Attacks feature at 3rd level
    • Roll d10 + Dex + Monk level to reduce damage from any attack that deals bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage
    • If damage is reduced to zero, can spend Focus Point to redirect force of attack to someone else - target makes a saving throw and on failure suffers an amount of Force damage based on your Martial Arts die
    • Upgrades to Deflect Energy at 13th level - can deflect any damage type
  • Self Restoration feature at 10th level
    • Can end Charmed, Frightened, or Poisoned condition on self at end of monk's turn for free
  • Heightened Focus feature at 10th level - further enhancements to Patient Defense, Step of the Wind, and Flurry of Blows (not detailed)
  • Superior Defense feature at 18th level - mentioned as example of ways they've increased monk survivability, but not detailed
  • Disciplined Survivor feature (level not mentioned) - mentioned as example of ways they've increased monk survivability, allows monk to reroll saving throws
  • Stunning Strike feature
    • Can only be used once per turn, but always does something
    • If target fails saving throw, they are stunned
    • If target succeeds on saving throw, their speed is halved and the next attack roll against them has advantage
  • Epic Boon at 19th level - no example specified

Subclass Notes
  • Warrior of Mercy
    • Largely the same, save for tweaks to better integrate subclass with new version of the base monk class
  • Warrior of the Elements
    • Completely replaces Way of the Four Elements
    • Elemental Attunement - not always active, costs Focus Points to "turn on"
      • Can increase reach of unarmed strikes using elemental power ("Not a Mr. Fantastic or One Piece style stretchy punch" :p)
      • Can change damage type to one of elemental themed options (not specified, but generally guessable)
      • Can force target to make a saving throw and move them around battlefield on a failure
    • Gain Elementalism cantrip
    • At 6th level, can take Magic action and expend some Focus Points to cause elemental explosion in 20-foot radius sphere up to 120 feet away, dealing damage based on Martial Arts Die
    • Themed around tapping into Elemental Chaos as a whole, rather than just one of the Elemental Planes
    • At 11th level, gain fly and swim speed when Elemental Attunement is active
    • Elemental Epitome at 17th level
      • Further improves Elemental Attunement
      • Gain elemental damage resistance (can be changed at start of every turn)
      • When using Step of the Wind, speed is increased and you can cause damage to enemies you pass
      • Additional option to deal bonus elemental damage once per turn (not elaborated)
  • Warrior of Shadow
    • Can cast Darkness spell as before, but can now see through that darkness
    • Improved Shadowstep at 11th level
      • Can expend Focus Point to remove requirement to start/end teleportation in dim light or darkness, and can make an unarmed strike as part Shadowstep bonus action
    • Cloak of Shadows at 17th level
      • Turn invisible and partially incorporeal (can pass through occupied spaces as difficult terrain), and Flurry of Blows does not cost Focus Points while Cloak of Shadows is active
    • Kendrick: "Would love to see the Archfey Warlock and Shadow Monk teleporting around the battlefield fighting each other."
      • Crawford: "Not a PvP game." :p
  • Warrior of the Open Hand
    • Wholeness of Body feature at 6th level
      • Now a bonus action and can be used multiple times per day
    • Fleet Step feature (level not specified)
      • Whenever you take a bonus action to do anything other than Step of the Wind, you can also use Step of the Wind immediately after that bonus action
    • Revised Quivering Palm
      • Deals a "truckload" of damage on failed save and a "smaller truckload" of damage on a successful one, but can no longer instantly drop creatures down to 0 hp

General Notes
  • Baseline (gold?) dragonborn monk iconic art has a tail.
  • Unarmed strike redesigned, intended to grant similar tactical versatility to that offered by weapon mastery - now includes three options:
    • Deal damage
    • Attempt to start a grapple
    • Attempt to shove target
 

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Clint_L

Legend
Is there any reason to think that magic weapons always bypass Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing resistance, especially in the new Monster Manual? That might be something worth keeping an eye out for.
The reason is that they always have, except against very, very few creatures, such as a demilich. If that changes, it’ll be a BIG change and I’d be surprised we’ve heard nothing of it. Though I’d be all for changing the rule so that creatures that are immune to non-magical weapons are still resistant to magical ones.

None of which matters for the monk, anyway, since after level 5 their attacks will count as force damage as needed, bypassing the whole issue.
 

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Clint_L

Legend
Monks get 6 attacks at 10th level and can sustain it for a whole fight. Maybe its not overpowered but boy its strong. There are trade offs too. The more I look at monk the more balanced they seem to be and I'm fine with them.
I miss something? 2 attacks for the attack action plus 3 for flurry of blows makes 5. Which is still very strong.
 


Kurotowa

Legend
I believe the 6 attacks take into account the "nick" property of daggers, assuming the monk invests a feat to grab weapon mastery.
An optimization I'm not convinced is optimal. To do it you need to be holding two Light weapons. Can you still make Unarmed Strikes if both your hands are occupied? I double checked, the old clause about making them with any body part isn't there in either the Monk or Unarmed Strike entry of the UA. And you need to be able to make Unarmed Strikes to get your Bonus Action attacks. Also the benefits from Elements and Mercy Monk are tied into Unarmed Strikes.

Besides, even if your DM allows kick based Unarmed Strikes, you definitely can't Grapple without a free hand. And my opinion is that taking the Grappler feat is better than a weaker 6th attack.
 

mellored

Legend
An optimization I'm not convinced is optimal. To do it you need to be holding two Light weapons. Can you still make Unarmed Strikes if both your hands are occupied?
As of the playtest.
You can draw or store a weapon with each attack.

So just hold a dagger off hand, draw and stow the other weapon as needed.
Besides, even if your DM allows kick based Unarmed Strikes, you definitely can't Grapple without a free hand. And my opinion is that taking the Grappler feat is better than a weaker 6th attack.
You can't grapple and Nick.
But you can Nick and then grapple.

But yea, an extra D6 damage once per round is worse than +1 damage on each attack (i.e. +2 Dex).
 

Chaosmancer

Legend
As of the playtest.
You can draw or store a weapon with each attack.

So just hold a dagger off hand, draw and stow the other weapon as needed.

You can't grapple and Nick.
But you can Nick and then grapple.

But yea, an extra D6 damage once per round is worse than +1 damage on each attack (i.e. +2 Dex).

True, but at high levels it is an extra d12 per round, since it is a monk weapon.

It wouldn't be my first feat choice or plan, but I can see an argument for it being a very strong choice. Especially if you could also figure out a way to get the Two Weapon Fighting Style without feeling that strain of feat choices.
 

mellored

Legend
True, but at high levels it is an extra d12 per round, since it is a monk weapon.

It wouldn't be my first feat choice or plan, but I can see an argument for it being a very strong choice. Especially if you could also figure out a way to get the Two Weapon Fighting Style without feeling that strain of feat choices.
5 attacks with +1 to hit and damage is still more than a d12. Not even counting the extra AC and initive.

Though I forgot if it comes with +1 Dex, that could make it a top pick for an odd ability array. Or after you max Dex.
 


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