So Monk is the one class we didn’t get a prior UA for, which means all the changes are totally new. I’m still wrapping my head around it. Martial Arts die increase: good. Martial Arts die not affecting weapons: bad. Step of the Wind buff: good. Stunning Strike nerf: bad but reasonable?

I feel like they knew Monks needed help, but it doesn’t really seem like they made as much effort to fix that as I think they really needed to. Anything I might be missing that saves the Class here?

  • @[email protected]M
    2•1 year ago

    A dagger is a simple weapon. It also uses your martial arts die for damage, just as it would today for Dedicated Weapon or Kensai.

    Actually, new monk loses the ability to use their martial arts die in place of a weapon’s damage.

    New Monk:

    Martial Arts Die. You can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of your Unarmed Strike. This die changes as you gain Monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table

    Old monk:

    When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven’t already taken a bonus action this turn.

    • SylvieTG
      2•1 year ago

      True.

      So, you’re doing D6+D6 from dagger, martial arts from your other attack (unarmed), then flurry - and so it lowers the dice at higher levels - but it remains good. Also, you’re making up this damage from Empowered Strike - for example - as a subclass feature. It does make it so that, particularly at higher levels, unarmed is better - but unarmed is going to be better (generally) anyway because force damage isn’t resisted.

      So, you’re trailing by one when the die changes to D8, trailing by two when it changes to D10, and by three when it changes to D12 - on average. However, you’re gaining your ability modifier an additional time - which will counter that average reduction. And it’s an extra hit roll, sending down your chance not to cause damage at all.

      • MyTurtleSwimsUpsideDown
        1•1 year ago

        Yes, except dagger damage is d4, and to to get Two Weapon Fighting to add your ability modifier, you’ll have to multi-class to get the Fighting Style feature. The feat now has that as a prerequisite in this UA.