# Preface ### Yes, this is a monk rework "But a monk is a fine class," some might say. Or they may say "It's just a tad undertuned," and wonder why this guy made a whole rework when he had the option to *not* do that. Or if he really feels like doing something, just give them more ki points to play with, or reduce the cost of some abilities, or give a 3rd flurry of blows attack at level 11. Others may say "Monk is stupidly overpowered," and buff their combat monsters against the party, in an attempt to thwart it's combat effectiveness. And depending on their table, they might be right. And knowing that both these sides are present, and not only present, but widespread, led me to the conclusion that a buff is probably not the best course of action, as I initially thought. A nerf isn't right either, as mine and many others' experiences with monks found them sorely lacking. So I decided a rework is probably warranted. Because Wizards of the Coast has some strange aversion to acknowledging their mistakes and fixing them, I decided that my own hands are more qualified than most, and not particularly busy at the moment. The most important knowledge when fixing anything is what about it is broken. This was an ongoing quest for me, as I made many reddit posts gathering opinions on what people think on it in terms of balance, why they think it is that way, and how it could be fixed. As I delved into its design, I found multitudes of problems. Some with features on the monk (stunning strike being very swingy), some with the class as a whole (it is probably the most DM dependent class short of the Player's Handbook's version of ranger), and some with 5th edition in it's entirety (the disparity between martials and casters). ### Specifically, what's wrong with it? A very vague and hard-to-quantify problem is their lack of niche. Some people point out Patient Defense's tanking capability and note monks as off tanks. Some see the damage output of levels 1-4 and say they are very effective strikers. Some people freak out about the capacity to force 4 constitution saving throws in a turn and pin them as highly effective controllers. Other people see all of these and say "They're the most versatile class, and can switch between roles as they please,". But all together, I see a lot of potential to go in many different directions, but none more than half hearted attempts. A monk needs a niche that competes with other classes, without being overshadowed or overshadowing anyone else. Smaller problems are much easier to quantify, and rest assured that they are present in spades in the monk class. * Monks are based around short rests, a tool that many new and experienced DMs fail to utilize effectively. * Monks are sorely lacking in magic items. \columnbreak * The damage output does not scale well. Monks get no new offensive features after level 5, and the only scaling after that is the Ability score increase to 20 dex, and the martial arts die increase, both of which add only 3-4 damage per round. * Monks have very little feat support, with feats for certain playstyles (such as Dual Wielder, Polearm Master, Shield Master, Sharpshooter, and Great Weapon Master) completely unusable to them. * Monks are squishy, but still pushed to be in melee. The mobile feat fixes this, but monks are starved for ASIs as it is. Most subclasses present solutions, but not all. * Stunning Strike has the capacity to be downright oppressive. This ability alone can wreck encounters. * Most of a monk's offensive power and resource allocation goes into Stunning Strike, meaning that when Stunning Strike gets harder to land, the whole class's effectiveness sinks. * Because of Stunning Strike's power, any homebrew or official features that use ki points will play second fiddle to Stunning Strike. * Monks can only target a single saving throw with Stunning Strike, so when monsters' are notably good or bad at this one saving throw, the power of the class varies tremendously. * Monks have very little customization options. Monks are unconducive to multiclassing, have only one fighting style, and are starved for feats. This as opposed to other martial classes, who have choices of melee or ranged, polearms vs. great weapons vs. sword and board vs. dual wielding vs. grappling, and feats to supplement all of those. ### So then, how do you intend to fix it? Most notably, I added a wide variety of customization in the form of invocation-style techniques, all of which fueled by ki points. Then I nerfed Stunning Strike's usage to only once per turn. I added a few features to add scaling, both in control and debuffs, as well as damage. Many of these features are alternatives to stunning strike, hinging on different saving throws, and of similar power. These control and debuff enhancements should push monk into being the only melee control class, a new niche not seen in another class. These changes fix most of the problems relating to stunning strike, and their general lack of customization. Please note that this rework may not be the best fix for all tables, and is still undergoing development. \pagebreak <div class='classTable wide'> ##### The Martial Artist | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Unarmed Strike | Ki Points | Unarmored Movement | Martial Techniques Known| Features | |:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| | 1st | +2 | 1d4 | — | — | — | Unarmored Defense, Martial_Arts | | 2nd | +2 | 1d4 | 2 | +10 | 3 | Monastic Arts, Unarmored Movement | | 3rd | +2 | 1d4 | 3 | +10 | 3 | Monastic Tradition, Deflect Missiles | | 4th | +2 | 1d4 | 4 | +10 | 3 | Ability Score Improvement, Slow Fall | | 5th | +3 | 1d6 | 5 | +10 | 5 | Extra Attack | | 6th | +3 | 1d6 | 6 | +15 | 5 | Ki-Empowered Strikes, Monastic Tradition feature | | 7th | +3 | 1d6 | 7 | +15 | 5 | Evasion, Stillness of Mind | | 8th | +3 | 1d6 | 8 | +15 | 5 | Ability Score Improvement | | 9th | +4 | 1d6 | 9 | +15 | 7 | Unarmored Movement Improvement | | 10th | +4 | 1d6 | 10 | +20 | 7 | Purity of Body | | 11th | +4 | 1d8 | 11 | +20 | 7 | Monastic Tradition Feature | | 12th | +4 | 1d8 | 12 | +20 | 7 | Ability Score Improvement | | 13th | +5 | 1d8 | 13 | +20 | 9 | Tongue of the Sun and Moon | | 14th | +5 | 1d8 | 14 | +25 | 9 | Diamond Soul | | 15th | +5 | 1d8 | 15 | +25 | 10 | Spirit Sending | | 16th | +5 | 1d8 | 16 | +25 | 10 | Ability Score Improvement | | 17th | +6 | 1d10 | 17 | +25 | 10 | Monastic Tradition Feature | | 18th | +6 | 1d10 | 18 | +30 | 11 | Empty Body | | 19th | +6 | 1d10 | 19 | +30 | 11 | Ability Score Improvement | | 20th | +6 | 1d10 | 20 | +30 | 12 | Perfect Self | </div> #### Quick Build You can make a martial artist quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score. Second, choose the soldier background. ## Class Features as a martial artist, you gain the following class features. #### Hit Points ___ - **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per martial artist level - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + your constitution modifier - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + your constitution modifier \columnbreak #### Proficiencies ___ - **Armor:** None - **Weapons:** Simple weapons, Shortswords - **Tools:** Choose one type of artisan's tools, gaming set, or musical instrument ___ - **Saving Throws:** Strength, Dexterity - **Skills:** Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, and Stealth. #### Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: - *(a)* a shortsword or *(b)* any simple weapon - *(a)* a dungeoneer's pack or *(b)* an explorer's pack - 10 darts \pagebreak ### Unarmored Defense Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier. ### Martial Arts At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery over combat styles that use unarmed strikes and Martial Artist's weapons. You can choose a number of weapons to be your Martial Artist's weapons equal to 5 + your wisdom modifier. The chosen weapons must fit the following criteria: * The weapon must be a simple or martial weapon. * You must be proficient with the weapon * The weapon must lack the heavy, special, or two handed properties. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only martial artist's weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield. * You can use dexterity for the attack and damage rolls if your unarmed strikes and martial artist's weapons. * You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or martial artist's weapon. This die changes as you gain martial artist levels, as shown in the Unarmed Strike column of the Martial Artist table. * When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a martial artist's weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn. > ##### Reflavoring Weapons > Many people's fantasy of a martial artist may include the use of weapons such as a set of nunchaku, throwing stars, kunai, chain whips, and many more. Whatever name you call a martial artist weapon, the game statistics for it can be found in chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook, "Equipment." \columnbreak ### Martial Techniques *2nd level Monk feature (replaces Ki)* Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points. Your monk level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Monk table. You can spend these points to fuel various Monk features. When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points. When you gain this feature, you may choose three martial techniques. These martial techniques are detailed at the end of this document. When you gain certain monk levels, you gain additional martial techniques of your choice, as shown in the Martial Techniques Known column of the Monk table. If a Martial technique allows you to spend ki points on an attack, you may only use one such technique per attack. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the martial techniques you know and replace it with another martial technique that you could learn at that level. #### Martial Techniques If a Martial Technique has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the monastic art at the same that time you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class. The Monastic Arts are presented in the order they are available to you, as well as alphabetically. #### Flurry of Blows Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you may spend one ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action. #### Patient Defense You can spend 1 ki point to take the dodge action as a bonus action on your turn. #### Heavy Blow Once per turn when you hit with a melee weapon attack, you may spend ki points to deal extra damage equal to your martial arts die per ki point spent. You may spend a maximum amount of ki points equal to your proficiency bonus on this technique per attack. #### Step of the Wind You can spend 1 ki point to take the disengage or dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn #### Throwing Techniques You may add your wisdom modifier to checks made to shove or grapple. When you choose to shove prone a creature that is grappled by you and succeed, you may choose any unoccupied space within 5 feet, and the grappled creature moves to that space. \pagebreak #### Crippling Blow *Prerequisite: 5th level* When you hit with a melee weapon attack, you may choose to spend one ki point to try to cripple your opponent. The target must make a strength saving throw. On a failure, the target's speed is reduced to 0 until the end of your next turn. #### Pushing Strike *Prerequisite: 5th level* At the start of each of your turns, you may choose to spend one ki point to empower your attacks with more blunt force until the end of that turn. When you hit a creature that is your size or smaller with a melee weapon attack while your attacks are empowered in this way, you may choose to push that creature 5 feet away from you. #### Restricting grip *prerequisite: 5th level* When a creature you are grappling hits you with an attack, you may use your reaction to halve that attack's damage against you. #### Stunning Strike *Prerequisite: 5th level* You learn to interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent's body. Once on each of your turns when you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn. #### Blinding Strike *Prerequisite: 9th level* When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a blinding strike. The target must succeed on a dexterity saving throw or become blinded until the start of your next turn. \columnbreak #### Body Block *Prerequisite: 9th level* If you have a creature grappled, and a creature targets you with an attack, you can spend 1 ki point and your reaction to force that attack to be made with disadvantage. If the attack misses, the attack must be rerolled, targeting the creature you're grappling. #### Sickening Strike *Prerequisite: 9th level* When you hit with a melee weapon attack, you may choose to spend one ki point to force your target to make a constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target is poisoned for the next minute. At the start of each of its turns, it can make a constitution saving throw, returning to normal on a success. #### Unbalancing Strike *Prerequisite: 9th level* You learn to manipulate an opponent's ki into removing their sense of balance. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend one ki point to attempt an unbalacing strike. The target must succeed a constitution saving throw or become unbalanced for one minute. While a creature is unbalanced at the start of its turn, it must succeed on a dexterity saving throw or fall prone. The target may use its action shake off these effects, returning to normal. #### Rapid Flurry *Prerequisite: 13th level, Flurry of Blows feature* When you use your flurry of blows feature, you may make three unarmed strikes, instead of two. #### Staggering Blow *Prerequisite: 13th level, Heavy Blow feature* When you hit a creature with your Heavy Blow feature, that creature gains disadvantage on the next ability check, Saving throw, or attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn. #### Stone Stance *Prerequisite: 13th level, Patient Defense feature* When you use your patient defense feature, you enter a solid stance until the start of your next turn. While you are in this stance and are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage against you. #### Wind Walker *Prerequisite: 13th level, Step of the Wind feature* When you use your Step of the wind feature, you gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed until the end of your turn. You fall at the end of your turn if nothing else is holding you aloft. #### Deadly drop *Prerequisite: 13th level, Throwing Techniques feature* When you successfully shove a creature prone using your Throwing Techniques feature, that creature takes bludgeoning damage equal to 3 times your martial arts die. \pagebreak #### Harmonious Motion *Prerequisite: 18th level* As a bonus action, you may spend 3 ki points, and gain one additional action on each of your turns for the next minute. This action can only be used to dash, dodge, or disengage. #### Knockout Blow *Prerequisite: 18th level* Once per turn when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you may spend 3 ki points to force your target to make a constitution saving throw. On a failure, your target falls unconscious for one minute. It may repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, and whenever it takes damage, ending the effect on a success. #### Empty Body *Prerequisite: 18th level* You can use your action to spend 4 ki points to become invisible for 1 minute. During that time, you have resistance to all damage but force damage. #### Blinding Speed *prerequisite: 20th level* On your turn, instead of moving, you may choose to teleport an amount of feet equal to half your speed. In addition, you may spend an amount of ki points equal to your wisdom modifier to teleport further. For every ki point you spend, you may travel up to ten feet. #### Chaining Strike Mastery *Prerequisite: 20th level, Flurry of Blows feature* Immediately after you use the flurry of blows feature, you may spend an amount of ki points equal to your wisdom modifier, and make an amount of unarmed strikes equal to your wisdom modifier. #### Choke Hold *Prerequisite: 20th level, Throwing Techniques feature* When you have a creature grappled, you can use your action to attempt a hold that completely immobilizes your target. To do so, make a grapple check against a creature you are already grappling. If you succeed, your target is paralyzed, and cannot breathe. You must use your action on later turns to maintain this hold, and your speed becomes 0. #### Efficiency of Will *Prerequisite: 20th level* When you spend a ki point on a ki technique that requires a saving throw, and the target succeeds on its saving throw, you may roll a d6. On a roll of 1-3, the ki point is spent as normal. On a 4-6, you regain 1 ki point. \columnbreak ## Other alternate features ### Unflinching Defense *1st level monk feature (replaces Unarmored Defense)* While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 13 + your Wisdom modifier. ### Spirit Sending *18th level monk feature (replaces empty body)* You may cast *Astral Projection*, without using material components. When you cast it in this way, you may not take other creatures with you. You may use this ability once, and then it become unavailable until the end of your next long rest.