Tips on playing a Monk in D&D?

[DarklordKyo]

My D&D main is a halfling monk, and, as a friend of mine thinks he'll eventually die due to my reckless playstyle, can anyone give me advice on good Monk play?

In particular, which level should I start abusing Step of the Wind for "attack of opportunity"-free hit and run tactics?, how often should I be using Stunning Fist (particularly when up against enemies like ogres, which should logically have good CON) compared to the Flurry of Blows dex save? (knocked prone, gives advantage, doesn't stun).

Those points, and more, I ask you doods.

 

[DarklordKyo]

Anyone?, I don't want my n00bishness killing off my monk.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Be really good at solving crimes

Keep stunning fist for enemy spellcasters. Unless the Dice Gods are on your side, trying to stun an Ogre or a Giant, will get you turned in to paste. You want the enemies front line guys prone if you can, makes the fighters and rogues jobs much easier.

Try not to leave yourself open to archers too much if possible, that neat little trick to redirect arrows counts as your reaction, and can only be used once per combat round.

 

[Souplex]

The mobile feat is your friend. It frees up your Ki/bonus action so you don't need to waste it on disengage. It also makes you even faster, which is just your cup running over.
Hit and run tactics are your friend.
You have more attacks than anyone except a L20 fighter. Feel free to break up those attacks to kill many mooks.
What subclass?

My D&D main is a halfling monk.

Be sure to speak in an exaggerated New York accent, and ask anyone you punch "You theenk yeh bettah dan me?!"
Until your monk dice become D8s, you can use a two-handed quaterstaff as your primary attack. Since it's a monk weapon you can do your flurry of blows afterwards. You can swing two handed, then release with one hand to punch. Or you can kick or headbutt or something.

 

[DarklordKyo]

The mobile feat is your friend. It frees up your Ki/bonus action so you don't need to waste it on disengage. It also makes you even faster, which is just your cup running over.

I read up on it, and it looks tempting, but I have a few thoughts.

1. The Dash buff doesn't really affect me since I have Boots of Flying (why walk through difficult terrain if I can fly over it?).

2. Ten extra feet of run speed sounds good, though, then again, that's only really two squares (though, then again, two squares can be helpful in some situations, or even mean the difference between victory and unconsciousness).

3. I don't have max Wisdom yet, and I might need to use the Ability Up levels to max that for the sake of survivability (though, then again, I shouldn't get hit, and I have 18 armor thanks to my Unarmored Defense and Bracers of Defense).

Otherwise, thanks for the input, any other bits of advice?

Also, on the topic of the "no provoking" aspect, is there a limit to how many times that effect can proc? (it looked like it can proc as many times as I can possibly get away with, based on what I read from it, but I could've missed a line or two limiting it).

What subclass?

Also, he's an Open Palm Monk. Since he's Lawful Good, it's only appropriate to follow the way that involves fighting your enemies head on, and going Kenshiro on their collective asses.

 

[Quellist]

Get a nice strong board and repeatedly bash your head with it while chanting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgYEuJ5u1K0

 

[DarklordKyo]

Get a nice strong board and repeatedly bash your head with it while chanting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgYEuJ5u1K0

One of my first adventures was a GM-made Christmas special that involved fighting a Christmas Ent. Appreciate the feedback, but that's already covered.

 

[Quellist]

Nothing to see here, double post

 

[DarklordKyo]

Nothing to see here, double post

They really need to add a Delete Post function (also, haven't fought a Redneck Tree yet, will have to keep watch if I'm ever in a bayou near Louisiana).

 

[Quellist]

Nothing to see here, double post

They really need to add a Delete Post function (also, haven't fought a Redneck Tree yet, will have to keep watch if I'm ever in a bayou near Louisiana).

Hah, wasn't sure that link was entirely appropriate, glad you saw it anyway

 

[pookie101]

use your wisdom to spout mystical wisdom before combat.. what is the sound of beholder clapping

 

[DarklordKyo]

Hah, wasn't sure that link was entirely appropriate, glad you saw it anyway

Luckily, the original version was still in my inbox.

 

[DarklordKyo]

use your wisdom to spout mystical wisdom before combat.. what is the sound of beholder clapping

Squishy, because of the eyes. Also, lots of screaming, because it'd be in serious pain because it's clapping eyes.

 

[Tiamattt]

Generally your strategy should be along the lines of "go in, do some melee damage, apply status effects whenever necessary, get out". For this you'd want the feat mobility, which makes this stragety a lot
easier. Monks don't really want to stick around the front lines since D8 isn't a whole lot for melee combat, especially without any armor/shield. If your DM doesn't allow feats then just remember that you can still go in, do some damage and then use your bonus action to run back
to the backlines where it'll hopefully be safe. I'm guessing you probably went ASI or another feat at lvl 4, if you think your DM is generous enough ask him if there's anyway you can earn it without having
to wait to take it at lvl 8.

Step of the wind is really a judgment/situational call, you can't really "abuse" it since it costs you a ki point to do it which can run out really quickly at the low lvls (I'm guessing you're lvl 5?) from wind, stunning strikes or flurry of blows, etc.
If you have a gut feeling that they have a good con save then it's definitely better to hope your ki point and just attack normally or flurry of blows for more damage, unless of course you have allies that can lower the saving throws of
enemies. Stunning strike is very useful on spellcasters since they usually have less than or just average con saves, plus it totally stops whatever concentration effects they might be doing.

How freely you can spend your KI points depends on how often yor DM lets you guys rest since you get it all back even in a short rest, if they're nice enough to give you a break every 3 or 4 fights that's
a little less than 1 ki point per fight for a lvl 5 monk so you'd still have to be a little conservative but still go nuts when necessary. If you only get one per long dungeon eh...things gets a little rough
but still do able, but at that point you might end up in "save for boss fight" mode.

Monks can be a very safe class to play since they can be very elusive with their high movement as well as ranged attack defenses as well as other ways to buffer damage later. Try not to play them like a
melee barb or fighter unless you have to, which you sadly actually have to do quite a bit in the early lvls without Mobile. Check out the abilities of your allies since they can help you get your status effects
off, like a Cleric, Bard or Paladin can use a Bane Spell to add a -d4 to their saving throw, which can be huge in trying to stun a boss or something like that. And of course don't forget your halfling
racial abilities, being a little slower than average isn't great for monks but halflings do have some awesome abilities that can definitely come in handy.

Sorry for going long but my first character was a monk and while I made a TON of newbie mistakes he was still a ton of fun and I look forward to the day when I can play a monk that actually knows what he's
doing. XD

 

[Tiamattt]

The mobile feat is your friend. It frees up your Ki/bonus action so you don't need to waste it on disengage. It also makes you even faster, which is just your cup running over.

I read up on it, and it looks tempting, but I have a few thoughts.

1. The Dash buff doesn't really affect me since I have Boots of Flying (why walk through difficult terrain if I can fly over it?).

2. Ten extra feet of run speed sounds good, though, then again, that's only really two squares (though, then again, two squares can be helpful in some situations, or even mean the difference between victory and unconsciousness).

3. I don't have max Wisdom yet, and I might need to use the Ability Up levels to max that for the sake of survivability (though, then again, I shouldn't get hit, and I have 18 armor thanks to my Unarmored Defense and Bracers of Defense).

Otherwise, thanks for the input, any other bits of advice?

Also, on the topic of the "no provoking" aspect, is there a limit to how many times that effect can proc? (it looked like it can proc as many times as I can possibly get away with, based on what I read from it, but I could've missed a line or two limiting it).

What subclass?

Also, he's an Open Palm Monk. Since he's Lawful Good, it's only appropriate to follow the way that involves fighting your enemies head on, and going Kenshiro on their collective asses.

1. Dash also lets you double your movement, which lets you do crazy stuff like
"I hit the guy close to me, I run up and attack his archer friend in the back, the other archer to the side, a 4th guy guy that was close to the 1st one and I end my turn at the same place I started"

Sadly much harder to do without mobile. It's just a really fun option

2. More speed won't always come into play but be creative and you can find ways to take advantage of it

3. And sadly this is the one of the hardest parts of being a monk, you desparately want more wisdom but feats like Mobile is very important too. Really it's up to you to decide whether it's worth it or not,
but imho mobile is more than worth it just for the extra options as well as enabling your monk to do the in & out combat he wants to do.

4. Each creature(outside of special abilities) only gets 1 reaction until their next turn, so if say you provoked a opportunity attack from a goblin that same goblin wouldn't be able to do it again until his next turn.

 

[DarklordKyo]

I'm guessing you probably went ASI or another feat at lvl 4, if you think your DM is generous enough ask him if there's anyway you can earn it without having
to wait to take it at lvl 8.

Actually, I didn't realize you could take feats at ASIs for a while, so I just ASI'd by 4 & 8 (which, on the bright side, means I have 20 AGI).

(I'm guessing you're lvl 5?)

9 actually

 

[DarklordKyo]

1. Dash also lets you double your movement, which lets you do crazy stuff like
"I hit the guy close to me, I run up and attack his archer friend in the back, the other archer to the side, a 4th guy guy that was close to the 1st one and I end my turn at the same place I started"

Sadly much harder to do without mobile. It's just a really fun option

Doesn't Dash take up your action?, you need an action to attack four enemies in a turn. Also, the Dash buff I mentioned was the one that makes Difficult Terrain not a factor.

2. More speed won't always come into play but be creative and you can find ways to take advantage of it

True, like your above-mentioned example. My Monk would basically be a Z-Fighter flash stepping around the place.

3. And sadly this is the one of the hardest parts of being a monk, you desparately want more wisdom but feats like Mobile is very important too. Really it's up to you to decide whether it's worth it or not,
but imho mobile is more than worth it just for the extra options as well as enabling your monk to do the in & out combat he wants to do.

Considering the Monk's intended playstyle, might need to do so. I mean, I have pretty decent armor for a cloth wearer from what I can tell.

4. Each creature(outside of special abilities) only gets 1 reaction until their next turn, so if say you provoked a opportunity attack from a goblin that same goblin wouldn't be able to do it again until his next turn.

Then again, as an Open Palm Monk, one of the effects of my Flurry of Blows stops an enemy from taking reactions till the end of my next turn (then again, may have to forego rendering the enemy prone depending on dice rolls, and, by extension, forego the advantage it'd grant myself and my party).

 

[Tiamattt]

1. You can step of the wind as bonus action(yes you can choose to use your bonus action first) and then do all your speedy shenanigans with your regular action.

2. It's as awesome as it sounds

3. 18 is very nice considering the lack of, well anything but at lvl 9 even 20+ isn't much a challenge for monsters.

4. That and it would also be extra KI points just to attempt the speedy example I gave in one.

As for ASIs, well again your DM has the option of saying "No Feats!" in which case you didn't miss out on anything. For many classes getting your primary stat asap is the top priority so you certainly did nothing wrong. But just in case take to your DM, ask if there is either a way to earn mobile without having to wait till 12 or if you're willing to give it up, a mulligan on your last asi for the feat. In other words you could say that if you knew it was available you would have gotten the feat instead of getting +2 stats at lvl 8. At a one lvl difference your DM may or may not care, depending on how exact your saves has been.

 

[DarklordKyo]

As for ASIs, well again your DM has the option of saying "No Feats!" in which case you didn't miss out on anything. For many classes getting your primary stat asap is the top priority so you certainly did nothing wrong. But just in case take to your DM, ask if there is either a way to earn mobile without having to wait till 12 or if you're willing to give it up, a mulligan on your last asi for the feat. In other words you could say that if you knew it was available you would have gotten the feat instead of getting +2 stats at lvl 8. At a one lvl difference your DM may or may not care, depending on how exact your saves has been.

I should be good when it comes to deciding between feats or ASIs. As for whether or not to get it, I'll just wait till 12, chalk it up as a learning experience.

That said, kinda wish I was playing my monk instead of my warlock that one Cloak & Shadows run. My lock got the free permanent ASI from the deck of many things that day (dig the CHA boost he got, but the boost would've been more useful on my main).

 

[Saelune]

I have virtually only been a DM since 5th came out, and topics like this remind me I should be a player more often to better learn the rules.

Unfortunately, my next game as a player (today...hopefully) is using alot of fan-made rules...so...meh.