One D&D Playtest 6: Monk

Here follow my notes on the Playtest 6 Monk class.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Base Class

Finally, the new Monk! Let’s see how they did…

  • Proficiencies: Monks lose shortsword proficiency.
  • Starting Equipment: Monks now start with: artisan’s tools, 5 daggers, an explorer’s pack, a musical instrument, a spear, and 9 gp (or just 65 gp to shop with). They lose the options of a shortsword (due to the change of proficiencies) and dungeoneer’s pack, as well as the 10 darts. This is probably fine, I think.
  • Martial Arts (level 1) has been cleaned up for improved readability (thank you), omits two-handed weapons from using your Dexterity instead of Strength, and ups the Martial Arts damage die – it now starts as a d6 instead of a d4, and while it previously topped out at a d10, it now goes up to a d12. We’re off to a promising start…
  • Unarmored Defense (level 1) is unchanged. Fine.
  • Weapon Mastery (level 1): Monks now get to use the Mastery properties of two kinds of simple weapons, and can change their mastery after a long rest. Cool.
  • Martial Discipline (level 2) replaces Ki. Discipline Points are the new Ki Points; this name is better, but still not great. The basic mechanics appear to be identical, as are Flurry of Blows, and Patient Defense. I had to read Step of the Wind a couple of times – now it gives you both Disengage AND Dash, where before it was Disengage OR Dash. Cool.
  • Unarmored Movement (level 2) is unchanged from the PHB version.
  • Deflect Missiles (level 3) is conceptually the same as the PHB version, but now makes it easier to use (against anybody within 60 feet who isn’t in total cover) and capable of more damage (two rolls of your Martial Arts die). Cool, cool. Reminder to DMs: shoot your Monks!
  • Subclass (level 3): Same as before.
  • Ability Score Improvement (level 4): Or another Feat.
  • Slow Fall (level 4): Unchanged from the PHB version.
  • Extra Attack (level 5): Unchanged from the PHB version.
  • Stunning Strike (level 5) can now be only used once per turn (formerly unlimited), and the effect ends at the start of your next turn (formerly the end of it). Probably necessary, but I can see the internet whining about it.
  • Empowered Strikes (level 6) are the new Ki-Empowered Strikes, and they now let you choose whether they do regular or Force damage (which more clearly circumvents resistances to non-magic hits). Good change, I approve.
  • Subclass Feature (level 6): Same as in the PHB.
  • Evasion (level 7): Just some language tune-ups for better clarity, but mechanically identical.
  • Heightened Metabolism (level 7, new): Once per long rest, get a short rest in just one minute! I wish I could do this in real life… This is nice for recharging Discipline Points more often, which should help Monks spend them more freely.
  • Ability Score Improvement (level 8): Or a Feat.
  • Acrobatic Movement (level 9) is the new name for Unarmored Movement’s improvement that lets you walk on vertical surfaces and water. It’s mechanically identical to the 2014 PHB.
  • Self-Restoration (level 10) replaces Purity of Body. It’s been rewritten to use a Bonus Action to remove the Charmed, Frightened, or Poisoned condition from yourself (just one condition), and you don’t get Exhaustion from not eating or drinking anything. Immunity from disease has been removed because “disease” was never precisely specified in the rules; going forward, disease-like effects will be applied with the Poisoned condition. I definitely prefer the newer phrasing here, but I do wonder about how the removal of immunity to disease will impact RP/storytelling at people’s tables.
  • Subclass Feature (level 11): Same as in the PHB.
  • Ability Score Improvement (level 12): Or a Feat.
  • Deflect Energy (level 13, new) replaces Tongue of the Sun and Moon (bye-bye talking to everybody) with the ability to deflect ranged attacks that do ANY kind of damage. This is some proper Jedi shit, and I am here for it.
  • Disciplined Survivor (level 14) is the new name for Diamond Soul from the PHB; it’s otherwise mechanically identical.
  • Perfect Discipline (level 15) used to be the level 20 PHB feature, Perfect Self. It’s identical, just comes online 5 levels sooner. Wow! It replaces Timeless Body, which is fine.
  • Ability Score Improvement (level 16): Or a Feat.
  • Subclass Feature (level 17): Same as in the PHB.
  • Superior Defense (level 18) is a redesign of Empty Body that removes the Astral Projection part, and doesn’t make you invisible, but which still gives you resistance to all but Force damage. A bit of a nerf, but it’s probably fine.
  • Ability Score Improvement (level 19): Or a Feat.
  • Defy Death (level 20, new!): Drop to 0 HP? Hmm, that’s not what my Discipline Points and these four Martial Arts dice say. I’ll never get to play this, but this is still pretty cool.

Warrior of Mercy

  • This is just a pointer to the Way of Mercy from Tasha.

Warrior of Shadow

  • Shadow Arts (level 3) has been redesigned; it now costs fewer Discipline Points to cast Darkness in a way that’s moveable, gives the Monk Darkvision, and provides the Minor Illusion cantrip. Pass without Trace and Silence have been removed from the spell offerings. Losing two spells isn’t great, but I think it’s worth it for permanent Darkvision, and moveable Darkness is cool.
  • Shadow Step (level 6) appears unchanged from the PHB version.
  • Improved Shadow Step (level 11, new) replaces Cloak of Shadows from the PHB. It uses a Discipline Point to let Shadow Step work in bright light, and lets you make an unarmed strike immediately after teleporting. These two features would probably be really annoying for anyone DMing Curse of Strahd.
  • Cloak of Shadows (level 17, level 11 in the PHB) now requires Discipline Points to activate, and it has a one-minute time limit. Besides making you invisible, it permits you to move through creatures and objects and to use Flurry of Blows without spending any Discipline Points. Seems like it’d be cool it in the right situations.

Warrior of the Four Elements

  • Or maybe it’s Warrior of the Elements? It’s written both ways in the text. Sloppy editing.
  • Elemental Attunement (level 3, new) adds (for the cost of a Discipline Point) your choice of four elemental damage types to unarmed strikes and potentially pushes your target, and gives unarmed strikes extra reach. It also provides the Elementalism cantrip, which is sort of an elemental prestidigitation. Sounds pretty cool! It replaces a bunch of basic Elemental Discipline options (Fangs of the Fire Snake, Fist of Four Thunders, Fist of Unbroken Air, Rush of the Gale Spirits, Shape the Flowing River, Sweeping Cinder Strike, and Water Whip) which were apparently not very cool.
  • Environmental Burst (level 6, new) is basically a Fireball but with your choice of four elemental damage types in exchange for two Discipline Points. Damage uses your Martial Arts die, and it lets you make an unarmed strike as a Bonus Action. It replaces the level 6 Elemental Discipline options (Clench of the North Wind, Gong of the Summit). Seems like a big improvement to me, but the name is kind of terrible.
  • Stride of the Elements (level 11, new) adds a limited-time fly speed and swim speed when you use Step of the Wind. It replaces the level 11 Elemental Discipline options (Flames of the Phoenix, Mist Stance, Ride the Wind). Cool cool cool.
  • Elemental Epitome (level 17, new) upgrades Elemental Attunement with resistance to your choice of four elemental damage types, a speedier Step of the Wind that does elemental damage to creatures you move close to, and extra elemental damage on unarmed strikes. It replaces the level 17 Elemental Discipline options (Breath of Winter, Eternal Mountain Defense, River of Hungry Flame, Wave of Rolling Earth). Again, the name is bad, but the new feature seems like a fun improvement.

Warrior of the Open Hand

  • Or maybe it’s Warrior of the Hand? Like (Four) Elements, this subclass name is written both ways in the text. I swear WotC should just have me proofread their stuff before they send it out so that they stop doing stuff like this.
  • Open Hand Technique (level 3) is reformatted for easier reading, and now requires saving throws for all three effects. Formerly, the one that deprives the target of Reactions didn’t require a save. The internet will be mad about this, but it just makes good sense.
  • Wholeness of Body (level 6) has been updated to use a Bonus Action (instead of an Action), can be used WIS modifier times per long rest, and its self-healing uses the Martial Arts die and your Wisdom bonus.
  • Fleet Step (level 11, new) lets you use Step of the Wind without spending any Discipline Points. It replaces Tranquility from the PHB version, which apparently no one liked.
  • Quivering Palm (level 17) has had its damage capped to 10d12 plus Monk level with half damage on a successful save (instead of just dropping a target to 0 on a failed save or doing 10d10 on a successful save). It now does Force damage instead of Necrotic. This is probably a good change, but I’m sure folks are crying about it online. “How dare they nerf X…” Also, that’s a lot of d12s to have handy.

Hot Takes

  • The Monk Base Class has gotten a legit glow-up. Good – it’s about time!
  • Like the Circle of the Stars Druid, it’s a little disappointing to not see a revised Warrior of Mercy here. I assume WotC didn’t finish their homework on time again.
  • Warrior of Shadow seems pretty good, very sneaky ninja-ish. I can see the teleportation stuff being really annoying for DMs.
  • Warrior of the (Four) Elements has better abilities, is better streamlined, and seems pretty fun, but it desperately needs better names for a couple of its new features. Was “Elemental Burst” not available? Or “Elemental Mastery”?
  • Warrior of the (Open) Hand has two improvements and two nerfs, barely any flavor text, and like (Four) Elements, it doesn’t know what its name is. It seems undercooked to me, and I’m not the least bit excited to play it.

Overall, this Monk is an improvement over the PHB version, but it still seems like it needs more work. I’d be interested in playing a Warrior of the (Four) Elements or a Warrior of Shadow if I’m feeling particularly edgy. I looked over the Way of Mercy from Tasha and I suppose it’s all right, but I’m not keen to play it.

Lukewarm Takes

I haven’t had a chance to actually test drive this class yet. People on Reddit seem pretty down about it – they particularly seem bent out of shape about the (Open) Hand nerfs (I agree this could use some more love but it’s not the end of the world), that there’s no way to use Weapon Mastery with unarmed strikes (a legit complaint, since pratically everybody else gets to have fun with it), and that the (Four) Elements subclass doesn’t exactly fit their nostalgia for Avatar: The Last Airbender. This last is a problem I don’t have due to being an adult by the time Avatar aired, but I get it – I’ve got Very Strong Opinions about Star Wars! I still think the subclass is pretty close though.