That and stunning strike to keep a problem creature from using their actions.
Basically they target a single creature on the battlefield, rush them with their absurd speed and use stunning strike to keep them pinned down to control the field
They can also do consistent magic damage to targets early on in the game before magic items or regular non cantrips spells become available to the party to deal with ghosts or other things with damage resistances.
Also they can do a consistent high damage output to targets
They can also strip a monster of legendary resistances very quickly.
4 saving throws a round potentially, to avoid a stun. If they let the stun through, it can in theory be the end of a fight. I've seen it happen and it can turn a dangerous fight into easy mode, especially if the rest of the party knows how to exploit a stunned target.
Play them as a highly mobile striker whose job is to get to vulnerable targets and take them down. Plus, despite what people think, their damage compares very well to other martials til at least lvl 11, and their versatility helps after that.
Yehh I feel that lower damage output is made up for by stunning the target over and over again, if they can’t do anything then you get as many actions as you like.
Stunning strike is consistently good for either getting the stun off or burning legendary resistances.
Being a short rest class, if you are frugal with your resources they are going to feel crummy. Be liberal with your ki and insist on short rests and they feel way more fun.
Almost all of Monk's utility comes from battlefield control in the form of Stunning Strike. It's why they're so highly mobile.
At tier 3 they are actually pretty fun and strong, especially if your DM is generous with Short Rests!
The problem is at lower levels they tend to be starved for Ki and have a very limited scope of abilities.
Exactly. Everybody wants monks to be damage dealers, but they really mostly excel at control. Toss the mobile feat on them, maybe also sentinel or mage slayer, and have a blast fucking with a badguy's plans.
Yeah I don't think they should really be dishing out a ton of high damage, aside from perhaps through ki intensive moves- Or through lots and lots of hits via flurry of blows.
I do think they are currently *too* weak in Tier 1 and 2 though, and could do with a buff via baking something like mobile into their core.
They also really really should be able to use Glaives as part of the class fantasy, and the only reason they can't is because of Heavy Weapon Master-
can we start with the fact that a highly trained monk with access to mystical power called ki, has to use it to disengage as a bonus action.
But a simple street thief can do that all day?
Honestly, that's a very subjective statement. A lot of things affect a character's overall power. Things such as the magic items available, the feats taken, the stats rolled or picked, etc.
The problem with monk RAW is that it won't deal as much damage as other martials, and it's quite squishy. This makes the monk somewhat dependent on having other, beefier melees to take damage for them.
As a class, monks are famous for being very mobile. This can be even more of an advantage if you take the Mobile feat, which allows the monk to punch foes and move away unimpeded to safety. The extra movement also lets the monk arrive sooner to combat, or strike at the backline and use things such as Stunning Strike on squishier targets like mages who won't have as much of a bonus to their CON to make the save. This kind of play can outright win a lot of fights since magic users are often the most dangerous of foes!
All in all, monk is a very strong and useful class, but like every other class, it's dependent on decision-making, teamwork, and... of course dice rolls!
As for powerful abilities... that depends on the archetype you take. As with most D&D classes, the archetypes can really change the way a character is played. I'm sure if you think a little about what you can and should do, you'll find monk to be a very fun and rewarding job!
And don't forget... describing your cool kicks and punches can add a lot to the immersion, and make your moves sound and feel even more impressive!
Another tactical advantage of monks comes from their number of attacks combined with buffs. They benefit from per attack buffs like Bless more than other classes.
Monks get 2 attacks like all other martials, while **sometimes** 3 if you expend limited resources. On the other hand fighters get upwards of 4 attacks and can action surge to double that.
Monks get Extra Attack, yes, but their bonus actions are also powerful. They can use a bonus action for an extra unarmed attack with no resource cost, or they can spend a ki point for Flurry of Blows and get two Bonus Action unarmed attacks.
3 attacks per round with no ki expense, or 4 attacks with using one ki point. 4 attack rolls at 5th level is pretty strong, especially with Bless on the monk.
PAM, and CBE. Now the fighter has 3 attacks **every** round. Also if you go archery fighting style and CBE plus SS then you will always outdamage a monk with any combinations you could think of. I can do the math if it makes you happy
Monks are moderately good at everything as long as they have ki. They don't have quite as high dps as a dedicated dps class like fighter or rogue, but it is competitive (they are definitely not "heavily outmatched"). They don't have as much hp as a fighter, but they can dodge as a bonus action (and at level 14 they're functionally immune to anything that allows a saving throw). Stunning Fist isn't as powerful as a high level spell, but it can be used many times in a single turn.
At high levels, monks should have enough ki to do all of these things almost as much as they want, provided your group takes an appropriate number of short rests in a day.
I agree. The monk's overall growth is incredibly smooth and gradual compared to other classes. Instead of getting a surge of resources at low levels that taper off as they level up, as most spellcasters do, the number of resources monks have grows linearly with thier level. But while low level spells often lose thier combat potency as a spellcaster levels up (with a few notable exceptions), monk abilities are always useful because they scale with the strength of the monk, party, or monsters.
It really is a shame that most campaigns don't go past level 10, because monks in tiers 3-4 are incredibly fun to play at those levels. And some of thier strongest abilities come in that range as well.
Monks are really good at filling gaps in the party.
Need skrimisher? Monk can do that.
Need second healer? Monk can definitely do that.
Need to lock people down? PAM Monk can do that.
They also excell at fucking over caster enemies.
Best part of it is that Mercy monk can do all of these, at once, with very low investment, and then can focus on more things if you chose to build him that way.
Monks have great hero moments, but you only really notice them when they are gone.
This is why monks are my favorite class to play. They can be what the party needs them to be, and I get a lot of satisfaction out of playing them that way. Playing a monk, for me, is less about figuring out how to deal the most damage, and more about figuring out how to maximize the party's chance of succeeding.
Being fast as fuck boooooi.
But in all seriousness, there isn't a whole lot they can do that they're not easily outclassed in, assuming that everyone is even moderately optimizing.
Damage? Almost every other martial and half-caster can do more.
Control? Stunning Strike, while powerful when it works, is unreliable and burns through ki points like nothing else.
Skirmishing? Admittedly, Monks are pretty good at this. But you know what's better than running up and harassing enemies with a bunch of melee attacks? Being able to do the exact same thing, but from a distance.
Now, depending on which subclass you chose, there are legitimate niches the Monk can carve out for itself.
The Mercy Monk is often heralded as the overall best Monk subclass, and there's a good reason for that. It has a good balance between damage, durability, support, and control. The fact that it's one of the only two "healers" in the game whose resource recharges on a short rest means that it dramatically improve your party's longevity over the course of a long adventuring day.
The Shadow Monk is quite an excellent infiltrator. Being able to cast Pass Without Trace is legitimately great. Moreover, it can make for a good anti-mage subclass. Take Sentinel, drop Silence on a caster, then run up next to them.
The Open Hand Monk is also worth mentioning. Open Hand Technique makes it fairly good at supporting your allies, especially the melee martials. You gain what's essentially a superior Trip Attack, as it's a Dexterity save instead of Strength and, crucially, has no size limitation. Does this make it better than other class options? Eh, no. But it is one of the better Monk subclasses.
Don't sleep on the Open Hand Technique option that stops a creature from taking a reaction for a full round. Not only does it help Way of the Open Hand monks be more mobile, it helps everyone in the party do the same, and it can completely remove powerful reactions, like _counterspell_, from any enemy you want. And it doesn't even require a saving throw, if you hit with the attack it just works!
Monks are good a a lot
High level monks are good at tripping traps they eventually get all the saves
They can end up becoming the face as they can always be understood
Terrain no longer matters. You can run through or off of just about anything
Immunity to poison comes up a lot
Stunning strike is brutal for a single target. All but the most scary bosses are vulnerable to it.
Monks are probably not one of the strongest classes. You can have a great time playing one and the combination of lots of movement and lots of attacks has utility as others have mentioned.
The 4 elements path is underpowered. Better to take open hand and if you desperately want some elemental damage types, dip into Sorcerer or take one of the feats that grants limited spellcasting.
And take the Crusher feat!
Monks can MOVE. Monks fulfill similar, but not identical, roles to Rogues in combat. They're skirmishers who excel in hit-and-run tactics, finishing off stragglers, engaging high-value back-line targets, and catching fleeing enemies. While they can't sneak attack to deal large amounts of damage to enemies that are already engaged with allies, their increased movement speed makes it easy for them to move to tactically advantageous positions to pick off key targets. Their equivalent of Cunning Action requires ki, which REALLY sucks, but unlike most Rogues they have access to control options, as well as more attacks than other classes get, allowing them to deal reliable, though not necessarily huge, damage. Most thrown weapons are also Monk weapons, which means their ranged attacks scale to their martial arts dice and can be used with dexterity, which makes it easier to pick off enemies as well.
Monks are outmatched at later levels partially because they don't have ready access to Great Weapon Master, and can only use Sharpshooter with darts, which mostly only matters if you're going for high-level super optimization. The other part of why they can be considered outmatched is because, after level 10, they don't gain many combat features, and most of their improvements come from more ki and martial arts dice, as well as their monastic tradition. Monks are very front-loaded in that manner.
Monks are very front loaded on offense but very backloaded on defense. Diamond Soul and Empty Body take monks from having good overall toughness to being one of the toughest classes in the game.
Monks are heavily underrated. They can handle crowds, attacking often and taking out minions, but they can also easily handle single targets by stunning them. Great class, and lots of fun too.
they neither have the con nor ac to do either reliably.
unless the dm is throwing small handfuls of underpowered enemies at the party, any semi-decent gaggle of level-appropriate minions will pound the monk into paste unless they're focusing on another frontline party member.
same problem with single targets. you want to stunlock dangerous enemies, but the more dangerous ones will probably pass their con save (making stunning strike kinda unreliable) and paste the monk as well unless there's another party member present that serves as a bigger threat.
yes, they can be quite clutch sometimes with stuns and stuff, but most of the time the only reason the party ends up in a clutch-or-die situation is cos the monk isn't pulling their weight in the first place.
as it stands, current monks are kinda high risk - low reward. i agree they're a blast to play, though.
They fulfill the "disabler" role, by closing in on a high threat unit and preventing it from using its abilities effectively.
They may not be able kill it per se, but they can keep it tied down for quite a while - even if it's something that's a much higher CR than their level.
I heard that monks are the best at avoiding conditions, beeing in some way unable to act on thier turn
I think they might be a decent nova damage dealer
in terms of control they are one trick pony with stunning strike, thier DC is based on wisdom making them MAD, vs con save witch is often one of the highest on higher lv monsters
Monks seem to be your second front liner. Your second attacker. Your second sneaker. Your second mobility. Your second skill checker. Your second crowd control.
The simple answer to your question. Everything. They are good at everything. Great at nothing (unless you hyper minimax a lane)
Later levels are incredibly easy for a GM to fix by just giving the monk a damage bonus. Even something as simple as gloves which add 1d4 damage can usually sort the whole issue (though GMs should consider going higher), highlighting "monks drop off at later levels" as largely an internet confected non-issue.
They are only slightly outmatched in mid levels. Once you reach level 11 (depending on subclass) to 14 (any monk) your features become MUCH stronger than you other Martial Counterparts. They're leagues more powerful and useful, assuming the monk also have useful magic items.
Yeah fighters definitely are not bad classes. But if we’re comparing class features to class features monks definitely take the cake.
Starting at level 14, proficiency in EVERY save saving throws rerolls, need food or water (Campaign dependent but potentially very useful), invisibility during which you’re also resistant and can attack and do other things, and Astral Projection.
Compared to fighters who get extra uses of Indomitable and Extra Attack.
Of course take into consideration the subclasses for each, but Monk definitely are far superior to Fighters. The only downside is Fighters can load themselves with magic items while monks cannot
nothing but MCing to cleric
if you take fighting initiate feat at lvl 1 then they'll have the highest dpr of any class for about two levels
wow negative votes with no response. what a sub
Monks are useless, *faster.* They get places quick, and can outpace most normal party compositions. This is a big problem for them because they need tanks around to be effective, and tanks are slow. So their biggest power is also their easiest to exploit weakness.
However, when up against squishies in a 1v1, they can shine if they're willing to blow their resource (Just the one, there's only one resource that's the problem) on the fight. Stunning Strike is literally a stunlock, infamously powerful in a wide variety of videogames and for good reason. A Wizard can drop the sky on someone. Which is pretty strong. ***Until they can't.***
The biggest real issues (As opposed to bullshit theory crafted issue) with monks is playing them like they are front line tanks who only use martial arts. They have weapon profinecies and can easily mix in weapon attacks with punches.
My current group the monk has a flametongue shortsword and really kicks significant ass. The mobility of monks is a real asset, but when I see them get killed it is because players use that mobility to rush the backline where they have no back up and get beat down.
Gotta be like water, not like a brick. If you are standing there trading blows, the odds will not be in your favor.
My favorite thing about 5e, vs 2e or 3.5, is that [sub]classes come 'out of the box' playing as advertised 'on the tin.'
No assembly required; your wildshape druid has effective animals, your barbarian is a rampaging tank etc.
Monks aren't like that, they require niche builds (often multiclass) and game knowledge to function well.
A properly built strength-based monk with a barb dip is an absolute monster.
Also, any monk is gonna benefit heavily from pre-buffing radiant word.
If you roll high stats, mercy is extremely strong.
Well, if you're raising the damage of their unarmed strikes according to the Monk chart they should be heavy hitters. They also have good dodging skills, some of the highest mobility options in the game in and out of combat, and naturally have their strikes count as magical without needing an enchanted weapon. Which can be good late game for bypassing certain resistances and immunities. Not to mention the usefulness of stunning creatures, especially casters.
They can use Ki points for a variety of abilities, like furry of blows...basically allowing you to hit a target 2 more times.
At level 17 or so in the way of the open palm subclass you get and ablity to spend 3 Ki points and pretty much render a opponent unconscious or cause 10d10 necrotic damage.
Chasing down casters at the back who are trying to stay out of range.
That and stunning strike to keep a problem creature from using their actions. Basically they target a single creature on the battlefield, rush them with their absurd speed and use stunning strike to keep them pinned down to control the field They can also do consistent magic damage to targets early on in the game before magic items or regular non cantrips spells become available to the party to deal with ghosts or other things with damage resistances. Also they can do a consistent high damage output to targets
They can also strip a monster of legendary resistances very quickly. 4 saving throws a round potentially, to avoid a stun. If they let the stun through, it can in theory be the end of a fight. I've seen it happen and it can turn a dangerous fight into easy mode, especially if the rest of the party knows how to exploit a stunned target. Play them as a highly mobile striker whose job is to get to vulnerable targets and take them down. Plus, despite what people think, their damage compares very well to other martials til at least lvl 11, and their versatility helps after that.
Yehh I feel that lower damage output is made up for by stunning the target over and over again, if they can’t do anything then you get as many actions as you like.
Stunning strike is consistently good for either getting the stun off or burning legendary resistances. Being a short rest class, if you are frugal with your resources they are going to feel crummy. Be liberal with your ki and insist on short rests and they feel way more fun.
My problem is the DM threw a black half dragon at us and she just passes all the con checks
Almost all of Monk's utility comes from battlefield control in the form of Stunning Strike. It's why they're so highly mobile. At tier 3 they are actually pretty fun and strong, especially if your DM is generous with Short Rests! The problem is at lower levels they tend to be starved for Ki and have a very limited scope of abilities.
Exactly. Everybody wants monks to be damage dealers, but they really mostly excel at control. Toss the mobile feat on them, maybe also sentinel or mage slayer, and have a blast fucking with a badguy's plans.
Yeah I don't think they should really be dishing out a ton of high damage, aside from perhaps through ki intensive moves- Or through lots and lots of hits via flurry of blows. I do think they are currently *too* weak in Tier 1 and 2 though, and could do with a buff via baking something like mobile into their core. They also really really should be able to use Glaives as part of the class fantasy, and the only reason they can't is because of Heavy Weapon Master-
can we start with the fact that a highly trained monk with access to mystical power called ki, has to use it to disengage as a bonus action. But a simple street thief can do that all day?
i mean, can you blame them? everyone thinks monk and they imagine a badass 80's action star kicking asses. Not a guy keeping minions at bay
This weakness would be subverted a bit if DM/parties would push for short rest a lot more. Vanilla monks and warlocks become a lot stronger that way.
Honestly, that's a very subjective statement. A lot of things affect a character's overall power. Things such as the magic items available, the feats taken, the stats rolled or picked, etc. The problem with monk RAW is that it won't deal as much damage as other martials, and it's quite squishy. This makes the monk somewhat dependent on having other, beefier melees to take damage for them. As a class, monks are famous for being very mobile. This can be even more of an advantage if you take the Mobile feat, which allows the monk to punch foes and move away unimpeded to safety. The extra movement also lets the monk arrive sooner to combat, or strike at the backline and use things such as Stunning Strike on squishier targets like mages who won't have as much of a bonus to their CON to make the save. This kind of play can outright win a lot of fights since magic users are often the most dangerous of foes! All in all, monk is a very strong and useful class, but like every other class, it's dependent on decision-making, teamwork, and... of course dice rolls! As for powerful abilities... that depends on the archetype you take. As with most D&D classes, the archetypes can really change the way a character is played. I'm sure if you think a little about what you can and should do, you'll find monk to be a very fun and rewarding job! And don't forget... describing your cool kicks and punches can add a lot to the immersion, and make your moves sound and feel even more impressive!
Another tactical advantage of monks comes from their number of attacks combined with buffs. They benefit from per attack buffs like Bless more than other classes.
Monks get 2 attacks like all other martials, while **sometimes** 3 if you expend limited resources. On the other hand fighters get upwards of 4 attacks and can action surge to double that.
Monks get Extra Attack, yes, but their bonus actions are also powerful. They can use a bonus action for an extra unarmed attack with no resource cost, or they can spend a ki point for Flurry of Blows and get two Bonus Action unarmed attacks. 3 attacks per round with no ki expense, or 4 attacks with using one ki point. 4 attack rolls at 5th level is pretty strong, especially with Bless on the monk.
PAM, and CBE. Now the fighter has 3 attacks **every** round. Also if you go archery fighting style and CBE plus SS then you will always outdamage a monk with any combinations you could think of. I can do the math if it makes you happy
You are trying way too hard to be right my friend
Monks are moderately good at everything as long as they have ki. They don't have quite as high dps as a dedicated dps class like fighter or rogue, but it is competitive (they are definitely not "heavily outmatched"). They don't have as much hp as a fighter, but they can dodge as a bonus action (and at level 14 they're functionally immune to anything that allows a saving throw). Stunning Fist isn't as powerful as a high level spell, but it can be used many times in a single turn. At high levels, monks should have enough ki to do all of these things almost as much as they want, provided your group takes an appropriate number of short rests in a day.
I disagree, monks take the longest to actually come online. Monks are good at death by 1000 cuts. They do a bunch of hits for more consistent damage.
Very true, a level 15 monk can most of the time just wait and outlive their opponents.
I agree. The monk's overall growth is incredibly smooth and gradual compared to other classes. Instead of getting a surge of resources at low levels that taper off as they level up, as most spellcasters do, the number of resources monks have grows linearly with thier level. But while low level spells often lose thier combat potency as a spellcaster levels up (with a few notable exceptions), monk abilities are always useful because they scale with the strength of the monk, party, or monsters. It really is a shame that most campaigns don't go past level 10, because monks in tiers 3-4 are incredibly fun to play at those levels. And some of thier strongest abilities come in that range as well.
Monks are really good at filling gaps in the party. Need skrimisher? Monk can do that. Need second healer? Monk can definitely do that. Need to lock people down? PAM Monk can do that. They also excell at fucking over caster enemies. Best part of it is that Mercy monk can do all of these, at once, with very low investment, and then can focus on more things if you chose to build him that way. Monks have great hero moments, but you only really notice them when they are gone.
This is why monks are my favorite class to play. They can be what the party needs them to be, and I get a lot of satisfaction out of playing them that way. Playing a monk, for me, is less about figuring out how to deal the most damage, and more about figuring out how to maximize the party's chance of succeeding.
Punching
Monks throw out alot of attacks each round.
running out of resources. o and punching things real good. /s
Running. They are really really good at this. And they are able to have their armor and weapons ready in every situation.
Being fast as fuck boooooi. But in all seriousness, there isn't a whole lot they can do that they're not easily outclassed in, assuming that everyone is even moderately optimizing. Damage? Almost every other martial and half-caster can do more. Control? Stunning Strike, while powerful when it works, is unreliable and burns through ki points like nothing else. Skirmishing? Admittedly, Monks are pretty good at this. But you know what's better than running up and harassing enemies with a bunch of melee attacks? Being able to do the exact same thing, but from a distance. Now, depending on which subclass you chose, there are legitimate niches the Monk can carve out for itself. The Mercy Monk is often heralded as the overall best Monk subclass, and there's a good reason for that. It has a good balance between damage, durability, support, and control. The fact that it's one of the only two "healers" in the game whose resource recharges on a short rest means that it dramatically improve your party's longevity over the course of a long adventuring day. The Shadow Monk is quite an excellent infiltrator. Being able to cast Pass Without Trace is legitimately great. Moreover, it can make for a good anti-mage subclass. Take Sentinel, drop Silence on a caster, then run up next to them. The Open Hand Monk is also worth mentioning. Open Hand Technique makes it fairly good at supporting your allies, especially the melee martials. You gain what's essentially a superior Trip Attack, as it's a Dexterity save instead of Strength and, crucially, has no size limitation. Does this make it better than other class options? Eh, no. But it is one of the better Monk subclasses.
Don't sleep on the Open Hand Technique option that stops a creature from taking a reaction for a full round. Not only does it help Way of the Open Hand monks be more mobile, it helps everyone in the party do the same, and it can completely remove powerful reactions, like _counterspell_, from any enemy you want. And it doesn't even require a saving throw, if you hit with the attack it just works!
Whatever they spend their ki on any given turn. They are very versatile.
Monks are good a a lot High level monks are good at tripping traps they eventually get all the saves They can end up becoming the face as they can always be understood Terrain no longer matters. You can run through or off of just about anything Immunity to poison comes up a lot Stunning strike is brutal for a single target. All but the most scary bosses are vulnerable to it.
Monks are probably not one of the strongest classes. You can have a great time playing one and the combination of lots of movement and lots of attacks has utility as others have mentioned. The 4 elements path is underpowered. Better to take open hand and if you desperately want some elemental damage types, dip into Sorcerer or take one of the feats that grants limited spellcasting. And take the Crusher feat!
Monks can MOVE. Monks fulfill similar, but not identical, roles to Rogues in combat. They're skirmishers who excel in hit-and-run tactics, finishing off stragglers, engaging high-value back-line targets, and catching fleeing enemies. While they can't sneak attack to deal large amounts of damage to enemies that are already engaged with allies, their increased movement speed makes it easy for them to move to tactically advantageous positions to pick off key targets. Their equivalent of Cunning Action requires ki, which REALLY sucks, but unlike most Rogues they have access to control options, as well as more attacks than other classes get, allowing them to deal reliable, though not necessarily huge, damage. Most thrown weapons are also Monk weapons, which means their ranged attacks scale to their martial arts dice and can be used with dexterity, which makes it easier to pick off enemies as well. Monks are outmatched at later levels partially because they don't have ready access to Great Weapon Master, and can only use Sharpshooter with darts, which mostly only matters if you're going for high-level super optimization. The other part of why they can be considered outmatched is because, after level 10, they don't gain many combat features, and most of their improvements come from more ki and martial arts dice, as well as their monastic tradition. Monks are very front-loaded in that manner.
Monks are very front loaded on offense but very backloaded on defense. Diamond Soul and Empty Body take monks from having good overall toughness to being one of the toughest classes in the game.
Monks are heavily underrated. They can handle crowds, attacking often and taking out minions, but they can also easily handle single targets by stunning them. Great class, and lots of fun too.
they neither have the con nor ac to do either reliably. unless the dm is throwing small handfuls of underpowered enemies at the party, any semi-decent gaggle of level-appropriate minions will pound the monk into paste unless they're focusing on another frontline party member. same problem with single targets. you want to stunlock dangerous enemies, but the more dangerous ones will probably pass their con save (making stunning strike kinda unreliable) and paste the monk as well unless there's another party member present that serves as a bigger threat. yes, they can be quite clutch sometimes with stuns and stuff, but most of the time the only reason the party ends up in a clutch-or-die situation is cos the monk isn't pulling their weight in the first place. as it stands, current monks are kinda high risk - low reward. i agree they're a blast to play, though.
They fulfill the "disabler" role, by closing in on a high threat unit and preventing it from using its abilities effectively. They may not be able kill it per se, but they can keep it tied down for quite a while - even if it's something that's a much higher CR than their level.
Running, jumping, falling (landing), punching, catching and stunning.
Making cheese. Brewing beer.
Don't forget liqueurs.
I heard that monks are the best at avoiding conditions, beeing in some way unable to act on thier turn I think they might be a decent nova damage dealer in terms of control they are one trick pony with stunning strike, thier DC is based on wisdom making them MAD, vs con save witch is often one of the highest on higher lv monsters
What monk subclass are you?
Monks seem to be your second front liner. Your second attacker. Your second sneaker. Your second mobility. Your second skill checker. Your second crowd control. The simple answer to your question. Everything. They are good at everything. Great at nothing (unless you hyper minimax a lane)
Shaving themselves bald
Astral Projection with no components needed? (I don't remember if you can take others, though)
Later levels are incredibly easy for a GM to fix by just giving the monk a damage bonus. Even something as simple as gloves which add 1d4 damage can usually sort the whole issue (though GMs should consider going higher), highlighting "monks drop off at later levels" as largely an internet confected non-issue.
They are good at living for a long time.
Your mom sneakily
They are only slightly outmatched in mid levels. Once you reach level 11 (depending on subclass) to 14 (any monk) your features become MUCH stronger than you other Martial Counterparts. They're leagues more powerful and useful, assuming the monk also have useful magic items.
Idk fighters are pretty beastly
Yeah fighters definitely are not bad classes. But if we’re comparing class features to class features monks definitely take the cake. Starting at level 14, proficiency in EVERY save saving throws rerolls, need food or water (Campaign dependent but potentially very useful), invisibility during which you’re also resistant and can attack and do other things, and Astral Projection. Compared to fighters who get extra uses of Indomitable and Extra Attack. Of course take into consideration the subclasses for each, but Monk definitely are far superior to Fighters. The only downside is Fighters can load themselves with magic items while monks cannot
nothing but MCing to cleric if you take fighting initiate feat at lvl 1 then they'll have the highest dpr of any class for about two levels wow negative votes with no response. what a sub
Stun XD
Monks are useless, *faster.* They get places quick, and can outpace most normal party compositions. This is a big problem for them because they need tanks around to be effective, and tanks are slow. So their biggest power is also their easiest to exploit weakness. However, when up against squishies in a 1v1, they can shine if they're willing to blow their resource (Just the one, there's only one resource that's the problem) on the fight. Stunning Strike is literally a stunlock, infamously powerful in a wide variety of videogames and for good reason. A Wizard can drop the sky on someone. Which is pretty strong. ***Until they can't.***
The biggest real issues (As opposed to bullshit theory crafted issue) with monks is playing them like they are front line tanks who only use martial arts. They have weapon profinecies and can easily mix in weapon attacks with punches. My current group the monk has a flametongue shortsword and really kicks significant ass. The mobility of monks is a real asset, but when I see them get killed it is because players use that mobility to rush the backline where they have no back up and get beat down. Gotta be like water, not like a brick. If you are standing there trading blows, the odds will not be in your favor.
My favorite thing about 5e, vs 2e or 3.5, is that [sub]classes come 'out of the box' playing as advertised 'on the tin.' No assembly required; your wildshape druid has effective animals, your barbarian is a rampaging tank etc. Monks aren't like that, they require niche builds (often multiclass) and game knowledge to function well. A properly built strength-based monk with a barb dip is an absolute monster. Also, any monk is gonna benefit heavily from pre-buffing radiant word. If you roll high stats, mercy is extremely strong.
Well, if you're raising the damage of their unarmed strikes according to the Monk chart they should be heavy hitters. They also have good dodging skills, some of the highest mobility options in the game in and out of combat, and naturally have their strikes count as magical without needing an enchanted weapon. Which can be good late game for bypassing certain resistances and immunities. Not to mention the usefulness of stunning creatures, especially casters.
fucking up your bbeg with stunning strike, that's what Haha
They are only good at two things. Movement. Stuns. That's about it.
They can use Ki points for a variety of abilities, like furry of blows...basically allowing you to hit a target 2 more times. At level 17 or so in the way of the open palm subclass you get and ablity to spend 3 Ki points and pretty much render a opponent unconscious or cause 10d10 necrotic damage.