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Monks: How to RP Classes in 5e Dungeons & Dragons - Web DM
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Күн бұрынMonks are some of the most powerful melee fighters, but they have tons of flavor and abilities that make for an incredible role-playing experience. We've trained our whole lives for this episode! Don't forget to subscribe, comment & share. New episodes every Wednesday.
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5e Dungeons & Dragons is here to stay, and Web DM is here to help!!! Jim Davis & Jonathan Pruitt have been playing Dungeons & Dragons for a combined 30+ years, and on Web DM they demystify, dethrone, and defrock this Dungeon we call Dragons! Subscribe to our channel for weekly videos on 5e Classes, Monsters, DM Tips, and more! Join Pruitt & Jim as we kick down the door and talk some serious Dungeons & Dragons!
@WebDM 6 жыл бұрын
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@giausjulius4 6 жыл бұрын
Web DM Pruitt you sly guy! That amazing TNG reference! XD
@jeovoneystrothers67 6 жыл бұрын
I want to play with you guys
@malmasterson3890 6 жыл бұрын
Web DM Been waiting for this one. Love the monk, love you guys, nice work.
@claytronifon 6 жыл бұрын
You two are the best
@deangrandfield9611 6 жыл бұрын
Please do paladins
@doeliewaaje1761 6 жыл бұрын
“Omea wa mou shinderu” -a monk in one of my games before rolling a natural one
@U_C_G 6 жыл бұрын
*NANI?!?*
@Draeckon 6 жыл бұрын
*BAKANA!*
@Lobsterwithinternet 5 жыл бұрын
“ *IT’S NO USE!!!* “
@omnisystem6030 4 жыл бұрын
Doelie Waaje a monk is the class that turns you into an anime character
@omnisystem6030 4 жыл бұрын
That why I like it
@TeagueShepherd 6 жыл бұрын
Watching Pruitt nerd out about Muhammad Ali is wholesome af
@JPruinc 6 жыл бұрын
He’s my hero
@cyclone8974 6 жыл бұрын
Mohammad Ali.... what a stooge. Mohammad was a slave owner and Ali was too. While the man that Cassius Clay was named after was an abolitionist. Look up Cassius Marcellus Clay if you are wondering. It's only cool if you don't care about facts.
@TeagueShepherd 6 жыл бұрын
cyclone8974 You must be fun at parties.
@andrewgosnell3383 5 жыл бұрын
Nathaniel Wilson It is a person’s right to disrespect someone else if they wish. Not physically, just with their words. Not that I agree with what he said, but he has a right to say it, even if it’s kind of unnecessary and rude.
@jamesrichardson3322 2 жыл бұрын
Watch the films Ip Man, now that's fury of Blows. Real Ip Man was a badass!!
@ll1ll1ll1ll1ll1ll 6 жыл бұрын
I'm obsessed with the concept of a monk monastery in a symbiotic relationship with a Druid circle trying together to become the perfect living beings in a perfect society perfectly in tune with the world. They pair up and travel like Mormons to learn of the world and eventually set up new monastery circles.
@brosephnoonan223 6 жыл бұрын
C H Thats actually a super cool idea.
@WaddelingProductions 6 жыл бұрын
C H I love how you compare it to Mormon missionaries lol
@gcfournier3386 2 жыл бұрын
awesome
@hithere4719 Жыл бұрын
This sounds loosely based on ORGAZMO! 😂
@thaddeuswhelan8186 6 жыл бұрын
My current DM is running this in a fantastic way. Basically running a combination of Highlander with the monks of the world. All the Masters have something fantastic, but if another monk kills them, that monk gets the power. Makes for a fantastic aiming point of side quest, and allows the DM to kind of run rampant on making his own custom idealizations of how these powers would work. Our monk just became the Master of the Phoenix, which gives him the ability to burn his ki points to Cure Wounds, Sprout fire wings, and have a chance a Resurrection on death, and that's only one of these guys.
@heitorsilvasousa3342 6 жыл бұрын
This is a fantastic way of making it work
@ayyohwinning 4 жыл бұрын
Totally awesome! Matt Colville did something similar. Love the idea of every monk master being “the Master of ____”, whether it’s a creature or whatever - and they’re just so fully embodied in their style that they have these unearthly abilities
@user-wv1pq3kt2n 3 жыл бұрын
Oh, was thinking about this myself, AMC with a sorcerer and picking phoenix bloodline.
@zeldamaster52 6 жыл бұрын
I've been enjoying playing a monk, Open Hand style, in Storm King's Thunder. Due to the Open Hand Techniques not having a size limit, getting to topple over a giant onto its back in a single punch/kick is an amazing feeling.
@brosephnoonan223 6 жыл бұрын
Tim Thissen Its really cool. The monk is the "cool" class. You can knock trolls, giants, dragons clean off their feet. You can literally be a 3ft-4ft tall half-man knocking around 30-40ft tall monsters that have nails larger than your whole body. Why? Because youre cool.
@UltimaXReborn 5 жыл бұрын
@@brosephnoonan223 Just f*cking punch them in the soul.
@Kronosxviii1 6 жыл бұрын
For your alchemical monk, you should look into Chinese fantasy stories in the wuxia or xanxia area. There are stories where characters actually smelt their bones with alchemical concoctions combined with magical resources as a way to refine themselves. I believe the common term thrown around is body cultivator.
@Kronosxviii1 6 жыл бұрын
Specifically, in the, 'I shall Seal the Heavens' novel that's something the main character ended up doing later on as he gained self-enlightenment as he was mastering alchemy while pondering ways to allow himself to become more powerful. I think one of my favorite lines is when one of the teachers he comes across tells him to hunt down a race of beings that arrogantly refer to themselves as gods and his teacher specifically says they allow that race to call themselves that so that the teacher and his allies can amusingly refer to themselves as god slayers.
@void2920 3 жыл бұрын
I see, you are a man of culture as well
@EilonwyG 6 жыл бұрын
Loved the sidetrack of RP in combat. RP does not end at initiative, I like that. You should do a whole video on keeping RP going during combat, that would be awesome!
@BrickInTheHead 6 жыл бұрын
that cut to pruitt's "that we know of" was perfect lmao, grade a+ editing!
@ryancooper5691 6 жыл бұрын
I've been playing a Four Elements monk for about 3 years with my group as we went through Hoard of the Dragon Queen and Rise of Tiamat and I've had a ton of fun. I based his personality after Uncle Iroh and had a blast. For me, I love the mobility and versatility of the monk, and how you can use that in combat to support your character's personality and motivations. Another excellent video, guys!
@JPruinc 6 жыл бұрын
Apologies!!!! The 'Say my Name Fight' was Ernie Terrell. The conflation is real.
@danreed4250 6 жыл бұрын
JPruInc I recommend pinning your comments so people can see it
@JPruinc 6 жыл бұрын
dan reed we have a standard pinned comment. We’re going to add an annotation to the vid.
@Troommate 6 жыл бұрын
11:29 Would love the idea of a bunch of monks trying to one up each other: Monk 1- "My master was a living shadow" Monk 2- "Well mine was literally a GIANT" Monk 3- "well my master had 4 arms and was a planes walker!" Monk 4- "Ha that's nothing mine was a Psychic Vampire!" XD
@calebcarithers2059 6 жыл бұрын
Monk 5 my master shoots lazers from his hands
@paulcoy9060 6 жыл бұрын
Does he say, "pew pew", when he does it, like Krillin ?
@calebcarithers2059 6 жыл бұрын
Troommate no he yells final flash
@ghostfather1390 6 жыл бұрын
yeah, well My master is a shadow of his former self!! no, wait, that did not sound right ...
@paulcoy9060 6 жыл бұрын
That does give me a good idea, of learning martial arts from the Undead. Stunning Fist becomes Ghoul Fist, and the target is actually Paralyzed, not just Stunned. A Shadow can teach you to become incorporeal.
@inkblotCrisis 6 жыл бұрын
Commented on a previous video about making an Elven Monk who botched the wording of a life-debt and served a human family for generations before the entire line died down. It went surprisingly well, managed to roll decent enough stats for monk but I also had high charisma (16) so I kind of modeled him from Walter C Dornez from Hellsing with Intimidation and a Shadow Monk. I made it so he's 'rusty' from years serving as the family butler for 150+ years or so hence why he needs to relearn being a monk. Good day, which of you hooligans need a sound thrashing? (classy mf)
@LotoTheHero 6 жыл бұрын
Hellsing is awesome. :D Sounds like a fun character to play.
@creepinNinja413 6 жыл бұрын
I love him sessions must be a riot lol
@LegendaryWasabi 6 жыл бұрын
10/10 Sounds like a cool character to RP.
@loganreads90 6 жыл бұрын
inkblotCrisis I played an Elf monk with the Cloisterd Scholar background. He was essentally a Jedi/Dragon Ball character Hybrid.
@caramonmajere447 5 жыл бұрын
You can get some inspiration from the anime Overlord, too. I can't remember the butler's name, but he's a classy badass as well.
@Troommate 6 жыл бұрын
Levels of badass comparison- "3/10" throwing a lightning bolt at a dragon. *Wizard "5/10" Stabbing it with a sword in full plate. *fighter "7/10" yelling and naked hitting it with a great axe. *barbarian "10/10" walking up to a dragon and punching it in the face!!! *Monk
@calebcarithers2059 6 жыл бұрын
Troommate monk walks up to a beholder and punches it square in its main eye
@scottorocker 6 жыл бұрын
"11/10" insulting its mother *Bard
@nikosganadakis5218 6 жыл бұрын
Scotto Or rather; "11/10" Getting 4 other people to try and kill a dragon. *Bard
@JoeR-cd9jg 6 жыл бұрын
caleb carithers this happened in a game i dmed
@StrawberryLawlie 6 жыл бұрын
11/10 Seducing the dragon only to break it's heart and it's will to live *Bard
@ray53208 6 жыл бұрын
"It is said a Shaolin priest can walk through walls. Looked for, he cannot be seen. Listened for, he cannot be heard. Touched, he cannot be felt."
@Kat-qe1vk 6 жыл бұрын
Off type monk? Bugbear bartender/bouncer drunken monk. Her name is Paws and she was found as a cub by a disgraced Monk who took her, founded The Cuddly Bear Tavern and had her working as a bouncer the moment she could throw a proper punch. She's never left The Cuddly Bear, until a PC visiting the tavern skipped out on their tab and Paws was instructed to go find them and collect. She's a really fun lowish-intelligence character who's learning how to get out from her life of servitude and to recognize and cope with how abusive her upbringing actually was....While also being a fucking bear getting drunk and kicking ass in combat. Genuinely the best of both worlds RP wise, I love her
@wallpello_1534 5 жыл бұрын
I'm playing a bugbear monk right now. I was the monastery cook and fight with a big wok. I left to taste the foods of the world. So much fun
@NamesElliot 6 жыл бұрын
I always play monks as minion master, as soon as the DM says “roll initiative” I’m looking for something to fight that’s weak and doesn’t hit me that much, because you know, monk natural armour. Drunken Master monk’s redirect attack, paired with dodge as a bonus action, you can deal some decent enough damage every turn, and if nobody goes for you, your reaction can be used for whatever you want. You can make up to five unarmed strikes on different opponents, add the extra attack that you get at level five, and eventually you don’t even need weapons. Your unarmed strikes are magical, and eventually you can fucking ASTRAL PROJECTION.
@volkano985 6 жыл бұрын
Elliot Freeman you play monk very well grandmaster. Because each of a monks attacks is usually weak by itself the amount of attacks is what makes them powerful but if you can one tap a minion with one punch and you do that 5 times then thats at least 5 actions youve just saved your party from
@lordkira9791 6 жыл бұрын
"I'm talking people who were breaking stacks of brick with their heads. they're just normal people." *I look at my self...half Korean, half Japanese...5'4'', 115 lbs...I can't even lift a brick...what am I?*
@brosephnoonan223 6 жыл бұрын
A normal person who cant break a stack of bricks with theyre head.
@barrymcballs9031 4 жыл бұрын
Not a martial class, apparently.
@razzlebazzle420 3 жыл бұрын
A wizard, maybe?
@lunchbox042043 3 жыл бұрын
A shame bringer to your master.
@accountname8330 6 жыл бұрын
My grandpa sparred with Mohammad Ali in some training gym once decades before I was born. He said he'd never had a chance against the guy, he was so fast that Mohammad Ali kicked his ass before he even knew what was happening
@jsizzlesaurusrex 6 жыл бұрын
Wesley Hubbard my sensei kicked Muhammad Ali in the balls once. When asked what he was thinking, he explained that he wasn't interested in fighting Muhammad Ali.
@SemiOmni314 6 жыл бұрын
Neat
@zylgp 6 жыл бұрын
Monks are my favourite class to play; who doesn't love walking up to big ass dragons and devils and beating them to death with your bare hands?
@johnathoncrines3198 6 жыл бұрын
Also just in terms of technology alone DnD takes place in the late medieval-early renaissance. Plate armor is a high end but professional standard of protection. Shields are used but the pole arm formations that define renaissance warfare are already well on their way to being developed. Rapiers (a staple renaissance weapon, not a medieval one) and even early (read really shitty) firearms are rare but not wholly unavailable, again very renaissance. The wizard archetype as an arcane scholar conceptually is based in renaissance fascination with magic and the occult. Ditto with the concept of the warlock. The conceptualization of a malign spellcaster is hardly new. The caster who sold his soul to a devil for contractual powers, is in fact a renaissance conceptualization of the with to a t.
@michaelperry1104 6 жыл бұрын
Dude, Pruitt, the TNG reference of the fight at Tenagra. Fantastic reference sir.
@toshomni9478 6 жыл бұрын
I think that one of the first, if not the first, major expansion of D&D that Gary Gygax did back in the day was Oriental Adventures. Monks have been there nearly since the beginning. Mark Hulmes of High Rollers fame recently put up a variant of the Way of the Elements subclass for monks on the Dungeon Master's Guild which allows you to do cool martial arts moves instead of spells for each element that I like a lot.
@YaoBao1 6 жыл бұрын
Tosh Omni Thanks for sharing the bit about Mark Hulmes' variation of the Four Elements Monk! I am currently playing around with a concept, and while I have some clear ideas already, it would certainly be interesting to have more inspiration!
@loganreads90 6 жыл бұрын
Tosh Omni Like Xiaolin Showdown in the beginning?
@RANDOMASIANGUY1 6 жыл бұрын
So what I learned is that Mohammed ali is more a monk than a fighter
@Bluecho4 6 жыл бұрын
On a different point, I came up with an idea for a Monk that is more like an ancient Greek fighter. They come from an academy, where Philosophers study the natural world. Here, natural philosophers (Wizards) stand side by side with philosophers of the body (Monks), trading ideas and trying to achieve Platonic ideals of themselves. Some of these guys work with the four elements, creating Evoker Wizards and Four Elements Monks. Other times, they try to peel back the layers of matter, in order to gaze upon and manipulate Spirit, the fifth essence. These guys see the material world of mundane senses as merely shadows of more rarified and perfect Platonic forms, which cast these shadows from the light cast by the Source. And so you have these Monks that are basically Sun Souls, because they work with the pure light of creation, which is tied to the Spirit. The sun in their souls, if you will. So you'd have this pugilist and athlete, punching and grappling and shooting light everywhere.
@147CT 5 жыл бұрын
It is a very Socratic thought that one's mind can only be as sharp as his body. I guess that explains why Greek philosophers lived so damn long.
@denisarabinka3508 3 жыл бұрын
That's cool as hell and very original,one of the best DnD ideas i've seen,good job
@Rautakello 6 жыл бұрын
I had this idea for a monk character. I've always loved that image of Fuujin and Raijin in traditional japanese art as well as the buddhist temple guardian style statues. These giant, imposing forms. I thought about maybe a goliath monk who is destined to become one of these gatekeepers for some giant monastery and he has to go out into the world to experience it before coming back and assuming the duty of a guardian. Maybe even have the character literally become an embodiment of a fuujin (wind god) or a raijin (lightning god) by transforming into a cloud or storm giant, mirrored by a rival/brother-in-arms who'd go the opposite route. This idea has always been super cool for me, because the idea of an actual giant doing monk shit and amping it up is super cool to me. Lots of earthshattering stomps and heeldrops.
@SirSolomonAriel 6 жыл бұрын
my monk I have in a game is literally becoming raijin albeit with a lion motive added towards it.
@andrewwestfall65 6 жыл бұрын
I have a character monk I'm really excited to play. He's a bugbear that had some birth defects (short misshapen hind legs with extra long arms making him knuckle walk) and abandoned, picked up by a ranger thinking he was a dog that was experimented on by the nearby wizard. The ranger raises him as a dog familiar for a while before finding out he's a weird looking bugbear. His style is either him expanding on his natural style or trying to emulate the weapon techniques and spells the ranger used.
@mattyD92992 6 жыл бұрын
The setting we homebrewed has a country based on Ancient Greece, and the monk from there was trained in Greek Wrestling. He was all about grapples and holds. He was awesome.
@proffesornugget1613 2 жыл бұрын
What Stats did you use for that
@Bluecho4 6 жыл бұрын
The idea of an alchemical Monk is amazing, I love it. Had an idea for something like that, but with a Wizard. Monk, though, is amazing. Don't feel limited by just Western Alchemy, awesome though it may be. Chinese, Arabic, and Indian Alchemy also have long histories. I can imagine a Chinese style DnD empire, where the Emperor is guarded by an order of scholar alchemist Monks. Rather than being isolated hermits, these guys are part of the imperial court. Keep in mind, also, that there is both "Internal" and "External" Alchemy. External is what you normally think of, with the beakers and the solvents and the alembics and such, working through external materials. Internal, meanwhile, involves a lot of body work, breathing exercises, working with chi charts and chakra points. All to work towards using methods to change the body internally. I can easily imagine Monks who use one, or the other, or even both. Putting all this together, I'm imagining a whole DnD world where many Monks are also Alchemists. Employing different styles and techniques, and various combinations of Internal and External methods. Perfecting their bodies, minds, and souls. An inter-monastery rivalry might break out between a Chinese-style high alchemist, a half-mad Arabic style alchemist, and a European style alchemist. It's amazing the sort of stuff you could do with this concept.
@Bundalings 6 жыл бұрын
Playing a Kensei monk who used to be a circus acrobat. Learned how to use a whip and bow for tricks and animal training. Also the circus was a front for thievery so he likes to steal things. He's fun!
@brosephnoonan223 6 жыл бұрын
What an inspired, off type monk. Good job!
@gypsywolf9145 6 жыл бұрын
I made a halfling kensai monk who learned from an old monk who was a gambler and a fence. He had him practice in the fighting pits and would bet on him for coin. The halfling wielded a battleaxe and had a pack of steel throwing cards (reflavoured darts).
@sadist1k 5 жыл бұрын
Jim Davis is just so warm and welcoming. I haven't ever had to chance to really dive into a D&D campaign, but I can honestly say it'd be a pleasure with someone like him! Awesome outlook on a class that I'm low-key interested in one day exploring.
@xtcfucker 6 жыл бұрын
If what you say is true, the Shaolin and the Wu-Tang could be dangerous...!
@mbc7845 6 жыл бұрын
Han Yolo Do you think your Wu-Tang sword can defeat me !?
@inkblotCrisis 6 жыл бұрын
Well it IS true that Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuttin ta Fuck Wit
@TALE727 6 жыл бұрын
omg I didn't expect to see this here
@TALE727 6 жыл бұрын
the dnd community is so dope
@mariehughes835 6 жыл бұрын
Wu-Tang is for the childrens.
@b_olson542 5 жыл бұрын
Guys, this video is pure gold. Solid gold. I have been struggling with developing my monk character for a while. You have given me a lot to work with. As you can tell, I am a grateful noob. I am now a mega fan of you guys and your videos.
@alexmallory1213 6 жыл бұрын
I loved the introduction to this monk video. Talking about the possible conflicts with the class was a good way to start because it allowed me to focus on all the amazing aspects of the monk player.
@MangoTurtlenova 5 жыл бұрын
My friend is starting his first ever game and I've decided to go with a Goliath Kensei Monk with a few levels in forge cleric, basically a mountain dwelling blacksmith who masters the weapons he creates
@whensomethingcriesagain 3 жыл бұрын
I actually would be really interested in making a more friar themed subclass for the monk, make it more scholarly and religious themed alongside the martial prowess
@SamuraiCypher 6 ай бұрын
I love the direction 5e went with Fighters and Monks in the diversity category, especially Monk. I’m a 3rd/3.5 head but I’m about to start a Level 1 5e Monk on Sunday and I am excited.
@rsl5067 6 жыл бұрын
Had to pause after Pruitt's opening question to point out just how good it was at being an opening question. A universal curiosity that cut straight through the heart of the matter.
@SuperMcmonster 6 жыл бұрын
I had a monk named Azrael. He was an assimar. His backstory was that he was left at the monastery afflicted with a flesh eating disease. He wasn’t expected to survive long, well he did and became one of the monks. Well turns out the monks studied the Way of Long Death. The monastery took care of the sick and dying all while studying death. So Azrael left to help out others ( also because the angels were getting real naggy) Azrael was a traveling doctor and if you crossed his moral line in the sand, well he knows how to hurt you real bad. All the while dressed in entirely wrapped because of his childhood disease. This character was based off of King Baldwin the 6th.
@tacticianmark8942 6 жыл бұрын
Can we all just take a moment to realize how fucking terrifying monk pirates would be?
@timothykrzywonski 6 жыл бұрын
Definitely my favorite episode in the "how to RP classes" series
@LordMarkan 6 жыл бұрын
I wanna play a monk that's just a sailor that's had the shit beaten out of him more times than he can count, and dished it out just as many times, and instead of spending ki every time, he takes swigs off of a flask of something.
@orangemarmaladesky 5 жыл бұрын
Cans of spinach?
@timothye.2902 4 жыл бұрын
drunken master my man
@mikegould6590 6 жыл бұрын
I said it before. I’ll say it again. Kenku Monk who provides his own poor over-dub. Go Five Elements and conquer flight. It also allows for that video game ranged attack. I love it. It WILL happen.
@Nir7r0us0xide 6 жыл бұрын
I am 100% stealing your alchemical monk idea.
@EviscerVIII 6 жыл бұрын
Bryce Grant I’m tempted to do the same.
@Nir7r0us0xide 6 жыл бұрын
EviscerVIII Do it. I'm already making an order of monks based on this idea, with inspiration from The Witcher franchise and the super soldier program from Marvel Comics
@scpowell69 6 жыл бұрын
Concept of the envoy warrior from the Netflix OG show Altered Carbon is an awesome idea for reskinning and rp-in a monk.
@calebjtv 6 жыл бұрын
As an avid monk player, I love this video. Y'all are by far my most favorite DM channel on youtube. Please keep on keeping on, I love you guys!
@abouttime837 6 жыл бұрын
Kingkiller’s Tempi is a great DnD character. a Kvothe might have place as a PC but the NPCs are fun for inspiration
@tannerharmon2325 6 жыл бұрын
A T Those books are incredibley underrated as dnd inspiration.
@AGrumpyPanda 6 жыл бұрын
I certainly sympathise with monks being weird to fit in earlier editions, my problem was always the connotation of the far-east martial arts that naturally came with it that was awkward to fit into the world, but the bigger problem was how their abilities worked in Pathfinder. You got a whole bunch of abilities that, if they were part of the other classes would have mostly been described as magic, but the book explicitly calls out as not being magic. Eventually I got around this when the Unchained monk came around, as well as a couple other supplements, and I was able to reconcile it in my own homebrew setting as it being another form of magic that comes from discipline and focus, the same way a Paladin does it just focused on order and discipline instead of good. 5e then made it much easier by throwing the kung-fu movie nonsense out of the way a bit and going full ham with the elemental and shadow monks, and those guys I've got no problem with at all.
@Lumpyrox1412 6 жыл бұрын
In my campaign setting, monks are flavoured as hamon fighters are in the first JoJo's Bizarre Adventures. They are like solitary beings that learn to master their bodies and as a consequence can do superhuman feats.
@C2daORRUPT 6 жыл бұрын
Lumpyrox posting with my fellow rock lee fan
@matthewmitchell9491 6 жыл бұрын
Lumpyrox Every big bad in your game is the same guy coming back from "Death"
@OfDaSouth 5 жыл бұрын
I'm playing an entirely naruto inspired monk/rogue, good to see another Rock Lee fan down here!
@victoria4987 4 жыл бұрын
I'm playing an astral self monk which basically has a stand that he unlocked by the sheer spirit of vengeance
@GrassPokeKing 3 жыл бұрын
OfDaSouth Because Rock Lee had such an iconic scene, I like the idea of my monk wearing medium armor most of the time, unless he needs the higher AC, in which he just rips it off and it makes the big BOOM like Lee's weights (maybe not as big as that lmao) and all of a sudden he's fighting a lot better and thus, scarier lol
@Curran_Kleen_Brown 6 жыл бұрын
This video has really pushed me to play a monk. I've been on the edge for a while, but this has changed me! Thanks guys for the awesome content!
@calebburns5715 6 жыл бұрын
I don't leave comments often but I have to say this one really sold me on the idea of a hobgoblin master for the monk in the game I DM to end up running into
@brosephnoonan223 6 жыл бұрын
Caleb Burns Hobgoblin's are born Kensei's and samurai. The martial philosophy that promotes excellence and discipline would make them an ideal (if not harsh) mentor to anyone looking to learn how to truly master a sword.
@hank9112 6 жыл бұрын
Man everything you said about the monk is so spot on. Thank you for making this video!!! I love playing monks in dungeons and dragons because their so many different concepts you can use to apply to a monk that just get me excited compared to other classes in DnD.
@ZYR47 6 жыл бұрын
Alchemcial Monk sounds great for an alternate powersource or philosophy for Sun Soul. As you grow you create different reactions with your soul, going from bursts of fire to shaped light. Ending in their final ability, the ability to actually glow gold at will. To choose to bear your perfect soul in the form of its light and dare I say, radiation in the form of damage to others. Could go to both ends with it, purely how the monk looks at it philosophically, or actually mix in some sci-fi undertones of what you have actually mutated your body into.
@marcoghiotti7153 6 жыл бұрын
"House of Flying Daggers", "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon": 2 movies where the "monk" goes to the next level.
@thecuter0 6 жыл бұрын
I like the martial art of hit hard monk. Every attack roll is added up into a single punch as far as flavor, mechanically it's the same but use the abilities to push enemies around with a single punch.
@TomBombadil168 6 жыл бұрын
More than any other class, I'm excited for new monk subclasses
@undead9999 Ай бұрын
Monk main and shaolin kung fu practitioner here. I loved every minute of this. Thank you, guys
@ironman21389 6 жыл бұрын
I've been waiting for this episode since you guys announced this video series. I was far from disappointed. Your best video yet!
@tealcookies8967 6 жыл бұрын
Just want to say that you guys are wonderful. These are videos that truly make me love dnd without it feeling controversial or trivial. Whenever I get down or anxious as a dm or player, I come here. You guys rock ^^
@BIZEB 3 жыл бұрын
I think this is the only video on youtube that expands on how to roleplay monastic traditions. The books give so little background on what they could be, specially stuff like Way of Shadow that links them to Shar, making it very difficult to integrate in certain campaigns. This is great content.
@Venomm12 6 жыл бұрын
We have a player in our group that re-skinned the monk as a Luchador that is a grappler. He has cart that has: a folding table, a folding chair, quarterstaves (2x4s), and we got him a magic item that can be best described as Daern's Instant Wrestling Ring.
@lghtngfan 4 жыл бұрын
The breakout conversation about RPing through a fight was brilliant. Maybe you should revisit that conversation for a full video.
@sigmaphidelta8 6 жыл бұрын
Awesome video guys. I'm glad Pruitt has converted you to the uberness of the monk Jim.
@chrisanderson6950 6 жыл бұрын
Last monk I played was an elf who had been raised by a group of dwarf battle ragers... she was a kensai fighting with axes, but the fighting style was effectively pub fighting, because that's what her "Fathers" has taught her... she was a lot of fun to play
@Nurk0m0rath 6 жыл бұрын
At that mention of dragon style, I got a new idea for a Drunken Dragon Monk who takes the drunkard archetype and uses either a torch or a candle to light his breath. Honestly though there is a dragon kung fu style, but it's really more of a lizard-y thing than a fantasy dragon; it's all about approaching diagonally and never striking head-on.
@thomasl9145 6 жыл бұрын
Big respects for mentioning Brotherhood of the Wolf! What a great D&D movie it is, so inspirational. :)
@FuuuNase 6 жыл бұрын
The funny thing about Jim Davis idea about the monk and alchemy is... it already exists as chinese folklore and the recent fantasy category called wuxia is exactly that. The monk equivalent in Wuxia train their body and use alchemic pills to strenghten their body, accelerate their training or even gaining special powers trough it. They cultivate their bodies and powers. The whole alchemic and enchanting concept is built on it. Also they travel on large flying swords. It is a great inspiration for a monk type that is more than just hitting stuff.
@ItsBEASTLYtime 5 жыл бұрын
For anyone curious, I think the flurry of blows Pruitt referenced is in the last 40 seconds of round three of The Thrilla in Manila. I left a time stamp in the comments of the fight
@tobiasroberts9283 6 жыл бұрын
I had an against type shadow monk who was a Firbolg. He was an urchin who was kicked from a monastery for being too violent. He fought with an intent to kill, hit hard, and wasn't worried to look bad or to hurt someone. His one exception was no kids. He'd curb stomp someone who messed with kids.
@mordiveer5957 6 жыл бұрын
This is one of my favourite series on youtube, im always excited to see an upload!
@Pfeifenkraut 6 жыл бұрын
MASTER Davis and GRANDMASTER Pruitt
@ddubmomo 5 ай бұрын
My favorite thing about monk will always be that some horrifying creature whom legends undersold how powerful they really are can approach with a “haha gonna really enjoy this TPK” type of strut, the monk will look up and think to themselves, “…Imma punch it”
@ymblester5630 6 жыл бұрын
I recently played a Street Urchin Monk who was a literal hobo with his high Wis played up by just saying Crazy Homeless Guy Stuff. His name was Pigeon Eater Charles, and his low CHA was played up by being odd, smelly, and fond of standing far too close. Also eating actual raw pigeons.
@ThisNameIsBanned 6 жыл бұрын
Sounds like your every day good neighborhood monk.
@ymblester5630 6 жыл бұрын
Yeah. It was a pretty grand send up of Player Characters as a whole, but he really came into his own.
@O5AXD 5 жыл бұрын
I just created hobo monk who was an urchin but was taken into hobo monastery and learned the way of hobo monks. My gm agreed to have improvised weapons as monk weapons and honestly I can't wait to play a monk that is hitting enemies with bricks
@Heimdal001 4 жыл бұрын
@@O5AXD Honestly, I feel as though improvised weapons should have always been considered monk weapons as default part of the class. Most monk weapons ARE improvised weapons. Nunchaku, sickle, spade, wooden bench (it's an actual kung fu weapon!), and the list can keep going... none of these were invented to be weapons. I played a bar brawler (monk) who used beer bottles and steins as their "monk weapons"... Until they found a magical frying pan, and a magical beer stein, which neither were enchanted in a combat way, but they technically had two magic weapons to swap between!
@elfbait3774 6 жыл бұрын
I have always had trouble with monks but the one time I had a player insist on playing one, i really enjoyed it. The character was a half-orc foundling, left on the door step of a monastery. Taken in by the monks, he was forbidden to learn their art but the kind master saw potential in the young half-orc and made sure that his daily chores either emulated the training of the order or positioned him near enough to lessons that he could benefit from them himself. One night he was tricked into taking the final test for the order in full view of several of the order's masters. It was undeniable that this half-breed orphan was not only fit to be part of the order but had excelled in adversity and humility.
@Sasukefan1230 6 жыл бұрын
I played a monk in my last game as a player who was a former pro wrestler and his combat style was his old in ring move-set. It was actually more fun to role-play his combat descriptions than social situations. Elbow drops, leg drops, DDTs, spinning back kicks and some even more ridiculous stuff it was great.
@Blaze-ku6gf 5 жыл бұрын
I think my favorite example of a Monk is a character named Regal Bryant from Tales of Symphonia. He was a president of a large-scale company nestled in an island resort but ended up being this extremely powerful hand-to-hand fighter. It broadens the mind to what a Monk can be and what circumstances put them on the path that they walk.
@swordmonkey6635 4 жыл бұрын
Concerning your monk kit you mentioned at the end of your podcast: Religious Taoism has set of beliefs known as "Inner Alchemy" and "Outer Alchemy". Both are used to purify the body for longer life with the final goal of attaining immortality. Outer Alchemy uses external materials to create a "pill of immortality" that when ingested, will reward immortality. This is done by using toxic or base materials that when ingested, will be transformed into "pure cinnabar" by an advanced Taoist using advanced techniques to transmute the substance. Inner Alchemy basically makes the human body into a "furnace" used to purify substances and create, internally, the pill of immortality. It's believed that cinnabar can be produced in the "cinnabar fields" within the body through transmutation by way of esoteric exercises, strict diet and controlled sexually activity. "Inner Taoism" is all about transmutation of base materials and alchemical study in order to prolong life and attain immortality. Some of the practices involve Tai Chi, what's known as Taoist Yoga (sex), diet, meditation, exercise and breathing exercises. Martial arts can be a part of this discipline (as in Tai Chi's martial form or more broadly: the wudang or "wu tang" style of wushu). Practitioners of Inner Taoism were often hermits or highly respected Taoist monks or priests. Living either secluded lives in pursuit of their goal of immortality or living within a Taoist monastery. Chinese nobles and emperors often hired Taoist Alchemists to create pills of immortality for them... with often fatal results. It's fantastically said that a Taoist Alchemist could transform iron into gold with ease, but considered that only a step toward the more important goal of immortality. In the West, Alchemy was about transmuting iron into gold. In the East, it's about transmuting key base materials into immortality. Don't try this at home kids.
@ImADogRuff 6 жыл бұрын
That dragon style immediately made me think of a torch dancer shadow monk that rocks a tiki mask type thing, so he sneaks in to wherever then explodes into view, throws some fire bombs/breathes flames, gets some hits in, then disappears as the last thing you see is the mask.
@the_rose_garden01 6 жыл бұрын
I once made a Drow Elf Shadow Monk and reflavored it as a Dhampir, with the Martial Arts as his enhanced strength and agility. Monk works so well for any character concept that works with you having superhuman physical abilities.
@JordanHayesRule 6 жыл бұрын
I've been SO EXITED to see you guys revisit Monks, it was well worth the wait. Love you guys, keep up the good work ♡
@CaptainOrlax 6 жыл бұрын
Whenever someone mentions grappler monks I remember the story somewhere around the internet about Los Tiburon, Shark of the Land, Masked Wrestler. THAT is how I want monks to be played forever.
@azmendozafamily 3 жыл бұрын
5:50 Every one of these videos boiled down to the line "you're the DM, come up with a reason."
@HoundofOdin 6 жыл бұрын
My first and favorite character I have ever made in D&D was a full blooded Orc monk named Stephen. He didn't have a great Int or Wisdom score, so he was basically a big green Goku with a cockney accent. He was only good at fighting, eating lots of food, and feats of endurance. Toward the end of our campaign, he got in a headbutting competition with Gruumsh and won. Orc + Monk = awesome.
@Atm_0s 6 жыл бұрын
Excellent inspiration, looking forward to your thoughts on the sorcerer! I'm about to play a divine soul charismatic tiefling so I'm excited.
@RPGManoWar 6 жыл бұрын
A homebrew rule I made for my game is that I allow Monks to use their STR instead of their DEX for all their class features, including unarmored defense. I found that this really opened up the monk class and made it more mechanically viable and fun to play off-type Monks. So instead of being super lithe, they can be musclebound strong-arms like from Jojo's Bizzare Adventure and not be so much worse then DEX monks.
@arielarnau3413 6 жыл бұрын
Glad you mentioned Brotherhood of the Wolf.
@arielarnau3413 6 жыл бұрын
Perfect Ravenloft movie.
@davidclifford7408 6 жыл бұрын
The western alchemist monk you described is basically the premise of Doc Savage, and that's great!
@trentongarza7567 6 жыл бұрын
What’s up my fellow Texans! I love y’all’s content. Please don’t stop.
@bioberserkrgaming 5 жыл бұрын
That one over there? That guy is just... a guy. Beautifully spoken
@RexYoung206 3 ай бұрын
I briefly played a pre-made anime-styled halfling monk, and had a great time. I would enjoy playing another one. Perhaps a halfling child sent to (or left on the doorstep) of a temple, who grows up under the tough but kind schooling of the temple masters, learning how to be both a skilled combatant, and also a humble servant of the people. After graduating from the temple, he leaves to explore the world, and serve & defend others in need. His actions are his only sermon. Perhaps he eventually falls in with a halfling shire somewhere, whose sheriff decides he'd make a good (and cheap) deputy. And now he slowly patrols the perimeter of their shire, keeping the locals safe from the edge of the wilderness. Busting up roving bandits, and warning villagers of forest fires, trolls & hill giants. ALTERNATIVELY: A luchador-themed monk! They often come from extended wrestling families who form their own stables. Kind of like the varieties of classic kung fu schools, which can frequently have competitive rivalries, sometimes having all-out blood feuds. Luchadors monks may have clan rivalries, though perhaps they try to save it for the ring. Perhaps the local town has 2 or 3 family-run public gyms, and their luchadors battle in the ring of city-run downtown venue. Their demeanor in battle (in and out of the ring) may be hyper aggressive, or outlandish (crazy, bestial, etc.). They tend to act with over the top showmanship, when they can. And short-stature characters are heartily welcomed to the glory of the luchador world. "NA-CHOOOOO!!!!!" 😃
@goldflame3390 6 жыл бұрын
I once showed up with Thelonius “The Fist” The Monk (“the fist” is his title, The is his middle name, and monk last) who accidentally got very drunk during his first quality assurance shift at his brewing monastery and got kicked out. After that, he was shocked by the unfair class structure in mainstream society and thus became a communist revolutionary. His signature weapons were hammer and sickle. Eventually, the party will make it to the southern part of the continent where he sparked his uprising and took over a jungle nation to create his utopia
@ArBee123 6 жыл бұрын
Brotherhood of the Wolf is an amazing film. The dubed version is so good I didnt realise it was dubed the first time I watched it
@mr.incorporeal7642 6 жыл бұрын
One fun twist I've been playing around with for Monks in the setting I've been working on: Chi/Ki/Qi/etc. is the inherent energy/force of both the body and the mind. Therefore both Monks and Psions draw their power from the same source of internal energy/force, they simply have different methods of tapping into it and converting that internal energy/force into external energy/force. It really helps play up the non-physical aspects of being a monk like meditation and philosophy. That monk isn't just meditating to be all calm and serene, they're literally channeling psionic energy into their body and converting it into potential physical energy. I've also played around with getting really weird and fantastical with the sorts of things monks can potentially do. For instance, one martial arts style centers around detaching the mind and therefore the body from certain physical constraints of spacial reality such as "an object can only exist in one place at one time" and "no two objects can occupy the same space simultaneously". *To put it simply: Practitioners of this technique can make parts of their body occupy multiple positions in space simultaneously.* Their flurry of blows isn't just hitting something in rapid succession, they literally hit something with several different strikes simultaneously using only one fist. They are so hard to knock over because they are literally always in a Horse Stance, even while they're kicking from a Cat Stance. So on and so forth.
@brosephnoonan223 6 жыл бұрын
Adam Stansbury Ita not so much a fun twist as it is an elaboration on what was introduced in 4th edition.
@mr.incorporeal7642 6 жыл бұрын
Is it? Huh, it looks like you're right. Guess I had gotten out of 4e by the time they released monks and psionics. That's neat.
@EJFreelancer 4 жыл бұрын
In my current game I play a Sun Soul monk who happens to be an Aasimar. He learns his martial arts Intersect-Style from his celestial ancestor, and until last session had no idea he wasn’t just a human who knew how to punch stuff good. His Ki and Ki-related abilities are basically an extension of his celestial bloodline and it’s really fun to play with that.
@thereallibs7746 6 жыл бұрын
I love how Jim threw that Hermetics in near the end. I've been coming up with a character like that myself for weeks now. Trying to add Hermetics and the study of western alchemy into his main story and what makes him, him. I'm a brand new player in DnD and this channel has definitely made the game less intimidating for me. Thank you guys for the great content and keep up the awesome work!
@Wesley76515 3 жыл бұрын
I made a Monk character that was left at the doorstep of an old monastery high in the mountains and began adventuring in a way to see the world outside his home, as well as find the one who destroyed it.
@GS-mu7zj 5 жыл бұрын
I think medieval is a stage of technology rather than a time period in a D&D campaign. Another great vid, wish I would’ve found this channel sooner.
@jgjonola 6 жыл бұрын
As soon as he said, every now and then you have to have a darmok and jalad at tenagra, i subscribed. Nice!
@liltortillatree 6 жыл бұрын
John Gjonola that was a great reference it made me subscribe too!
@coureurdesbois6754 5 жыл бұрын
Jaghathai, my monk, is a ju-jitsu expert who was orphaned and taken care of by a monastery who's master is a Gitzerai, so he was induced in the unbroken cirlce of zerthimon. He studyed the equivalent of judo from a young age and is really good at grappling, but he had to flee his monastery when it was attacked by githyankes and lived as a hermit ever since. He's good at cooking and herbalism and so he travels the world to learn martial arts and recipes from all over the world, searching for rare meats and spices to cook fine dishes with. He started out as a pacifist but he was stabbed several times during his first fistfight and it sortof made his ideals clash with the reality of the cruel world of men, so he has issues to cope with violence and turns to his herbs to forget his savage natureand drown it in numbness. He also has to come with terms with himself being an orphan and with a lack of discipline from his temple, he had to resort to unhorable means of survival. I have a hard time RPing him, but I want to thank you for this video, which gave me many ideas on his character.
@the_rose_garden01 6 жыл бұрын
Bruh, my Kung Fu instructor once hit me on the neck super fast and knocked me out for a solid five minutes. He would move and leave an afterimage like it was Dragonball. Oh man, I love martial arts