*How* *Good* *Are* *Monks* *Actually?* - Full breakdown out now! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/d6eijNuL1aitonk.html Shout out to Pack Tactics, who has a great video on the Gun Monk if you want to dive deeper into this idea, and to MonkeyDM, who's bard video inspired me to shout out my 2nd favourite Monk trick! Best monk trick is in the main video, link above!

Ah, yes, the ancient arts of "Gun Karate".

I feel like you just called me out with the Monk "gun-fu" at the end

Notably this does nutty things in settings with unique or custom items. Antimatter rifle comes to mind.

I fancy more the battleaxe-swinging, half-naked dwarf that suddenly start to jump and move around like fricking Yoda.

"I know Gun Fu."

Clearly if I'm playing as a Monk with guns, I'm imagining equilibrium.

Artificer: here monk, have my gun.... Have my power armor as well!

Alot of what he talks about are ether optional or custom rules always check with your dm first

Monk: “I know Gun Fu.” Morpheus : “Show me.”

My next monk is going to be a Cleric of the Tetragrammaton. Love the Equilibrium clip.

I actually homebrewed a Monk Subclass called Way of the Gun. They were able to use guns/crossbows at both melee and range, use their ki to generate bullets/bolts, walk on air for a limited amount of time, and stop time once per long rest. Basically, you're Keanu Reeves.

The end is a joke but that's literally what I've done with my thri-kreen monk.

The feature doesn't really address the inherent issue, Monks are, "peaked in high school" the class. Monk's basically hit their combat zenith at level 5 and then drop off rapidly past level 10. A lack of damage boosting class abilities, useful feats, and magic weapons means that Monk scale poorly past level 5 compared to other martials.

"You call using a gun a martial art?" "Hey, if it works..."

If anything, I think this video showcases the exception that proves the rule. And that rule, as I see it, is this: If a class needs (not 'wants', but 'needs') to make use of optional rules in order to make it mechanically viable, compared to other classes, then that means (to me, at least) that the class wasn't mechanically designed very well to begin with. While it seems kind of obvious for me to mention this in the first place, the issue here is that not all DM's allow for certain optional rules within their games... In some rare cases, I've known of some DM's that don't allow for optional rules (within their game) at all, to include the banning of multiclassing and feats. And the fact that the 5E design team chooses to include optional rules (because it's easier on their time constraints, I imagine), rather than redesign the class from the ground-up, is rather telling of how they view certain mechanics, relative to one another. Anyways, that's my 2 cents on the matter, FWIW.

I always use a quarterstaff for my monks: d8+dex damage if you wield it with two hands and you can hit with unarmed strikes anyway.

For my friend’s one shot I got variant human and got “Fighting Initiate” for unarmed fighting. Since it was a level two one-shot, I added two levels in monk and became a punching machine with TWICE the supposed damage. (And I can hit twice) (and again with ki)

Ah equilibrium that takes me back

Monk deals physical, gun deals physical. Checks out

So fun fact: Gun-wielding Monks have ABSOLUTELY been a thing in real life XD Look up the Saika Ikki and the battle of Ishiyama Hongan-ji. They were basically an entire company of Warrior Monk Musketeers.

So what your saying is Equilibrium is actually a D&D property turned movie. I can dig it.

Kensai Monk w/ Mobile Feat that wields a Longsword is a lot of fun. It definitely gave it a Highlanders type feel. (Though I do wish the Agile Parry feature was reworded because you can't really attack with your weapon, the whole purpose of the subclass, until 5th level.)

One important distinction to make with a Kensei weapon is that Dedicated weapon is specific to a single weapon, not a type of weapon. This means that if you wield rapiers (because you are somehow proficient with those and have the Dual Wielder feat), only one of the rapiers can be a monk weapon. Kensei weapons are types of weapons so picking rapier as a Kensei weapon turns all rapiers into monk weapons for you.

i cant find where it says elves can be proficient with any weapon

"I know gun-fu."

Man I've got to watch Equilibrium again.

Love that you added an Adorea clip! They always manage to make visually interesting, yet historically accurate fights.

Monk has this pretty good cheese starting at level one. They can two hand a quarter staff make an attack then swap to one hand it as a free action by using their free action and make an unarmed strike with off hand for d8+d4+dex+dex every round without using resources

A yes, the monk, master of gunfu

Finally, dex-based longswords, just as it should be

Just as a note, I really like how you used a clip from Adorea Olomouc - they do really good fight scenes.

Puts plunger on monks bald head Monk - pulls out a shotgun.

If you include the DM's Guide, which most people don't, it's 2d10 piercing from the Hunting Rifle. In the Ta;'dorei campaign setting, it's Percy's signature Bad News at 2d12 piercing. However, official material excluding DMG, longswords, battle axes and war hammers with their d10 + dex mod are the highest. In real life, people also use Dexterity as their longsword modifier.

It's hidden because not many people have actually PLAYED a monk since tashas came out, and I don't blame them lol. Also it's an optional feature and DMs have to give the okay.

I know it isn't too good until level 11 or so, but Whips are also really good monk weapons to have as they have reach.

Already thought of this trying to make Samuri Jack in 5e years ago. Torn between using a High elf or multi-classing with fighter

Be me: Playing a Str monk; With multi classing into fighter; 6 monk (open hand) 3 fighter (brute); Take the unarmed fighting style, make your 1d4 unarmed into a 1d8; Take tavern brawler and grappler feats; Proceed to immobilize and choke to death everything your DM tosses at you; Sometimes pick up Goblins and use them as improvised weapons. Good days, indeed!

I'm actually playing a gun wielding monk in the campaign I'm playing now, thanks to the gunner feat XD

One of the most terrifying recurrent npcs form my shared multiverse is a 18 level immortal monk with vorpal sword.

“I have come to defeat you with the magic of friendship, AND this gun I found!”

Flavour text for a gun based monk, have your gauntlets be the Sedgley Glove Guns, as seen in Tarantinos 'Inglorious Basterds'. Everytime you punch someone, your gloves cycle a bullet and fire it. Could even take an Artificer dip of 2 levels for Infusions, and throw repeating shot on them, never needing to reload them. Also, for the people complaining about Monks using weapons, The Shaolin would LOVE a word with you with their weapon training that varies from fists and staves to swords, axes, glaives and halberds. This isnt unrealistic, and if anything, you should be bitching about the spellcaster builds that are able to use martial weapons and armour, and better than martial classes in a LOT of cases.

Love the random pathfinder image in this

I would be lying if I said I haven't made a gun-monk

Many people simply do not allow that *Optional* feature though as it basically makes the Kensei Subclass entirely invalid. And I agree with that decision, as giving the base class the same features as one of their subclasses is stupid.

Oh yeah Gunks rule

"BEHOLD THE HOLY GRENADE" ~ a Lvl 2 monk

And for his neutral special, he wields a gun.

"A Monk feature a lot of people miss" *points out a new feature in a recently released book you have to buy*

“Highest dex based melee weapon in the game” shadow blade would like to have a word with you.

Longsword monk is how I built my samurai charecter from one of my campaigns just change the names and it works

"Be warned lich, I know gun-fu"

Gunk moment

monk with a gun? ho you mean GUNK

"Come now young one, I shall teach you the ancient arts of the glock"

I played in a short cyberpunk style game as a gun monk named Steven Seagull, who was all about the "way of the gun"

Kinda tires me that a lot of very class specific rules/mechanics are just "do whatever you want actually", class restrictions are fun and if a player just wanted to have a weapon as a monk and ignore the rules, i would just let them It feels like wizards treats dnd as a video game, where the rules would be actually unbreakable

The updated Trance ability of Elves opens a lot of doors. Elven Monks can get easy access to guns. Elven Rogues can use their Reliable Talent to be skilled in any set of tools as they need them. Prepare poisons in their downtime. Be skilled with Masonry when exploring a dungeon. Impersonating a Bard with instruments. Elven Artificers can make any sort of magic items by having the right proficiencies.

And for his neutral special, he wields a gun

I mean how else are you going to get a shot through ~insert insane shot~.

A house rule my group has used for a while is that monks who take the tavern brawler feat bump up their unarmed strikes by a die level. So d4 becomes d6, d6 becomes d8, and so on.

I'm going to make my DM despise me with this, thanks man!!! 😂😂😂

Another funny thing you can potentially do with monks is strap a talisman of pure good or ultimate evil to a glove and do 6d6 or 8d6 to anyone with a different alignment then you.

Use a spear, use 2 hands for d8 slashing damage comparable to the usual quarterstaff, but then also be able to throw the fucker to finish an enemy.

Respect for including a clip of the "Adorea longsword fight duel" video!

I think it’s also important to remember “Kensei” monk, which also grants you this ability at level 3

A "Way of the Bullet" monk sounds like a seriously cool and fun homebrew subclass 😂

Yes!!! I love using longbows because of their range. Now I can have an archer monk!

Yep, as a college of Swords Bard multiclass, I chose longsword as my dedicated weapon too. Feels really good having that as an option.

"Your magic is no match for my gun you fool!" -Ford Pines

Look at DnDShorts just casually dropping Adorea in his short. I see you there, buddy.

Mercy monk with a bow, the best run around combat healer for a full day with rests

When your whole table shows up as gun-wielding monks and procedes to gun-sling their way through the campaign like a spaghetti western.

And a monk using a sword wouldn't exactly be unheard of. Monks who trained heavily in martial arts, like the Shaolin, also used blades to defend themselves.

by the amount of content he puts out about monks, you can tell that he's a Monk player.

Gun Monk. Gun Monk.

Historically, gun monks were a very real and very prominent force in Sengoku Jidai Japan and thereabouts

Gunslinger Ghandi: wielder of uranium

One of my players did a Monk Paladin multi class, and I eventually gave them a gun that allows divine smite to it's attacks. We called it the "Manifest Destiny"

Ah now I can finally be a gun monk like the ones who defended temples from a certain Japanese faction.

Never bring a dex-based weapon to a Gun-Jutsu fight

Gunkata here we come

"I will defeat you with the power of friendship... and this gun I found!"

monk got throwing darts, everything felt pain

An elven monk with 2 drum mag fed glocks doing equilibrium gun katas on a swarm of goblins. Id love to see it

Thanks, now i am going to have a homebrew gun fu temple in all of my dnd games

Problem with this is that, well, most people don't miss it. Most DMs don't allow those variant rules from what I've found.

"Gun. The classic monk weapon" Dude you boutta wake Nobunaga up from the dead man. The Gun Monks boutta make him rise from the grave

A monk with guns. May as well go full John Wick with that.

My dm let me have a kusari-gama as a weapon in our dnd session. So far I've disarmed a thief, tripped a guard and my favorite. We had a kitsune hunter attack us (I'm a kitsune monk) I used the chain and he caught the blade part with ease then our bard used heat metal on it. The heat welded his gauntlet to my chain letting me drag him off the roof of a castle where I used my kitsune agility to land safely and he fell to his death below

Even better yet- Dhampir Monk Bites. Go Kensei and grab a gun too and now youre basically Blade

This is exactly why I dip two levels into fighter with my monk builds... it's great to be able to pick up (mostly) any weapon and just... use it. Combined with Astral Self, it's been a great combo, particularly when hitting 17th level monk. Getting three astral arm strikes, plus the 2 more from flurry, plus action surge for an additional 3 once per SR.

Exactly what our monk has been doing, love to see such an underpowered class get the love and attention it deserves

Monk: "What do u mean i cant touch a nuke? What is overnuking?"

I for one ADORE monks dual wielding hand crossbows

"I will defeat you with my faith and my strength, also this gun i found"

Ah yes, the most classical of a Monk. A gun.

YAY! Monk getting some love!

*Guns down everyone near them* While healing teammates "oooh, I'm so zen"

Good to see som proper Gun Kata from that highly underappreciated movie - Equilibrium. Great movie. Great soundtrack.