Backstabbing for Fun and Profit!

[RickAllison]

Perusing through SCAG today, I noticed an interesting tidbit for Monks of the Long Death:


When you reduce
a creature within 5 feet of you to 0 hit points, you gain
temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier +
your monk level (minimum of 1 temporary hit point).

This is differentiated from the Fiendlock's ability in the PHB:


Starting at 1st level, when you reduce a hostile creature
to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your
Charisma modifier + your warlock level (minimum o f 1).

So a MLD could get his extra health for killing/knocking out random passersby, or even his allies! Are there any other abilities the community can think of that can give a benefit for backstabbing the party?

NOTE: I don't intend to actual use this, as my MLD is NG, but this is FOR SCIENCE!

[Final Hyena]

I feel like a new variant of a bag of rats is going to appear... They should errata that to require a monk weapon, or a limit based on how many attacks a turn you make, but to get back on topic I unfortunately can't think of any other, gain a boon for killing abilities. There is a warlock one which only works on hostile creatures.

[RickAllison]

I feel like a new variant of a bag of rats is going to appear... They should errata that to require a monk weapon, or a limit based on how many attacks a turn you make, but to get back on topic I unfortunately can't think of any other, gain a boon for killing abilities. There is a warlock one which only works on hostile creatures.

I did quote that Warlock ability :smallwink: And I don't think any limits are really needed, it has the same restrictions as the Fiendlock's ability and so they only have a maximum of Wis+Monk level. And it's not about gaining a boon for killing, it's about abilities that allow the user to benefit from betraying the party in some way.

[JoeJ]

I did quote that Warlock ability :smallwink: And I don't think any limits are really needed, it has the same restrictions as the Fiendlock's ability and so they only have a maximum of Wis+Monk level. And it's not about gaining a boon for killing, it's about abilities that allow the user to benefit from betraying the party in some way.

I don't think the difference between this and the warlock ability is that meaningful. The moment the character starts attacking party members and/or random passersby, they're going to be hostile.

[RickAllison]

I don't think the difference between this and the warlock ability is that meaningful. The moment the character starts attacking party members and/or random passersby, they're going to be hostile.

Divide and Conquer, friend :smallbiggrin:

[JoeJ]

Divide and Conquer, friend :smallbiggrin:

If some warlock starts trying to stab me, I'm going to be hostile as @#$&*! I'm just saying.

[RickAllison]

If some warlock starts trying to stab me, I'm going to be hostile as @#$&*! I'm just saying.

Agreed. The handy thing for the monk is that he can use it with assassinations. If a Fiendlock OHKOs from the shadows against a non-hostile guard, he gets nothing; if the MLD does the same, he gets an extra HP buffer.

[Spectre9000]

You also have to think that creatures fleeing you aren't hostile either.

[Rakoa]

Well, if you have a Cleric handy and an ally is already on his last few hitpoints, just punch him down to zero for those sweet temporary hitpoints. Then get the Cleric to heal them back up before they've even risked their first death save.

[RickAllison]

Well, if you have a Cleric handy and an ally is already on his last few hitpoints, just punch him down to zero for those sweet temporary hitpoints. Then get the Cleric to heal them back up before they've even risked their first death save.

Actually, I have a MLD that is a Cleric 1. He could do it himself! Play it off as getting a rush from the energy of death :smallwink:

[Laserlight]

"You asked why do I have a cageful of pigeons on my back? Because they're a lot cheaper than Healing Potions."

[Spectre9000]

"You asked why do I have a cageful of pigeons on my back? Because they're a lot cheaper than Healing Potions."

This man gets it.

[MaxWilson]

I don't think the difference between this and the warlock ability is that meaningful. The moment the character starts attacking party members and/or random passersby, they're going to be hostile.

One difference is that the warlock cannot benefit from voodoo chicken sacrifices. The death monk not only can kill random things, but it's thematically appropriate.

BTW, you can also heal things afterward using the Healer feat or a spell.

As for the question of abilities that benefit from backstab: there's the Necromancer's Grim Harvest, which grants genuine healing per kill (NOT just reduction to zero HP, must be actual kill), and there's Warcaster, which lets you target hostile creatures (e.g. fellow PCs that were previously backstabbed) with single-target spells (like Cure Wounds or Haste) using your reaction instead of your action. I know, it makes no sense.

[Belac93]

I say just count anything you attack as hostile. If you are about to kill a chicken, or a kitten, or a cow, its last thoughts are probably not going to be "I love you." (unless they are thinking about a certain other creature), but more along the lines of: "I do not like that blood splattered person. He stabbed me. Ooh, look! Grass. Yum." And then they forget everything that happened. But the thought is still there.

[RickAllison]

I say just count anything you attack as hostile. If you are about to kill a chicken, or a kitten, or a cow, its last thoughts are probably not going to be "I love you." (unless they are thinking about a certain other creature), but more along the lines of: "I do not like that blood splattered person. He stabbed me. Ooh, look! Grass. Yum." And then they forget everything that happened. But the thought is still there.

Well, an example could be a previous monk who went to steal some potions from a shop. The shopkeeper never saw him, not even before he hit the floor. No chance to go hostile :smallsmile:

[Final Hyena]

And I don't think any limits are really needed, it has the same restrictions as the Fiendlock's ability and so they only have a maximum of Wis+Monk level.

Get a bag of ants and drop it on the floor, every turn use your move to step on an ant and get temp hp. I would limit it to a creature that is at least tiny to avoid that cheese.

[PoeticDwarf]

I feel like a new variant of a bag of rats is going to appear... They should errata that to require a monk weapon, or a limit based on how many attacks a turn you make, but to get back on topic I unfortunately can't think of any other, gain a boon for killing abilities. There is a warlock one which only works on hostile creatures.
It won't happen soon. Once you kill a rat, you won't have to take a rat till you take damage. It is really limited

[Final Hyena]

It won't happen soon. Once you kill a rat, you won't have to take a rat till you take damage. It is really limited

At least read my latest post :)

[Gastronomie]

You could give the class levels of the Long Death Monk to a particular evil NPC and have him do that to his servants when they've "outlived their usefulness". It would make him look very antagonistic indeed.

[tieren]

Are there any other abilities the community can think of that can give a benefit for backstabbing the party?


Warlock fey patron ability Misty escape lets the warlock teleport up to 60 feet and go invisible til his next turn when he takes damage. I was thinking other party members could punch him to trigger the ability if he got surprised or was otherwise about to take some big damage from a different source.

[RickAllison]

Warlock fey patron ability Misty escape lets the warlock teleport up to 60 feet and go invisible til his next turn when he takes damage. I was thinking other party members could punch him to trigger the ability if he got surprised or was otherwise about to take some big damage from a different source.

Wouldn't work for surprise since it requires a reaction which is not granted while surprised, but it would be useful for being a little too close to a dragon!