Stuck on level 8 Choice ability score increase or feat.

[Mundus33]

Little bit of info on why I'm kinda stuck right now we are level 7 almost level 8 recently we fought an adult white dragon cr 13 we beat it with some close calls (there are 10 of us but usually 8 people show up).

Anyway I got the killing blow on the dragon but it brought to light a glaring weakness of my character. Low hp. I play a monk and I was literally taken out on the first attack (lair action + breath instagibbed me). Since our DM seemed pretty happy with the difficulty I feel like something like this could happen again.

So I've decided to start stocking up on resist potions (focusing on ice/poison/fire) but if we run into another con save dragon I might be in trouble (especially if we run into a green dragon and do poorly on int check since if I use a resist poison potion against something we don't know in game that it breaths poison my dm will definitely say something) So I want to build up my hp so that I can at least survive a breath+lair+1 tail attack.

I'm a level 7 wood elf (sun soul) monk(wish I had rolled hill dwarf)
My stats are
str 13
dex 20
con 14
int 10
wis 18
cha 9


It might be a few levels before something like this happens again so the con increase might be feasible if I get in a couple levels. Also we have a warlock with 20 cha with inspiring leader but I don't want to rely on that to much since he might decide to change characters again or maybe die.
so my choices are.
con 20
wis 18
+ tough

con 20
wis 20

con 18
wis 20
+ tough

now these are obviously level 20 choices but I'm waffling about whether I want to go +2 con or tough for level 8. The question is a bit harder considering my Dm might be allowing me to take this ability at 17 (far away I know)

Kaioken x 1: You've mastered the basics of the Kaioken, enabling you to enhance your body to tremendous degrees. As a bonus action on your turn, you can enter the Kaioken state for up to 1 minute, until you end it, or until you fall unconscious, whichever comes first. A tremendous red aura radiates visibly from around your body. While in this state you gain the following benefits:

Your base movement speed increases by 10 feet.
Your melee attacks deal additional damage equal to your constitution modifier.
Any Ki Blasts you make in this state deal an additional 1d6 damage.
You ignore the effects of any number of levels of Exhaustion while in this state.(Except Death)
At the end of each of your turns while in this state, make a Constitution saving throw vs. a DC 10. On a failed saving throw, gain a level of Exhaustion. Every turn after the first, the DC cumulatively increases by 2. You can end the Kaioken state at the start of any of your turns without expending an action.

Making con saves much more useful and getting additional con damage also a higher con will help since I'm going one level of light cleric to get flare and being able to cast bless or shield of faith and keep concentration on it could be useful.

Sorry for the wall of text.

Tl;dr: which is more useful for a monk that wants to be more survivable +1 con saves and +1hp/level or 2hp/level.

[PloxBox]

If you're worried about passing saves, go with the 2 to con. Since monks eventually get prof in all saves, that will help bolster your defenses. Tough only provides 16 hp. Not something to mock, but when a creature deals (let's say) 10d8 on a failed save... 16 hp might not be enough.

But, that's a bit away. I guess it also depends on whether you think your dm will throw another con save heavy creature at you.

[solidork]

Between the two choices you presented, I would probably go with +2 Con.

I don't think I would recommend it, but the "greediest" (greatest short term power at the cost of long term potential) option would be to take Magic Initiate and pick Absorb Elements as your first level spell. It's perfect if you ever face that exact situation again, but what are the odds of that? :smallbiggrin: It doesn't help against poison, which is unfortunate, but you do become immune to poison if you manage to make it to level 10.

[Lombra]

10 characters and no one has defensive buffs to toss on you? +2 con can be helpful because it helps both saves and HP, but that 18 wisdom is breaking my OCD and I would (paradoxally unwisely) bring it to 20 for those sweet stunning strikes. Tough will pay off in the long run so if you really feel like you need more HP you can always get it later. 10th and 14th level abilities ate going to solve your problems, you just gotta survive till then :biggrin:

[Mundus33]

If you're worried about passing saves, go with the 2 to con. Since monks eventually get prof in all saves, that will help bolster your defenses. Tough only provides 16 hp. Not something to mock, but when a creature deals (let's say) 10d8 on a failed save... 16 hp might not be enough.

But, that's a bit away. I guess it also depends on whether you think your dm will throw another con save heavy creature at you.

My dm did say that he is just going by average damage of breath weapons since he didn't want to roll that many dice. If he does go to crazy on the con save aoe I'll probably talk to him about it since it kinda screws my character over. If he did it it would probably be because more than half our party has con save prof but they would easily be able to survive one average damage breath attack while I and the other squishies wouldn't.


Between the two choices you presented, I would probably go with +2 Con.

I don't think I would recommend it, but the "greediest" (greatest short term power at the cost of long term potential) option would be to take Magic Initiate and pick Absorb Elements as your first level spell. It's perfect if you ever face that exact situation again, but what are the odds of that? :smallbiggrin: It doesn't help against poison, which is unfortunate, but you do become immune to poison if you manage to make it to level 10.

I didn't think of absorb elements but if I did take magical initiate it would be either for hex(for more damage) or goodberry (for senzu beans).


10 characters and no one has defensive buffs to toss on you? +2 con can be helpful because it helps both saves and HP, but that 18 wisdom is breaking my OCD and I would (paradoxally unwisely) bring it to 20 for those sweet stunning strikes. Tough will pay off in the long run so if you really feel like you need more HP you can always get it later. 10th and 14th level abilities ate going to solve your problems, you just gotta survive till then :biggrin:

One character is a warlock who has spell sniper and darkness couldn't care less about the rest of the group staying alive. The other is a gnome sorcerer who not only doesn't have any defensive skills other than misty step, I wouldn't trust him enough to let the save go through knowing him he would say he is casting protection from energy then cast reduce or blindness just for fun. The druid did have protection from energy but what right do I have to ask her to cast it on me when she could cast it on herself (she is also a squishy high dex low con) and an Eldritch knight who wasn't there and hasn't cast a spell since she joined. I don't even think our group knows she can cast spells. Everyone else is a martial character.

Also I don't like the 18 in wisdom either :biggrin: but whats the point of higher saves on stunning strike if your not conscious to use it.

[Biggstick]

Also I don't like the 18 in wisdom either :biggrin: but whats the point of higher saves on stunning strike if your not conscious to use it.

As a Monk, you shouldn't be in a situation to be getting hit by the Dragon's Breath. You have a huge amount of mobility, and if you're in a situation where you're going to be fighting things like this, you shouldn't be near your party. Keep a distance and stay alone. You, being the "wise" one, should talk to your party about this strategy, and teaching them to not clump together like this again.

As for the actual question, max out Wisdom or grab the Mobile feat. The extra speed and free disengage are fantastic. The higher Wisdom gives you a resting AC of 20, and a pretty amazing Stunning Strike DC.

[Mundus33]

As a Monk, you shouldn't be in a situation to be getting hit by the Dragon's Breath. You have a huge amount of mobility, and if you're in a situation where you're going to be fighting things like this, you shouldn't be near your party. Keep a distance and stay alone. You, being the "wise" one, should talk to your party about this strategy, and teaching them to not clump together like this again.

As for the actual question, max out Wisdom or grab the Mobile feat. The extra speed and free disengage are fantastic. The higher Wisdom gives you a resting AC of 20, and a pretty amazing Stunning Strike DC.

Right now I have bracers of defense and got a cloak of displacement from a cleric who left the game. I usually go most fight without getting touched unless its an aoe or spell that ignores ac.

On the note about not clumping together I was hiding behind a wall the 3 tanks were out in front I told them not to clump together. The three tanks went first and then the dragon then me. When they realized they couldn't attack the dragon since it was flying they all ran behind the wall with me. I asked if they were idiots they looked at me and asked "why?" as the dm moved the dragon mini around the corner and took out half the party. After that the group split up. Some people don't learn unless they get to make a stupid mistake (that others have to suffer for *grumble grumble*)

[Squiddish]

Well, if you're really worried about con saves and not as worried about HP, Resilient (con) is an option. That'll give much more improvement than increasing your con.

However, it might be less versatile than the options you presented.

It's your call; both offer some advantages.

[Citan]

Little bit of info on why I'm kinda stuck right now we are level 7 almost level 8 recently we fought an adult white dragon cr 13 we beat it with some close calls (there are 10 of us but usually 8 people show up).

Anyway I got the killing blow on the dragon but it brought to light a glaring weakness of my character. Low hp. I play a monk and I was literally taken out on the first attack (lair action + breath instagibbed me). Since our DM seemed pretty happy with the difficulty I feel like something like this could happen again.

So I've decided to start stocking up on resist potions (focusing on ice/poison/fire) but if we run into another con save dragon I might be in trouble (especially if we run into a green dragon and do poorly on int check since if I use a resist poison potion against something we don't know in game that it breaths poison my dm will definitely say something) So I want to build up my hp so that I can at least survive a breath+lair+1 tail attack.

I'm a level 7 wood elf (sun soul) monk(wish I had rolled hill dwarf)
My stats are
str 13
dex 20
con 14
int 10
wis 18
cha 9


It might be a few levels before something like this happens again so the con increase might be feasible if I get in a couple levels. Also we have a warlock with 20 cha with inspiring leader but I don't want to rely on that to much since he might decide to change characters again or maybe die.
so my choices are.
con 20
wis 18
+ tough

con 20
wis 20

con 18
wis 20
+ tough

now these are obviously level 20 choices but I'm waffling about whether I want to go +2 con or tough for level 8. The question is a bit harder considering my Dm might be allowing me to take this ability at 17 (far away I know)

Kaioken x 1: You've mastered the basics of the Kaioken, enabling you to enhance your body to tremendous degrees. As a bonus action on your turn, you can enter the Kaioken state for up to 1 minute, until you end it, or until you fall unconscious, whichever comes first. A tremendous red aura radiates visibly from around your body. While in this state you gain the following benefits:

Your base movement speed increases by 10 feet.
Your melee attacks deal additional damage equal to your constitution modifier.
Any Ki Blasts you make in this state deal an additional 1d6 damage.
You ignore the effects of any number of levels of Exhaustion while in this state.(Except Death)
At the end of each of your turns while in this state, make a Constitution saving throw vs. a DC 10. On a failed saving throw, gain a level of Exhaustion. Every turn after the first, the DC cumulatively increases by 2. You can end the Kaioken state at the start of any of your turns without expending an action.

Making con saves much more useful and getting additional con damage also a higher con will help since I'm going one level of light cleric to get flare and being able to cast bless or shield of faith and keep concentration on it could be useful.

Sorry for the wall of text.

Tl;dr: which is more useful for a monk that wants to be more survivable +1 con saves and +1hp/level or 2hp/level.
Before answering...

10 characters and no one has defensive buffs to toss on you? +2 con can be helpful because it helps both saves and HP, but that 18 wisdom is breaking my OCD and I would (paradoxally unwisely) bring it to 20 for those sweet stunning strikes. Tough will pay off in the long run so if you really feel like you need more HP you can always get it later. 10th and 14th level abilities ate going to solve your problems, you just gotta survive till then :biggrin:
That was exactly my first reaction too: "how the hell is nobody providing any support?" XD


One character is a warlock who has spell sniper and darkness couldn't care less about the rest of the group staying alive. The other is a gnome sorcerer who not only doesn't have any defensive skills other than misty step, I wouldn't trust him enough to let the save go through knowing him he would say he is casting protection from energy then cast reduce or blindness just for fun. The druid did have protection from energy but what right do I have to ask her to cast it on me when she could cast it on herself (she is also a squishy high dex low con) and an Eldritch knight who wasn't there and hasn't cast a spell since she joined. I don't even think our group knows she can cast spells. Everyone else is a martial character.

Also I don't like the 18 in wisdom either :biggrin: but whats the point of higher saves on stunning strike if your not conscious to use it.
Ok, so first...
Once you get to level 14, your worries will drop 90%. Seriously: not only will you become proficient, but you will also get a 1Ki reroll (it's basically "advantage on save" since you would use it only because you failed in the first place).
Now as to how to survive until then...
If multiclassing is a thing, although my first reflex would have been "ask Druid to multiclass Life Cleric", it would be a very nasty joke to put on him in case he ever reaches character level 20.

Honestly? I would be tempted to tell you "dip Cleric" yourself.
Bad thing is: it delays Diamond Soul by one more level (and that makes it much further away than normally).
Good thing is: Blessing yourself will immediately help you plain better on CON saves than bumping CON, but also 2 more people (martials probably): you will make also all three even better at hitting.
Alternatively, you could try to Bane some creatures to help your casters take them down with effect spells, or help yourself apply Stunning Strike on later turns.
Plus you can get Guidance (always useful), Sacred Flame (now you have a decent ranged alternative against high AC) and Druid cantrip (Thorn Whips/Produce Flame) or defensive WIS feature (Warding Bond) or reaction damage (Tempest) etc...
Even if it's "only 2 times per day", for those rare big fights you are talking about, it will be worth your while (very much imo).