"I flunked Monk school" character concept

[Unoriginal]

How would you make a character whose backstory is that they tried, but failed to become a Monk? As in, they trained in a dojo, but couldn't manage to harness chi.

I'd say Rogue or Barbarian would fit the best, though Fighter could work too.

Of course this is assuming they don't get a different training before level 1. Otherwise they could be any classes, I know.

[ProsecutorGodot]

I would personally go for Barbarian, for a few reasons.
-Shares Unarmored Defense feature
-Rage works as a nice thematic reason to be unable to harness Ki. You can't harness the tranquil powers if rage fills your being.
-You could make unarmed strikes work without sacrificing too much
-Quarterstaves work fine on Barb's

As for Subclass, I would go for either Berserker or Totem Warrior.

[Maelynn]

I would let the reasoning behind the flunking play a significant role. Was he not disciplined enough, likely to lose focus and get frustrated about this? Then go for Barbarian (nice addition: his chi could manifest itself as rage, bursting out because of his inability to harness it properly). Was he disciplined and focused, but just couldn't get the techniques right? Or did he try hard but couldn't find a way to access and manipulate his chi? Then go for Fighter. Was he less high on honourable behaviour and preferred to attack from the shadows? Then go for Rogue - maybe go for a Ninja feel.

Were I to make this kind of character, I would probably make it a Dex Fighter with his 1st level in Monk. The training he got at the dojo allowed him to learn the movements and hone his agility (Dex and Unarmoured Defence) and focus his mind to aid him with specific ability checks and saving throws (Wis). Only 1 level to show he can't use his chi, the rest would be Fighter, with Duelling as fighting style and a Monk weapon - so that I can benefit from both the style and the Martial Arts ability.

[Vorpalchicken]

Master "Now feel the chi flowing through you."

Student "SERENITY NOW!!"

[Ventruenox]

Maybe he couldn't harness Ki due to an inability to release earthly attachments. Watching some fellow students in various yoga poses elicited certain ... responses. Instead of meditating on being one with everything, you spend the time composing romantic poems, haiku, and limericks for intimate encounters. A lecherous monk multiclasses Bard.

[Vogie]

I'd do Monk 1 / Rogue X with a single shortsword, either Inquisitive or Thief.

You'd still get the unarmored defense, and ability to throw a punch or kick out in between attacks, but none of the juicy Ki goodness.

[RogueJK]

If you don't want any Monk levels, but still want a bit of Monk-like ability, then look at a race with a Natural Weapon attack and just flavor it as a half-learned martial arts attack. Or take the Tavern Brawler feat. Either one will get you a 1d4 unarmed strike.

[KorvinStarmast]

How would you make a character whose backstory is that they tried, but failed to become a Monk? As in, they trained in a dojo, but couldn't manage to harness chi.

Of course this is assuming they don't get a different training before level 1. Otherwise they could be any classes, I know. I'd make a cleric. In fact, I already did this and freed myself from ever needing to wear armor. :)
Level 1: Monk.
Level 2 until tired of cleric levels: Cleric (Light in my case).

I can whack them with my quarter staff, and I can heal them with my hands, and I can set fire to things.
(Sadly, campaign died at level 8. RL thing ...).

[Mercurias]

Make it a Warforged Juggernaut. They flunked out of Monk School because the other students kept breaking hands and feet on the character in sparring.

[RogueJK]

Make it a Warforged Juggernaut. They flunked out of Monk School because the other students kept breaking hands and feet on the character in sparring.

Or a sparring dummy that gained sentience through some magical fluke. He retains a bit of Monk knowledge due to being present for so many martial arts sparring sessions, but sets out into the work to find himself (and takes on a different class from there onwards).

You wouldn't even need to take any Monk levels, if you don't want to. A Juggernaut Warforged gets 1d4+STR unarmed strikes already, and Heavy Plating equals or beats Unarmored Defense's AC. The only thing you'd be missing out on would be the Bonus Action martial arts attack, and potentially a few Monk weapon proficiencies, Monk save proficiencies, and Monk skill choices. But those same proficiencies/saves/skill choices can be gained through other classes anyway.

[ChildofLuthic]

I had a very similar concept of "brute that THINKS he's a monk" and it was basically "Barbarian with Tavern Brawler feat." I was gonna do half orc for flavor reasons but Vuman would probably work better. Alternatively, just use a quarterstaff and maybe pick up PAM (for the bonus "martial arts" attack)

[Ganymede]

The "I failed (insert class) school" backstory definitely has a lot of potential for interesting character hooks. I've used it successfully for one of my own characters who flunked out of wizard's school and ended up in the barbarian class.

There are so many ways to do this with an aspiring yet failed monk. You can reflect the experiences a PC gained during a stint in a dojo/monastery with your choice of background, your skill and tool proficiencies, your languages, your class features, and in other intangible ways in your PC's backstory or personality traits.

First up, hone the source of the failure. You mention that your PC was unable to harness his ki. Is there a reason, whether known to the PC or lurking in the background, as to why this is the case? Was the spartan and ascetic lifestyle simply too rigorous for the would-be monk? Is there something "off" in his soul that prevents harnessing ki? Did he fall in love with an aspect of the world outside of the monastery walls?

Secondly, decide what your knowledge/training your PC retained even though he failed to become a monk. Is he nimble and acrobatic? Can he knock out a drunk in one punch? Did he learn calligraphy in his time copying the teachings of his dojo? Did he obtain knowledge of brewer's supplies while working in the temple still? Were his teachings written in an unusual language?

How would I build this character? I like the idea of a youth running away from his monastery in order to join a traveling circus as a contortionist/acrobat/strongman/lucha/show fighter. Entertainer, or even gladiator, can be good backgrounds here, as could acolyte or hermit depending on whether you wanted to play up the time at the circus or the time at the monastery.

[Ganymede]

...they trained in a dojo, but couldn't manage to harness chi.

Could you elaborate on this a little more?

[djreynolds]

A duel wielding dex based eldritch knight with mage armor, twin short swords, mobile feat... could mimic a monk.
War caster, athlete feat

[Man_Over_Game]

To avoid having any problems with MAD attributes, I'd recommend not having a level into Monk.

There's two ways I'd probably recommend doing it:

Barbarian with Tavern Brawler, probably going Totem. After failing Monk School, he meditates in nature and has learned to gather energy from it instead if he cannot gather it himself. Focuses around grappling.

Rogue Swashbucker, became a bitter jackass after failing to be a Monk, now talks smack about his enemies to open up their weaknesses. Fights very similarly to the Drunken Master.

[MilkmanDanimal]

Seems like a good way to inspire somebody to go into Warlock; "I didn't have the discipline to be a Monk, so I took the easy way." I mean, if you're looking for someone who wants to fight barehanded, Tavern Brawler makes sense and all, but, if this is just pure backstory, you could go all sorts of places. I like Barbarian as the whole "too much anger to focus ki" works.

Or . . . stay Monk. Go Drunken Master, and play the character as a bumbling doofus who doesn't actually know they're using Ki points in any way. They tried to go all Open Hand zen and all, but couldn't stay away from the bottle, and now they're just the "wrong" kind of Monk.

[CrunchyCHEEZIT]

Depends on what kind of failure your character went through, I believe. If you want to play as a monk that has all the martial training of a monk but some inability to harness and utilize ki, then monk 1/something or barbarian would work the best to simulate the martial aspect of the monk without the ki abilitues.

If you want to just play as a monk that's bad at being a monk ala Dan Hibiki, then just play as a monk and outright refuse to use certain abilities or find some way to limit yourself. (or if you specificalluy want to be Dan then dip into Bard or find someway to get Vicious Mockery so you can taunt your enemies instead of fighting.)

[djreynolds]

If the UA fighter brute archetype is available, coupled with tavern brawler... you can punch in full plate

[iTreeby]

Could you elaborate on this a little more?

Not unoriginal (the member but possibly the quality) but, perhaps the character has some past trauma that causes them intense feelings of anger and a thirst for revenge. unable to release those feelings, the can't progress access his inner power in the right way. I'd make such a character a totem barbarian and flavor the totems as a school of martial arts (their unique ferocity breeds their own take on the classic techniques).

[Vogie]

Or . . . stay Monk. Go Drunken Master, and play the character as a bumbling doofus who doesn't actually know they're using Ki points in any way. They tried to go all Open Hand zen and all, but couldn't stay away from the bottle, and now they're just the "wrong" kind of Monk.

This is actually really amusing - All of the mystical aspects of the Monk show up at level 10 with purity of body. Levels 1-9, especially Drunken Master, could be played in an action-hero, Jackie-Chan-style... or even a Domino-esque luck manipulator. Then go for a Rogue, Fighter, Ranger or Cleric/Druid from that point on.

[Joe the Rat]

Seems like a good way to inspire somebody to go into Warlock; "I didn't have the discipline to be a Monk, so I took the easy way."

Found the wrong manual, got a whole new teacher.
VHuman with Crossbow Expert. burning a whole feat for one feature is pricey, but fun. Eldritch Blast makes a good substitute for Unarmed Strikes (bigger dice instead of more attacks, though the two level out at 17). I got your Hadoken right here!
Armor of Shadows, Agonizing Blast, and you're off to the races.