Monk idea

[da newt]

Is the following a dumb idea? Can you improve it?

1) MC Monk / Warlock dip : Primarily for HEX's additional damage on every hit, but also for other goodies. Boost DEX first, leave CHA at 13.

2) Tabaxi race for all that speed (and a boost to unarmed at low levels, and climb).

I'd think HEX would almost double your DPR until tier 3, but your stunning strike % would lag a bit.

[Zhorn]

It's not a dumb idea. for low level campaigns it's actually pretty competitive damage for when it comes online.
I've read a few posts about it in the past, unfortunately I cannot recall where. But Radiant Sun Bolt + Hex can make for a decently aggressive mid-range harrier.

[nickl_2000]

The main issue is how MAD you are.

Dex, Wis, Con, and Cha is kind of brutal.

[Monster Manuel]

Almost NOTHING in 5e is a dumb idea; you really have to work hard to make a completely non-functional character. A Hexblade/Monk has some fun synergy, I think this can definitely work.

A couple things to keep in mind; your claw feature as a tabaxi is a little redundant, since these are 1d4 STR attacks, while your regular unarmed monk attacks are 1d4 DEX attacks (I assume, based on Tabaxi). So, you'll have the option to to slashing damage instead of bludgeoning, which may be relevant in a few isolated cases, but essentially you have the same ability twice. After level 5 or so (when your unarmed damage starts to increase) you'll likely never want to use your claws again, which is a little weird, but fine.

You can run up walls as a monk at lvl 9, which will almost always make your 20' climb speed redundant (unless your DM lets you use 40 feet of movement to run up the wall and the last 5 feet to climb, so you can stick part way up a big wall, when normally you would fall at the end if you were still running on the wall). Normal-speed Tabaxi can move at 60' when they sprint, which monks can do all the time, but not at that speed until level 18. Again, there's some redundancy. Tabaxi do make great dex-based monks, and that double-speed sprint is nice in that it makes your monk speed even better, but just be aware of the overlaps.

Hexblade's curse doesn't bounce to another target until like level 14 or so, so what you're getting is a 1/short rest ability to get easier crits and +prof modifier to damage on one target for a minute. It recharges on a short rest, though, which jives with the rest of the monk's ki abilities. And a little bit of damage added onto each attack is nice on a monk who's tossing out flurries of blows. If this is the only reason you're multiclassing into Warlock, though, you could consider using magical adept to get access to a 1/day Hex spell, if you're using feats. Of course, if you do take the level of Hexblade you could take Hex as one of your spells known and get both.

You'll be a little starved for bonus actions; it's a bonus action to activate Hexblade's Curse or Hex, a bonus action to switch Hex to a new target, and a bonus action to make extra attacks with your martial arts. You'll start off a little slower than other monks since you'll have to set up your Curse before laying in with the multiple attacks, but once you get going you'll be dishing out more damage. Just keep in mind that for shorter fights, the battle may be half over before you get your buffs up and can start using your bonus for extra attacks.

Think if maybe there might be some synergy between the hexblade levels and going with the Kensei tradition.

Lastly, monks are generally lacking in ranged attacks, and your hexblade level gets you Eldritch Blast, if you want it. It's not optimal for a 13 CHA, but if there are no other cantrips you could make better use of, you'll have it in your back pocket if you need it. You could have some fun with Booming Blade shenanigans, hitting with BB and using Step of the Wind to skip away, so they have to move and take the extra BB damage if they want to fight back. The Mind Sliver cantrip from the last UA does piffly gamage that doesn't use your weapon attack, but it does give them a -1d4 on their next save, which will almost certainly be against your Stunning Strike next round, so that helps you land stuns, which is cool.

I think you'll have a lot of fun with this guy, and the combo you've put together is certainly playable, and should work to get some extra damage in. Have fun!

[da newt]

Hex Necrotic and Sun Bolt Radiant damage on the same attack is an interesting idea ...

MAD and ASI thin too. I figure 9, 16, 14, 8, 14, 13 is the best I could start with for point buy Tabaxi (or Vhuman w/ ResCON).

Crap - I miss-remembered the claws as 1d6 Dex. You're right. My main reason for Tabaxi was the 2x speed so I can get to the caster/BBEG right now, and I was thinking only 2 lvls of Warlock for the 2/short rest castings of HEX to combo with flurry of blows. Then see how it goes to decide on 1 or 2 more lvls of Warlock.

[Keravath]

If your main reason for MC hexblade is the damage increase from hex then you could consider a single level dip into war cleric for divine favor. Hex lasts longer and the spell slot refreshes on a short rest. If you take two levels of hexblade you also pick up two invocations which can be useful and flavorful.

However, divine favor is a d4 bonus damage to every monk attack and only requires a bonus action on the first round, no requirement to move it. The single level of cleric gives you two uses/day plus a bunch of cleric back up spells (clutch healing word for example) and it isn't MAD since the monk needs wis anyway.

The other option is 2-3 levels of ranger for hunter's mark instead of hex, a fighting style, a skill and some other features like Gloomstalker or hunter. (Gloomstalker adds wis to initiative, darkvision (good if you don't have it already), and extra speed and an attack on the first round of combat ... Hunter gives you an extra d8 damage against damaged targets every round in addition to hunter's mark).

Neither ranger nor cleric dips are MAD and are worth considering though in both cases the spells are long rest rather than short rest.

[da newt]

Divine favor would only add the d4 to weapon attacks (not open hand), right? Hunter's Mark also says d6 to weapon attacks. I think RAW, Hex is the only one that would apply to bonus attacks/flurry of blows because it says whenever you hit with an attack.

Also, I think 2/short rest makes it much more viable (especially as you may lose concentration as a melee fighter without high AC or CONC Save Proff), but cleric and ranger are less MAD and bring their own goodies ... Interesting.

[Amechra]

Unarmed strikes are weapon attacks, even if they aren't weapons. It's a weird bit of wording, but that's how the rules work.

So Divine Favor/Hunter's Mark work just fine on unarmed strikes. Hex is worded the way it is so that it can work with Eldritch Blast.

[Quoz]

So I know this one would be up to the GM, but could a warlock 3 dip get improved pact weapon for unarmed strikes?

[nickl_2000]

So I know this one would be up to the GM, but could a warlock 3 dip get improved pact weapon for unarmed strikes?

I'm pretty sure RAW and RAI on it is No. However, if you have ever heard Jeremy Crawford talk he likes to say "follow your bliss." I don't see how it would be broken, and it could be a cool visual image. I would allow it at my table.

[Expected]

@Monster Manuel: According to Sage Advice (https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/798293797666861056), the Tabaxi's claws are affected by and scale with Martial Arts. And as you've mentioned, it's useful when the enemy is resistant to bludgeoning damage because you can attack with slashing damage instead.

To the OP: I personally think that Aarakocra and Wood Elves make the best Monks. For the former, you'd have a fly speed at level 1 and can Stunning Strike flying enemies out of the sky and for the latter, you'd be able to start with 17 Dex and take Elven Accuracy at 4, which synergizes with Empty Body.

[Amechra]

So I know this one would be up to the GM, but could a warlock 3 dip get improved pact weapon for unarmed strikes?

Why not dip three levels in Druid and pick up Alter Self? It even has the fun side effect of letting you run around in a Beast shape and still use all of your Monk class features.

Just remember to focus on Wisdom - you can use Wisdom to attack with (thank you shillelagh), and your beast shapes replace your physical stats anyway, so...

[CTurbo]

Ranger is a much better dip than Warlock. Especially if you can use the UA Revised version. Hunter's Mark + Favored Enemy(Humanoids) can add a lot of damage for Monks. Gloom Stalker is great if your campaign will be dark and/or stealthy focused. Hunter is great for Monks. Horde Breaker fits the Monk's skirmisher style, and Colossus Slayer is really easy to use with a Monk.

I do like Tabaxi for Monks though. The extra speed is really fun and yes the claws will scale in damage as you level up.

[da newt]

Thanks. Unfortunately Aarakocra and UA aren't allowed for my game (AL).

With unarmed strikes qualifying as weapon attacks that really opens things up. FYI - I wasn't thinking HEXBLADE, my goal was to get access to the HEX spell primarily.

Another weird thought: It looks like RAW only martial arts and unarmored movement carry the 'no armor allowed' rule. Does that mean a MC with armor could take advantage of all the other Monk Ki goodness (patient defense, deflect missiles, stunning strike ...)?

[Zhorn]

Another weird thought: It looks like RAW only martial arts and unarmored movement carry the 'no armor allowed' rule. Does that mean a MC with armor could take advantage of all the other Monk Ki goodness (patient defense, deflect missiles, stunning strike ...)?

Pretty much. Any feature that doesn't specify that you need to be unarmored is usable while.. yeah, lets just go with yes. It's hard to answer that without sounding condescending.

[Amechra]

Another weird thought: It looks like RAW only martial arts and unarmored movement carry the 'no armor allowed' rule. Does that mean a MC with armor could take advantage of all the other Monk Ki goodness (patient defense, deflect missiles, stunning strike ...)?

Yep. You could run around in heavy armor if you wanted. Just bear in mind that your flurries will do crappy damage (1+Strength is no-one's idea of good damage), but that you can still Stunning Strike/Open Hand Technique/stack damage boosters with them.