Why does WOTC hate monks?

[Scarytincan]

Yes I'm being dramatic. No, I know this is not new. BUT WHAAAAIII?!

So from what I have gathered, monks are one of maybe 2 classes that didn't get a class specific item in tashas, on top of already having none. Crusher feat got nerfed to not include dex as a stat you can increase with the feat, despite no change in that regard to slasher and piercer (yet you can still throw a rock at someone and pull them 5 feet towards you from the sound of it). And most crushing to me personally, way of mercy no longer gets the super awesome, original and interesting hand of mercy capstone. Now it's just a raise dead. Once a day. For 5 ki. Woot.

:''((((((

[x3n0n]

To be fair, 3 of the Monk class feature variants are significant improvements (Dedicated Weapon, Ki-Fueled Strike, and whatever the "turn a miss into a hit" one is called), and Eldritch Claw Tattoo (if it matches the UA) is a stronger Insignia of Claws (at the cost of attunement).

Mercy 17 is definitely not as cool as the UA, but I just assume that I'll never get to play at 17 anyway. (And Monk 18 makes up for it if you get that high anyway.) Mercy 11 got way better (giving the damage bump that base Monk doesn't), and Mercy 6 is pretty impressive if I heard right: save-less poison on a Hand of Harm hit.

Astral Self looks like an absolute house. 17 is less weird than the UA, but I think it's in the top half of Monk 17 subclass features. That is a crap-ton of 1d10 reach attacks every turn.

I think Monk did ok for itself.

[druid91]

I mean monks are a bit of an oddball, meta-class.

Monks are good at the things where everyone else sucks. If you get thrown in jail? The monk is going to be rocking face with their lack of weapons while the fighter is severely hampered.

[Makorel]

Yeah I think I'd say wait to see how Tasha's shakes out. Mercy and Astral are looking to be shaping up real nice, and the new base class abilities are looking to make Kensei, Shadow and perhaps even 4Elements comparable to Open Hand in terms of power.

[Scarytincan]

Yes yes yes but ME ME ME and the things I'M INTERESTED IN etc.

OK I'm done. For now.

Yes the variants are decent, and I'm glad the tattoo made the cut, though they dropped the range from 30 to 15 feet. I know a lot of people are excited for the other subclass, but for me personally I don't really dig it's theme that much. Main thing I like on it is attacking with wis mod. The rest is kinda boring mechanical meh.

Also glad ghost step tattoo made the cut, really fits with the things I like about monks being super hard to pin down, and always having options.

Here's hoping the wording for the monk weapon feature works with sunblade...

[x3n0n]

Here's hoping the wording for the monk weapon feature works with sunblade...

"If you are proficient with shortswords or longswords, you are proficient with the sun blade." (Monk is proficient with shortsword; check.)

Dedicated Weapon official preview: https://www.polygon.com/2020/11/2/21538090/dungeons-dragons-tashas-cauldron-of-everything-race-monk-art
It must be simple or martial, you must be proficient with it, and it can't be heavy or special. Sun blade fits all of those.

Looks like it should work fine, with no character changes required.