Subpar but fun: Fighter Battlemaster X / Monk 1

[Ir0ns0ul]

I love martial classes, but I’m honestly tired of GWM/PAM or CBE/SS tactics in order to be effective, so I was doing some experiments and crunching some numbers to understand how bad (or good) is TWF.

And the truth is that despiste bonus action known issues and perhaps magic items, numbers are not bad at all. Main problem in my personal opinion is Dual Wielder… boy, what a terrible feat.

Then I started to look possible alternatives to DW and I realized that Unarmed fighting style + Monk dip would grant same basic benefits, specially if you manage to have WIS 16.

… and how cool is that? Add some Eldritch Claw tattoo and you will be much more badass than full Monks.

What’s your opinion on that and other effective martial builds?

[Waazraath]

I love martial classes, but I’m honestly tired of GWM/PAM or CBE/SS tactics in order to be effective, so I was doing some experiments and crunching some numbers to understand how bad (or good) is TWF.

And the truth is that despiste bonus action known issues and perhaps magic items, numbers are not bad at all. Main problem in my personal opinion is Dual Wielder… boy, what a terrible feat.

Then I started to look possible alternatives to DW and I realized that Unarmed fighting style + Monk dip would grant same basic benefits, specially if you manage to have WIS 16.

… and how cool is that? Add some Eldritch Claw tattoo and you will be much more badass than full Monks.

What’s your opinion on that and other effective martial builds?

I think it's decent, and definitely playable. Two things:
1) my estimation is that it will become less effective at higher levels - magic weapons for instance are obscure (you mention 1 of the 2 that works with unarmed weapons) so I'd check with the DM if this might be an issue; 2 attacks of 2d8+ability modifier is very nice at level 2, and 3 at level 5 is still ok, but it will get less impressive.
2) If you go for monk 1, I think monk 3 will be often worth it as well, if you pick a subclass that synergizes well (for instance, open hand for a few times per rest an extra attack with flurry, with a rider effect).

[Amechra]

If you go for three levels in Monk, you can make a really good stealthy character by going Shadow Monk and grabbing the Ambush maneuver (which lets you add a Martial Superiority die to an initiative or Stealth check).