Best build for my aarakocra archer concept

[Morrison]

I have a character concept in mind but I'm not sure how, mechanically, best to build him.
He's an aarakocra archer of some kind. Sort of a storklike guy who lives in a swamp, and is obviously very comfortable out in the wilderness. He's very contemplative and lives almost as a hermit.
He needs to have proficiency in Insight, Perception, Survival, Perform, and ideally Nature. Acrobatics and Medicine might also be useful. He needs to be proficient with cooking implements and a musical instrument (guitar). Both of these are purely for flavour, and Perform would likely be his only Charisma-based skill.
Ranger is the obvious option for this, but I'm not sure which archetype would best benefit a flying archer. I've never played a ranger in 5e before, so I don't really know what's good. I'm also looking at the Scout subclass for Rogues as a definite option - the flavour is right but I feel like a lot of its features would be redundant if I can fly. I also looked at the Battle Master fighter, but I don't think it grants enough skills to really make this character work. If there were some type of archery-based monk, that would be ideal, but I don't think there is anything like that in the published rules.
My group is generally very flexible about background customization so I should be able to get two skills and my tool proficiencies from there.
Also, I have seen a lot of guides suggesting taking the Crossbow Mastery feat and using a hand crossbow to get more attacks, but I like the idea of him using a longbow better than a crossbow. Is there another cool thing an archery-based character can do with their bonus action that wouldn't make NOT taking Crossbow Mastery a flat-out mistake?
Is there an archetype I'm not thinking of that would also fit?
Anything else I should consider?

[Khrysaes]

Bunk.

Bow Shadow Monk OR Kensei Monk.

Start 1 Monk -> 5 monk or 6 monk, -> 3 ranger/fighter, or whatever.

Use Tasha's

Dedicated weapon to gain proficiency in... I think you have to use shortbow, as I think Longbows are heavy.

3rd level is Ki Fueled Attack, If you spend 1 ki as part of your action, you can make a bonus action attack with your bow.

4th level - Sharpshooter feat

5th level is Focused Aim, Lets you add +2-+6 to your attack rolls IF you miss, for 1-3 ki. This triggers Ki Fueled Attack.

Shadow monk lets you cast Darkness and Pass without a trace, which can really up your stealth.

There is Also something to be said about Kensei level 6, which allows you to spend 1 ki when you hi to deal extra damage, triggering your Ki Fueled Attack.

Monks are proficient in Shortbows for Dedicated Weapon.

Fighter 1 and Ranger 2 get you Archery Fighting Style. 2 ranger gets you some more spells, and you can fill your concentration with hunter's mark for some extra damage.

Battlemaster can get you many options to expand your versatility with your bow.

Gloomstalker meshes well with Shadow monk.

Rogue could also work well, scout works great with ranged attack and movement.

Advantage for attacks, Cunning Aim works from Rogue

Precise Attack from Battlemaster

Focused Aim

Archery Fighting style

These are all things that can offset the -5 from Sharpshooter.

[GentlemanVoodoo]

I have a character concept in mind but I'm not sure how, mechanically, best to build him.
He's an aarakocra archer of some kind. Sort of a storklike guy who lives in a swamp, and is obviously very comfortable out in the wilderness. He's very contemplative and lives almost as a hermit.
He needs to have proficiency in Insight, Perception, Survival, Perform, and ideally Nature. Acrobatics and Medicine might also be useful. He needs to be proficient with cooking implements and a musical instrument (guitar). Both of these are purely for flavour, and Perform would likely be his only Charisma-based skill.
Ranger is the obvious option for this, but I'm not sure which archetype would best benefit a flying archer. I've never played a ranger in 5e before, so I don't really know what's good. I'm also looking at the Scout subclass for Rogues as a definite option - the flavour is right but I feel like a lot of its features would be redundant if I can fly. I also looked at the Battle Master fighter, but I don't think it grants enough skills to really make this character work. If there were some type of archery-based monk, that would be ideal, but I don't think there is anything like that in the published rules.
My group is generally very flexible about background customization so I should be able to get two skills and my tool proficiencies from there.
Also, I have seen a lot of guides suggesting taking the Crossbow Mastery feat and using a hand crossbow to get more attacks, but I like the idea of him using a longbow better than a crossbow. Is there another cool thing an archery-based character can do with their bonus action that wouldn't make NOT taking Crossbow Mastery a flat-out mistake?
Is there an archetype I'm not thinking of that would also fit?
Anything else I should consider?

For race, consider the Hawk-headed Aven from PLane-shift Amonkhet, re-fluff as needed. Hawkeyed racial ability grants perception skill and removes disadvantage on long range attacks.

[RogueJK]

Bunk.

Bow Kensei Monk.


This is definitely a solid option, and fits well with your "contemplative hermit" concept. Although I would recommend sticking to just 1 level of Fighter on a Kensai Monk.

Fighter 1 gets you Archery fighting style (and Longbow proficiency prior to Kensai 3), which is really all you're after... An additional 2-3 levels in Fighter/Ranger aren't worth the delay to your Monk ability and Ki pool.

(And if you're in a group that gives a bonus feat at 1st level, which is a semi-common homebrew thing, then you don't even really need to multiclass at all since you can grab the Fighting Initiate feat for free to get Archery fighting style.)


Is there another cool thing an archery-based character can do with their bonus action that wouldn't make NOT taking Crossbow Mastery a flat-out mistake?

With a Longbow Kensai Monk, spending a Ki point on Deft Strike (on a hit) or Ki Focused Aim (on a near miss) during your Attack action will trigger the Ki Fueled Attack bonus action. So it's an easy way to get a Bonus Action Longbow attack in many rounds, starting at Monk 5/6.


And Archery fighting style + Ki Focused Aim (if needed) is a good way to offset Sharpshooter's -5 attack penalty.

Plus you also have the ability to deliver effective DEX-based unarmed strikes (even 3x/4x in a round with Martial Arts/Flurry) if you get cornered in melee or if a nearby enemy triggers an OA, all without having to drop your Longbow, whereas many other archers can struggle if having to melee.

[Morrison]

Bunk.

Bow Shadow Monk OR Kensei Monk.

Start 1 Monk -> 5 monk or 6 monk, -> 3 ranger/fighter, or whatever.

Use Tasha's

Dedicated weapon to gain proficiency in... I think you have to use shortbow, as I think Longbows are heavy.

3rd level is Ki Fueled Attack, If you spend 1 ki as part of your action, you can make a bonus action attack with your bow.

4th level - Sharpshooter feat

5th level is Focused Aim, Lets you add +2-+6 to your attack rolls IF you miss, for 1-3 ki. This triggers Ki Fueled Attack.

Shadow monk lets you cast Darkness and Pass without a trace, which can really up your stealth.

There is Also something to be said about Kensei level 6, which allows you to spend 1 ki when you hi to deal extra damage, triggering your Ki Fueled Attack.

Monks are proficient in Shortbows for Dedicated Weapon.

Fighter 1 and Ranger 2 get you Archery Fighting Style. 2 ranger gets you some more spells, and you can fill your concentration with hunter's mark for some extra damage.

Battlemaster can get you many options to expand your versatility with your bow.

Gloomstalker meshes well with Shadow monk.

Rogue could also work well, scout works great with ranged attack and movement.

Advantage for attacks, Cunning Aim works from Rogue

Precise Attack from Battlemaster

Focused Aim

Archery Fighting style

These are all things that can offset the -5 from Sharpshooter.

I'm always hesitant to go multiclass because it's so much more complicated, but this might give me the best of both worlds. Multiclassing gives you all the skills and saving proficiencies of both classes, right?

[RogueJK]

I'm always hesitant to go multiclass because it's so much more complicated, but this might give me the best of both worlds. Multiclassing gives you all the skills and saving proficiencies of both classes, right?

No. You get the skills and saving throw proficiency of your starting class only. That is, whichever class you take at Level 1.

So you'll need to decide if you want STR/CON and 2x Fighter skills if starting with Fighter 1, or STR/DEX and 2x Monk skills if starting with Monk 1. I'd lean towards the latter, as your high DEX plus Monk's DEX saving throw proficiency pairs nicely with the Monk Evasion ability.

So I'd probably start Monk 1 (with a Shortbow), then take Fighter 1 (picking up Archery fighting style and switching to Longbow), and then go straight Monk from there.


Fear not: Multiclassing isn't complicated, especially if you're just taking 1 level of a martial class like Fighter. (It only gets a little more complicated when you multiclass between spellcasters, especially Warlock and another spellcaster.)

[Morrison]

For race, consider the Hawk-headed Aven from PLane-shift Amonkhet, re-fluff as needed. Hawkeyed racial ability grants perception skill and removes disadvantage on long range attacks.

Oh, I hadn't thought of that. I forgot all about Planeshift.

[Morrison]

This is definitely a solid option, and fits well with your "contemplative hermit" concept. Although I would recommend sticking to Fighter 1/Kensai Monk X. Fighter 1 gets you Archery fighting style (and Longbow proficiency prior to Kensai 3), which is really all you're after... An additional 2-3 levels in Fighter/Ranger aren't worth the delay to your Monk ability and Ki pool.

Spending a Ki point on Deft Strike (on a hit) or Ki Focused Aim (on a near miss) during your Attack action will trigger the Ki Fueled Attack bonus action attack. So it's an easy way to get 3x Longbow attacks in many rounds, starting at Monk 5/6.

And Archery fighting style + Ki Focused Aim (if needed) is a good way to offset the Sharpshooter attack penalty.

Plus you also have the ability to deliver effective DEX-based unarmed strikes if you get cornered in melee or if a nearby enemy triggers an OA, all without having to drop your Longbow, whereas many other archers can struggle if having to melee.

I wouldn't get any use out of Flurry of Blows though, would I?

But if I did that, I could get Perception from being a hawk-headed aven, Insight and Stealth as my monk skills, and then Nature and Survival from my background. I guess I don't really need the Perform skill if I already have proficiency in the instrument, right?

[ender241]

No. You get the skills and saving throw proficiency of your starting class only. That is, whichever class you take at Level 1.

One quick note - while saving throw proficiencies are always from your starting class only, a few classes do give a skill proficiency from the new class when gained, but fighter is not one of them.

[Psyren]

+1 Kensei Monk. This gives you an easy bonus action attack without needing a hand crossbow.


I wouldn't get any use out of Flurry of Blows though, would I?

You would if stuff gets into melee with you - you can kick with your talons even while holding your bow.

But most of the time you'll have better stuff to spend your ki on anyway - notably Focused Aim and Deft Strike (both of which trigger Ki-Fueled Attack), but occasionally you'll want to Patient Defense or Step of the Wind too.

[Khrysaes]

No. You get the skills and saving throw proficiency of your starting class only. That is, whichever class you take at Level 1.

So you'll need to decide if you want STR/CON and 2x Fighter skills if starting with Fighter 1, or STR/DEX and 2x Monk skills if starting with Monk 1. I'd lean towards the latter, as your high DEX plus Monk's DEX saving throw proficiency pairs nicely with the Monk Evasion ability.

So I'd probably start Monk 1 (with a Shortbow), then take Fighter 1 (picking up Archery fighting style and switching to Longbow), and then go straight Monk from there.


Fear not: Multiclassing isn't complicated, especially if you're just taking 1 level of a martial class like Fighter. (It only gets a little more complicated when you multiclass between spellcasters, especially Warlock and another spellcaster.)


One quick note - while saving throw proficiencies are always from your starting class only, a few classes do give a skill proficiency from the new class when gained, but fighter is not one of them.

Monk 14 does gain proficiency in all saving throws.

Gloomstalker Ranger 7 gains proficiency in Wisdom Saving Throws. Starts with STR/DEX

Samurai Fighter 7 also gains proficiency in Wisdom Saving throws, or if you already are proficient, your choice of INT or CHA.

However, for a Bunk, I would go for Monk 14.

Personally, I would pick ranger 2 over fighter 2, even if I take less monk levels because of the extra skill at level 1, spells AND fighting style at level 2, and with Tasha's, Expertise and extra damage options at level 1. If I took 3 levels of either class, it is more situational as the subclasses from each class have various strengths. For example, a Feywanderer Ranger can add their Wisdom modifier, which as a monk/ranger yours would be okay, for charisma-based checks(Typically: Intimidate, Deception, Persuasion) and proficiency in one of them.


I wouldn't get any use out of Flurry of Blows though, would I?

But if I did that, I could get Perception from being a hawk-headed aven, Insight and Stealth as my monk skills, and then Nature and Survival from my background. I guess I don't really need the Perform skill if I already have proficiency in the instrument, right?

Ranger, Rogue, Bard gain skill proficiencies when multiclassed into. I don't think any other class gains a skill proficiency, though many offer tools, weapons, or armor.

There are some classes that have subclasses granting skills, such as Knowledge Cleric, Arcana Cleric, Scout Rogue, Feywanderer Ranger, Samurai Fighter, Peace Cleric. Many others.

[follacchioso]

I have played the Kensai build for a bit, and while it works well in terms of damage, it can be a bit monotonous in terms of playstyle. It's good at dealing damage, but that will be your main focus.

Another option is Gloomstalker Ranger with the Skulker feat. You fly at night, under the dim light of the moon, silent and stealthy. When you encounter enemies, you attack them from above using your bow, then fly away and hide again. I am playing this with an Owlin Ranger, which has better darkvision, but the Aarakotra will also work.

[Morrison]

However, for a Bunk, I would go for Monk 14.


I didn't realize "Bunk" was a specific term for a build (bow monk?) and just assumed it meant "nonsense".

[Morrison]

+1 Kensei Monk. This gives you an easy bonus action attack without needing a hand crossbow.


I assume you're referring to the Kensei's Shot feature? I feel like an extra d4 of damage isn't as useful as an entire extra shot. And unless I'm misreading something, a hand crossbow would qualify to be a kensei weapon.



You would if stuff gets into melee with you - you can kick with your talons even while holding your bow.


I'm hoping to avoid melee altogether, but having that as a backup option would be kinda nice.

[Khrysaes]

I didn't realize "Bunk" was a specific term for a build (bow monk?) and just assumed it meant "nonsense".

I mean. I didnt coin it but have seen others use it. Treantmonl has an entire video on the build concept. I think it is bunk and not bonk to get the correct pronunciation of the unk in monk because English is a garbage language.

[Morrison]

I have played the Kensai build for a bit, and while it works well in terms of damage, it can be a bit monotonous in terms of playstyle. It's good at dealing damage, but that will be your main focus.

Another option is Gloomstalker Ranger with the Skulker feat. You fly at night, under the dim light of the moon, silent and stealthy. When you encounter enemies, you attack them from above using your bow, then fly away and hide again. I am playing this with an Owlin Ranger, which has better darkvision, but the Aarakotra will also work.

That's definitely worth considering. I'm not sure if I want him to be quite that much of a stealth-based character, and the Gloom Stalker's Umbral Sight feature is extremely situational in a way that not every campaign would be a good fit for, since I'd need to either ask the rest of the party to be largely nocturnal or spend most of our time underground or in very dense forest. Still, in the right kind of campaign, making him a Gloom Stalker could be extremely powerful.

[Psyren]

I assume you're referring to the Kensei's Shot feature? I feel like an extra d4 of damage isn't as useful as an entire extra shot. And unless I'm misreading something, a hand crossbow would qualify to be a kensei weapon.

(1) No, I'm referring to the Ki Fueled Attack feature from Tasha's. As long as you spent a ki point on your turn on anything, you get to attack as a bonus action with any monk weapon, and Kensei lets you use a Longbow as your monk weapon. Focused Aim (also Tasha's) and the Kensei's Deft Strike make it so that you always have a beneficial use for a ki point on every round to fuel KFA. Essentially, you're never using Kensei's Shot except at early levels or when you run out of ki (which often are the same thing.)

(2) Monks aren't proficient with hand crossbows as they are martial weapons. Kensei solves this, but if you're going Kensei anyway you might as well just use a longbow and do more damage.

[follacchioso]

That's definitely worth considering. I'm not sure if I want him to be quite that much of a stealth-based character, and the Gloom Stalker's Umbral Sight feature is extremely situational in a way that not every campaign would be a good fit for, since I'd need to either ask the rest of the party to be largely nocturnal or spend most of our time underground or in very dense forest. Still, in the right kind of campaign, making him a Gloom Stalker could be extremely powerful.
An alternative Ranger build is Fey Wanderer. You can get the Performance Proficiency from there, and add your Wis bonus to it, so that would be a way to be decent at playing an instrument without having high CHA. The other features are not extremely powerful but still ok, from the bonus psychic damage to Misty Step.

In general lore, Aarakotras do not have any specific connection to the fey world, but nothing stops you from developing your own story.

[Morrison]

(1) No, I'm referring to the Ki Fueled Attack feature from Tasha's. As long as you spent a ki point on your turn on anything, you get to attack as a bonus action with any monk weapon, and Kensei lets you use a Longbow as your monk weapon. Focused Aim (also Tasha's) and the Kensei's Deft Strike make it so that you always have a beneficial use for a ki point on every round to fuel KFA. Essentially, you're never using Kensei's Shot except at early levels or when you run out of ki (which often are the same thing.)

(2) Monks aren't proficient with hand crossbows as they are martial weapons. Kensei solves this, but if you're going Kensei anyway you might as well just use a longbow and do more damage.

Oh, that's interesting.
So if I do this, I can use my bonus action to make an extra attack with a longbow.
If I take Crossbow Mastery, I can use my bonus action to make an extra attack with a hand crossbow, doing less damage and also costing me a feat. The two cannot stack, so I would gain nothing from taking that feat and switching to hand crossbows.

The only cost to what you're suggesting is that I'd have to use a ki point every turn, but in my experience playing monks I will usually be doing that anyway.

I really do like monks.
So I'm looking at a multiclass build probably of monk (kensei) and either a bit of fighter or ranger.

[Sorinth]

I have a character concept in mind but I'm not sure how, mechanically, best to build him.
He's an aarakocra archer of some kind. Sort of a storklike guy who lives in a swamp, and is obviously very comfortable out in the wilderness. He's very contemplative and lives almost as a hermit.
He needs to have proficiency in Insight, Perception, Survival, Perform, and ideally Nature. Acrobatics and Medicine might also be useful. He needs to be proficient with cooking implements and a musical instrument (guitar). Both of these are purely for flavour, and Perform would likely be his only Charisma-based skill.
Ranger is the obvious option for this, but I'm not sure which archetype would best benefit a flying archer. I've never played a ranger in 5e before, so I don't really know what's good. I'm also looking at the Scout subclass for Rogues as a definite option - the flavour is right but I feel like a lot of its features would be redundant if I can fly. I also looked at the Battle Master fighter, but I don't think it grants enough skills to really make this character work. If there were some type of archery-based monk, that would be ideal, but I don't think there is anything like that in the published rules.
My group is generally very flexible about background customization so I should be able to get two skills and my tool proficiencies from there.
Also, I have seen a lot of guides suggesting taking the Crossbow Mastery feat and using a hand crossbow to get more attacks, but I like the idea of him using a longbow better than a crossbow. Is there another cool thing an archery-based character can do with their bonus action that wouldn't make NOT taking Crossbow Mastery a flat-out mistake?
Is there an archetype I'm not thinking of that would also fit?
Anything else I should consider?

In terms of skills do you really need Perform and Musical Instruments? Just a musical instrument should be enough as you can't double up on the proficiency bonus. Similarly cooking instruments seems a bit extra, it's not like you need them to be able to cook a good meal, that's something you could just as easily RP. So sure if you have a floating tool proficiency and nothing interesting you take it but I would probably grab a language over cooking tools.

As other's mentioned Kensei Monk seems like a good fit for you.

[RogueJK]

I didn't realize "Bunk" was a specific term for a build (bow monk?)

There's also the Gunk, which is a similar ranged Monk who uses a firearm via the Gunner feat.

[Khrysaes]

Oh, that's interesting.
So if I do this, I can use my bonus action to make an extra attack with a longbow.
If I take Crossbow Mastery, I can use my bonus action to make an extra attack with a hand crossbow, doing less damage and also costing me a feat. The two cannot stack, so I would gain nothing from taking that feat and switching to hand crossbows.

The only cost to what you're suggesting is that I'd have to use a ki point every turn, but in my experience playing monks I will usually be doing that anyway.

I really do like monks.
So I'm looking at a multiclass build probably of monk (kensei) and either a bit of fighter or ranger.

So, obviously while you can't use two bonus actions, technically you can benefit from both the usefulness of Crossbow Expert(XBE) feat and the Monk Kensei's Deft Strike/Ki Fueled Attack.

First, for a weapon to be considered a Kensei weapon, it must be "ne melee weapon and one ranged weapon. Each of these weapons can be any simple or martial weapon that lacks the heavy and special properties." Kensei specifies Longbow because it has the Heavy Property.

Handcrossbows are martial weapons without heavy or special properties and thus valid as kensei weapons.

Ergo, you can still use Deft Strike with a hand crossbow, and then use Ki Fueled attack, however, without XBE you would have to use a second handcrossbow and are subject to the loading property. Longbows do more damage at low levels. However, as the handcrossbow is a kensei weapon, it therefore would catch up to longbow at Monk level 11 with monk weapon damage.


XBE will still provide the benefit of ignoring the loading property of crossbows, not imposing disadvantage when within 5ft of a hostile creature, and allowing you to NOT USE KI to make a bonus action attack with a hand crossbow. So this would be valid when you run out of Ki. As it still takes a bonus action, it competes with Kensei's Shot bonus damage, which you can use when you run out of ki with a longbow, and every other bonus action that a xbow and longbow kensei would have that are the same.

Edit:

Longbow will do more damage at low level. After Monk Level 11, I think Xbow will do more if only because once out of Ki, a Xbow monk can still take bonus action attacks instead of being limited to the 1d4 of Kensei's Shot. More attacks also means a higher average damage.

[RogueJK]

First, for a weapon to be considered a Kensei weapon, it must be "ne melee weapon and one ranged weapon. Each of these weapons can be any simple or martial weapon that lacks the heavy and special properties." Kensei specifies Longbow because it has the Heavy Property.

Handcrossbows are martial weapons without heavy or special properties and thus valid as kensei weapons.

Ergo, you can still use Deft Strike with a hand crossbow, and then use Ki Fueled attack
...
XBE will still provide the benefit of ignoring the loading property of crossbows, not imposing disadvantage when within 5ft of a hostile creature
...
Longbow will do more damage at low level. After Monk Level 11, I think Xbow will do more if only because once out of Ki, a Xbow monk can still take bonus action attacks instead of being limited to the 1d4 of Kensei's Shot. More attacks also means a higher average damage.

A Gunk with the Gunner feat and a Musket gives XBE an even better run for its money. Like XBE, the Gunner feat removes Loading and close range Disadvantage. (And it's a DEX half-feat to boot...) And the Musket has an even larger damage dice than the Longbow (1d12), plus it's not a Heavy/Special weapon so still qualifies as a Kensei weapon.

In addition, both the Longbow and Musket have noticeably longer ranges than the Hand Crossbow, which allows them in some situations to engage targets before a Hand Crossbow could even reach, offsetting some of the extra Hand Crossbow attacks.

I'd be interested to see where the breakeven (if any) would be between a Hand Crossbow Expert Kensei vs. Musket Gunner Kensei.

In addition, the benefit of the XBE's BA attack once you run out of Ki might be a bit overstated, especially at higher levels (Level 11+ is specifically mentioned). High level Bunks/Gunks are less likely to run out of Ki compared to melee Monks, as they're often going to be spending just 1-2 Ki per round, as opposed to a melee Monk frequently spending multiple Ki per round to Flurry+Multiple Stun+Other Abilities.

How often are your Level 11+ Monks going 11+ rounds of combat between Short Rests? IIRC, the baseline for daily encounters is something like 2x-3x combats lasting 3-5 rounds on average apiece between each short rest. That works out to around 6-15 rounds per short rest. Call it a median of 10 rounds.

And in addition to the Musket's larger damage dice, they also have the ability to apply even a further (admittedly small) damage bonus using their Bonus Action without spending Ki via Kensei’s Shot.

[Morrison]

So, obviously while you can't use two bonus actions, technically you can benefit from both the usefulness of Crossbow Expert(XBE) feat and the Monk Kensei's Deft Strike/Ki Fueled Attack.

First, for a weapon to be considered a Kensei weapon, it must be "ne melee weapon and one ranged weapon. Each of these weapons can be any simple or martial weapon that lacks the heavy and special properties." Kensei specifies Longbow because it has the Heavy Property.

Handcrossbows are martial weapons without heavy or special properties and thus valid as kensei weapons.

Ergo, you can still use Deft Strike with a hand crossbow, and then use Ki Fueled attack, however, without XBE you would have to use a second handcrossbow and are subject to the loading property. Longbows do more damage at low levels. However, as the handcrossbow is a kensei weapon, it therefore would catch up to longbow at Monk level 11 with monk weapon damage.


XBE will still provide the benefit of ignoring the loading property of crossbows, not imposing disadvantage when within 5ft of a hostile creature, and allowing you to NOT USE KI to make a bonus action attack with a hand crossbow. So this would be valid when you run out of Ki. As it still takes a bonus action, it competes with Kensei's Shot bonus damage, which you can use when you run out of ki with a longbow, and every other bonus action that a xbow and longbow kensei would have that are the same.

Edit:

Longbow will do more damage at low level. After Monk Level 11, I think Xbow will do more if only because once out of Ki, a Xbow monk can still take bonus action attacks instead of being limited to the 1d4 of Kensei's Shot. More attacks also means a higher average damage.

Yeah, but I feel like the main benefit I'd get from Crossbow Expert is not having to use the ki point, which isn't worth a feat to me. I don't plan on getting within 5ft of a hostile creature if I can avoid it so I don't think I'd get much out of that either.

[Morrison]

A Gunk with the Gunner feat and a Musket gives XBE an even better run for its money. Like XBE, the Gunner feat removes Loading and close range Disadvantage. And the Musket has an even larger damage dice than the Longbow (1d12), plus it's not a Heavy/Special weapon so qualifies as a Kensei weapon.

In addition, both the Longbow and Musket have noticeably longer ranges than the Hand Crossbow, which allows them in some situations to engage targets before a Hand Crossbow could even reach, offsetting some of the extra Hand Crossbow attacks.

I'd be interested to see where the breakeven (if any) would be between a Hand Crossbow Expert Kensei vs. Musket Gunner Kensei.

In addition, I don't know how much of a benefit the Ki-less BA attack would be, even at higher levels. High level Bunks/Gunks are less likely to run out of Ki compared to melee Monks, as they're often going to be spending just 1 Ki per round, as opposed to frequently spending multiple multiple Ki per round to Flurry+Multiple Stun+Other Abilities. How often are you going 10/15/20 rounds of combat between Short Rests? And in addition to the larger damage dice, they also have the ability to apply even a further (admittedly small) damage bonus using their Bonus Action without spending Ki via Kensei’s Shot.

I'm not sure my group would allow guns, or how well they fit with this laid-back character concept, but... mechanically it looks pretty damn good.

[Nefariis]

I personally think you were already on the right path with Scout Rogue (one of my favorites).


He needs to have proficiency in Insight, Perception, Survival, Perform, and ideally Nature. Acrobatics and Medicine might also be useful.

Rogue gets 4 skills at starting - Insight, Perception (expertise), Acrobatics (expertise), Perform. Then Scout gets you 2 more - Nature, Survival. Then background: Hermit - Medicine, Religion

There, you have all your bases covered at level 3. You would also have 2d6 sneak attack damage, cunning action, and a reaction escape.

Next I would go Ranger 5 (pick your subclass based on how the campaign is going / what you think you are going to get the most use out of) - I think the extra damage, fighting style, spells, extra attack, etc. fit really well with your theme.

And then after level 8, decide if you want more ranger levels or more rogue levels - again, go with whatever fits the style of the campaign at level 9.

I'm not sure what level you are starting, but the multiclass requirements for Monk and Ranger are the same, so at level 4 you can decide Monk or Ranger - Either way, I don't think you can go wrong with starting Scout 3

[Morrison]

I personally think you were already on the right path with Scout Rogue (one of my favorites).



How useful would the Scout's features be if I can fly and basically never get into melee, though?

[Nefariis]

How useful would the Scout's features be if I can fly and basically never get into melee, though?

How useful is Monk's Flurry of Blows, Stunning Strike, and Kensei's Agile Parry if you are never going to be in melee?

EDIT - Sorry, after rereading this it might I realize it might have come off snarky - that was definitely not my intention - just trying to do an apples to apples

[Khrysaes]

How useful would the Scout's features be if I can fly and basically never get into melee, though?

In general they are good.

Skirmisher will work on any flying melee enemies as well as any time you are on the ground.

The mobility would work for the Monsters of the Multiverse Aarakocra because flight speed = walking speed, so an increase in your walking speed, Superior Mobility, affects your flight speed.

Advantage on Initiative and attacks one creature is not bad on any character.

Then another attack as a bonus action at 17th level.

Personally, I would do 4 Scout rogue, take the Fighting Style: Archery feat at 4th level, and use monk 16 for the other levels. Monk levels with Ki Fueled attack will get you your bonus action attack faster than 17th level. Monk levels will also increase your speed. The only thing you lose from Scout specifically then, would be advantage on Initiative Rolls and attacks against the first creature you hit in the first round of combat.

You do lose the other rogue features, in contrast. So if Monk features are almost the same as Scout Features, Which do you want more, high level rogue features or the Monk features?

2 Rogue also gets you cunning action which allows you to save your Ki on Hiding and Disengaging over the Monk's step of the wind.

[Sorinth]

How useful would the Scout's features be if I can fly and basically never get into melee, though?

The main benefit is that you get 2 extra skills and Expertise slots, so for a skilled focused build especially one where you already want the focus to be Survival & Nature it makes a lot of sense. Only problem is you have to put off taking Survival & Nature until level 3.

[Nefariis]

Truthfully, I actually forgot that the Scout's ability gives you expertise in both Nature and Survival, even if you didn't start with it beforehand - so you would have 4 expertise skills

Insight (or acrobatics), Perception, Nature, and Survival - which, kinda fun, gives you a passive insight/perception of 17 at level 1 which is always a good time.

If you did play Owlin (I know you want Aarakocra, but Owlin can still fly), you would get the Stealth skill, which I always enjoy having - at that point you would have pretty much every skill but Basket Weaving.

Also, Grung (I'm just trying to fit into the Swamp theme) at level 3 your damage could be 1d6 (shortbow) + 2d6 (sneak) + 2d4 (poison) + 3 (dex) = 18.5 damage, no resources.

Two more levels of Scout gets you +1d6 sneak attack, Uncanny Dodge, and (+1 damage/accuracy or Sharpshooter)
Three levels of ranger gives you +2 to hit (archery style), expertise in another skill, +1d4 damage (favored foe), potentially +2d6 more in damage (from Hunters Mark and (SwarmKeeper, Drakewarden or Hunter))

level 7 (4 Scout / 3 Ranger) could give you +5d6 + 3d4 + 13 damage every hit, no resources (other than hunter mark).

With Aarakocra at level 10 (4 Scout, 6 Ranger) that would be 2 attacks for 8d6 + 28 and you have expertise in 5 skills and you have spells - so great damage and extremely useful out of combat

All really fun stuff - what a great theme.