Couple of Monk concepts needed for one-shot

[Unoriginal]

Hello everyone.

I'm working on pre-gen characters for an all-Monk one-shot, but I'm hesitating for the last two. Do you have any ideas?

All PCs will be lvl 6 Monks, and the two that are already done are Open Hand Variant Human with Fighting Initiate and Astral Self Variant Human with Magic Initiate. I will avoid any repeat in feat and in subclass, and I'd prefer if the remaining PCs weren't humans.

Thank you in advance.

[J-H]

Tanky: Dwarven Long Death monk. Crusher, so he can knock people around while punching them.

Fun: 4 Elements monk with all ki costs halved and an additional discipline known. Instead of a feat, I'd go with an ASI in Wisdom. Give him the Mobile feat so he doesn't have to use Step of the Wind to disengage after air-punching with a ki point and then BA attacking from the Tasha's ACF.

Mobile/Stealthy: Wood Elf Shadow Monk using dedicated weapon with a spear and a shortbow. If you want a feat, give him the Blind Fighting style.

[Dr.Samurai]

Orc Monk Way of Mercy - Follows Yurtrus, the orc god of death and disease. For a feat maybe Ritual Caster (Cleric)?

[KorvinStarmast]

Hello everyone.

I'm working on pre-gen characters for an all-Monk one-shot, but I'm hesitating for the last two. Do you have any ideas?

All PCs will be lvl 6 Monks, and the two that are already done are Open Hand Variant Human with Fighting Initiate and Astral Self Variant Human with Magic Initiate. I will avoid any repeat in feat and in subclass, and I'd prefer if the remaining PCs weren't humans.

Thank you in advance.
Wood Elf.
Way of the Sun Soul

Equip with a long bow in case you need long ranged attacks.
At level 1:
S 11 D 14 (16) C 12 I 10 W 15 (16) Ch 10
Criminal/Spy Background (get the thieves tools proficiency)
No feat needed at 4, put the Wisdom at 18 or Dex at 16 (or the other way around: You'll only have a few chances to stun, so maybe the 18 Dex is a better idea. At higher levels with more Ki points I have usually boosted W first and done fine).
Worked for me. AC 17 isn't great, but it's also not bad.
A few times we stumbled into bunches of mooks with a boss; the burning hands was a nice way to mitigate the crowd problem so that we could get to the boss.
---------------------
Or, leave Dex and Wisdom ad 16 and Grab a feat:
Mobile, or
Lucky, or
Healer or
Skill expert. (+1 STR and Athletics proficiency)

[RogueJK]

Goblin Shadow Monk with Thieves Tool background proficiency and the Skill Expert feat for Stealth Expertise = Quasi-rogue infiltrator monk
8/15+2+1/14/10/15+1/8


Centaur or Tabaxi Mercy Monk with the Mobile feat = Super speedy paramedic and striker monk, with free Disengage
8/15+1/13+1/10/15+1/10


Half Elf Kensei with the Piercer or Elven Accuracy feat and a Longbow = Long range archer monk (also works with a musket and the Gunner feat)
8/15+2+1/13+1/10/15+1/10


Gem Dragonborn Ascendant Dragon Monk = Mini-dragon monk, with elemental damage strikes, several AoE breath weapon options, and flight
8/15+2+1/15+1/8/15+1/8


Metallic Dragonborn Long Death Monk = Debuffer/controller monk, with options for fear effect, stun effect, incapacitation effect, and shove/prone effect, or just straight AoE damage
8/15+2+1/15+1/8/15+1/8


Mountain Dwarf Long Death Monk with the Heavily Armored feat = Tanky strong quasi-fighter monk with AC 18 from plate armor and a 2H axe/hammer, utilizing BA Dodge ability bolstered by Temp HP. And since they don't need WIS for AC, as long as they're willing to give up the effectiveness of Stunning Strike and the fear effect, they can dump WIS in favor of CHA and assume the role of party Face.
15+2+1/10/14+2/8/10/14


STR-based Tortle Kensei Monk with the Crusher feat = Alternative strong warhammer-wielding frontliner monk, but more traditional without armor/shield. Utilize Agile Parry each round for a 19 AC. Can similarly act as party Face in lieu of Stunning Strike by dumping WIS in favor of CHA.
15+2+1/10/15+1/8/8/14

[Clause]

gitzerai
dragonic acolite
with the archeologist background
war adept feat.


firbolg
way of four elements
sage background
telekinetic feat

[strangebloke]

you have a standard monk's monk and a 'wizard monk' seems like you'd want a ninja and a zen archer to round it out yeah?

for ninja, goblin shadow monk is great. pick up blindfighting and drop darkness (smokebomb!) to defend and attack

for zen archer, kensei is the obvious pick. Wood Elf, grab piercer at level 4. Seems fun.

As a sidenote I'd probably go githzerai for astral monk. It's a cool combo.

[RogueJK]

for ninja, goblin shadow monk is great. pick up blindfighting and drop darkness (smokebomb!) to defend and attack

Since you'd have to spend a feat either way, spending the feat on Eldritch Adept to grab Devil's Sight with its 120' range would be better than spending the feat on Fighting Initiate for Blind Fighting which only works out to a mere 10' range.




As a sidenote I'd probably go githzerai for astral monk. It's a cool combo.

Astral Elf is also a great pick for the Astral Self Monk. Very thematically appropriate, plus grants racial Sacred Flame for a WIS-based 60' ranged option to complement the WIS-based melee option.

(Kobold is another route for a racial WIS-based ranged Sorcerer cantrip option.)

Plus, with a WIS-SAD Astral [S]Elf Monk, it'd free up some ability points to put towards INT or CHA to better round out the party's skills coverage. Something like:

STR 8
DEX 14+2
CON 14
INT 12 or 8
WIS 15+1
CHA 8 or 12

Level 4 ASI: 18 WIS or Ritual Caster Wizard




For a 4 person all-monk party, I'd likely go with something like:

Centaur or Tabaxi Mercy Monk: Healer and striker
Goblin Shadow Monk: Rogue-like infiltrator and primary skill monkey
Astral Elf Astral Self Monk: Traditional monk role, plus secondary skill monkey with some INT and WIS skills, and Wizard rituals
Tortle Kensei STRonk: Strong guy frontliner and party Face

This would be a fairly well-rounded team with all the major roles and skills covered (except significant spellcasting, obviously).

[Unoriginal]

Thanks, everyone.

I decided to go with an Harengon Drunken Master and a Dragon Ascendant Kobold, in the end.

You gave plenty of great ideas, and I've considered several for the remaining Monks, but ultimately I have to go with what I think will fit those specific players' styles the best.

This thread was a great reminder there is more than a few ways to Monk, so thank you again!