Ranking EVERY ARCHETYPE in 5e (Monk Edition)

[@sandrols7]

There is one thing you didn't mention about the Searing Sunburst: If a creature makes its save, they take NO damage at all.

[@Shalakor]

The greatest evidence that the subclass is based on Dragon Ball Z.

[@MrAllen1049]

a monk making a 2d6 20 foot light explosion from 150 every 6 seconds for free is scary

[@danielderamus9573]

There is one important thing to remember about casting type monks (Wo4E, SS, Shadow) they COMPLETELY refill casting on SHORT rest, I think that’s the main reason why they are so nerfed comparatively.

[@PvPNecrash]

They are not nerfed while my party sometimes goes into 3 combats with out taking a long rest my monk meditates for 30min and can burn all his Ki per encounter.

[@AJDeLaRosa]

Hey you got to 1K! Congrats!

[@theholysaint7513]

3K now im so proud

[@amothwithapressingquestion3902]

Quick add on: You don't have to be surrounded by enemies for intoxicated frenzy to work. Your 3rd level feature allows you to disengage for free so you're free to move around from enemy to enemy as you deliver your flurry of blows.

[@devin5201]

Oh crap it's true! And ur also super fast so it's totally within your grasp to just run circles around a group of enemies punching them in the face and then running back to safety.

[@targetdreamer257]

Holy crap NICE catch!

[@julianfadullon8130]

Unpopular opinion: ...my 4E monk is adorable and OP and I love him

[@brettschacht4183]

Congratulations on reaching the 1K mark! One of my favorite YT channels, and hey, I love a good ( or especially bad) pun!

[@ericpeterson8732]

That intro was pun-ishing.

[@erikwilliams1562]

Drunken Master- great in flavor, ass in execution. It doesn’t know what it wants to be. It wants to be hit and run, but it’s best abilities want you to be in the thick of it with tipsy sway and drunken frenzy. Long Death and Shadow are nasty as hell IMHO

[@Shalakor]

Even while in the fray, you'll often need to navigate around avoiding Attacks of Opportunity to be in the right position to have enough targets for the frenzy. On that note, you can use your movement between each attack within a multiple attack granting action.

[@erikwilliams1562]

@@Shalakor you kinda proving my point. Your deliberately putting a monk, the squishy fighting class, in a position where to be truly effective he has to avoid multiple aoo for the POSSIBILITY to successfully flurry. Even if you stun 3 outta 5, I hope you got 35+ movement left

[@Shalakor]

@@erikwilliams1562 If it were possible for every character to avoid all harm there'd be no reason to play out the battles in the first place (which, plenty of games do just). Everything is an exchange of risk and reward. And they're not THAT squishy. Monks in general have so many tools by that point, and Drunken Masters add to that. The subclass makes AoO a near non-issue, while also providing even more movement speed than the base Monk, for the exact purpose of doing what you mention with cynicism. Sure, it's a big problem if too many Stunning Strikes fail since you have to keep switching targets to keep the chain going, but the opportunity to lock down so many targets so easily is a HUGE boon to aim for.

[@devin5201]

@@erikwilliams1562 I mean... With 70(75 if wood elf) feet of movement you'd run out of map before you run out of movement.

[@robertanderson-gatt1484]

I have to say before I watched the video I thought that way of the open hand would be number one

[@Jetpack7]

I thought the same thing before writing it! It's still an excellent archetype, no doubt. I just don't think it's quite as powerful as many people give it credit!

[@Dezbood]

@@Jetpack7 with Tasha’s out, any monk can now use all of the same weapons Kensei monks do (except longbows), as long as they already have that proficiency. This pairs well with mountain dwarves and half elves, whose added proficiencies can be swapped out. Or start the character with a level in fighter. Obviously, kensei is still a better damage dealer with these weapons, but the gap is closer now when any monk can use, for example, a battleaxe with two hands and then do a flurry of blows on top. Also, your review definitely sees the first ten levels as more valuable than the last ten levels. This viewpoint isn’t wrong at all, but for those really long games, the players lucky enough to be at those tables really get to see how strong the best capstone features like the one offered from Open Hand really are. All levels considered, I think Open Hand is more interesting than Kensei, and it truly becomes stronger at level 17, but no earlier.

[@MrAllen1049]

using healing kits while invisible works. suprise your enemies when your fallen comrads wounds sticth themselves up and they stand back up to fight. all while still being invisible.

[@jeremanninen4650]

Gratz on 1k! Also great review of monks..

[@cameronhalliday8553]

I knew the Kensai was cool, been meaning to play it sometime..

[@JagoTFC]

I think Drunken is the best, Long Death if you want to live longer. Kensei Agile Parry needs you not swing your weapon (that should be a 1D10 at first and a whip later) and until you get extra attack is kind of bad. Then when you get extra attack you still have to forgo your damage output because of the wording. Kensei monk, as written, is bad but with a permissive DM can get much better. Agile parry as an example don't work with Flurry of Blows.

[@gunnarjones4342]

It gets way better at later levels and i fight defensively it honestly depends on what your looking for

[@JagoTFC]

@@gunnarjones4342 I don't ever plan about PC reaching above 10th lvl. I find this game should give all scalable perks. There are some defenders that will actually gain the most important tanking feature too late. I believe it's both the crown paladin and cavalier fighter.

[@gregchan8833]

The ability to choose when to sacrifice an attack roll from d10 to d4 (worst case scenario) to gain +2 AC is a great feature. Remember, it is your choice to have better damage output (d10 instead of d8 for other monks) or higher AC. Even if you just ignore that choice, getting the option to choose the whip as monk weapon is not bad. Not to mention the extra d4 for range attacks. Best of all, they don't cost ki points. So you can save your ki points to spend on stunning strike and flurry of blows. If you are after hit and run, use your longbow and your extra speed to maintain distance from your enemies instead. Although less damage, but it doesn't use ki points which are very limited at low levels.

[@deantitus9734]

Hey Rhys, I plan on playing a Kensei monk the first chance I get!!

[@MrNxou]

The problem with the kensei monk is they wanted to add cool things, and then put tons of restrictions because of ... balance ? I don't know except the highly poor wording is showing conflict design for some reason. Thus if you go kensei u end only with longsword and longbow accessible lvl3, and if you're going melee where is the fun making a weapon build where when u must sacrifice a punch to get +2AC. "Cool but not cool".

[@deantitus9734]

Hey Rhys, well played with that ki pun, buddy!! LMAO

[@Artemisthemp]

I mainly pick Kensei due to a character idea so happy that it's ranked so high and wow I suddenly feel like playing a Drunken Master Monk - Just imagine redirecting to hit its ally

[@Jetpack7]

I never did it when I played one, but I did consider it several times :D

[@targetdreamer257]

Hehe What if either you or someone else has a familiar and that familiar stays with in 5 feet of you? That could get expensive at 25 gp a pop but I would totally be willing to pay the gold to avoid a crushing crit.

[@wd5082]

👍Nice CLEAR instruction/explanation! No distractions!!!👍

[@brenndanc1112]

Do you think a Kensei Samurai hybrid is a viable combination to create the ultimate Samurai character?

[@SadBoi_1066]

very

[@brenndanc1112]

@@SadBoi_1066 ghost of tsushima has given me a lot of inspiration lately. My biggest issue with multiclassing Kensei and Samurai is that it would be hard to make both subclasses distinct from one another. If you wear traditional samurai armor you miss out almost entirely on the monk's kit but if you don't wear the armor you miss out on a big part of the samurai's unique visual style.

[@Jetpack7]

Brenndan C There are lots of amorless samurai depictions you could draw from!

[@brenndanc1112]

@@Jetpack7 very true. Tons of ronin often traveled without armor. It was usually the samurai who were employed by a clan that repped them by having their armor in the clan's colors.

[@yanderenejoyer]

No. You'll cry with all the bonus action abilities.

[@dolphinlord640]

Update plz with the dragon, and Tasha's

[@blackfang0815]

Warning to anyone who wants the Sun Soul "Fireball": It's a Con save and a save-or-suck so a lot worse than Fireball, since creatures are more likely to succeed the save and if the do succeed they take no damage.

[@trashwagon347]

I love this so much u r way too underrated

[@optimus2200]

Long Death absolutely deserve to be higher. it took the DM 12 attacks in one turn to kill my long death "Not Optimized" monk after 1v1 that monster for like 2 turns. and only killed me because of poor choices of me.

[@Jetpack7]

Ahmed Yassin Once you hit 11th level, that archetype is definitely amazing! Most players just won’t get there!

[@optimus2200]

@@Jetpack7 well DM need to step it up then XD I found that its mostly the DM who shut down a game most than anybody else. "Sometimes its life stuff which is bleh cant do anything about. other times .. most times in my experience the DM just ... either burnt up, Dont wanna imagine a new chapter, Got bored or just being an douch". and the Slow grind of leveling up most of the time where you stuck for months on the same levels. But oh what bums me most those who end the campagin just when the players reached level 20 I go NOOOO let them Play level 20 for gods sake...

[@optimus2200]

this!!! a thousand time this!!!

[@timob1681]

@@optimus2200 did you just reply to your own comment agreeing with yourself?

[@optimus2200]

@@timob1681 no I dont know what you are talking about *shift eyes shifty eyes* .... XD maybe I was trying to reply to another comment and clicked here without noticing LOL

[@gypster2004]

That pun.. you aren’t MONKeying around...........

[@Jetpack7]

gypster2004 Sometimes I just get really fixated on the worst possible joke

[@kingpearlshine]

Alright Jetpack...If the Redemption Paladin isn’t in the top 3, we’re gonna have words. I’ll take Open Hand and Long Death not being #1 and #2, but Paladins are where I draw the line. Lol

[@Jetpack7]

King Pearlshine Ha! Don’t hate me too much if that isn’t the case 😂

[@kingpearlshine]

Jetpack7 Just remember: it’s okay if you’re wrong. I’m going to watch the video anyway 😂

[@FMVega]

This was a great list sorry so late ill sub and catch your next video monk is my fav class in dnd next to psionic pc's yeah I'm one of those players lol but make up for it with great background and Lots of fun RP thanks for ranking this... peace...

[@fortunatus1]

Your rankings: 4 Elements, Long Death, Sun Soul, Shadow, Open Hand, Drunken Master, Kensei My rankings: 4 Elements, Long Death, Sun Soul, Drunken Master, Shadow, Open Hand, Kensei I agree that 4 Elements, Long Death, and Radiant Soul should absolutely be 7, 6 and 5 respectively. I think that Open Hand is better than Drunken Master. In fact, I'd say that Shadow edges out Drunken Master as well but its close. Drunken Master v Shadow: three of the abilities of the Drunken Master have requirements that are more uncommon than the requirements of Shadow. You make that point in the video that dim light/ darkness is super common and if not available, the shadow monk can cast a spell to make it so. However, (1) Drunkard's Luck: your allies having disadvantage is rare. Not too many things create disadvantage. If one of your party is a Berserker Babrarian then yeah, this can be a great combo when the barb has used frenzy once or twice. Likewise, (2) Redirect Attack requires more than one opponent within 5 feet. That's not really something you want as Monks don't have great AC or HP compared with tanks / other strikers like fighters and barbs but you can get away with drunken technique so not too bad. Also,enemies will deprive you of this bonus when they know you can do it. (3) Intoxicated frenzy requires multiple opponents to get that increase in attacks. I'd say that this ability might edge out shadow (who gets 1 additional reaction attack when someone else attacks a creature within 5 feet) but not in all cases. A Shadow can easily coordinate in group but a Drunken master cannot coordinate with enemies to place themselves just so. In addition, the level 3 drunken master abilities are decent but not great. Free disengage rather than using a bonus action and a key point with a bonus 10 feet of movement. That's good. Performance and brewer's supplies is purely rp. Shadow Arts, though, are useful and often key spells for any D&D group. Pass without a trace alone is one of the most useful 5E spells. Silence is great against casters as is darkness, which triggers your other shadow abilities. Drunken Master v Open Hand (OH): at level 3 the Open Hand can make enemies prone upon a successful hit, so all your other attacks have advantage thus greatly increasing the chance to hit for your flurry of blow's. The OH monk can also push (off cliffs or out of doorways) . Or can make enemies lose their reactions, if you want. That effectively gives the Open Hand Monk the same disengage power as the level 3 Drunken Master minus the bonus 10 feet of movement. Moreover, you are not limited to imposing these effects once per turn. It's upon each hit. That's very good cause you can remove the reaction of multiple enemies. Wholeness of Body and tranquility directly address a weakness of the Monk... HP and low-ish AC. And quivering palm is simply devastating. Imo QP is much stronger than Intoxicated frenzy.

[@3pharaohstowers]

NEW DRAGONBORN IS THE BEST 4 ELEMENTS All breathe weapons are all misty elemental damage Elemental Attunement allows you to shape your breath weapon so it never goes to waste and you can have fists or daggers of you DRACONIC BREATH WEAPON. LITERALLY BREATH WEAPON BUILD

[@hangover89]

How would you slot in astral monk and the plague doctor from Tasha's?

[@MegaAniLinkFan]

first person I know that ranked open hand below Kensei and have Kensei as #1

[@xSubCube]

If I am not wrong, Long bow has 'heavy' as its properties.

[@nicholastorgerson125]

You're not wrong about the longbow. The subclass makes an exception to its own rule. It specifically states: "The longbow is also a valid choice."

[@crunch1216]

Sun soul monk is just being a dragon ball character

[@lacidar3752]

Sun soul monk, aka z fighter. Never played a monk but the drunken master sounds fun.

[@Sharbecca23]

Just subscribed

[@tonyhernandez5657]

The Sun Soul and the Shadow monk are way undervalued. ESPECIALLY the Shadow Monk.

[@gregchan8833]

To take the benefits of the touch of death feature of the long death monk, you just need a bag full of woodworms with you. Pull one out and throw it in your mouth shouldn't cost you an action. Even if it costs an action as you start to abuse it and your DM is mad. You get temp HP whenever you feel like eating a worm without using spell slots or ki points. Considering false life is a level one spell which uses a whole action and only gives you similar amount of temp HP compare to long death monk using this feature at about 3-4th level. This feature is stupidly broken. ~6HP at will at third level is a lot considering you only have around 20+ HP. So go digging for worms you long death monks.

[@Badgerbaker]

I agreed with most of the opinions until kensei and it left me baffled.

[@kungfoograsshoppa7490]

Love it

[@jamesrichardson3322]

The Way of the Four Elements is the worst monk tradition, D&D need to fix it, yes The Way of the Kensei one in my book. I am going start playing Variant Human Monk The Way of the Kensei, Background Folk Hero and the Feat: Alert at 1st level.

[@MasonIce1999]

You get a thumbs up just for the intro, cheesy but funny.

[@Jetpack7]

CMD19 don’t encourage me!! 😂

[@DrAndrewJBlack]

👍🏻

[@TheBaca219]

Long death being worse than kensai? I think you have misunderstood your own opinion my friend.

[@dtczyk8976]

Monks are not good, unless you like the Rp and flavor, then go nuts. But the math puts them behind every class for damage, toughness, control, or mobility.

[@RonsBalms]

If you like playing monk for the RP go right ahead. But monks, no matter the subclass, are all bad due to being tied to a mediocre base class. If I had to pick "the best" monk subclass I would have to go with Shadow monk because of having some good cantrips, great utility spells at the cost of ki, and you can teleport between shadows for free eventually.

[@draxthewarlocktitan5217]

What are you talking about mediocre? Monks are the most op class next to Druid.

[@RonsBalms]

@@draxthewarlocktitan5217 how did you come to that conclusion?

[@draxthewarlocktitan5217]

@@RonsBalms idk maybe observing monks consistently fuck shit up?

[@RonsBalms]

@@draxthewarlocktitan5217 With what exactly? The lowest damage of any martial class? The low AC making them bad tanks? Their unreliable stun that targets the worst saving throw to target that also requires you to land an attack first? Maybe its their AWESOME movement speed that makes them top tier.

[@draxthewarlocktitan5217]

@@RonsBalms speed kills in my experience.

[@bloodyirishman9155]

The best Monk is a Fighter.

[@SadBoi_1066]

Aggressively lukewarm take

[@The482075]

Fighter with unarmed fighter outpaces the Monk in: Armour Class (thanks to armor) More hit points plus second wind. Melee damage output thanks to more attacks (and not being tied to Ki points to deal extra blows) and gets action surge. Pick Battlemaster Archetype and you can gain a bunch of solid tactics that put the Monks Ki abilities to shame. Granted the Monk is more flavourful in terms of Eastern Martial arts. I also love the monastic orders and the subclasses. The monk's only area of greatness is running really fast.

[@gunnarjones4342]

Not really I destroyed a lv 20paladin and a wizard lv 20 with a lv 20 kensei monk

[@gunnarjones4342]

I forgot too mention the only thing that you can easily get 20 ac for free and not buying armor by stat improvement and I can take martial adept feat to get a decent battlemaster