Pathfinder 2e monks are NOT weak! See 5 monks in action! (D&D MONKS, BUT GOOD, Part 2: Combat)

[@KermodeBear]

"You can't trip a creature 2 sizes larger than you!" Tell that to a cat... :D

[@Smendon22]

😂

[@duncbot9000]

Cat's often have the Titan Wrestler feat along with Harmlessly Cute, Furious Sprint and maybe some Wrestler Dedication because everything needs that

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

By rule, cats are Tiny! And humans (most) are Medium. PF2 rules are pinpoint accurate.

[@aedwa021]

Shout out to the rules lawyer for being technically correct, the best kind of correct.

[@Gotenhanku]

@@TheRulesLawyerRPG Didn't you give Cain titan wrestler feat meaning he can trip a creature 2 sizes larger? Or was it one of the other monks that got that feat? Cause I remember that 1 of them definitely had titan wrestler. Edit: Looked and it was Duncan that got Titan Wrestler feat not Cain.

[@yuven437]

Demonologoist summoning a DEVIL!? HERESY! Asmodeus, the patron deity of contracts and lawyers would find this an affront to divine law!

[@ZombieApocalypse09]

Great video! Very fun to watch. For anyone looking at this who hasn't played PF2e or GM'd and is thinking "That's too much to keep straight!": This is one person managing 5 PC's + a battlefield of monsters. As the GM you usually don't have to keep the PC's abilities or states in your head because the Players will take that cognitive load. And most encounters you will have prepped or will have been prepped in the Adventure Path and so you will know the monsters ahead of time just like in any D&D-esque system. It's really not meaningfully harder to run than 5e once you have played a few times and know the common conditions and bonuses of your party. And you won't be running something like the Daemonic summoner day 1.

[@jajohnek]

Yup, the pf2e complexity I'd say is mostly in the options you get for your character (a good think imo) and then in figuring out the bonuses and all that if you play offline. But either you calculate those and note them on your character sheet, and then it's no work, or you use something like FoundryVTT and it does it for you. As for DMing, you don't come into situations where the rules don't tell you what to do (or at least not nearly as much).

[@mushuable]

As someone who mostly knows 5e but has a recently found interest to PF, it feels like this is made way easier by Foundry that handles the micro penalties + 2 shield, -2 fear and their decrementation every turn. In a good ol' pen and paper it seems more tedious to me. Don't you think?

[@ZombieApocalypse09]

@@mushuable Nah, it's not bad at all. I've had no trouble with it running many PFS scenarios and new player one shots.

[@zebeev]

The Oops All Fighters! and Oops All Thaumaturges! combat demos were great to send to people on the fence regarding the system, and I have a feeling this will be quite the same (it's already got me wanting to roll a Monk for my next PFS character)

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

The usual list of corrections in an hour-long combat video (in addition to Cain not being able to trip a huge creature which I correct onscreen): -The ghost that starts it turn inside a wall should have been Slowed 1 because it's incorporeal and starts its turn inside an object. (That's kind of a cool rule, actually.) -Wholeness of Body makes you choose between HP healing and counteracting a poison. (Pea would've succeeded on her save anyway... I was making the dice cruel to her!) -Pea applies Battle Medicine twice to Helen. It is limited to once per target per day. -Pea cannot wear Healer's Gloves with Handwrap of Mighty Blows because they both use her hand slot. -41:16 Helen Demoralizing from within the cloud required a DC 5 targeting check, because the cloud made the target concealed to her. -For the lightning bolt, a line effect aimed at an angle cannot affect 2 creatures whose adjacency to each other requires the line to "turn at a right angle"; the effect must continue to the diagonally-adjacent square. See the diagrams at 2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=354 (But I think PF2 is wrong! Making a vid lol)

[@juleslangen1655]

It looks like Pea has +1 Striking Handwraps of mighty blows while wearing Healers Gloves which both have to be invested as Gloves, which shouldn't work afaik (p 535 core rulebook)

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

@@juleslangen1655 That's correct. I actually added it to my errata to Part 1, but it should be here as well.

[@strategicviewpoint6672]

58:00 Stunning Fist you only need to do damage with either strike, not both

[@SURok695]

I know it was a several months ago but also... When Harper was using Healing Gloves on herself she should counteract the Barbazu bleeding. "A spellcaster or item attempting to use healing magic on a creature suffering from an infernal wound must succeed at a DC 21 counteract check or the magic fails to heal the creature." 35:00 you didn't count the precision damage from backstabbing

[@bergrugger]

I love this battle simulations. You really should eventually do this for every class, like you did for the turge and fighter.

[@Kaprak10]

Worth mentioning Pea Battle medicine's Helen twice. Once at the start, once after the cloud. It's why I love Foundry for the reminder tags for stuff like that and demoralize. Also Cain does it to her after the bolt.

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

Thanks, will add correction

[@cinderheart2720]

Which addon lets you do that with Foundry? With what my group has we just have to remember and it sucks a bit.

[@nbjornestol]

@@cinderheart2720 PF2e Workbench includes a bunch of macros, one of which is called "Treat Wounds and Battle Medicine". Lets you choose whether you Treat Wounds or Battle Medicine, decide a DC to go for, and rolls medicine check and healing automatically, and gives you a button to both heal up and apply immunity. Very smart macro, takes into account whether you have things like Continual Recovery etc. Macro is sometimes too smart, if you targeted the wrong target while using it, then trying to heal a different target will give you a "trying to heal the wrong target" error.

[@primedko9999]

When harper uses Healer's Gloves, at 28:50, it's an interact action. Wouldn't that trigger the Barbazu's Attack of Opportunity? Edit: oh, i see now, the Barbazu in this demonstration has the "minion" trait. nvm.

[@benalias9118]

I think I found ONE mistake : at the start, the ghost is hidding inside a wall. The Incorporeal trait says that it should be slowed 1 and then couldn't move + moan (3 actions). But it's very nitpicky

[@coulcollins3137]

Additionally, the ghost's moan shouldn't have hit all the monks, its within 30 feet of the ghost which was 15 feet up, I don't think harper would've been hit by it

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

Thanks, will add a correction. (That's kind of a cool rule, actually.) And @coulcollins3137 I think the GM can say this is within 30' (20' horizontally, 15' vertically)

[@schnitzelmesser2658]

@@coulcollins3137 gonna be 🤓 here but you can calculate the direct distance using the Pythagorean Theorem (a²+b²=c²) with a and b being the vertical and horizontal distance. So in this case 20²+15²=c²=625 -> c=sqrt(625)=25 so it is within range.

[@TheRobertMoxley]

I’m glad to see this. When I was learning Pathfinder 2E, the 5 fighter combat was a very good tool for me to learn from.

[@WhuttaNerd]

looking forward to playing my second pathfinder session tonight as a catfolk monk, so this was super helpful! also the intermission was my favorite part XD

[@JeffTheOwens]

Always appreciate these combat demos!

[@Etropalker]

52:03 Wholeness of body is only supposed to do one of its effects, not both

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

Thanks, will add a correction

[@louiscarlhalle]

Thank you for the simulation! I read a lot about Pf2 and the monk class, but it's something else to actually see the class in action!

[@Baraz_Red]

Notice how he went sleeveless like many Monks would (like Bo in CritRole S2). Very thematic !

[@bamfalu]

at about 41:30 helen intimidating glares from within the cloud. shouldn't concealed kick in somehow for that? even if she moved first, she would still be glaring "through" the cloud, which seems like it would have some concealment going on

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

Yep! Adding to my errata

[@TheJorge10466]

A question from someone trying to learn Pathfinder and just making sure I understand the rules properly. At 4:40 The "Flurry of Bows" as I like to call it. Is it technically at a range of 35 ft making that an illegal move? Sorry if it's called out later, I paused to make this post after seeing it.

[@KaitoKurogami]

"You can use Flurry of Blows with these bows. You can use your other monk feats or monk abilities that normally require unarmed attacks with these bows when attacking within half the first range increment" so the flurry has no restrictions, but other monk abilities do

[@TheJorge10466]

@@KaitoKurogami Thank you!

[@Vezrabuto]

im not too well versed in the flying rules in 2e since we never had them come up, but how does altitude interact with range? lets say pea has a range of 5 feet on her flurry, she is 10 feet in the air, so could she even reach the barbazu? specifically asking for the moment at 30:47 . she is adjacent but also 10 feet above it so it wouldnt be able to reach with her fists right? unless she has reach from an ancestry feat or something.

[@showcase0525]

videos like this can be its own series, or the build, fight, post mordem review set could be another trilogy based playlist.

[@TheKarishi]

It's interesting to think design-wise about how much specificity goes into a class. On one end of the spectrum you have class-free systems where you've got points and just buy powers and skills and traits (for some reason Anime-themed MMOs like this idea a lot - both BESM and OVA used it) while on the opposite end of the spectrum you have games like Genshin Impact or FFXIV, where your skills are laid out 100% for the class and there's no "playing Ninja your way" - there's only playing it well or poorly. Spellcasters in D&D have pretty wide variety, because of their ability to pick from big lists at any given level, so two level 18 sorcerers could have 0 spells in common. But a pair of D&D martials will often be very similar, and ironically the maxed spell pool of clerics and druids ends up making them more homogenous rather than less. Meanwhile Pathfinder 2 is pretty heavily varied right out the gate. I have two Primal casters in my Abomination Vaults campaign and they have no memorized spells in common (One of them's a druid, so technically he could copy the wind sorcerer's spell list, but he doesn't have the same goals in battle). I don't consider one direction better in general - I LOVE FFXIV - but it's worth considering the goals of a given platform, and the more your players like creative expression of a character through the powers and skills they have the more you'll like that "class-free" end of the spectrum, and I think PF2's feat-bucket setup is much closer to those Anime RPGs I used to play.

[@aralornwolf3140]

Cortex System doesn't have classes.... it just has Attributes (Physical, Mental, Social), Skills, Skill Specialties (Bows for Shoot, Swords for Fight, Tundra for Survival, etc.), Distinctions, Signature Assets, Assets, Complications, and Hero Die (rewards for "critical success" [exceed a check by 5 or more])... Each Distinction can have up to 2 "Distinction Triggers" in addition to "when you use a D4 for this distinction, gain a plot point". The Triggers provide a benefit if the trigger is activated, always at a cost (so net gain of 0 for balance). Usually the cost is a Plot Point (they are used to create Assets, Complications, use Hero Die, add die to totals, etc.). An example of a Trigger is "Spend a Plot Point, Step up Shoot." So class, HP, Armour... don't exist in the system... and you can create any character you desire. What to play a Monk, go ahead. A Wizard, go ahead. A druid, go ahead, lol.

[@FirstLast-wk3kc]

Pf2 has one of the scariest foes i ve ever fought against in sych type of ttrpg. I m always so freaked out by how strong they are so often

[@InVersoFFVII]

More videos like this! Combat demonstrations are the best!

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

You'll like the playlist in the video description!

[@InVersoFFVII]

@@TheRulesLawyerRPG I watched it all!

[@Quantarum]

When "demonologist" came up on the screen I thought it said "dermatologist" 😄 "He's seventh level, and he's OUT OF NETWORK!

[@erikwilliams1562]

Quick question: 28:15 - if your fists are magical but still resisted because they're a physical attack what's the point of them?

[@doglover7641]

I believe some enemies may be more immune to non magical weapon/unarmed attacks

[@centurosproductions8827]

Seedpod flurry is fun. I have an automaton who flurries with lasers (and also fires lightning bolts for his other actions with a caster dedication).

[@Sxiber]

can it be that next series will be about 5 wizards? one with melee weapon and another with less than 18 INT ?

[@mogscugg2639]

Monk lawyers be like "I passed the BO exam"

[@jlwalker92]

What is the button you're pressing to split the movement into different segments? I can't seem to figure it out for my games.

[@benalias9118]

Space

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

Space (which also pauses and unpauses the game for me, so not perfect). You can also right-click while dragging

[@jlwalker92]

@@TheRulesLawyerRPG thanks!! I can see why space is problematic as well so I'll try out right clicking!

[@Halosty45]

7 minutes in and I'm already realizing several things I misinterpreted. The ability to flurry with monastic archer at every range (instead of the 1/2 range increment like all other features) and flurry with any unarmed attack (I hadn't considered it with ranged racial attacks, though most are kinda bad TBH)

[@mkmasterthreesixfive]

Considering you play with swingripper, I dont fault you for assuming the monk can trip that zombie. Titan Wrestler, given from Wrestler Archetype or as a standalone feat would have allowed that Monk to Trip the super large creature, which is yet another Boon to the pf2e system, as there is always a feat somewhere that allows a player to get an edge over a rule like that!

[@alexvigue4578]

For the lightning bolt by the Demonologist, shouldn't it have only been able to target Pea or Helen, but not both? Just making sure I've got my lines right!

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

Hmm, in PF1e the templates for lines indicated you could have orthogonally adjacent squares as part of the line: www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat/space-reach-threatened-area-templates/ PF2E's picture does not: 2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=354 Plus, the text more strongly supports what you're saying. I don't see a hard and fast ruling on this on the internet atm... I think, given how close he was to the party that it's fair to include both, since they'd definitely be included if the demonologist extended his hand from a certain corner of his space. (With the cone template you can have a diagonal cone extend from any corner of your space to even include someone orthogonally adjacent to you.) And certainly a player would want this to work for them, too.

[@alexvigue4578]

@@TheRulesLawyerRPG Yeah, I believe the wording for lines is that they "shoot forth from you in a straight line of your choosing" which is fairly ambiguous and less comprehensive than the diagonal cone's positioning. Great video, makes me want to play a monk like Helen, she popped off in this video!

[@toodleselnoodos6738]

These things are great! Any chance we could maybe see a team of 5 Premaster Witches? Or 5 Oracles? I know they’re considered weak, but I feel like that could be a fun showcase on how the game is also about mixing all of your resources, teamwork and team synergy together.

[@JBissell88]

I’m just learning pf2e and I’ve got a monk. Loved this video and very much enjoying this series. Did I miss something or is there a couple of times where the monks flurry multiple times? I thought the Flourish trait meant you couldn’t do that.

[@szalhi]

I might have missed something during the video, but is Duncan getting the Backstabber bonus?

[@szalhi]

Double tap.

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

TOO SOON

[@illoney5663]

What mod/settings are you using for those easy access to actions in the top left corner? Couldn't find it in your mod guide and it's something that looks so useful.

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

Token Action HUD

[@mrcorbak6793]

That was awesome !

[@mrcorbak6793]

Holy shit I’m playing a monk in my next game and you got me so hyped. I had a hunch the real strength of the monk, even though he has lower theoretical damage than Fighters, Rogues and Barbarians, you’re almost never going to have a terrible round. Running eighty feet and striking twice is easy for the monk

[@ostravaofboletaria1027]

Very cool

[@dorianleakey]

isnt the MAP lower for a monk in flurry of blows with a bow?

[@Zedrinbot]

What plugins do you use for Foundry? The ability to get information by mousing over a token is something I've been wanting. And the visual effects are a nice little touch.

[@dracco2956]

I think there is a link in hia discruption which leads to gis discord server and a channel where he summs up what mods he uses for foundry

[@joxerthemighty9148]

you can trip larger creatures if you take that feat : D the skeleton could have attack of opportunity on staff monk reposition I've always been a fan of monks ... in theory, not practice, as far as most RGPs go. our DM does critical fail cards that apply negatives to the character attempting the attack... which might be a bit too much in this edition.

[@Numsam]

I Wonder, dont U have to Spend at least 2 Actions for Battle medicine? (Free Action to free ur Hand + 1 Action to get Out the healers Tools + 1 Action to apply Battle medicine) ? Am i wrong :S ?

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

You can wear up to 2 Bulk of tools and not have an action cost to draw them: 2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=1456

[@messyb2071]

Okay, shoulders!

[@Julien-Limosino-87]

I like monks in both games. I have built my catfolk kensei in both games and the thing is Pathfinder 2 have better rules and a fuckton of flexibility but one universe. D&D has holes in its rules, but tons of universes (and you can link them with Planescape) and its options are often setting-bonded like the one with firearms in Iron Kingdom, the vampiric rogues and soul eater of Auroboros, the artificers in Eberron ect.

[@matthewcunningham2675]

At 48:16 you forget to roll damage for the shuriken, and use the attack roll for damage.

[@devcrom3]

This was fun to watch as a 2e veteran! Any chance of getting a review of the final ORC draft? I watched a two part video that just ripped it up, but I'm not sure if that person is coming at it from a good place.

[@sotech10]

I live for these type of videos. - One thing that was not clear, evil damage done by the devil was omitted, why was that? - In general, leaping 3 feet vertically, when does it apply?

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

Alignment damage will not survive the Remaster, so I avoided explaining it here. Alignment damage in PF2 only affects creatures of opposite alignment. If this is going by the original PF2 rules, the targets here are not good aligned. Leaping 3 feet vertically works when a platform or obstacle is only 3 feet high. Of course not everything has to conform to a 5x5 grid in fantasy!

[@sotech10]

@@TheRulesLawyerRPG Oh that's why! Thx for answering!

[@ederys_delxyde]

I miss the "Every +1 matters" little animation :P

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

Good point! I will try to remember to use it in the future!

[@ederys_delxyde]

@@TheRulesLawyerRPG It's such an important mantra in this game :D I remember showing it to my players during their initiation. Thanks for all your videos on this wonderful game!

[@rorysimpson8716]

I am naturally always attracted to the most flavorful and usually least meta options. How do I make Ki monks comparable to the more garden variety monks? What are the bare essentials monk class feats should you want to take an archetype as well?

[@krissaunders6418]

You bring up the fact that the demon has AoO but never use it. Did it slip your mind or did I miss some feature of monk?

[@KyouTGD]

It's summoned as a minion and minions don't get reactions.

[@primedko9999]

The demon has the "minion" trait. It can't use reactions and only has 2 actions per turn.

[@krissaunders6418]

Oh ok thanks you 2

[@leftyzappa]

Monks were AWESOME in 3.5. They totally screwed it up. Meanwhile, Pathfinder rules. As in, Van Halen "RULES." :D

[@Twigggggy]

is your wardrobe choice in lieu to the class????

[@TheRulesLawyerRPG]

_Says yes in monk_

[@soninhodev7851]

hah! i'm currently making my own ttrpg system, and its going to have a monk, however, that systems monk is going less about unarmed strikes specifically, and more about mastering special moves called techniques, you could even make a spellcasting monk, by having spells in place of techniques, or, why not a mixture of both?

[@Peyote-Poncho]

"One in each hand" Clearly missing a hand in the art SMH GM so bad jkjk I think everyone knows the pain of not being able to find the exact token you want. EDIT: Bon Mot is one of those things I wouldn't force someone to roleplay since I know stuff like that isn't every player's forte, but it'd be fun if they did- and I might give a bonus to their roll if they do! I think with a ghost in an arena, I'd shoot for something like "Are you sure you wanna be here? Clearly didn't go to well the first time, eh?"

[@ArchangelLion]

"X, but good" Can be applied to anything pathfinder compared to DnD. Only who has no self respect or doesn't know PF plays that crap 5e.

[@yellingintothewind]

Extreme threats should be common for an experienced group. The GM has one brain. Assuming you aren't doing a caged fight (or surprising the party), given even resources, the players should reliably win.

[@vampiregoat69]

EVERYTHING in 5e is broken and not balanced PF2e ROCKS

[@scetchmonkey007]

Yeah this is why I wont get into pathfinder I have no desire to memorize all these tiny bonuses to run the game.

[@ederys_delxyde]

With Foundry, it's really not that bad. But IRL, yeah, I don't know if I would too.

[@mynamehere69]

Yeah I get that, I like pathfinder cus I get more options to do things unlike 5e, but at least 2e bonuses are better than 1e bonuses those SUCKED to remember

[@scetchmonkey007]

@@ederys_delxyde I have not left R20 to go over o foundry yet, still in the middle of my spelljammer game and ant hop VTT's mid game.

[@LightningRaven42]

You do realize this is a demonstration combat with the purpose of explaining things step by step? It's exactly like Math teachers spending dozens of minutes explaining how to do something that they normally take a couple minutes at most to crack. Or, in my case, giving a 2 hour lecture answering a single question step by step on something they could calculate and graph in half an hour tops. PF2e is easy to run at every level. It only takes a little longer to learn it. Which is not a big deal, since you only do it once.

[@scetchmonkey007]

@@mynamehere69 I liked 1E but I got into that coming off 3.5, so the shift was not as strong. From running 5E for so long I like bounded accuracy way to much to leave it, Instead I just home brew the F out of until I have made a new edition something that should be done but WoTC wont ever do. I like the pathfinder videos to brainstorm new ideas to put into my own game, but yeah these technical combats are not appealing.