Should you Armor your Monk in D&D?

#shorts

[WolfHreda]

But then what is the point of taking Monk levels when those levels might be better suited for, say, Rogue levels where you can wear that armor and still do things like Dash, Disengage, or Hide as a Bonus Action?

[michaelwinter]

Armor is like a security blanket. Some monks aren’t ready to let go.

[d-risky]

FYI, as of last week the BG3 only loses out on the bonus movement speed while armored… making it a fun multiclass into war cleric or life cleric to act as a combat medic with the right gear 😇👍

[ElectrocutedAir]

Interesting, Controversial & Exciting! Looking forward to see what shenanigans Colby can do with this concept 😁

[Synamint]

I can't wait for this video! I hope it comes out soon cause Kensei Monks use weapons and armor and are my favorite monk from other editions.

[Bootsofwings]

I’ve said before, shadow monk twilight cleric is the perfect armored monk, constant darkness for free to teleport every single round

[buildawall]

In bg3 I used a wood elf monk with medium armor the adamantine armor from grymforge and I can say having 20 base strength from 17 + 1 hags hair and +2 potion from the cute drow
Was cool

[Keovar]

if you're concerned about optimization, you're not playing a monk to start with. The new playtest version helps, but what I did for the monk in my campaign last year was to make all attributes have some value. I built it as a feat, but gave it as a free feat to the character.
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*Unity of Being*
Your extensive training with your monastery has allowed you to unify your physical and mental abilities, allowing them to work together synergistically. When you are using both the Martial Arts and Unarmored Defense monk class features, you gain the following additional benefits:

• You may add both your Strength and Dexterity modifiers to attack and damage.
• You may add both your Dexterity and Intelligence modifiers to your Initiative.
• You may add both your Wisdom and Charisma modifiers to your Ki point total.
---
Of course, this requires a a couple moments of thought on the player's part. Most are too used to reflexively crying about MAD to remember that 2 + 2 = 4. The original '+1 to all' Human becomes ideal because with point-buying scores to 13, one can get 14 in most. If one _must_ have a flawed score, CHA is a safe place to put it because the Monk wouldn't typically have gotten bonus Ki anyway, and the impact of those few extra Ki fades over time.

[davidberkowitz]

With the "Doth" minor enchant in xanathar's guide to everything. For just 50g and a command word.
you can have your "take it off" moment. Dramatically raise your natural AC and movement.
my favorite is a shield with a heavy property. it would require a DC 13 strength check just to pick it up.

[Nazo-kage]

What about arm guards, instead of armor?

Give an extra +2 to AC.
And you can have a bunch of different types of them that the monk can find along their journey. They can give them certain abilities.

Like “Stonewall arm guards”
So long is the monk has this their AC increases to +3 And they have access to the “protection: fighting style”

Or how about: “Way of the fighting flame, arm guards”
With these, you don’t get any extra AC, but you can cast “fire bolt” as a type of unarmed strike.

You could also go with :
“ arm guards of the bat”
Which are basically spiked arm guards that give you advantage on all grapple and “deflect missiles” checks.

I figured there are ways that you could give a character armor without actually giving the character armor.

[jerubaal]

On a related note, I feel like endgame barb gets so many benefits from armor that its worth losing the unarmored AC.

[LeakysTV]

My favourite monk is 1/2 warcleric + long death X and GWM, full plate focussing wis and str

[kunalpol]

so can i build a monk who is walking around in super heavy armor and punching people with special gauntles? i loved to do this in elden ring and want to bring it into dnd

[Shikiro]

Armored Kensei Monks remind me of a Monk version of like a Samurai but more spiritual.

[spark]

I really like a wis based long death monk, fully kitted with the heaviest armor, whoose main tactic is to use the 6th level ability of the long death to be a constant aoe cc source. You can also get both shilleighleigh and heavy armor through a 1 nature cleric dip.

[Rabijeel]

Yeah, that is the essential Problem most Players still have - they are too rigid.
If you choose your Ancients Barbarian to be an Archer based on Dex and Con you get a pretty nifty AC - and Str as Dumpstat is not that Bad for you.
You get many movement Feats, you get great Evasionskills and the Extra Attacks plus you can act greatly in second-line aslong the Cleric.

And you can make it good and "well hidden" when using the Scholar background or such.
You did Archery as Sport Course, you learned about History and Religion and now want to go out see it for yourself, explore old Graves and Civilizations long lost.
Sadly, your Downside is that you were bullied a lot back then - and you build up quite an Anger Management Problem - when under Pressure, you tend to loose your resraint by a lot and everything becomes a Weapon to you (Tavern Brawler).
And since the last one you have directed your anger at started to get pretty weired and was adamant of "Ghosts haressing him" until he unalived himself, the Academy is pretty happy to even pay off your "Expedition" with some Coin and hire a Troop of Adventurers to protect your Ass on the first "Expedition" - for just make you go away.

So, basically, you enter the Party as "Scholar" and wear no Armor other than Robes and have nothing else on you (or a Staff when not getting that Feat).
Everyone will think of a Caster of you or such.
Then, you want the Bow, making you kinda "quirky" but ok.
The Moment when you hit the Enemy, Ghosts haress them and grant disadvantage to them against all other Targets than you.
And as soon as it gets "under PRessure", you kinda get this "funny look" when your PTSD kicks in - and you funnyly pummeled that one coming close horribly with all stuff beeing at Hand - and that is a lot in Nature, as you Weaponize literally everything.
You get a Bow and a Rapier plus Shield soon.

Later, you learn to get into a more deeper Bond and regain your Family Weapon.
Keep in Mind, your Hexblade must not eaqual your Pact Blade and vice Versa.
You can combine that, but it does not have to be.

Have fun.

[kailenmitchell]

How about a monk glaive(naginata) build.

[CamachoElMacho]

I don't if you'll see this comment but I wanted to see your take on a UA 8 Playtest Monk. How would you go about building one?

[Gormbauer]

What if!? There's a subclass that uses armor for monks that does lose a few things as you mentioned but to a lesser degree?

[Notsogoodguitarguy]

Yeah, a Monk is a quintessential kung-fu master. But, in real life, monks did wear armor. Now, it was light to medium armor in D&D terms, but they still did wear it.