Second 5e Build: the AniMonk

[caelic]

Revisiting an old chestnut, the Druid with a dip in Monk.  However, it looks like it may be quite a bit more viable in 5e.

1. Druid 1: Druidic, Spellcasting
2. Druid 2: Wild Shape, Druidic Circle (Moon)
3. Monk 1: Martial Arts, Unarmored Defense

Now, this build is predicated on a couple of understandings:

1. Using a natural weapon constitutes an unarmed strike.  This is supported by the text of Alter Self, which affirms that when you use the spell to give yourself natural weapons, the attacks you make with those weapons count as unarmed strikes.
2. Martial arts says that you CAN roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon; it doesn't say you must.  Obviously, most low-level monks will prefer to roll the die for their weapon, if using a monk weapon.



Given these understandings, the build's straightforward:

1. Wild Shape into brown bear
2. Attack with the brown bear's claw-bite combo.
3. Since you're attacking unarmed, make an additional attack with the claws.  (Choosing to employ their damage rather than your d4.)

All in all, it's a hard-hitting package for level 3.  Unarmored Defense isn't going to give you a spectacular armor class, but it'll at least be an improvement over the 11 that the bear normally has.  Once you hit 20 Wisdom, you'll have a 16 without needing to use spell slots on Barkskin.


More to follow.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

wotc 5e Player's Help board, now has an early unfinished Druid guide, that is mostly "only" Moon oriented.
http://community.wizards.com/forum/player-help/threads/4135986

Some threads over there, talk up the rather big pile of Temp HP that goes with Wild Shape. 


There's also a Druid animal companion oops, Wild Shape guide.
http://community.wizards.com/forum/player-help/threads/4136296
cr 0's only so far.


edits

[fulong]

What feat would you pick at starting level 1 if you can?

[Ziegander]

Wow, it's the claws that deal 2d6 damage, not the bite. That's a lot of dice. 1d8+4 and 6d6+12 is an average of 45.5 damage! That's enough to very nearly kill a Yeti in one round. Nice.

[sambojin]

Just remember Conjure Animals as a spell at character lvl 5. All those grappling or prone stomping forms become amazing with four wahorses charge-prone-stomping for you. Bear/monk is amazing at lvl 3 though. Good find.

You'll get hit and lose concentration on the horsies eventually, but until you do, something will be on the ground for you to devour. Essentially, bring friends. It's an encounter level spell (1hr concentration), so that's two encounters synergised away each day. Give them orders to charge any enemies of your party or anyone you're attacking. Then wildshape and hope that's specific enough.

Also, if you end up with a freakishly good weapon, remember the wildshape forms with hands. Even 1/2CR Apes multi-attack 2x1d6+3 fist attacks (MM pg 317). Fist implies hands. Plus they can throw rocks, which also implies hands. And you're wildshaped into an Ape, which implies you're not a stupid Ape. Does this give the multi-attack ability to you with a weapon you're proficient in? Hard to say. And do you get free rocks with the wildshape? (MM pg 11, 2d4 thrown ammo for creatures). I'll have to do some reading. But it may be a nice multi-bonus action thing, even 3x1d6+3 (or whatever, extra natural attacks anyway) all up, just for the static damage bonus with an DruApe/monk. +5 to-hit is ok too. At worst, you can probably wear a cape, a cloak, or anything really loose fitting in this wildform. At best, you keep half of your equipment and can use anything that doesn't require talking or spells. And is a Rock attack a thrown attack, or just a ranged attack as stated? Does this imply that Apes can use ranged attacks with other weapons, if only they knew how to (like you do, wildshaped into one of them)? Or just thrown attacks? Or just ranged attacks with Rocks? There's heaps of equipment options in Ape that Bear just can't do. It's the actual hands thing. Get a customized backpack for everything useful, wear or use what you can, merge the rest

Crappy HP though

Wildform will get better and better as more MM's are released. So will conjure animals. It's pretty hard to think that druid will ever not be a tier 1 class, even with a few years of splat books.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

What feat would you pick at starting level 1 if you can?

Sentinel ... so they can't get away from you
or War Caster ... so you can keep a Conc Buff up while frontlining
maybe Magic Initiate ... for Hex, Eldritch Blast, and a pick 'em

[fulong]

Wow, it's the claws that deal 2d6 damage, not the bite. That's a lot of dice. 1d8+4 and 6d6+12 is an average of 45.5 damage! That's enough to very nearly kill a Yeti in one round. Nice.

i'm a bit confused here, where do you get 3 claws? I know you can do a multiattack with bite and claw, and then use bonus action with martial arts to get 2nd claw attack, but where the third one come from?

[awaken_D_M_golem]

I'm away from book, and haven't taken any real look at Monk yet, but I think (I'm not certain) Flurry gets you 2 attacks on the bonus action.

[sambojin]

It does, but that kicks in at Monk(2) and uses a ki point. You can make a single bonus attack at Monk(1) with your bonus action whenever you please.

So 1d8+4 + 2x2d6+4 from the bear example. Which still isn't too shabby for character level three. 30.5 average damage if all attacks hit is nice.

Works with any decent unarmed attack, monk weapon, natural weapon, etc. Can also in theory be used if you throw/shoot a ranged monk weapon at something and then punch/fist someone beside you from the ape example, but that'll give the enemy beside you an AoO against you.

Also, remember that you can get a party member to put barding onto you if you wildshape into a Warhorse. 18AC isn't bad, better with magic barding. Nice if your Wis bonus isn't high, but the HP and attacks are nowhere near as good as a bear. People can ride you though (you're a getaway vehicle for 2). Or for a high move charge-in option, in case you need a perfectly tame warhorse for stuff like that.

Brown bears are incredibly nice though. Heaps of HP, nice attacks, good to-hit.

edit: totally removed proper warhorse shenanigans from the post. Trample is a bonus action, monk bonus attack is a bonus action. Damn. Thought it was too good to be true. I'll have to go through the MM for extra attack effects that aren't bonus actions, just "things that happen".

Giant Spider wildshape seems to be the only other "good" candidate for RAW. Amazing damage on two successful attacks and failed saves, not bad damage on two successful attacks regardless. Plus darkvision and spiderclimb.

[SorO_Lost]

Hmm...

Moon Druid 10 / Monk 2 / Oathbreaker Paladin 8 Wild Shaped into Ankylosaurus (it's cr3, no apparent size limit on wild shape either?)
It has +6 proficiency, +4 strength (anky's 19) to attack rolls & +4 strength (anky's 19 strength), +5 (charisma) to damage rolls.
And then Extra Attack and 2/encounter Furry of Blows for extra attacks.
+10/+10/+10/+10 melee (4d6+9) = 92 damage without other modifiers or items or feats.

* Belt of Storm Giant Strength increases your Strength to 29.
* TWF can be used to add another attack, it appears your Cha applies, but you need another weapon and have no arms.
* And TWF's extra attack consumes a bonus action, boooooooooooooooo.
* You can continue to Concentrate Hunter's Mark, so +1d6 damage per attack.
+15/+15/+15/+15 melee (4d6+14, +1d6) = 126 damage.

Alternately

You can play as the The Lost Lord of Nordberg which deals about the same but instead of Spells it's more defensive and helps the party with auras.

[muktidata]

I'm starting a 5E campaign..  "Welcome!!!" (everyone yells simultaneously) 

What race are we looking at for the Mruid (or is it Donk)? Also, what would a progression be? Feats? I need this fleshed out, like you would flesh it out for a seven year old (who's slightly above average in terms of intelligence).

[awaken_D_M_golem]

The guides I linked on post 2, aren't nearly that detailed.

Normally a +2 to Wis would be the right idea for a Wis caster.
That means Var Human with 1 of the 2 feats with +1 to Wis.
There hasn't been a solid hash-out about ditching S D Con
and letting the Wild Shape handle that.
+1 to Wis races, give a lot more choices and versatility.
Taking the prime caster stat to 20 as soon as possible,
is usually the right idea, 'cept that guide is iffy about it.

It might be the case that a medium level tactic for Moon
is to be the Warding Bond buddy for a Cleric or Bard.