Random thing you love right now that doesn't deserve its own thread

The county has many attractions, not all of them geological

As is true of all Scotland, I think.

Robear wrote:

As is true of all Scotland, I think. :-)

Clearly you've never been to Annan.......

Sorbicol wrote:
Robear wrote:

As is true of all Scotland, I think. :-)

Clearly you've never been to Annan.......

Or ANY Scottish city at pub-kicking-out time on a weekend.

At one point in quite a varied career I managed bookies in the east end of Glasgow. The country has its more gritty side to be fair....

Hey, I read! Irvine Welsh and that Inspector Rebar and Lewis Winter. I'm sure I could walk the walk, yeah.

(I have been to Edinburgh and Kirkwall and spent a night in Aberdeen. My wife and I really enjoyed it. We stayed in various B&Bs off-season - end of October, beginning of November - so the weather was interesting and the sites were largely clear of tourists on Mainland, anyway. Everyone seem to think we were from Connaught for some reason of accent.)

The Sandman Audio-drama Act II is scheduled to release on September 22. You can preorder it NOW!

It’s an Audible exclusive.

Spending the day with just me and my kids at a nearby state park.

My youngest kid. He can really push my buttons but he sometimes save the last Oreo and gives it to me.

JohnKillo wrote:

My youngest kid. He can really push my buttons but he sometimes save the last Oreo and gives it to me.

My oldest child, too. Sometimes she says, "I love you, Daddy" as a thank you after calming her down from a tantrum, though.

Some of us European time zone GWJ folks have started a new D&D campaign with the exceptional Pyxistyx as our DM. That is a love in and of itself but Monday was the first session and the first time I got to take my new monk character for a spin. I picked the monk class just as something a bit different but she’s already proving to be my kind of character. I enjoy a good martial arts movie and, during combat, I get to describe all kinds of cool unarmed punches and kicks. I’m slightly concerned about the whole ‘can’t wear armour’ thing and, during out first fight, I was just starting to get the better of the single frost zombie I was facing when it landed a punch and knocked me out cold. I imaged her toppling into the snow like a felled log. Not an auspicious start.

Later we were working our way through an icy cave system when a huge berserker woman, complete with intimidatingly large spiked club, blocked our way. I rolled good initiative and was first to go. I could see no other option but to run in and see if I could do some damage whilst knowing that I might end up smooshed against a cave wall. Holding my quarter staff at one end I thrust it forwards hitting her in the face with the other. She flinched so I rushed in and delivered a devastating kick to one of her legs that toppled her to her knees. Onewild’s character was next up. He ran in and, with a single, well timed axe swing, lopped her head off.

I think I’m going to enjoy playing a monk.

I'm also playing a monk (dwarf) in our new 5E game. The middling AC is definitely something to keep in mind as you rush in to knock some heads. Our paladin has an AC of 18 compared to my 14. But as a monk I do get that bonus unarmed attack which is pretty great considering last night my only hits were from my bonus unarmed attack.

Starting at 2nd level, you'll be able to spend a Ki point to Dodge or Disengage as your bonus action. This could help if you find yourself surrounded by baddies.

Ah thanks. I read about the expending Ki to dodge mechanic but wasn’t sure when I would receive it. I’ll feel a lot better when I have it. The bonus unarmed attack also really sells the feeling of being lightening fast and landing blows when they’re unexpected.

You can also use finesse weapons to take advantage of your Dex (which, as a monk, should be higher than your Str). The staff gives you versatile damage (1d8) when wielded with 2 hands, but the shortsword (1d6) will hit more often if your Dex modifier is better. I'm currently using a spear but will get a back up shortsword when I can. It's the only martial weapon considered a "monk weapon".

I like the staff because it's what I imagined her wielding but I'll bear the short sword in mind. Doesn't feel very Kung fu but I could imagine it as one of those flexible Chinese swords.

Or the Japanese ninjatō, the shortsword used by ninjas.

I picked up the Way of the Kensei tradition when my monk hit level 3 (From Xanathar's Guide to Everything) which gains you proficiency in pretty much any simple or martial weapon as a monk weapon (as long as they're not heavy or special). If your game is running it, it might allow some other options you might be interested in.

Short swords in the Chinese tradition are not really terribly short, they are more medium sized chopping weapons. Maybe the size of a Roman Gladius. They usually have a straight or lightly curved one-sided blade who back gets gets wider out near the striking end, but they do have enough of a tip to stab close-in. So think of it as a “chopper” rather than a stabber. I would expect to see one used with a second hand weapon or a small shield.

If you're using D&D Beyond, you can check out the Monastic Traditions there:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/classes/mo...

Robear wrote:

Short swords in the Chinese tradition are not really terribly short, they are more medium sized chopping weapons. Maybe the size of a Roman Gladius.

But the gladius is a shortsword.

Yeah, but it’s also not “short” in the sense that it’s bigger than modern people expect.

The sword I’m thinking of is a Butterfly Sword, which has all sorts of variants but is one-sided and at least straight or flared on the back of the blade.

Robear wrote:

Short swords in the Chinese tradition are not really terribly short, they are more medium sized chopping weapons. Maybe the size of a Roman Gladius. They usually have a straight or lightly curved one-sided blade who back gets gets wider out near the striking end, but they do have enough of a tip to stab close-in. So think of it as a “chopper” rather than a stabber. I would expect to see one used with a second hand weapon or a small shield.

Now I’m starting to picture a cleaver. That could be nasty (I know that’s not what you’re describing.) I think my hang up was that, when I think of a short sword, I think of a Gladius but of course there are all different kinds in all traditions.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

If you're using D&D Beyond, you can check out the Monastic Traditions there:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/classes/mo...

Oh great. Thanks.

I'm kind of annoyed that 5E PHB doesn't have pics or descriptions of weapons like 3E did. There are some weapon pics but not all of them, they're just partial, and they're not labeled.

Higgledy wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:

If you're using D&D Beyond, you can check out the Monastic Traditions there:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/classes/mo...

Oh great. Thanks.

Disciple of the Elements has a very Avatar: The Last Airbender feel to it.

Stone, what are your modifiers? Monks have Unarmored Defense which makes your AC 10 + Wisdom + Dexterity modifiers. That usually gets you at least to 15 AC. Did you roll sh*tty on Wisdom? Also, Flurry of Blows doesn't use your weapon damage or attacks, but unarmed attacks increase in damage so as you level up, you may find your fists and feet hit harder than any weapon you want to equip.

Plus there's all the, as Marisha Ray puts it, "Dope Monk sh*t" you get to do.

We used point-buy which caps starting attributes at 15. Both Wisdom & Dexterity are 15 which means both modifiers are +2. Yes, I'm looking forward to better unarmed damage but that's not til level 5.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

You can also use finesse weapons to take advantage of your Dex (which, as a monk, should be higher than your Str). The staff gives you versatile damage (1d8) when wielded with 2 hands, but the shortsword (1d6) will hit more often if your Dex modifier is better. I'm currently using a spear but will get a back up shortsword when I can. It's the only martial weapon considered a "monk weapon".

Finesse doesn't really do anything for Monks, since they can already use Dex in place of Str for all monk weapons:

You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.

You could use a cleaver in a Butterfly sword/knife form, I think.

muttonchop wrote:

Finesse doesn't really do anything for Monks, since they can already use Dex in place of Str for all monk weapons:

You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.

Whoops, I managed to miss that. Very important correction.

We're using Foundry so it calculates all my modifiers for me. Hopefully it's better at it than I am.

Well, if you don't plan on taking a feat, you can jump your AC up to 16 at level 4. Other than that, be on the lookout for Bracers of Defense and don't be afraid to use Patient Defense a lot.