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Are the following damage calculations correct for a L17 Monk/3 Ranger (20 Dex) with Dueling, Horde Breaker, and wielding a monk weapon:

  • Standard attack: 3d10 + 4 (from dueling) + 15 (Dex mod) + [to another target: 1d10 + 2 + 5]
  • With FoB: 4d10 + 4 + 20 + [2nd target: 1d10 + 7]
  • With FoB and Hunter's Mark: 4d10 + 4d6 + 4 + 20 [2nd target: 1d10 + 7]

If so, are Dueling/Horde Breaker/Hunter's Mark the best ways to improve Monk damage (assuming no more than 3 levels taken outside of Monk)? If not, how can DPR be increased?

Gregory Avery-Weir
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Khashir
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  • Sorry, I missed the part about not giving up more than 3 levels of Monk. Why? – András Dec 24 '15 at 22:41
  • Mostly the 1d10 and Quivering Palm: Insta-kill/10d10 damage for 3 ki points is a really good deal. How does gaining 3d6 compare to not having 1d10, Dueling, and Hunter's Mark? Not to mention that Assassinate is random/situational (i.e., you have to roll higher initiative just to get advantage, and you only auto-crit if they've been surprised). – Khashir Dec 24 '15 at 23:23
  • @András - Do not answer in comments. – mxyzplk Dec 24 '15 at 23:26

1 Answers1

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Standard Attack: Correct. As you correctly observe you will only get Dueling damage on your monk weapon strikes.

Flurry of Blows: Correct again.

Flurry and Hunter's Mark: Not quite. You won't get 1d6 extra damage on your second target. Hunter's Mark only targets one creature. Re-targeting when the original target drops costs a bonus action "on a subsequent turn" (pg. 251). You'll only ever be getting Hunter's Mark damage on one target in a turn. So you'd be getting 4d10 + 4d6 + 4 + 20 [2nd target: 1d10 + 7]

All of these calculations are assuming that you hit with all attacks and that nothing has a resistance (or other protections) relevant to the damage types of your monk weapon or your unarmed attack. Stunning Strike or the Open Hand Technique may be useful in assuring the 'all attacks hit' part. Of course, every use of Stunning Strike will cost you ki that you might need for a later Flurry.

CrusaderJ
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  • Ah, roger on the Hunter's Mark. What about the second part—is this the best way to increase Monk DPR? – Khashir Dec 24 '15 at 19:31
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    Why the obsession with DPR. That's not a monk thing. Monks have great damage potential, but the point of a monk is to do a bunch of damage to multiple targets, or to do some damage and then prevent the enemy from doing damage back. If you want a character that deals lots of damage and also soaks lots of damage, you want a paladin or barbarian. – Escoce Dec 28 '15 at 17:59