Way of the Drunken Master Monk 5e

Review by Sam West, Twitter:@CrierKobold

I may not know the history of the fighter who's perpetually intoxicated, but I must say, it's a blast to play. Something about stumbling your way through a fight, using the unexpected movements that come with the inebriation to throw enemies off balance while you're perfectly in your element to shrug off hits and keep swinging: it's just fun.

Way of the Drunken Master aims to deliver the ancient brewmaster fantasy, using tricks and techniques paired aimed at being first and foremost unexpected. I don't really think it sticks the landing that well, but gives you enough where if base monk is fun for you, and you want the base monk features to be slightly better, this can satisfy. If you're looking for new things to do, or ways to engage in something further from the traditional monk fantasy, this definitely won't provide that.

3rd Level: Bonus Proficiencies and Drunken Technique

Two 1st level features normally is a good sign, but in the case of Way of the Drunken Master, neither provides something new or splashy to use.

Bonus Proficiencies give you brewer's kit and Performance proficiency. Both of these are fine, and can find uses from time to time, but aren't the kind of tool or skill you're using every (or even most) sessions.
Drunken Technique only upgrades Flurry of Blows minorly, giving you a slight speed boost and free Disenage after whacking something. It feels like an attempt to push you towards a skirmisher fantasy where you're ducking in and out of a fight. Mechanically, Flurry of Blows requires you've already taken the attack action. With Extra Attack you can punch, Flurry of Blows for two more punches, then move and attack again to take advantage of the free Disengage and move bump, but the majority of your attacks still have to be against whatever you engaged in the first place. From a survivability perspective, you'll get an easy way to stand back behind the paladin, getting safely out of threat range, but monks are pretty good at shrugging off some hits.

This also directly competes with Open Hand’s Open Hand Technique which can drop hit creatures prone and remove their reactions, which is way better than this.

If you could freely move between hit creatures it would at least make it easier for you to get a bunch of stunning strikes off; as is, this mainly gives you a tool to hit and run for safety, not tactical advantage, which makes it just okay.

6th Level: Tipsy Sway

Tipsy Sway I have to give some props to, mainly for how fun Redirect Attack is to use. Leap to Your Feet is a cute flavor win that usually has little to no impact on a game; a reaction to direct an enemy melee attack to a new target (friend or foe) gives you the exact fantasy I find Way of the Drunken Master wants. It's unfortunate how it actively works against Drunk Technique, as Drunken Technique wants you out of the fight completely, and Tipsy Sway wants you being attacked by multiple enemies at once.

Still, I think this is the reason to play Way of the Drunken Master Monk. It's a powerful, silly reaction that embodies the archetype of the bumbling drunkard inexplicitly dodging attacks and making assailants comedically smack each other instead.

11th Level: Drunkard's Luck

Drunkard's Luck costing 2 ki points to mitigate disadvantage doesn't appeal to me. At all. Mitigating the downside at the cost of a resource you use to fuel everything else you do just doesn't seem like a great way to spend them. Some critical ability checks want as high a chance of success to change the game, and having this for pivotal save or dies where you happen to be at disadvantage for some reason is fine. I'd still much rather have something new and exciting to do here.

17th Level: Intoxicated Frenzy

Intoxicated Frenzy closes out Way of the Druken Master with a sweet ability that definitely could have been offered WAY sooner. Five extra attacks sounds like a lot, but usually will be capped at two or three anyway. You're not often going to be piled under a dozen enemies at once, nor is it typically worth it to spread out your damage like this. A version of this as their 3rd-level feature would interest me. By 17th level, while five bonus attacks reads like a lot, the reality of the feature is occasionally one or two extra attacks against smaller things around you.

All Together

Beyond Tipsy Swap, I'm not that interested in the mechanics Way of the Drunken Master offers. The third level Disengage buff to Flurry of Blows and a pair of proficiencies isn't unusable, but unexciting to me. Tipsy Sway is so perfect for the look I'd consider sucking it up and taking a mediocre 3rd level feature to get it at 6th level, but there isn't anything after that compelling me to stay with Monk. A couple of levels in Barbarian seem like a great option for this kind of build; if you like the thematics, there is one feature really worth getting to deliver that fantasy, and then I'd look elsewhere to get a character with a bit more bite.

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