AD&D - Did Dragon Magazine #53 Fix the Monk?

The AD&D Monk has always been a strange class. It looks cool on paper but rarely works at the table. Low hit points. No armor. Weird powers. A high XP requirement. And then there’s the rule that says you have to fight other Monks to level up. Not exactly beginner friendly.

Dragon Magazine issue 53 decided to do something about that.

The article “Defining and Realigning the Monk” offers a full rewrite. It keeps the flavor of the class but tries to make it more playable. The Monk gets more hit points, better attack routines, and powers that feel useful earlier in the game. It even gives options for removing the one-on-one duels that stop many players from advancing, but does it?

The revised version still expects you to play smart. You cannot rush into combat. You still cannot use most magic items. And your powers are limited in how often they can be used. But now the Monk feels like a martial artist with a plan, not just a dead man in robes.

It also adds some fun new ideas. Multiple monastic orders. Different rules for promotion. Psionic abilities without needing full psionics. And a slow climb toward becoming a spiritual warrior instead of just a punch machine.

So does this fix the Monk?

That depends on how you play. If you want power at level one, you still won’t find it here. But if you like slow growth and strange abilities, this version gives you more to work with.

Dragon Magazine did not make the Monk perfect. But it made it playable.

And that’s a step in the right direction.

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