Dnd 5e Monk Is Martial Art Attack Same as Unarmed Attack
When it comes to underappreciated classes, the monk is fashion upward in that location. sure, it doesn't fit the classic D&D tropes most of united states grew upwardly on. Behemothic battle axes? Nope. An assortment of powerful spells? Nah. But the Monk does offering a variety of interesting features bundled together with a cool organization for unarmed combat. Audio intriguing? Larn more with our Monk 5E Guide!
Updated for Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
Monk 5E Guide
Through every living body flows magical energy ordinarily referred to as "ki." A monk studies this energy, somewhen harnessing its power. While magical in nature, the masters of ki are not spellcasters. Instead, they channel this magic into enhancing their physical abilities into their own body – and the bodies of the foes. The end result is a highly-trained, physically talented warrior that can shift the flow of battle.
Monks come in many forms. Some live placidity lives abroad from society in monasteries. However, isolation is not the life all monks choose. Some monks cull the life of an adventurer. Frequently, they seek spiritual growth. Others merely seek to test their skills. Ultimately, the adventure for a monk is nearly a goal greater than treasure.
Monk Table
| Level | Proficiency | Martial | Ki | Unarmored | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +two | 1d4 | — | — | Unarmored Defense, Martial Arts |
| second | +2 | 1d4 | ii | +10 ft. | Ki, Unarmored Movement |
| 3rd | +two | 1d4 | 3 | +x ft. | Monastic Tradition, Deflect Missiles |
| 4th | +2 | 1d4 | 4 | +10 ft. | Ability Score Comeback, Dull Fall |
| 5th | +three | 1d6 | five | +10 ft. | Extra Attack, Stunning Strike |
| 6th | +3 | 1d6 | six | +15 ft. | Ki-Empowered Strikes, Monastic Tradition Feature |
| 7th | +3 | 1d6 | 7 | +15 ft. | Evasion, Stillness of Mind |
| 8th | +3 | 1d6 | 8 | +15 ft. | Power Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | 1d6 | 9 | +15 ft. | Unarmored Movement Comeback |
| 10th | +4 | 1d6 | ten | +20 ft. | Purity of Trunk |
| 11th | +4 | 1d8 | xi | +twenty ft. | Monastic Tradition Feature |
| 12th | +4 | 1d8 | 12 | +20 ft. | Ability Score Comeback |
| 13th | +5 | 1d8 | 13 | +twenty ft. | Tongue of the Sun and Moon |
| 14th | +5 | 1d8 | 14 | +25 ft. | Diamond Soul |
| 15th | +5 | 1d8 | 15 | +25 ft. | Timeless Body |
| 16th | +five | 1d8 | 16 | +25 ft. | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | 1d10 | 17 | +25 ft. | Monastic Tradition Feature |
| 18th | +6 | 1d10 | 18 | +30 ft. | Empty Trunk |
| 19th | +half-dozen | 1d10 | nineteen | +xxx ft. | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | 1d10 | 20 | +30 ft. | Perfect Cocky |
Form Features
While there are a lot of customization options for monks, they generally serve equally frontline fighters. Information technology is an interesting class, merely one that can be problematic with an inefficient build.
Hitting Points
- Striking Dice: 1d8 per monk level
- HP at 1st Level: eight + your Constitution modifier
- HP at College Levels: 1d8 (or v) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: None
- Weapons: Simple weapons, shortswords
- Tools: Choose one musical instrument or set of artisan's tools
- Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
- Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, and Stealth.
Starting Equipment
If you opt non to use the starting aureate past level method, you begin with a very small corporeality of equipment. Given the nature of the grade, information technology should come as no surprise that you own far less than any other character. A Monk's starting equipment includes:
- (a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a dungeoneer'south pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- 10 darts
Unarmored Defense (Level i)
Hither is where we can run into why no armor proficiency is needed for our monk. Starting at Level 1, your AC is ten + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier. This is simply the case when yous are not wearing armor or a shield. This ways with 20 Dexterity and twenty Wisdom you have an Air-conditioning of twenty. Obtaining the AC of a full plate set up of armor and a shield while shirtless is nothing to sneeze at.
Martial Arts (Level i)
In addition to Unarmored Defense, Martial Arts is the other cornerstone of the Monk class. Martial arts gives yous an array of of import benefits including:
- Using dexterity instead of force for set on and damage rolls
- Using a special impairment ringlet that replaces your damage for unarmed strikes or monk weapons
- Getting an assault with a monk weapon or unarmed strike every bit a bonus action.
Great stuff here. You can play a frontline fighter without the need for high strength. You lot get multiple attacks, essentially giving you two-weapon fighting with needing any feats (or weapons, for that matter). It scales well, with unarmed strikes dealing more impairment than almost weapons at college levels.
Ki (Level two)
At Level 2, you proceeds access to the ability of ki directly. This is some other critical component of the class, and it comes with a lot of options. Like with other classes like the sorcerer, monks get a pool of points that can be spent on a variety of things. These are known as ki points. You proceeds more than points every bit you level upwards. Y'all regain all of your ki points after a long or short rest, just as long as yous spend 30 minutes of that rest meditating. In some cases your ki feature requires a saving throw. These throws are calculated using:
Ki Salve DC
eight + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
There are three basic uses of ki points; your Monk will gain more at higher levels. They include:
- Flurry of Blows: Afterward an attack, y'all can spend a ki indicate for two unarmed strikes as a bonus action. This may not be the best use of the points at depression levels, simply at higher levels it can provide huge bursts of offense.
- Patient Defense: Spend 1 ki point to make a dodge action equally a bonus activity. This is useful when at low HP.
- Step of the Wind: Spend a point to undo or dash, as well as doubling your spring distance.
Unarmored Movement (Level 2 – Level eighteen)
At level two you go far more mobile you are without armor. Your footspeed increases by 10 feet, and increases as y'all level. At level nine you can run upwardly vertical surfaces or walk on liquids without falling. Useful in some cases, but cool in every situation. At level 10 this increases to a bonus of 20 feet. At Level 14, the bonus increases to 25. It reaches 30 anxiety at level xviii.
Monastic Tradition (Level 3)
At level three, your monk volition select a subclass known equally a monastic tradition. We hash out these in-depth beneath.
Deflect Missiles (Level 3)
Deflect Missiles isn't e'er useful, as it only applies to ranged weapon attacks. However, it provides for a very absurd visual if nothing else. This feature allows you to grab or deflect ranged weapons. You reduce the damage from these attacks by 1d10 plus your dexterity modifier plus your monk level. If you reduce the damage to nada, y'all catch the missile. Y'all tin can then spend a ki bespeak to throw it back every bit part of the same reaction.
This missile is treated every bit a monk weapon for damage purposes, and yous take proficiency with it regardless of the type of missile. The brusque range is 20 feet and the long range is 60.
Irksome Autumn (Level 4)
While not ever useful, Slow Fall can be a lifesaver in a pinch. You lot can utilise it equally a reaction to reduce fall damage equal to five times your monk level.
Actress Assault (Level 5)
At level v you go at least 3 attacks per turn. You tin can boost these attacks further with flurry of blows. Your unarmed strike damage likewise increases at Level 5, which makes this potent.
Stunning Strike (Level 5)
Level 5 is besides where you brainstorm to harness the ki to impact your opponent's land. With this feature, you can spend a ki point when you succeed with a melee weapon attack. If the target fails a constitution saving throw they are stunned until the end of your adjacent turn. This does not work with unarmed strikes, unfortunately. This ability is non capped, significant in major fights you tin employ it repeatedly. This tin be uncommonly powerful when fighting a unmarried enemy.
Ki-Empowered Strikes (Level half dozen)
Another level, another boost to your unarmed strikes. In this case, your unarmed strikes are magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance or immunity to nonmagical attacks.
Evasion (Level vii)
Evasion is another highlight of the Monk course. It profoundly improves the upshot when you are required to make a dexterity saving throw to avoid impairment. In cases where a failed throw makes yous take full damage and a successful save gives you half damage, you will instead face half damage or no harm respectively. As dexterity should always be your top priority, your monk could avoid a lot of AOE harm.
Stillness of Mind (Level vii)
Stillness of Mind allows you to terminate a charmed or frightened upshot with your action each turn. There are a lot of monsters that accept charmed or fright furnishings, which makes this useful in the right situation.
Purity of Trunk (Level 10)
With this feature, you are immune to affliction or poison. Given how common toxicant is, this useful.
Tongue of the Dominicus and Moon (Level 13)
It'southward not terrible. For the sake of translation you can empathize all spoken languages. What'southward more, any creature that understands a language can understand your spoken words. This is of express value for many monks given that charisma is the most common dump stat, though.
Diamond Soul (Level 14)
This comes in handy constantly. With Diamond Soul, yous gain proficiency at all saving throws. What's more, when you fail a saving throw you can spend a ki signal to reroll. You lot must take the result of the second roll, nonetheless. This essentially improves your survivability.
Timeless Body (Level 15)
Definitely the low indicate of the form, particularly since it is your Level xv characteristic. Yous no longer need food and water, which tin come in handy in situational adventures. You also do non suffer the frailty of quondam age and cannot be aged magically. While this fits the theme of a monk perfectly, it will finer have zilch result in most campaigns. What a waste.
Empty Body (Level eighteen)
With the cost of four ki points, you can become invisible for 1 minute. During that time you lot are resistant to all damage but force damage.
Alternatively, you can spend 8 ki points to cast Astral Project. This allows you to travel the outer planes freely. Both of these options are interesting but the ki betoken cost is loftier.
Perfect Self (Level twenty)
Perfect Cocky dramatically improves every aspect of a monk. Each time you curlicue for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain 4 ki points. This tin can extend a monk's ability to survive or even further add to the number of attacks they can brand.
Optional Class Features
Like with all classes, Tasha's Cauldron of Everything provides optional class options for the Monk. These features are designed to be added to existing form features unless noted otherwise.
Dedicated Weapon (Level 2)
Defended weapon allows you to plough any weapon into a monk weapon. Following a short or long residuum, you tin can make a weapon a monk weapon if the weapon meets these criteria:
- The weapon must be a simple or martial weapon.
- You must be expert with information technology.
- It must lack the heavy and special properties.
Ki-Fueled Set on (Level 3)
This gives you more options for spending ki points. If you spend ane ki bespeak or more every bit office of your activity on your plow, you tin make one attack with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon as a bonus activeness before the end of the turn.
Quickened Healing (Level 4)
This feature gives you the power to heal using ki points. By spending 2 points, you can roll a Martial Arts die and add that number plus your proficiency bonus to your hit points.
Focused Aim (Level v)
Focused Aim lets you lot spend ki points to increase an set on roll following a miss. You tin can spend betwixt one and three points to boost your set on ringlet by 2 for each point you lot spend. This could turn a miss into a hit.
Traditions – Monk Subclasses
With near classes, the class features are the base but the subclass features are what really make a character sing. With the monk, I'yard not so sure that is the case. There are vii subclasses – chosen monastery traditions – in total, but nigh of them come up up brusque in what they were going for. In my view, the strength of the monk lies in its course features.
At that place are some glaring holes the basic monk has, nonetheless. It's hard to punch something that can fly, for instance. Additionally, you are going to struggle if you are fighting something that is only hurt past not-weapon damage. Many of these subclasses make an effort to accost these flaws, but few do it fairly. That said, in that location is some fun to be had with some of these options. We will review them each alphabetically.
Mode of Mercy
Run across our Consummate Way of Mercy Guide
Mercy monks walk a fine line between life and death. This subclass focuses on healing the wounded and bringing a swift stop to the suffering. Based on the them, information technology should not surprise you lot this classic involves a mixture of healing and damage dealing.
- Implements of Mercy (Level 3). Y'all gain proficiency in Insight, Medicine, and with herbalism kits.
- Hand of Healing (Level 3). As an action, you lot tin heal a number of HP equal to a Martial Arts dice roll plus your wisdom modifier. This costs 1 ki bespeak. Y'all can as well utilize one of your Flurry of Blows to use this equally a healing option.
- Hand of Harm (Level three). Ane per turn, yous can spend one ki bespeak to deal your martial arts plus wisdom modifier in necrotic damage following an unarmed strike.
- Doc's Touch (Level 6). Your hand of healing can cure the following conditions: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, poisoned, or stunned. Likewise, Paw of Harm can at present cause the poisoned condition.
- Flurry of Healing and Impairment (Level 11). At present, each strike in flurry of blows can use Hand of Harm or Healing.
- Hand of Ultimate Mercy (Level 17). By spending 5 ki points, you can bring a dead beast dorsum to life. They return with 4d10 + your wisdom modifier in HP. This is available once per long rest.
Way of the Astral Cocky
Encounter our Complete Astral Cocky 5E Guide
The Astral Self monk can take a translucent class, landing strikes with phantom limbs.
- Arms of the Astral Cocky (Level 3). Y'all tin can spend a ki point to phone call forth astral arms. With these arms yous tin make unarmed strikes with them, supersede your forcefulness modifier with a wisdom roll instead, and also gain five feet in your unarmed strike range. You may also use your wisdom modifier for set on and impairment rolls.
- Visage of the Astral Self (Level 6). You lot tin spend a ki betoken to summon your astral visage for x minutes. This vase covers your face and gains you an array of benefits including darkvision, telepathic speech, and advantage on wisdom and charisma checks.
- Trunk of the Astral Self (Level 11). When your arms and visage are summoned, y'all tin can also cause your astral body to appear. It allows you to bargain extra damage with your astral arms and deflecting some of the damage you suffer from acid, cold, fire, strength, lightning, or thunder.
- Awakened Astral Self (Level 17). By spending v ki points, y'all tin awaken your entire astral class. This grants y'all +2 to your Ac, and you gain a tertiary assail with your arms when yous utilize the Extra Attack feature.
Way of the Drunken Primary
See our Consummate Drunken Master 5e Guide
There is a full general consensus that Way of the Drunken Master is the best of the seven traditions. Using the unpredictable movements common with drunkards, this subclass is about using misdirection to hit and run.
- Bonus Proficiencies (Level 3). You get skilful at Performance and with brewer'southward supplies. Neither are particularly useful.
- Drunken Technique (Level 3). When you employ flurry of blows you lot gain a walking speed boost of x feet until the end of the turn. Y'all tin also use the Disengage activeness at the end of the flurry. This is a lot of value for 1 ki point.
- Tipsy Sway (Level 6). Your unusual swaying motion lets y'all stand from prone past using only five feet of movement versus half of your plough's move. More than chiefly, y'all tin spend a ki indicate when a melee assault misses you to redirect it to another brute other than the attacker. The assail automatically hits, simply the target cannot be the attacker himself.
- Drunkard's Luck (Level 11). Y'all can spend to ki points to cancel disadvantage on an attack, power cheque, or saving throw.
- Intoxicated Frenzy (Level 17). This allows you lot to make up to five flurry of blows attacks in a turn, so long as each attack is confronting a different creature. At level 17 your speed gets a +35 bonus and y'all tin can disengage, which ways you can cartwheel around the battlefield doing harm.
Way of the 4 Elements
Encounter our Consummate Fashion of the Iv Elements 5E Guide
Call back the issues monks accept with flyers and magical creatures? Way of the 4 Elements attempts to address those by giving the monk access to spellcasting. It's debatable of the stop result does much to address these concerns, though. While spells are overnice, they eat up ki that could be used on the more powerful monk effects. A well-built character could yet have some strong options when traditional monk stuff doesn't piece of work.
At level three, y'all obtain the Elemental Attument discipline and an additional elemental bailiwick of your pick. At levels 6, 11, and 17 y'all gain additional disciplines. Some of these disciplines let your monk to cast spells without the components. You can also raise the level of a spell by spending ki points. Some strong options include:
- Sweeping Cinder Strike (Level iii): Strong AOE fire spell
- Clinch of the North Air current (Level half-dozen): You lot can bandage hold person for 3 ki points. Powerful only expensive.
- Ride the Current of air (Level 11): You can cast wing on yourself with 4 ki points.
- Eternal Mountain Defense (Level 17): v ki points lets yous cast Stoneskin on yourself.
Fashion of the Kensei
See Our Complete Kensei Monk 5E Guide
Directly out of Xanathar'due south Guide to Everything is the Style of the Kensei. This bracket was designed to fill some holes in the monk form by opening upwardly some weapon options.
- Path of the Kensei (Level iii): Path of the Kensei contains a lot of benefits. You lot can choose 1 melee and one ranged weapon as your kensei weapons. They can be martial weapons every bit long every bit they are not heavy. You gain proficiency with them and they act as monk'southward weapons. You lot as well get Agile Parry, which gives you +2 to AC if you make an unarmed strike while belongings a kensei weapon. Kensei's shot gives you lot a 1d4 bonus to impairment on ranged attacks, while Manner of the Brush gives you proficiency in painter or calligrapher'due south supplies.
- One with the Blade (Level 6): Your kensei weapon attacks are magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance or immunity, and you lot tin can spend 1 ki signal to do boosted impairment with a kensei weapon attack.
- Sharpen the Blade (Level 11): You tin can spend upwardly to three ki points to grant a kensei weapon a +1 to attack and damage rolls per dice. This lasts 1 minute.
- Unerring Accuracy (Level 17): Once per plough, you can reroll an attack roll when yous miss using a monk weapon.
Manner of the Long Expiry
See Our Consummate Way of the Long Death Guide
While Fashion of the Long Death does piffling to accost some of the challenges with fighting at range monks bargain with, it does give a valuable tank boost to a fairly squishy frontline fighter. The class is well-balanced, and mixes in a useful crowd control ability and a huge harm dealing option at level 17. Skillful stuff correct hither.
- Impact of Death (Level three): Reducing a creature within 5 anxiety to 0 hitting points gives you temporary HP worth your wisdom modifier plus monk level. This can add together serious survivability facing a crowd.
- Hour of Reaping (level 6): Your connexion with the power of death lets you use an action to cause fright in any animal inside thirty feet that fails a wisdom saving throw.
- Mastery of Death (Level xi): You can spend 1 ki point when reduced to cipher hit points to have 1 HP instead.
- Touch of the Long Expiry (Level 17): You tin spend between 1 and 10 ki points to deal necrotic impairment. If the target fails a constitution saving throw you bargain 2d10 damage per ki point. The damage is halved with a successful saving throw. Absolutely nasty impairment against a single target.
Way of the Open Hand
Come across Our Complete Way of the Open Hand 5E Guide
Way of the Open Hand does not have the flavor of Long Decease or Drunken Masters, merely it is a great form. Substantially, this operates as a standard monk on steroids. However, Quivering Palm is one of the most interesting features in the game, in my opinion.
- Open Paw Technique (Level iii): When you land flurry of blows, you can cull to knock the target prone if the fail a dexterity save, push them 15 feet away from you if they neglect a strength save, or prevent them from taking reactions until the end of your next plow. All useful buffs that don't require additional ki points.
- Wholeness of Body (Level six): In one case per long rest, you regain HP equal to 3 times your monk level as an activity.
- Quiet (Level 11): You lot proceeds the effect of Sanctuary at the end of a long rest. This requires attackers targeting you lot to succeed a wisdom saving throw or target someone else.
- Quivering Palm (Level 17): Straight out of Kill Pecker, you can spend three ki points to set lethal vibrations in a target'south body when you land an unarmed attacked. Subsequently a number of days equal to your monk level or at your discretion, the target must brand a constitution saving throw or reduce their HP to 0. A successful salve deals 10d10 necrotic harm. A monk tin turn this off without it dealing whatsoever damage at any time.
Way of the Shadow
See Our Complete Shadow Monk 5E Guide
Way of the Shadow is 1 of the weaker subclasses available. Information technology aims to be a Rogue-similar monk, just it comes up short in matching the strength of a pure member of either class. Stealth is overnice, simply missing out on sneak attack damage makes it seem generally wasted.
- Shadow Arts (Level 3): You can spend 2 ki points to cast Darkness, Darkvision, Pass Without Trace, or Silence. You lot can besides utilize the Minor Illusion cantrip.
- Shadow Stride (Level vi): You can teleport from one shadow to another within 60 feet. You also get reward on your first melee attack after yous teleport. Unfortunately, this only works in dim light or darkness.
- Cloak of Shadows (Level xi): You proceeds invisibility, but again only in dim lite or darkness. You maintain invisibility until you enter bright calorie-free, brand an attack, or cast a spell.
- Opportunist (Level 17): The highlight of the subclass, Opportunist gives you a free reaction attack to whatsoever creature within 5 feet of you that is hitting by an attack from someone other than yourself.
Way of the Lord's day Soul
See Our Sun Soul Monk 5E Guide
Flavorwise, Mode of the Sun Soul is cool. It gives your monk the ability to blast Dragonball Z mode energy attacks at range, which in theory should address some bug with the grade. Unfortuntely, these blasts are underpowered unless you spend a lot of ki. While ranged attacks are useful, most of the time at that place are more than efficient options than this.
- Radiant Sun Bolt (Level iii): A ranged assail activeness that doesn't cost whatever ki sounds perfect, correct? Unfortunately, this just does 1d4 radiant damage at lower levels. Y'all tin utilize ki points to use this more than once, at least.
- Searing Arc Strike (Level 6): You can cast Called-for Hands as a bonus activeness after you take an attack action. This costs two ki points, and you lot tin increase the level of the spell additional levels by spending ane ki point each time. Point expenditure is capped at half the number of your monk level.
- Searing Sunburst (Level xi): You create an exploding orb of low-cal that deals 2d6 radiant harm to any fauna within twenty feet of the orb that fails a constitution throw. Yous tin spend up to three ki points upping the damage by 2d6 per point. This is a piffling underpowered unless you spend the total three ki points.
- Lord's day Shield (Level 17): You can use a bonus action to emit bright light for a 30-human foot radius and dim low-cal for another xxx. Y'all can deal radiant harm every bit a reaction in the amount of 5 plus your wisdom modifier to whatsoever creature that hits y'all with a melee attack while the light shines.
Fleshing Out Your Monk
Roleplaying every bit a monk will come down to nevertheless you design your character. However, at that place are a few aspects of all monks that can play an important role in how yous develop your character.
Your Monastery
Arguably the biggest factor in your character'due south background will be the monastery they trained at. This training volition guide much of your character's nature. If your monastery was very combat-axial, your motivation for adventuring might be to prove yourself. If the monastery was more donating, you lot could be a reluctant traveler seeking something to bring back to your people. While your backstory does non accept to be entirely dependent on your monastery, it commonly makes sense for it to play a major part.
Monasteries in the Forgotten Realms
If your campaign is set in the Forgotten Realms, in that location are dozens of monastic orders to choose from. Nearly monasteries are pocket-sized, with as few as a dozen members in total. Others boast hundreds of members spread across the map. Some of the about interesting options include:
- Cleaved Ones (Good): A big but breezy group of monks without whatever primal hierarchy, these followers of Ilmater right wrongs and punish the cruel.
- Hin Fist (Unaligned): An order of halflings founded in Luiren, this group volition occaisionally allow gnomes or dwarves to join.
- Quondam Order (Unaligned): One of the oldest monasteries, this group were once worshippers of a deity that is either long dead or never existed. This is of footling business organisation to the Sometime Gild, who care more for living by the creed of the god. This order is large and spread out beyond the earth, but there are no large monasteries located in Faerun.
- Shining Hand (Unaligned): The most powerful sect of monks based in Amn, this monastery has been the target the regime due to their dabbling in the arcane. The Shining Paw worships Azuth and largely operates in the shadows.
- Dark Moon (Evil): A big sect, Dark Moon operate their monestaries in public in lands ruled by evil. In areas with unaligned or good rulers, they operate in the shadows. This mostly-human monastic gild worships Shar.
Faith
Some monasteries, like the Order of the Sun Soul in the Forgotten Realms, has ties to a specific god. in fact, some orders are equally devoted as clerics are to their deities. However, others take no religious ties whatsoever. This another thing to consider when fleshing out your character and the monastery they phone call domicile.
Your Martial Fine art
Unarmed gainsay in 5E is not particularly fleshed out, and you lot can play through without having a specific form of martial art in mind for your grapheme. While this grade of gainsay is entirely for flavor under the rules as written, many monasteries adopt their own manner of gainsay. This can be an important attribute of your character's identify, if y'all wish.
Monk 5E Optimization Tips
Regardless of your monastic tradition, you volition generally build your Monk the aforementioned way. That said, optimization is more of import for some subclasses than for others. Below nosotros volition requite you some important pointers when building your monk character.
Ability Selection
The fundamental signal of selecting abilities for a monk is remembering that strength is not vital despite your part as a frontline fighter. Different other classes, withal, y'all have two abilities that will be ideally maxed out, and two more that need a fair amount of attention.
- Strength. Because you use dexterity for all of your attacks, your strength goes unused when y'all are on criminal offence. That doesn't mean information technology is a dump stat however, equally y'all need enough strength to fight off grappling attempts. This is generally your fourth-highest priority.
- Dexterity. Your bread and butter. Max your dexterity out regardless of the blazon of monk you have in mind. It is far and away your top priority; get it to twenty as soon equally possible.
- Constitution. The tertiary most important stat is constitution. 1d8 striking points per level is a little soft for a melee combat character, then it is vital to go your Air conditioning as high as possible.
- Intelligence. Not a priority. Y'all will but use it for saving throws or maybe cognition skills.
- Wisdom. Your second priority. While dexterity rules your attacks, wisdom powers up many of your other features. You want this at xx as shortly as you lot max dexterity.
- Charisma. Dump stat. Someone else should be the face of your party.
Best Races for Monk in 5E
Many people actually sweat finding the perfect race for their Monk. While that's fine, it is important to remember that the ability bonuses that come with each race matter less and less equally you level upward. While some races are better than others, y'all tin make any of them work with the Monk class if you really want to. That said, nosotros accept covered some of the all-time and worst fits below.
Strong Options
- Aarakocra. A boost to dexterity and wisdom is dainty. the power to fly address one of the monk's greatest weaknesses, however, making this race a perfect monk.
- Firbolg. A boost to wisdom is overnice, and the innate spellcasting addresses some of the weaknesses of the class.
- Human. Versatility means they can do anything, and there are plenty of feats that can brand a monk really smoothen.
- Kobold. No, really. A bonus to dexterity is wonderful and pack tactics make your loftier volume of attacks actually work.
- Water Genasi. Resistance to fire is never a bad affair, plus you become a bonus to wisdom. The innate spellcasting is likewise stiff.
Decent Options
- Elf. The ability bonuses are strong.
- Halfling. Dexterity bonus is nice, and luck always comes in handy.
- Kenku. Nigh of the unique traits don't do much for a monk, merely you lot can't ask for meliorate than +2 dexterity and +1 wisdom.
- Tabaxi. Not every bit good as Kenku, but nevertheless decent.
- Tortle. The natural armor could make for an interesting character build.
Limited Value
- Aasimar
- Dragonborn
- Dwarf
- Gnome
- Goliath
- One-half-Elf
- Half-Orc
- Lizardfolk
- Tiefling
- Yuan-Ti Pureblood
Best Bachelor Backgrounds
While the tool kit options don't mean much for a monk, there are plenty of backgrounds that provide valuable skills. Dexterity and Wisdom are ii of the most valuable thanks to stealth, perception, and insight. Below are a few of the options that could be right for your monk.
- Far Traveler. A great fit flavour-wise, and you get insight and perception.
- Hermit. Not only does this fit flavor-wise, simply the herbalism kit lets you brew potions.
- Urban Bounty Hunter. Maybe a stretch with your backstory, but yous can get stealth and insight on top of choosing ii from gaming sets, thieves tools, or a musical musical instrument.
- Urchin. Sleight of manus and stealth are a great combo for a monk. Disguise kits and thieve's tools could come in handy besides.
Suggested Feats
At that place are countless feats in 5E, and many of them are beneficial across the lath. That said, nigh of them come with the tradeoff of losing an attribute point. Given you lot really want your monk to max out on dexterity and wisdom, feats might not be in the cards. Withal, we have discussed some of the best options below if you go in that direction.
- Durable. If y'all are sweating your Ac or HP, this isn't a bad pick.
- Lucky. Monks make a lot of attack rolls. The lucky feat can really come in handy with all those rolling dice.
- Observant. A favorite of mine! Y'all proceeds a wisdom point to a maximum of twenty, which is e'er skillful. Yous can also read the lips of whatsoever grapheme you tin see speaking if you know their language. Finally, the +5 to passive perception is excellent.
- Tough. This tin provide a prissy HP heave merely is really just valuable if you take it at higher levels.
Multiclassing Options
So many of the other classes are either a weird ability fit or have overlapping abilities that multiclassing your monk isn't ever wise. There are some cracking high-level options for monks too, meaning multiple levels of another form will crusade y'all to miss out on them. That said, there are a few options that are bang-up for a single dip.
Good Multiclassing Options for a Monk
This is a basic rundown of your multiclassing options. You tin get more information with our multiclassing 5E guide.
Cleric
A single level of cleric gives you lot five spells and allows you to choose a domain. At level two, you get some other level one spell, a channel divinity, and a domain feature. These are a lot of powerful options. You could become a pseudo-healer with the life domain or deal with ranged threats as an Arcana cleric. Not a lot of reasons to accept more than than ii levels, however.
Fighter
Taking a dip in another martial class seems redundant, only multiclassing into fighter makes a lot of sense. If you lot take one level, you lot should probably take two however. This especially good with Manner of the Kensei.
First, the dueling fighting style +2 damage when fighting with a weapon and a free mitt. Peachy weapon fighting is too a good choice. 2d current of air at level one is also smashing for a monk, giving yous a much needed HP boost once per short residuum.
At level two, you get Activeness Surge. Getting a 2nd action is great anyway, simply using it in conjunction with Flurry of Blows is incredible. While I would stick with 2 levels, a third level of fighter gets you lot all the benefits that come with a martial archetype.
Ranger
Ranger is another sneaky good selection for a monk mulitclass. Withal, y'all need to take at least two levels to be worth information technology. At level two y'all go fighting mode, which we discussed above. Y'all too get spellcasting, with wisdom as your spellcasting ability. This is a skilful fit, and ranger has some useful options. Hunter's Marker alone makes information technology a squeamish fit. Whether giving upwardly two levels of monk is worth or not is upwards to you lot.
Rogue
Way of the Shadow's biggest downfall is that it is an underpowered rogue wannabe. Taking a dip into rogue suddenly makes that subclass pretty strong. While the out of combat options might not hateful much to you, sneak attack suddenly makes Shadow Step and Cloak of Shadows very powerful. You also get a few extra proficiencies. One level is generally all that is needed unless y'all really want the roguish archetype and the second sneak attack impairment d6 that comes at level 3.
Avoidable Options
- Artificer. Non worth giving upward a level of monk.
- Barbaric. The AC bonuses betwixt the two classes practice no stack, making this a bad option.
- Bard. Bad stat spread.
- Druid. Like a cleric, but worse.
- Paladin. Bad stat spread.
- Sorcerer. Similar a cleric, but worse.
- Warlock. Warlock isn't a great option. Seriously, go cleric.
- Magician. Bad stat spread.
Wrapping up our Monk 5E Guide
To sum it upwards, the monk is a fun grade simply it could utilise a little love. If you lot can find a fashion to address flight monsters, fighting at range, and dealing with enemies that are resistant to weapon impairment, you tin can accept on almost anything. All in all, the monk is underappreciated.
Did we miss anything with our Monk 5E guide? If so, let us know in the comment section!
Source: https://www.nerdsandscoundrels.com/monk-5e/
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