Monk
All classes · Multiclassing · Rules Glossary
Core Monk Traits
| Primary Ability | Dexterity and Wisdom |
|---|---|
| Hit Point Die | D8 per Monk level |
| Saving Throw Proficiencies | Strength and Dexterity |
| Skill Proficiencies | Choose 2: Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, or Stealth |
| Weapon Proficiencies | Simple weapons and Martial weapons that have the Light property |
| Tool Proficiencies | Choose one type of Artisan's Tools or Musical Instrument (see chapter 6) |
| Armor Training | None |
| Starting Equipment | Choose A or B: (A) Spear, 5 Daggers, Artisan's Tools or Musical Instrument chosen for the tool proficiency above, Explorer's Pack, and 11 GP; or (B) 50 GP |
Becoming a Monk ...
As a Level 1 Character
- Gain all the traits in the Core Monk Traits table.
- Gain the Monk's level 1 features, which are listed in the Monk Features table.
As a Multiclass Character
- Gain the Hit Point Die trait from the Core Monk Traits table.
- Gain the Monk's level 1 features, which are listed in the Monk Features table.
Monk Class Features
As a Monk, you gain the following class features when you reach the specified Monk levels. These features are listed in the Monk Features table.
Monk Features
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Class Features | Martial Arts | Focus Points | Unarmored Movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 | Martial Arts, Unarmored Defense | 1d6 | - | - |
| 2 | +2 | Monk's Focus, Unarmored Movement, Uncanny Metabolism | 1d6 | 2 | +10 ft. |
| 3 | +2 | Deflect Attacks, Monk Subclass | 1d6 | 3 | +10 ft. |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement, Slow Fall | 1d6 | 4 | +10 ft. |
| 5 | +3 | Extra Attack, Stunning Strike | 1d8 | 5 | +10 ft. |
| 6 | +3 | Empowered Strikes, Subclass feature | 1d8 | 6 | +15 ft. |
| 7 | +3 | Evasion | 1d8 | 7 | +15 ft. |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d8 | 8 | +15 ft. |
| 9 | +4 | Acrobatic Movement | 1d8 | 9 | +15 ft. |
| 10 | +4 | Heightened Focus, Self-Restoration | 1d8 | 10 | +20 ft. |
| 11 | +4 | Subclass feature | 1d10 | 11 | +20 ft. |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d10 | 12 | +20 ft. |
| 13 | +5 | Deflect Energy | 1d10 | 13 | +20 ft. |
| 14 | +5 | Disciplined Survivor | 1d10 | 14 | +25 ft. |
| 15 | +5 | Perfect Focus | 1d10 | 15 | +25 ft. |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 1d10 | 16 | +25 ft. |
| 17 | +6 | Subclass feature | 1d12 | 17 | +25 ft. |
| 18 | +6 | Superior Defense | 1d12 | 18 | +30 ft. |
| 19 | +6 | Epic Boon | 1d12 | 19 | +30 ft. |
| 20 | +6 | Body and Mind | 1d12 | 20 | +30 ft. |
Level 1: Martial Arts
Your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use your Unarmed Strike and Monk weapons, which are the following:
- Simple Melee weapons
- Martial Melee weapons that have the Light property
You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only Monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a Shield.
Bonus Unarmed Strike. You can make an Unarmed Strike as a Bonus Action.
Martial Arts Die. You can roll 1d6 in place of the normal damage of your Unarmed Strike or Monk weapons. This die changes as you gain Monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk Features table.
Dexterous Attacks. You can use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier for the attack and damage rolls of your Unarmed Strikes and Monk weapons. In addition, when you use the Grapple or Shove option of your Unarmed Strike, you can use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to determine the save DC.
Level 1: Unarmored Defense
While you aren't wearing armor or wielding a Shield, your base Armor Class equals 10 plus your Dexterity and Wisdom modifiers.
Level 2: Monk's Focus
Your focus and martial training allow you to harness a well of extraordinary energy within yourself. This energy is represented by Focus Points. Your Monk level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Focus Points column of the Monk Features table.
You can expend these points to enhance or fuel certain Monk features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind, each of which is detailed below.
When you expend a Focus Point, it is unavailable until you finish a Short or Long Rest, at the end of which you regain all your expended points.
Some features that use Focus Points require your target to make a saving throw. The save DC equals 8 plus your Wisdom modifier and Proficiency Bonus.
Flurry of Blows. You can expend 1 Focus Point to make two Unarmed Strikes as a Bonus Action.
Patient Defense. You can take the Disengage action as a Bonus Action. Alternatively, you can expend 1 Focus Point to take both the Disengage and the Dodge actions as a Bonus Action.
Step of the Wind. You can take the Dash action as a Bonus Action. Alternatively, you can expend 1 Focus Point to take both the Disengage and Dash actions as a Bonus Action, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.
Level 2: Unarmored Movement
Your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren't wearing armor or wielding a Shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain Monk levels, as shown on the Monk Features table.
Level 2: Uncanny Metabolism
When you roll Initiative, you can regain all expended Focus Points. When you do so, roll your Martial Arts die, and regain a number of Hit Points equal to your Monk level plus the number rolled.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a Long Rest.
Level 3: Deflect Attacks
When an attack roll hits you and its damage includes Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage, you can take a Reaction to reduce the attack's total damage against you. The reduction equals 1d10 plus your Dexterity modifier and Monk level.
If you reduce the damage to 0, you can expend 1 Focus Point to redirect some of the attack's force. If you do so, choose a creature you can see within 5 feet of yourself if the attack was a melee attack or a creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself that isn't behind Total Cover if the attack was a ranged attack. That creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die plus your Dexterity modifier. The damage is the same type dealt by the attack.
Level 3: Monk Subclass
You gain a Monk subclass of your choice. The Warrior of the Open Hand subclass is detailed after this class's description. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Monk levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass's features that are of your Monk level or lower.
Level 4: Ability Score Improvement
You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat (see "Feats") or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Monk levels 8, 12, and 16.
Level 4: Slow Fall
You can take a Reaction when you fall to reduce any damage you take from the fall by an amount equal to five times your Monk level.
Level 5: Extra Attack
You can attack twice instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Level 5: Stunning Strike
Once per turn when you hit a creature with a Monk weapon or an Unarmed Strike, you can expend 1 Focus Point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target has the Stunned condition until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, the target's Speed is halved until the start of your next turn, and the next attack roll made against the target before then has Advantage.
Level 6: Empowered Strikes
Whenever you deal damage with your Unarmed Strike, it can deal your choice of Force damage or its normal damage type.
Level 7: Evasion
When you're subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw and only half damage if you fail.
You don't benefit from this feature if you have the Incapacitated condition.
Level 9: Acrobatic Movement
While you aren't wearing armor or wielding a Shield, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the movement.
Level 10: Heightened Focus
Your Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind gain the following benefits.
Flurry of Blows. You can expend 1 Focus Point to use Flurry of Blows and make three Unarmed Strikes with it instead of two.
Patient Defense. When you expend a Focus Point to use Patient Defense, you gain a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die.
Step of the Wind. When you expend a Focus Point to use Step of the Wind, you can choose a willing creature within 5 feet of yourself that is Large or smaller. You move the creature with you until the end of your turn. The creature's movement doesn't provoke Opportunity Attacks.
Level 10: Self-Restoration
Through sheer force of will, you can remove one of the following conditions from yourself at the end of each of your turns: Charmed, Frightened, or Poisoned.
In addition, forgoing food and drink doesn't give you levels of Exhaustion.
Level 13: Deflect Energy
You can now use your Deflect Attacks feature against attacks that deal any damage type, not just Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing.
Level 14: Disciplined Survivor
Your physical and mental discipline grant you proficiency in all saving throws.
Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can expend 1 Focus Point to reroll it, and you must use the new roll.
Level 15: Perfect Focus
When you roll Initiative and don't use Uncanny Metabolism, you regain expended Focus Points until you have 4 if you have 3 or fewer.
Level 18: Superior Defense
At the start of your turn, you can expend 3 Focus Points to bolster yourself against harm for 1 minute or until you have the Incapacitated condition. During that time, you have Resistance to all damage except Force damage.
Level 19: Epic Boon
You gain an Epic Boon feat (see "Feats") or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. Boon of Irresistible Offense is recommended.
Level 20: Body and Mind
You have developed your body and mind to new heights. Your Dexterity and Wisdom scores increase by 4, to a maximum of 25.
Monk Subclass: Warrior of the Open Hand
Master Unarmed Combat Techniques
Warriors of the Open Hand are masters of unarmed combat. They learn techniques to push and trip their opponents and manipulate their own energy to protect themselves from harm.
Level 3: Open Hand Technique
Whenever you hit a creature with an attack granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the following effects on that target.
Addle. The target can't make Opportunity Attacks until the start of its next turn.
Push. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 15 feet away from you.
Topple. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or have the Prone condition.
Level 6: Wholeness of Body
You gain the ability to heal yourself. As a Bonus Action, you can roll your Martial Arts die. You regain a number of Hit Points equal to the number rolled plus your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1 Hit Point regained).
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
Level 11: Fleet Step
When you take a Bonus Action other than Step of the Wind, you can also use Step of the Wind immediately after that Bonus Action.
Level 17: Quivering Palm
You gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone's body. When you hit a creature with an Unarmed Strike, you can expend 4 Focus Points to start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your Monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you take an action to end them. Alternatively, when you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of the attacks to end the vibrations. To end them, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you end them, the target must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 10d12 Force damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.
You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can end the vibrations harmlessly (no action required).
Monk Subclass: Way of the Pilgrim
Monks of the Way of the Pilgrim embrace the mystery of life to the fullest, seeking to find meaning in the journey, rather than the destination. Such Monks may belong to a religious order or nomadic community that encourages long leaves of absence, but more often pilgrims are encountered as solitary wanderers. A pilgrim will occasionally join an adventuring party or venture out on quests that strike them as worthwhile, but they will never stay in one place for long, as the heart of a pilgrim is eternally restless.
A follower of the Way of the Pilgrim does not fear change or hardship or even death, since death itself may present the greatest journey of all. While some see Heaven and Hell as permanent destinations, the Pilgrim sees even the afterlife as just one more pathway in the eternal journey of the soul.
Pilgrim’s Destiny
It is not always clear what drives the soul of a Pilgrim, and no two wanderers will have the same motivations. Use the table below for possible “destinies,” or invent your own.
| d6 | Pilgrim’s Destiny |
|---|---|
| 1 | You have received many blessings in your life. You plan to journey until you have paid them forward seven-fold. |
| 2 | You seek perfection in the simplest things. Your journey will end if you ever experience a truly “perfect” day. |
| 3 | You wish to spend your life having one meaningful conversation per day, and then to spend your afterlife the same way. |
| 4 | You live for experiences, and will not stop traveling until you have sampled from every culture in the cosmos. |
| 5 | You love to debate with religious leaders, and do so wherever you go. You hope one day to have a debate with God. |
| 6 | You are searching for a place that your mind can be at peace and your heart can be at rest. Until then you wander. |
Level 3: Art of the Journeyman
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use your focus to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As a Magic action, you can spend 2 Focus Points to cast Blur, Find Steed, Longstrider, or Misty Step without providing material components. Additionally, you gain the Druidcraft cantrip if you don’t already know it.
Level 6: Step of Faith
At 6th level, you learn how to alter reality to traverse seemingly impossible obstacles. When you expend a Focus Point to use Step of the Wind, you gain a fly speed equal to your walking speed until the beginning of your next turn. You start to fall at the beginning of your next turn unless you expend a Focus Point to use Step of the Wind again.
Level 11: Insight of the Wanderer
Beginning at 11th level, you learn to listen and respond instinctively to the movement of the Ki in your body, allowing it to lead you in your travels. If you spend a short rest focusing on a person, object, or location, you gain the effect of a find the path spell that lasts for 1 day (or until you end your concentration on it, as though concentrating on a spell). This feature mimics the effects of the find the path spell, except you do not need to be familiar with the destination, the destination can be on any plane of existence, and the destination can be a creature or object, in addition to a location. Creatures, objects, or locations that are warded against divination are immune to this effect.
Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
Level 17: Step of the Crossing Place
Beginning at 17th level, you can open a portal into Trasna, a labyrinthine dimension known only to true Pilgrims. The entire landscape of Trasna is heavily obscured by mist and filled with twisting, rotating staircases that seem to defy logic, gravity, and physics. Trasna can take you to any location on any plane of existence, but only if you can find your way first.
As a Magic action, you can name a location as your desired destination and expend 7 Focus Points to transport yourself and up to 10 willing creatures into Trasna. This destination does not need to be familiar to you, as long as you can describe it. Leading the group through the shifting staircases of Trasna requires a DC 15 Wisdom check. If you are using the optional “Grace Score” from The Adventurer’s Guide to the Bible, then a Grace check can be made instead of a Wisdom check.
On a successful check, your group arrives safely at the named destination. On a failure, the group arrives at the wrong location, determined by the GM or by rolling on the table below.
| d8 | Trasna Destinations |
|---|---|
| 1 | The last place you willingly told a lie |
| 2 | The entrance to a dungeon containing a long-lost artifact |
| 3 | In the presence of a creature who has just summoned you using a ritual, and has important news to share. |
| 4 | The surface of a desolate but hospitable moon, circling a distant and unknown planet |
| 5 | The sanctuary of a small chapel, standing before a child who is praying for help |
| 6 | A council room where an important political decision is about to be made |
| 7 | In the midst of a combat encounter (determined by the GM), just in time to save a hopeless situation. |
| 8 | In the presence of a hostile creature (determined by the GM), who offers an unthinkable choice. |
Monk Subclass: Way of the Jian
In the open field, one man with a spear or a bow is better than three men with swords. But among the winding ways and dangerous heights, one swordsman will do better than three archers or spearmen.
- Chao Cuo, Han Dynasty Advisor The Military of the Han Dynasty placed great emphasis on using the right weapon at the right time. The philosopher Chao Cuo (quoted above), wrote at great length describing different types of terrain and what kinds of weaponry were best suited for each. In general, the Han military favored spears and bows for their range, but in close quarters and unpredictable circumstances (such as when fighting balanced on the bulwark of a ship), the superior weapon was the Jian.
The Jian is a double-edged straight sword with an ornamental but small guard. Considered one of the “big four” weapons in Han China (the other three being staff, spear, and dao), the Jian requires years of discipline to master and has an entire martial art dedicated to its practice. This early form of armed wushu is called the “Way of the Jian,” and requires the practitioner to wield the Jian as an extension of their body.
Masters of the Way of the Jian are considered among the most elite warriors of the Han military, making them highly respected in Chinese social strata, rivaling even those of noble birth.
Way of the Jian Features
| 3rd | Jianshu Initiate |
| 6th | Mystical Blade |
| 11th | Instinctive Duelist |
| 17th | Disciplined Strike |
Level 3: Jianshu Initiate
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your training has earned you the following benefits:
- Jian Proficiency. You have mastered the use of the Jian as an extension of your wushu forms. You gain proficiency with the Jian, and it is considered a monk weapon for you. The Jian uses a d8 for its damage die, and Dexterity for its attack and damage rolls. You choose the appearance of your Jian, which is specially crafted for you. If your Jian is lost or destroyed, you can create a new one by performing a 1 hour ritual.
- Versatile Strikes. Each time you attack with the Jian, you decide whether the attack deals piercing or slashing damage.
- Fluid Parry. You learn to transfer the energy of a failed strike into a defensive flourish. If you miss on an attack roll with your Jian, you gain a bonus to your AC equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die. This bonus to your AC lasts until the start of your next turn, or until you are no longer wielding your Jian.
- Jianke Status. If your Jian is visible and worn as part of your outfit, your presence commands respect. You gain a bonus to Charisma checks equal to your Martial Arts die. Note: if your adventure setting is using the optional “Honor Score” rules, then this bonus also applies to Honor checks.
Level 6: Mystical Blade
At 6th level, your training has given you a mystical connection to your blade, which grants the following benefits:
- Magic Weapon. Your Jian is considered a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
- Mystical Absorption. If you encounter a magic item that has the “sword” weapon type, you can transfer the features of the magic item into your Jian by performing a special ritual. The ritual takes 1 hour, and you must be touching both weapons for the duration. At the conclusion of the ritual, your Jian gains the features of the magic weapon, which thereafter becomes nonmagical. Your Jian loses these features if you perform the 1-hour ritual on a different magic item, or if you use a 1-hour ritual to cleanse your Jian of its existing features.
Level 11: Instinctive Perception
At 11th level, you have honed your instincts to such a degree that you can anticipate the attacks and maneuvers of your enemies, even if you cannot see them.
You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. You are instinctively aware of any creatures within this range even if they are invisible or have total cover.
Level 17: Disciplined Strikes
At 17th level, you wield your Jian with devastating accuracy. The first time you hit with your Jian on an Attack roll during your turn, you deal extra damage equal to your Martial Arts die.