Monks are hardly the most popular choice when it comes to picking a class, making it one of the most underrated classes in the game. Often forgotten, this class focuses on mastering the power of unarmed combat. However, playing as a Monk does not limit you to only using your fists, encouraging you to also wield simple weapons. On top of that, by choosing the appropriate subclass, you’re able to drastically shift the style of play to your liking. That being said, this is the complete Monk class guide in Baldur’s Gate 3.
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Monk Class Overview
Monk Playstyle and Races
Their primary ability being Dexterity and Wisdom, Monks are both skilled with their hands and mind. Being proficient in Wisdom is especially important. This is because they are able to increase their likelihood of success in throws related to Survival, Perception, Animal Healing, Insight, and Medicine. The best thing about playing as a Monk is that it isn’t really limiting. Instead, you’re able to dabble with a lot of different playstyles to see what works best for you. Playing and experimenting will lead you to understand that you can’t really go wrong with this class. It’s consistently reliable and fun-to-play.
Versatility is the name of the game when piloting a Monk. In fact, not only can they wield weapons and cast spells, they are able to choose from 3 subclasses that further specialize their style of play. These classes are: Way of the Open Hand, Way of Shadow, and Way of the Four Elements, which we will talk about later. For now, let’s focus on their most unique feature, Ki Points. Essentially, these act similarly to spell slots, instead fueling ‘actions’ that allow you to perform special attacks.
In terms of background, Urchin is undeniably the one you should go for. Picking it gives you a boost in Stealth and Sleight of Hand, two Dexterity skills that are truly essential. Charlatan is second-best, granting Deception and Sleight of Hand proficiency bonuses. The common factor is Sleight of Hand, a great skill that allows you to lockpick and pickpocket. Paired with a stealthy build, these two backgrounds are definitely the ones to choose from.
As you can see from the image below, there are a plethora of actions you can perform as a Monk. The action wheel below shows spells, unique attacks, and even enhanced movement options. All of which lead to an absolute unit of a build.
Monk’s action wheel in Baldur’s Gate 3
In terms of Races, it fairly different depending on what playstyle you’re going for. Wood Elf is generally the go-to option as it provides proficiency with longbows and longswords. Not only that but they are also have the highest base movement speed of any race in the game. This is very useful as being a Monk involves mobility, especially when you want to hit-and-run.
Half-Orcs are incredibly powerful due to their ability to drop to 1 HP instead of downing the first time they die in a fight. You can take advantage of this ability as a Monk by delivering a few more blows before ultimately downing. On top of that, you get tripled damage instead of double when using the Savage Attacker feat.
Selecting a Drow can be a sleeper-pick as they can see in the dark and have proficiency with Perception. Additionally, at level 5, they can cast Darkness, which is a spell that heavily obscures and blinds creatures, revoking their ability to perform ranged attacks.
Monk Proficiencies (Weapons, Armour, Saving Throws, and Skills)
Similarly to Barbarians, Monks are not proficient in any type of armour. Instead relying on an unarmoured build. Worry not, there are many clothing items in the game with powerful enchantments that make up for the lack of protection. Since your main focus is to unleash a fury of strikes at your opponents, you’re able to take out strong enemies in one or two turns, minimizing the chance to get hit. Furthermore, Monks have access to the ‘Unarmoured Defence‘ perk that adds your Wisdom Modifier to your Armour Class.
The choice of clothing is important due to the lack of armoured options. A great choice that you can acquire at the start of Act 2 is The Graceful Cloth. It blesses you with Cat’s Grace which increase your Dexterity score by 2 and essential stat for any Monk. It also increases your jump distance, making it so that you are able to escape tight situations easier. Not to mention that it looks like you’re wearing a ribcage, making you a total badass.
Pair this clothing piece with Bracers of Defence or Gloves of the Duelist for an unstoppable build. For your boots, anything that enhances movement or jumping will do the job. If you’re looking for an amulet that is overpowered, try using the Moondrop Pendant. It makes it so that if you’re half-health or below, you won’t trigger opportunity attacks against you. A fantastic ability for when you need to make a swift getaway.
The Graceful Cloth clothing piece
In terms of weaponry, Monks have the option of including simple weapons and shortswords in their arsenal. This is especially useful as it’s always good to keep your options open. However, for the most part, you’ll be relying on using your Ki to inflict multiple barehanded attacks. These are extremely powerful and often result in your opponents falling down. Monks are proficient with the following simple weapons: Clubs, Daggers, Greatclubs, Handaxes, Javelins, Light Crossbows, Light Hammers, Maces, Quarterstaffs, Shortbows, Sickles, and Spears. Some great weapon options include the Shortsword of First Blood, which gives you a damage bonus to enemies with full HP.
Dexterity is the main saving throw for Monks alongside Strength. Ensure that you keep both of those two stats high to guarantee success. Also, make sure that you maintain a good level of Wisdom as it basically acts as your armour. There are a lot of great feats and passives that scale and synergize with your Dexterity so remember to always keep an eye on that!
In terms of skill proficiencies, you can choose 2 from the following:
Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, Stealth.
We recommend picking Athletics and Stealth as you get a boost to your jumping, shove, and concealing yourself. Acrobatics is also useful though a bit niche. Insight is also a solid choice if you want to unlock new dialogue options. Athletics relies on Strength, while Acrobatics and Stealth focus on Dexterity. Insight benefits from Wisdom, so overall you should be flying no matter which skill proficiency you choose.
Monk Feats and Abilities
Right off the bat, a great feat to pair with unarmed attacks is Tavern Brawler. When you make an unarmed attack, use an improvised weapon, or throw something, your Strength modifier is added twice to the damage and attack rolls. As you can see, this feat is incredibly powerful, increasing your overall damage when barehanded. Another reliable feat would be Tough, which focuses on increasing your total HP. This can be really helpful because most of the time, Monks get up-close-and-personal with their enemies, aiming to strike from a close distance. Mobile is also a great feat as it helps you avoid opportunity attacks, opening up the path for a hit-and-run.
If you’re looking for a more stealthy approach, Savage Attacker significantly increases your damage output. This opens the door for sneaky backstabs and invisible attacks that lead to devastating power. On top of that, this feat isn’t limiting as a damage bonus is welcome no matter what build you go for. Sharpshooter is another effective feat if you want to strategize and control the battlefield. By using ranged weapons to damage your opponents from afar, you can crowd control whilst also making way before you close in for the killing blow.
Tavern Brawler feat in Baldur’s Gate 3
Ability-wise, we’ve got four unique features that are exclusive to Monks:
Flurry of Blows (Action) – Punch twice in quick succession. This action requires a bonus action and a Ki Point. Unleashing two strikes can be invaluable, especially when one misses and the other lands. Not only does it give you a greater chance of landing blows on your opponents, it pairs nicely with the Tavern Brawler feat.
Martial Arts: Dextrous Attacks (Class Feature) – Attacks with Monk Weapons and unarmed attacks scale with your Dexterity instead of your Strength if your Dexterity is higher. A great feature that grants you the freedom of picking between scaling your Dexterity or Strength. Depending on your chosen feats and active passives, whichever one you end up choosing will elevate your Monk to the next level.
Martial Arts: Deft Strikes (Class Feature) – Attacks with Monk Weapons and unarmed attacks deal 1~4 Bludgeoning damage, unless their normal damage is higher. This also scales with level, reaching d6 at level 3 and remaining at least d6 until level 6. When you reach level 9, it becomes d8!
Martial Arts: Bonus Unarmed Strike (Class Feature) – After making an attack with a Monk Weapon or while unarmed, you can make another unarmed attack as a bonus action. Not much to be said here, just the perfect ability for a Monk. Combine this with Tavern Brawler, Flurry of Blows, and your melee attack, for the ultimate combo.
Monk class abilities in Baldur’s Gate 3
Monk Subclasses
In Baldur’s Gate 3, most classes have subclasses within them that allow you to specialize in a certain style of play. Monks are no different, offering 3 unique options, each with their own abilities, uses, and advantages.
Way of the Open Hand
Without a doubt the most accessible subclass, Way of the Open Hand is easy-to-use and immensely powerful. Choose this subclass if you’re looking to channel the power of the fist, destroying any mortal that dares oppose you. Of course, you’ve got some support options in the mix if you choose to aid your party members, but for the most part, this subclass is lethal.
Level 3 – You gain access to 3 new bonus actions:
Flurry of Blows: Topple – Punch twice in quick succession and possibly knock the target prone. Both strikes deal 1d6+3 Bludgeoning damage.
Flurry of Blows: Stagger – Punch twice in quick succession and Stagger the target, making it unable to take reactions. Both strikes deal 1d6+3 Bludgeoning damage.
Flurry of Blows: Push – Punch twice in quick succession and possibly push the target 5m away. Both strikes deal 1d6+3 Bludgeoning damage.
All 3 bonus actions are fairly similar, delivering two painful strikes that damage your opponents. Apart from just being strong attacks, each strike comes with its own unique effect that can be useful in certain scenarios. For example, Push is great if you want to send enemies flying off a nearby ledge. While Stagger and Topple can interrupt your opponent’s flow and render them immobile.
Level 6 – You gain access to 3 new subclass features and 1 new action:
Manifestation of Body – Your hands sap the Ki from your enemies’ bodies. Your unarmed attacks deal an additional 1-4 + Wisdom modifier Necrotic damage.
Manifestation of Mind – Your strikes interrupt the Ki flow to your enemies’ minds. Your unarmed attacks deal an additional 1-4 + Wisdom modifier Psychic damage.
Manifestation of Soul – Infuse your strikes with Ki from outside your body. Your unarmed attacks deal an additional 1-4 + Wisdom modifier Radiant damage.
Wholeness of Body – Regain half your Ki Points and enter a temporary state of Wholeness where you can regain Ki points and have an extra bonus action. You can use this once per long rest and helps you recharge if you’re running low on Ki. Granting you a bonus action is phenomenal, opening up the doors for even more damage. Furthermore, it partially heals you to guarantee your safety.
The three manifestations are exactly the same, only differing in terms of damage type. You can only have one active at a time, switching between which one you want toggled on via the character sheet. These new features are useful when battling enemies that have a weakness to one of these three damage types.
Level 9 – You gain 3 new actions, one of which a bonus action:
Ki Resonation: Punch – Hit a creature with your bare fists for 1d8+3 Bludgeoning damage, making the Ki in its body resonate with yours.
Ki Resonation: Punch (Bonus Action) – Hit a creature with your bare fists for 1d8+3 Bludgeoning damage, making the Ki in its body resonate with yours. Identical to the previous action, this is a carbon-copy, available as a bonus action for you to repeat it more than once. Both strikes are standard punches, upgraded to be powerful and reliable.
Ki Resonation: Blast – Detonate the Ki of a creature resonating with you, hitting the creature and anyone within 5m of it with 3d6 Force. Its range is 18m and its a DEX save. However, in the occasion that your enemies save, they still take half damage.
Level 11 – Introduces a subclass feature:
Tranquility – Long Rests surround you with an aura of peace, granting you Sanctuary. This is an amazing feature, granting you protection after you indulge in a long rest.
Way of the Open Hand subclass selection.
Overall this subclass is consistent and easy-to-use. Players should go down this route if they want a balanced experience that also so happens to make them feel like a one-punch God.
Way of the Four Elements
Less fleshed-out than Way of the Open Hand, Way of the Four Elements focuses on spellcasting. Its progression can easily be broken down as such:
Level 3 you get the subclass feature Disciple of the Elements, allowing you to choose 3 spells that you can learn. You also unlock the out-of-combat action Harmony of Fire and Water. It allows you to regain half your Ki Points (rounded down), once per long rest.
Afterwards, as part of your subclass feature Disciple of the Elements, you also get to learn one extra spell on levels 6, 9, and 11. Additionally on turn 9, you get access to Improved Elemental Casting. This feature reads: your affinity with elemental Ki deepens. Several of your offensive Four Elements features deal an additional dice of damage, your Clench of the North Wind can hold an additional creature, and your Embrace of the inferno fires an extra ray.
Way of the Four Elements subclass selection.
Definitely the most overlooked subclass when it comes to Monks, offering more focus on magic and less on raw physical power. If players want to try spellcasting, its best they simply play as a Magician, Warlock, or Sorcerer. Otherwise, there’s not much point in leaning heavily into magic when you could do it better elsewhere. This subclass is mainly for players aiming to use the unarmed attacks as plan B and instead use spellcasting to manipulate the battlefield.
Way of the Shadow
Arguably the most impactful subclass choice of all, Way of the Shadow turns your Monk into an all out deadly Ninja. Stealth is not the only skill this build excels at, maintaining its versatility but combining it with sneaky lethal attacks. One of the best things about this subclass is that at level 3, you gain access to these following abilities:
- Minor Illusion (Cantrip)
- Shadow Arts: Hide (Action)
- Shadow Arts: Pass Without Trace (Action)
- Shadow Arts: Darkness (Action)
- Shadow Arts: Darkvision (Action)
- Shadow Arts: Silence (Action)
All of these unlock completely new options for combat. You can now successfully carry out stealth attacks, take your enemies by surprise, pickpocket, and more. If that’s not enough, the Pass Without Trace action affects your party members as well, giving you all a +10 in stealth checks. Basically, you start off extremely overpowered and it only goes up from here.
Later down the line, you get access to the following:
- Level 5 – Cloak of Shadows (Action)
- Level 6 – Shadow Step (Action)
- Level 11 – Shadow Strike (Action)
- Level 11 – Shadow Strike: Unarmed (Action)
The Cloak of Shadows guarantees your invisibility and can be performed infinitely given that you are lightly obscured. Shadow Step allows you to teleport from shadow to shadow, buffing your next melee roll. This is perfect for sneak attacks and powerful one-shots. The level 11 Shadow Strikes allow you to teleport to an enemy from a hidden position and absolutely wreck them. For reference, these actions inflict 7-35 damage, 1d8 +3 Bludgeoning, and +3d8 Psychic. It’s safe to say that The Way of the Shadow is a subclass that can absolutely decimate your enemies without them even knowing what hit them.
Way of the Shadow subclass selection
Overall, the Monk class proves to be a viable option, giving you versatile builds that can suit most playstyles. For more relevant guides, make sure to check out our Baldur’s Gate 3 game page on KeenGamer.
