Monk is a psionic striker class in Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition, and it was introduced in Player's Handbook 3.[PH3:63]
The Monk class specializes in unarmed combat with the assistance of Ki Focuses. Some Monk powers have two options to choose from: attack style and move style. Each one requires a standard action or a move action respectively and can help the monk in various situations.
Class Traits[]
A 1st-level monk begins with hit points equal to a high number plus the monk's Constitution score, healing surges per day equal to a high number plus the monk's Constitution modifier, and a minor bonus to Fortitude, Reflex and Will defenses. A monk gains a moderate amount of hit points per level.
Class Proficiencies[]
A 1st-level monk begins with cloth armor proficiency, club, dagger, monk unarmed strike, quarterstaff, shuriken, sling, and spear weapon proficiencies, and implement proficiency with ki focuses and weapons with which the monk is proficient.
Class Skills[]
A 1st-level monk begins trained in four skills from their class list.
- Acrobatics (Dex)
- Athletics (Str)
- Diplomacy (Cha)
- Endurance (Con)
- Heal (Wis)
- Insight (Wis)
- Perception (Wis)
- Religion (Int)
- Stealth (Dex)
- Thievery (Dex)
Class features[]
A monk gains the Monastic Tradition, Unarmed Combatant, and Unarmored Defense class features at 1st level.
Monastic Tradition[]
A monk with the Monastic Tradition class feature chooses one of the following options. Each option grants a "flurry of blows" at-will power and an additional benefit.
| Monastic Tradition | At-will power | Additional benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Centered Breath[PH3:63] | centered flurry of blows | Mental Equilibrium: The monk gains a minor per tier bonus to Fortitude. |
| Desert Wind[HotEC:69] | desert wind flurry of blows | Mental Crucible: The monk gains a moderate amount of resist fire per tier. If the monk already has fire resistance, it increases per tier by a minor amount. |
| Eternal Tide[HotEC:70] | eternal tide flurry of blows | Mental Balance: When the monk is affected by an enemy's pull, push, or slide, the monk reduces that forced movement by up to a minor amount of squares, and can shift a minor amount of squares as a free action after the forced movement. |
| Iron Soul[PsP:60] | iron soul flurry of blows | Mental Arsenal: The monk gains a minor shield bonus to AC while wielding a weapon not in the unarmed weapon group. |
| Stone Fist[PH3:63] | stone fist flurry of blows | Mental Bastion: The monk gains a minor per tier bonus to Will. |
Unarmed Combatant[]
A monk with the Unarmed Combatant class feature can use monk unarmed strike as a weapon for weapon keyword powers while having one hand free. The monk unarmed strike can't be enchanted as a magic weapon, but does benefit from a ki focus's bonus to weapon attack rolls and weapon damage rolls.[PH3:63]
Unarmored Defense[]
A monk with the Unarmored Defense class feature gains a minor bonus to AC while not using a shield and wearing cloth armor or no armor.[PH3:63]
Implements[]
Monks usually channel their psionic energy through an item called a ki focus, which is a wooden practice weapon, prayer beads, a manual of lore, or some other object a monk studies or uses during training or meditation. After you attune yourself to a ki focus, you can use it as an implement when it is on your person.
You can also use a weapon with which you have proficiency as an implement. When wielding the weapon as an implement, the weapon's characteristics-proficiency bonus, damage die, and weapon properties like defensive or high crit-are irrelevant to your implement powers.
Your monk attack powers are implement powers, meaning they are enhanced by the powers, properties, and enhancement bonus of your ki focus or a weapon you use as an implement. All your monk attacks can involve the use of a weapon, whether it's your monk unarmed strike or a manufactured object. Because the attacks can draw on the magic of your ki focus, they are equally effective whether you wield a quarterstaff or batter your foes with punches and kicks. You might want to use a weapon so that you can take advantage of feats such as Shielding Whirlwind Style or Crashing Tempest Style. You can switch weapons with ease or pick up whatever is at hand to attack your foes, drawing on the power of your ki focus instead of relying on the strength of magically enhanced steel.
Monk Powers[]
Monk powers, having a psionic power source, are also called disciplines. Many monk powers have the full discipline keyword. A full discipline power gives you at least two actions to choose from, usually an attack technique and a movement technique. Attack techniques usually require a standard action. and movement techniques are options for your move actions. For a monk, a full discipline power represents a fighting style, a unique combination of a move and an attack.
Monk Powers Table
Monk Feats[]
These feats have the monk class, or hybrid/multiclass monk, as a prerequisite. Additional prerequisites are noted. For example, characters who multiclass into monkdo not necessarily gain the Combat Challenge feature, so may not qualify for feats requiring that feature.
Heroic Tier Feats[]
- Crashing Tempest Style Requires Flurry of Blows[PH3:180]
- Flurry Resounding Requires Monk, Flurry of Blows class feature [Dr404:42]
- Improved Monk Unarmed Strike Requires Unarmed Combatant[PH3:181]
- Internalize the Basic Kata Requires Monk, Flurry of Blows class feature[Dr404:42]
- Master of the Fist Multiclass monk, RequiresStrength 13 or Dexterity 13 [Dr404:42]
- Monastatic Discipline Multiclass Monk, Requires Dex 13[PH3:193]
- Piercing Palm Requires Monk, Rogue, Sneak Attack class feature, Unarmed Combatant class feature[Dr404:42]
- Pointed Step Style Requires flurry of blows[PH3:182]
- Shielding Whirlwind Style Requires Monk, Flurry of Blows class feature [Dr404:42]
- Slashing Kama Style Requires Monk, Flurry of Blows class feature [Dr404:42]
Paragon Tier feats[]
- Brutal Flury Requires Flury of Blows [PH3:185]
- Effortless Motion [PH3:187]
- Simple Precision [PH3:189]
- Starblade Flurry Requires Flury of Blows [PH3:189]
Epic Tier Feats[]
- Centered Master Requires Centered Flury of Blows[PH3:190]
- Stone Fist Master Requires Stone Fist flurry of blows[PH3:192]
- Unarmed mastery Requires Unarmed Combatant[PH3:192]
Monk paragon paths[]
Refer to the Monk section in the Paragon Path page
See also[]
- Monk Basics[Dr404]
